Learning About E-learning from MORI 13/5/00 The Internet is already established as a highly effective source of information on training. However, most Internet users believe there is a need for better availability of training. They also want the Government to do more to make training more accessible on the Internet. These are among the key findings of the bookacourse.com survey of Internet users conducted recently by e-MORI. According to the bookacourse.com survey, the Internet is already by far the first choice for training information for the majority of Internet users, with 54% choosing it, while only 1 in 5 would now go first to their employer's personnel department and less than 1 in 6 to the student careers centre. The Internet is already being used as a source, with 59% of Internet users having already searched for training information. Those who have used the Internet to search for training believe that it will have a positive impact on future learning. Over 7 in 10 Internet users think that the Internet is an effective medium for increasing the availability of training and education and almost 3 out of 4 believe that the Internet has the potential to encourage life long learning. The findings show that Internet users are not satisfied with availability and access to training information. 3 out of 5 believe there is a general need for the availability of training to be improved, and the same proportion believe that the Government should be making more of an effort to make training more accessible through the Internet. Many are impressed by the training information they have found on the Internet. More than 1 in 5 found information online, which they would not have obtained in any other way. However, 6 out of 7 thought it was not organised in a way that made choices easy to compare. Almost 3 out of 5 said they would welcome and use a central Internet source of training information. Since bookacourse.com is a portal based around a unique search engine that allows a real time 'at a glance' comparison of training products and services as well as bringing together training courses centrally, the concept was firmly endorsed by the survey. According to Aasim Khalid, Managing Director of bookacourse.com, a major new on-line training market place, " This fascinating research shows that the Internet is already the primary source of training information, but the users demand more sophisticated search engines. The research identifies a clear need for the information to be presented in a way that allows an objective comparison so a user can make an informed decision." The research findings are based on results from e-MORI's e-public panel of British Internet users. Interviews were carried out on-line via the Internet with 1,190 panel members between 7 and 19 April 2000. Data was weighted to reflect the current profile of British Internet users over the age of 15.