LearnHousing - Who we are
and what we are aiming to do

Thank you for your interest in finding out more about LearnHousing's specialised e-learning and blended-learning solutions for the Housing Sector.

Who is behind LearnHousing?

LearnHousing has been developed by Knowledge Generation, a Bristol-based consultancy and coaching business, in collaboration with Housing professionals, practitioners and experts, and in consultation with relevant organisations like the National Housing Federation.

Knowledge Generation specialises in working with individuals and organisations on efficient ways to use their knowledge and information resources. Efficient knowledge use is about acquiring new knowledge and sharing and applying existing knowledge - so in essence it is also about learning. We work for a wide client base, spread over many industries, but have developed a range of services that are of particular relevance to Housing Associations.

The business is owned and managed by Dr Monika Strell. Monika has previously worked for the National Housing Federation, managing the South West Regional Office for three years between 2001 and 2004, which gave her a great deal of insight into the world of Housing, and Housing Associations in particular.

Monika is a qualified online facilitator and online tutor. In 2004 she successfully completed Sheffield College’s award-winning accredited LeTTOL (Learning To Teach Online) programme. Currently she is further developing her skills via the University of Calgary, Canada.

Having been an e-learning participant herself, in various formats from self-paced IT courses to various short- and long-term online courses, Monika knows the challenges of e-learning from personal experience. She has also supported online students in their e-learning journey, as a two-time mentor in the international online workshop on ‘Foundations of Communities of Practice’, an online seminar taught by Etienne Wenger, a leading thinker and practitioner in the field of Communities of Practice.

Our motivation for developing LearnHousing is fuelled by our interest and qualification in e-learning, learning organisations and knowledge issues, coupled with our insight into the training and learning needs in the Housing Sector. 'Traditional' face-to-face courses are often difficult to access for housing professionals, and frequently limited 'real' learning takes place in the courses.

LearnHousing thus addresses two issues:

• the accessibility of training in the Housing Sector, especially in the field of shorter, specific subject areas
• the quality of training and learning