has played a significant role in the adoption of Information and Learning Technology (ILT) by the post-16 education sectors in the UK. NLN Materials Four rounds of interactive learning materials were commissioned and authored under the NLN banner, covering a wide range of academic and vocational topics. The last body of work − Round 4, adding to the 800 hours of materials already available, was aimed at the Adult and Community Learning sector, covering four main topics: Family Learning, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Learning to Learn, and Making Learning Work for You. These materials were made available from winter 2005. Round 1 and 2 of the materials were substantially updated during April to July 2006. The materials are designed to be used in a variety of formats and delivery platforms, including within a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). To facilitate this, all NLN materials have been packaged as Scorm Learning Objects, with metadata. Most of the LOs can be disaggregated into multiple Shareable Content Objects, and to varying degrees modified and repurposed by practitioners. In total, the NLN Materials consist of 2251 Learning Objects, 800 hours of learning, and have been used in around a third of UK FE institutions, as well as commercial and offender learning contexts. Xtensis ltd. originally took a consultancy role in the project, gradually increasing their role to hosting the materials to practitioners in the ACL sector, then to all sectors, also introducing a download format that includes a navigational wrapper allowing the materials to be distributed and used on CD/DVD/intranet, while still being valid Scorm Content Packages. Although most of the institutions involved in their creation have since been disbanded, the materials are still well used. Since 2015, authority of the NLN Materials service has passed to the Education and Training Foundation, with the materials hosted within Xtensis's social bookmarking site XtLearn.net which still allows direct access and independent download, but also enables mixing with other content sources from around the web into content collections. References External links Official NLN site UK Education in England Education in the Republic of Ireland Educational technology projects Governmental educational technology organizations Information technology organisations based in the United Kingdom