5 Appealing Reasons to Try Distance Learning

Distance Learning has revolutionized the way we train and educate.  According to a report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., Global E-Learning is expected to reach $107 billion by 2015.  The reasons for this are advancements in technology, as well as, corporations recognizing the need to expand employee training opportunities.  But what makes this method so appealing?

1.  Convenience: E-Learning offers students the flexibility and convenience of training at any time, location and on almost any device.  Students no longer have to try to fit a course into their already burdened schedules. Education is now mobile with 24/7 access.
2. Relevant: Adult learners have already experienced a variety of education.  They want training and education that is relevant to their personal or professional development.  In a report published by the Johns Hopkins School of Education, 83 percent of adult learners cited the need to transition successfully from change as a reason for seeking education.  Whether a job change or a life change, distance learning provides relevant training and education opportunities.
3. Higher retention rates: According to ­­­the report: Corporate E-Learning: exploring a new frontier by W.R. Hambrecht and Co., e-learning has a 60% faster learning curve, compared to instructor-led training.  The reason for this is that e-learning allows more room for individual learning styles.  Students learn at their own pace and can review course material as often as needed, giving students more control over their learning process. This helps students better understand the material, thereby enhancing the retention rate.
4. Cost Effective: Not only does distance learning make life-long learning possible, but it removes barriers that would normally prevent some students from seeking education or training.  Technology has made distance learning more convenient and more accessible.  The higher retention of the course material alone puts a higher value on every dollar spent.
5. Environmentally friendly: Key findings in a study conducted by Britain’s Open University found that distance learning courses consumed 90 percent less energy than conventional courses taught in a classroom setting. The study also showed a decrease of 85 percent in CO2 emissions. If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint, try distance learning.

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Video Tutorials: A Growing Medium for Advanced Career Training

Traditional academic settings, such as universities and trade schools are starting to make way for technological advanced mediums to support students and working professionals who are always in constant locomotion. And due to the explosion of the “information highway,” video based training tutorials of learning multimedia software applications are growing in momentum.

Especially within the realm of business and higher education, online tutorials are increasingly the favored method of learning due to the fact that there is no constraint, unlike a traditional academic setting such as the classroom where it’s allocated with time and place restrictions and limitations.

With video tutorials, training courses can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Computer training is much more accessible than being interrupted from your daily activities and schedule to get to class on time. The beauty of online training is that it can be accessed without the disturbance in your personal and professional life.

Online training tutorials are also time efficient in the sense that learners don’t have to waste time in reviewing materials they already know. For example, learners interested in a particular course can just click on the software tutorials that pertain to their interest without having to go through the unnecessary segments.

Skeptics might point out that with virtual training, learners are unable to ask questions, problems, or concepts that they might have, unlike a traditional class where instructors are there in person to answer students’ questions. But most video tutorials performed are presented by specialists in their given field. The chances of having any concepts or problems unresolved in their tutorials are pretty slim. If there is a concern, all you would have to do is play the tutorials again and look and listen carefully for your answer.

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Microsoft PowerPoint: Enemy of the State?

Ever since its introduction to the business industry in 1984, Microsoft PowerPoint has been a staple present in the boardrooms of the business, academic, and military world. A slideware computer program that easily generates charts, graphs, and bullet points, presenting research and data in an easy format revolutionized the time spent on data-driven presentations. But while some praise the invention of the software, there are those who disagree as well. In fact, prominent U.S. generals and professors think PowerPoint is an evil entity.

According to Edward R. Tufte, a political science professor at Yale University who wrote an article on Wired.com, “PowerPoint is Evil,” says the Microsoft presentation software induces stupidity, turns everyone into bores, waste time, and degrades the quality and credibility of communication. Gen. James N. Mattis, commander of the Joint Force in the Marine Corps who was interviewed for a New York Times article, “We Have Met the Enemy and He is PowerPoint” says the slideware makes us stupid.

The argument presented in these two articles is that PowerPoint creates the illusion of understanding and control when there really isn’t. By oversimplifying interconnected data, statistics and conclusion in simple bullet points, the complexity or the significance of the issue being presented is not getting through as important, vital, priority number one.

Commanders in the New York Times article believe that not only are vital sources being left out to simplify the presentation report, but by using PowerPoint as information training tutorials is stifling critical thinking and decision making. Instead of producing an environment that encourages thought provoking group discussions, PowerPoint presentation brings a numbing sensation.

“In a business setting, a PowerPoint slide typically shows 40 words, which is about eight seconds’ worth of silent reading material. With so little information per slide, many, many slides are needed. Audiences consequently endure a relentless sequence, one damn slide after another,” Tufte says.

But can a software program be the blame? Is a comprehensive report with all the critical data and statistics gathered any more effective than a PowerPoint presentation? Is relentless sequence of reports any more cognitively stimulating than a relentless sequence of PowerPoint slides?

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The Importance of Microsoft Outlook & Administrative Assistant

Different branches and departments for any company or corporation must work together as one in order for a business to perform and operate smoothly and effectively. No department is less important than the other for every part has a function. But even so, there is one particular department in any given business that is the backbone, or even its lifeblood that keeps the company alive and that is the administrative department.

The administrative department to any large institution is the organizational unit that performs management activities benefiting the entire organization. To rank the importance of an administration branch in a business environment, is CEO and executives’ favored department. And as administrative personnel are favored friends to upper management, so are Microsoft Outlook and administrative assistant online video training tutorials for an administration team.

Microsoft Outlook, a comprehensive time and information manager, is the preferred software for administrative personnel to provide assistance with daily updates/up keeps important documents, contact lists, while safely and effectively sharing the information to any inner personnel and to clients. This tool helps administers:

• Easily manage daily priorities
• Connect globally
• Share the information with anyone, anywhere
• Control the data in a safe system
• Prevent losing work, data
• Provide instant relevant information to anyone

This crucial software application offers more features each year with new editions from Microsoft to simplify the daily lives of administrators. Online training tutorials are available to view the different features offered in Outlook.

Online administrative assistant video training tutorials is another vital tool that provides information, data, and organizational skills necessary for successful administrators. Through various online video tutorials, administrative assistants will be able to:

• Manage time more effectively
• Handle interruptions and be more flexible
• Plan proficiently
• Organize paperwork conclusively
• Communicate with colleagues/upper management in the right manner
• Understand office politics/diplomacy
• Handle stressful situations
• Refine writing capability

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Key Training Tutorials Needed for Market Research Analysts

Career professionals vying for Data/Market Research Analyst positions should have data entry, spreadsheet creation, and database maintenance skills before going in for a job interview because most businesses feeling the financial strain due to the effects of a tumultuous economy, probably will not hire a new hire with limited skills set. They need new hires to be able to contribute immediately to the company, especially during economic hardship.

Entry level and junior data/market research professionals should refresh their knowledge or learn these three essential software programs for their field either through courses or online training tutorials before applying.

Microsoft Access: Designed specifically to simplify and control complex data tasks, research analysts can create and update database information through Access. Access help users effectively track, report, and share information in a manageable environment. With a pre-built library tracking application of database solutions with Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, researchers does not need deep database or programming skills.

Microsoft Excel: Another useful application is the Excel software, a powerful tool that helps create spreadsheets and formulas, practice data entry, format data, communicate and manage information etc. Excel simplifies creating professional-looking reports and charts.

Business Word Processing: Research, information gathering, light administrative task is also a big part of a data analyst’s job description. That means researchers should also know how to email, merge emails, design newsletters, edit/proofread professional documents, and reports. To learn or brush up on these skills, there are online video tutorials on Business Word Processing that touches on all of the tasks listed above.

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