Macmillan provides 'anytime, anywhere' training with 23 Video Arts mobile learning courses

Feb. 13, 2013 - PRLog -- Macmillan Cancer Support is using 23 mobile learning courses from Video Arts to provide leadership and soft skills training for its 500 staff and ‘added-value learning’ for 4,000 Macmillan health and social care professionals across the UK.

The m-learning courses, which can be used on Apple, Android and Blackberry devices, cover subjects such as teamwork, time management, appraisals, managing change, coaching, interviewing, managing stress and assertiveness. The Video Arts m-learning app is the gateway to the courses and is available through Learn Zone, Macmillan’s virtual learning environment which also contains education and support resources, advice and guidance, e-learning courses and professional development tools.

Lesley Maguire, Macmillan’s Learning Technology Manager, said: “Smartphones and tablet computers are everywhere now and most people are comfortable in using them for a variety of applications. M-learning takes advantage of this technology and enables people to learn whenever and wherever they want. The mobile courses will benefit our staff and they’ll add value to the quality of the service that our professionals provide to cancer sufferers.”

The Video Arts mobile learning courses bring key learning points to life using ‘bite-sized’ video clips, featuring famous faces such as Hugh Laurie, Dawn French, Jamie Oliver and James Nesbitt. Each course includes around 30 minutes of training video clips but learners can dip in and out for just-in-time learning. The short training video clips include ‘wrong-way, right-way’ scenarios that demonstrate different skills, behaviours and techniques. These are supported by practical tips. Designed specifically for mobile devices and for on-the-move learning, the courses can be used as standalone learning resources or to reinforce the messages from classroom training or e-learning.

“The Video Arts m-learning courses are easy and convenient to use, extremely well produced and their use of humour makes the learning engaging, memorable and fun,” said Lesley McGuire. “You can work through each section in a couple of minutes, tick it off and move onto the next one. They provide condensed, effective learning points that can be put into practice immediately and the fact that you can even use them while sitting on a bus or train makes them even more compelling.”

Macmillan will use social media channels to promote the availability of the m-learning courses and it will track and monitor all usage.

Based throughout the UK, Macmillan professionals include doctors, nurses, counsellors, physiotherapists, radiographers, dieticians, social workers, speech therapists, pharmacists, information centre staff and benefits advisers.

For further information about Video Arts, please visit http://www.videoarts.com or call +44 (0) 20 7400 4800.

Background notes: Macmillan Cancer Support provides practical, medical, emotional and financial support for people affected by cancer and it pushes for better cancer care. The charity works with the NHS and other organisations to create ‘cancer environments’ such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy suites and palliative care day units. www.macmillan.org.uk

Founded in 1972 by four television professionals including the comedian John Cleese, Video Arts pioneered the use of humour in training films and now distributes its video, e-learning and m-learning courses in over 50 countries. A long list of famous actors have appeared in Video Arts films, including John Cleese, Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry, Rowan Atkinson, Dawn French, Hugh Laurie and even Prince Charles.