Engaging in the future of e‐learning: a scenarios‐based approach

e‐Learning has been frequently heralded as a transforming influence on global education and corporate training. Despite such rhetoric, the adoption, diffusion and exploitation of e‐Learning by educational institutions and organizations have been slower than anticipated. In this paper we attempt to examine the future of e‐learning by adopting a scenario planning approach, which formed the basis of a recent major international conference held in Edinburgh, Scotland in February 2004. We set out the background of the study, the methodology used to investigate the future(s) of e‐learning and reflect on the process and outcomes of the exercise to provide some assistance for practitioners in the field. Our general conclusions are that the scenarios have been a valuable starting point to engage in a more informed discussion of how e‐learning may transform education and training markets and the ways in which people learn over the next decade.