I had the pleasure of getting to know the folks at TechSoup several years ago in the beginning stages of work on WebJunction, a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation project that was to (and does) include a significant online learning component. I may be mistaken, but is my impression that their work may be known more in the world of charitable organizations and advocacy groups than in the association sector. So, I thought it might be worth spotlighting them here for association readers as well as for anyone who may think of them as only a provider of software discounts to nonprofits. TechSoup is also a vibrant learning community and its Web site is a great destination for anyone concerned with the impact of technology on the work of mission-driven organizations.
Chock full of how-to’s, worksheets, case studies and other useful materials, TechSoup’s learning center may be of particular interest to Mission to Learn readers. The featured item as of this posting, for instance is:
Why Nonprofit Managers Must Use RSS — And How to Start
If you’re a nonprofit manager and you’re not using RSS, you may be falling behind. Learn how you can go from zero to RSS expert in three easy steps in this guide from DemocracyInAction.org.
There have been past postings on items like Moodle, the open source online learning management system (though more recent input would be welcome) and podcasting, and the TechSoup staff has even assembled “toolkits” on hot topics like Web 2.0.
If you are not familiar with TechSoup, check it out and let me know what you think. Also, let me know any other sites you visit frequently for the latest on Web 2.0 or online learning technologies.
Jeff
