Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Conducting Instructor Led Trainings Through LMS


An Instructor Led Training (ILT) is one of the best ways of teaching learners the finer points of any subject and ensuring that they comprehend topic at hand. However, hosting such a session can prove to be difficult due the geographically dispersed corporate professionals of today. In such a scenario, a Learning Management System or LMS with ILT capabilities is a must for any company that regularly conducts such trainings. Such solutions lay the groundwork for lessons moderated by a teacher, who can virtually propagate the requisite content to a number of remotely located learners simultaneously.
A LMS, learning management system, with ILT capabilities will have features that will enable the teachers to create instructor presentations as well as instructor and participant guides. It can also be used to come up with certification exams, job aids and in-built games, which can help improve the skill set of the learners. Therefore, it can also act as an interactive learning tool, so that individuals can learn through games integrated in the course module, thus 'enjoying' learning. This can prove to be the perfect stimulant for those who are averse to accepting technologies in education.
The lessons delivered through learning management system compatible with Instructor Led Training requirements should be similar to a lecture or an interactive workshop. This demands a platform where the learners can practice the skills being taught to them to some extent. Thus, the solution should have video conferencing capabilities in order to hold demonstrations and facilitating face to face communication during the sessions. This way, students can be taught any topic through different modes of learning in the best possible manner.
Since real-time communication between learners and teachers is one of the prerequisites of a sound Instructor Led Training session, it is imperative that the learning management system is capable of maintaining constant communication between the two parties. Thus, features that allow all participants to give feedback, participate in impromptu polls and start a Question & Answer (Q&A) session can be expected from such a solution. Likewise, the teacher should be able to manipulate and modify the content delivery channels so that they can conveniently switch between them while teaching a class. Moreover, they would be able to utilize videos, audio and other multimedia content while teaching students.
Most of the reputed service providers that offer LMS with Instructor Led Training tools recruit Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in a number of areas, such as soft skills and technologies. Their proficiency with a host of fields, which can be instrumental for an organization that requires training solutions that emphasizes equally on the teachers as well as the students. Thus, it can easily be justified that a LMS with ILT capabilities can streamline the content delivery system and help teach the learners better.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

E-Learning Made Easy With Offshore Development Center


E-learning solutions have become indispensable for any organization that aims to keep its employees up to date with the latest industry developments. Such products are specifically aimed at the corporate sector and can easily create an ideal environment to hold a collaborative remote learning session for company executives. However, ever-rising costs in the business world are making it difficult for firms to develop in-house content for their employees. In such a scenario, e-learning off shoring has emerged as a feasible option for firms that want to reduce the costs involved with this process.
Service providers that render outsourcing services for e-learning projects have offshore development center, where they create the content for Instructional Designing, graphic designing and localization for their clients. They recruit Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who have immense experience in the fields of instructional designing, editing, graphics and technology. These professionals ensure that the content delivered to the clients from the offshore e-learning development center complies with the industry norms and caters to the requirements of the customer. While coming up with the content for the e-learning projects, they put emphasis on ensuring that the end product is strategically sound, linguistically articulate, visually appealing and technologically accurate.
Vendors engaged in providing outsourcing services for e-learning projects offer turnkey solutions, thus taking care of all the corporate learning needs of their clientele. Such companies keep the specific enterprise level teaching requirements of a wide variety of organizations, including blue-chip firms, training companies or even an e-Learning solution provider. By leveraging upon their expertise with offshore e-learning development, they make sure that the quality of the content is at par with the expectations of the end user.
Considering that the learners are high level corporate employees, it becomes essential that the learning management system has high turnaround time. This will save precious time while ensuring that the requisite content is delivered to them in the best possible manner at low costs. Moreover, the reliable learning outsourcing solutions rendered by service providers ensure that the content is concise and maintains coordination between the learning activities of the learners located in different parts of the world. These off shore e-learning development centers can help take care of issues like aging workforce, regulatory compliance as well as complex products, services and solutions.
There are four primary factors that ensure the success of outsourcing activities in the field of e-learning. The first is that companies can easily identify the leadership capabilities needed to moderate the learning management solution. Secondly, they can use a suitable plan for transferring the responsibilities related to e-learning to the vendors, which will put the burden off them. Third is the governance and relationship management structure that is created in order to resolve issues between all the concerned parties. Lastly, clients can keep track of the work being done by the service provider through a measurement and reporting framework. These prove to be instrumental in making sure that the vendors are rendering quality services and deliver effective content to enhance the e-learning experience of the users.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Abreaction and Trauma


1. An abreaction is the reliving of traumatic early life experience.
Sometimes abreaction are deliberately evoked. Sometimes they occur spontaneously. They usually involve a total re-experiencing in every detail of an early life trauma. They can often be dramatic and frightening not only for the Patient but also for the therapist.
2. These traumas have often been repressed and amnesia for the traumas may exist prior to the abreaction. Sometimes people are aware of early traumatic events, sometimes they have forgotten them. Amnesia usually exists when the trauma is so severe that the child blocks out the experience as a way of surviving. This is particularly true in the case of multiple personality. Multiple personality, often caused by abuse, is the experiencing of many sub-personalities caused by continual abuse followed by dissociation from the traumatic experience. The child learns to dissociate from the memory, create an amnesia for the experience, and then when abused the next time to follow the same pattern until a number of personalities exist each with their own unique experience and their own personality. These personalities usually have no knowledge of each other at a conscious level. Once an abreaction has occurred Patients usually remember the event although sometimes a spontaneous amnesia occurs as well.
3. An abreaction should be carried through to the end.
In therapy, therapists work with the raw materials. Emotion is the rawest material a therapist can work with. An abreaction offers the therapist raw materials. If an abreaction starts to occur spontaneously the therapist should encourage it to develop as long as he is confident to handle it. If the abreaction is prevented from occurring it is usually very difficult to access at a later date. The reason for this is that the Patient now has an awareness of a hidden traumatic experience. The Patient is aware that at any time these feelings could overwhelm. Any attempt to evoke the abreaction will usually result in intense resistance to any efforts by the therapist. Once an abreaction does occur is should not be terminated halfway through. This would only leave the work half done. abreaction should be carried through to the very end. By going through the whole cycle of experience the Patient is able to express the feelings fully. Usually when this is complete the Patient experiences a release of feelings, intense exhaustion, and extreme stress.
4. An abreaction can be dramatic and the therapist should stay calm throughout. As well as being terrifying for the Patient abreactions can be frightening for the inexperienced therapist. Sometimes Patients may even become violent. This is especially true when the Patient identifies the therapist as a participant in the traumatic experience. If a transference occurs whereby the Patient imagines the therapist to be an active participant in the early life memory the Patient can become aggressive towards the therapist. In these cases the therapist should attempt to protect the Patient and himself. Whenever possible the therapist should remain calm and detached from the experience whilst maintaining control of the situation and support for the Patient as they ab-react.
5. An abreaction can sometimes lead to realization but rarely resolution.
After a Patient has ab-reacted they will often have new information about the cause of their problem. However knowing why a problem exists doesn't usually solve it. When Patients ab react they release energy and they free additional energy that previously was used to repress the traumatic memory. This new release of energy can be applied and directed into future positive outcomes. However the release of energy is in itself not a cure.
6. Patients often feel vulnerable after an abreaction - this is when therapy should occur. At the end of an abreaction the therapist should start to consider various therapeutic approaches to repairing the Patient. At this time more than any other the Patient feels the most vulnerable. To send the Patient home in this state would be criminal. It is very important for the therapist to utilize the Patient's experience now and re-frame it in some way so that the Patient leaves the therapy setting with new beliefs.
7. Guilty parties/negative experiences/events should be re-framed to "heal the memory". Usually traumatic memories have a cast of characters. In the case of abuse it may be one person. In the case of humiliation, for example a child at school being laughed at, it may be a number of characters. The Patient will usually have intense feelings towards the characters in the trauma. These feelings may be anger, resentment, and maybe even revenge. The feelings that the Patient has are normally negative and aggressive in some way. In a way the Patient is quite justified in feeling this way as they have probably carried around the symptoms caused by this event for most of their life. Sometimes it is positive to allow the Patient to keep these feelings. Usually it is more therapeutic to re-frame these feelings in some way. For example a child abused by a parent will feel very angry and resentful yet at the same time want to be loved. The needing to be loved is an important element in Re-framing the Patient's belief and attitude towards the parent. The parent may be alive or dead, the Patient's feelings of anger may still be the same. An approach might be that the therapist suggest that the parent had a reason for abusing. Usually the Patient has available to him, information about the parent received unconsciously in childhood. The Patient may even be able to give valid reasons why the parent abused. Bearing in mind the Patient wishes to be loved he may be willing to look at ways of understanding why the parent abused. Maybe the Patient has an awareness that the parent was abused as a child. This might help explain the parent's behavior. Leading on from this the therapist may be able to suggest that the Patient think of forgiving the parent. If the Patient wants to be loved and would like to change the negative feelings they have towards the parent then it may be possible to convert the hatred into forgiveness. The Patient would then leave the therapy session having had the emotions evoked by the abreaction, and dealt with positively by the Hypnotherapist.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Areas of Coaching in Landmark Education


Landmark education focuses on various areas of coaching. These different areas are designed to meet various needs of those who are seeking landmark education. One of the categories is direct access coaching which is used to help you get in touch with what matters most to you. This helps you to improve your future and realize your dreams and ambition. This landmark education direct access coaching is programmed in two areas.
The first area is the specific coaching. This deals with helping you work on a particular area in your life that needs a break through. This landmark education helps you move effortlessly towards improving this area of your life. This requires a one on one coaching session with a landmark education trainer. The second area of direct access coaching is the one referred to as full spectrum coaching. This coaching is aimed to cover a broad range of issues that may arise in your life.
Wisdom area coaching is another one that is available from landmark education. This is designed to help you move towards making your positive contribution to the world. Before you start doing so, you need to identify your specific interests and passions. The wisdom coaching will help you identify these and work towards fulfilling them. After getting this landmark education coaching, you will start making significant impact in the right areas. This is because you will be able to uncover the areas that need help.
You will have a coach to help in giving you perspective on how to move forward and make your contribution to the world. You do not have to do something major at first since you may wait for that opportunity and it will not come. Landmark forum wisdom coaching helps you to achieve small milestones at first. These include making contribution to the communities around you. Landmark forum coaching helps you make a difference where you work, live or study. In doing so, you will be making your own contribution to the world at a large.
The other area of landmark forum coaching is the personal one. These are private coaching sessions which you receive from a personal coach. This is custom made to suit your needs. Learning in a class has its advantages but there are also cases where you may want a personalized approach. It is advisable that, you attend the general basic landmark forum sessions first. This will give you an excellent background as you progress towards a refined approach.
Personal coaching from landmark forum helps you focus on you as a person. This means that, you reinforce all that you had learnt and apply it to your life situation. This is one of the best ways for you to put to excellent use all that you have learnt from landmark forum. You will be able to change the things you do not like about your life and move towards becoming an all-round person. Personal coaching is quite convenient, since you will be able to have your own classes when you are free.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Benefits of the PMP


Full form of the PMP is Project management Professional and it is a trade mark name of a certification that is owned by Project Management Institute (PMI), USA. This certification can be earned by the professionals working in the project management field. Obtaining PMP Certification is a very stringent process. To be eligible to apply for this certification, a candidate has to show certain hours of work experience in project related tasks and he required to attend a training program for formal PM education.
PMI is a not for profit global organization that provides various guidelines and recommended practice to be used in projects. These guidelines and recommended practices are developed through an open channel with the help of experts from all over the world with different background area. Therefore, you can say that the guidelines provide by the PMI are industry independent and can be applied in any area.
Becoming a PMP is not an easy job. You have to go through a well-developed set of processes to attain it. This certification gives you the confidence, establishes your authority as a professional project manager and earn you respect among the professionals.
Following are the few benefits of the PMP Certification: 
  • Industry Independent: The guidelines, given in the PMBOK Guide are industry independent. Skills acquired by this certification can be used in any industry, whether it is IT or construction field. Project Management skills are not bounded to any particular area and these skills are transferable to any field.

  • Switching Career: As explained earlier, skills acquired by passing this certification is industry independent; therefore, it will help you if you want to switch your career.

  • Knowledge Gaps: Many times it happens that you know something partly, or recognizes the name of technique but unable to explain etc. When you study for the PMP certification exam, all of your staggered knowledge will be streamlined, synchronized and knowledge gaps will be filled.

  • New Skills: To become a PMP, you go through a training program and have to refer many books on the subject. In this process you will learn many new skills to perform various project related tasks.

  • Efficiency: Since you're equipped with the best industry accepted knowledge and you know that how to handle the complex situation; therefore, you will perform the job with better efficiency.

  • Market Value: In the tough and competitive job market, your resume will stand out just for having the PMP title with your name. You will have a much better chance to get a job than the person who does not have this certification. On various job portals you can see that some companies clearly mention that having the PMP Certificate will be a benefit for the job seekers, and some others have made it mandatory to apply for the job.

  • Monetary Benefits: Possessing the PMP Certification may bring you the salary increment, bonus or promotion. Many surveys show that the PMP Certification holder earns approximately 11% more salary than their counterpart.

  • Credibility: If you have this certification means you have demonstrated the required level of education, experience and competency to lead and direct the project successfully within the established guidelines. This certificate establishes your credibility as a Professional Project Manager.

  • Recognition: The PMP Certification is a globally recognized certificate and now it is being endorsed by many large organizations. If you're dealing with a project spread throughout the world, this certificate will ensure trust of your clients in your abilities to handle such complex projects.
I hope that these benefits are enough to motivate you for the PMP Certification.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Full Time Vs. Online MBA Programs


An MBA has always been a great path that leads to success. MBA graduates are known to have better managerial skills, better business expertise and a competitive advantage over others. All this obviously adds up to a better salary, too.
There are two main choices: Full Time (traditional) and Accredited Online MBA Programs.
Full time MBA courses are those that require you to attend classes on a regular basis, much like school. One of the biggest benefits of doing a full time MBA is the lifelong business school contacts that you will create. However, fulltime MBA programs are expensive and you will probably spend years after your MBA working hard to repay your loans.
Today online education is a very viable option, with more than 2,000 institutions in the Unites States offer distance learning programs. Technology has a large role to play in online education. Top Online MBA programs will let you learn with the help of audio and video aids such as recordings, telephonic conversations, video conferencing, emails, Internet, reading material and more. Even tests are conducted online.
A notable upside to online MBA programs is that they are much more affordable. It's easier on your pockets when you do it, and you won't have to spend years of your life working hard to repay your student loans. This is probably one of the reasons that the 2011 Applications Trends Survey, conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council, found that more than two-thirds of fulltime MBA programs reported a decline in application volume. This has been a major trend since 2009 that transcends the downturned economy. (Remember that an online MBA course is much more affordable than a traditional on-campus course.)
And not only are they more affordable, but because you can choose your own schedule and study at your own pace, you are also able to keep all prior commitments. So you can still work, gain valuable experience that all companies are very keen on, and earn your MBA degree all at the same time. This means that you have an income to supplement the affordable tuition, thereby ensuring that taking out loans will probably not be necessary.
Additionally, because of the variety of mediums used in online MBA programs, learning is easier especially for those who are pas the classroom stage in their lives. After a certain age a classroom environment is no longer appealing and sometimes seems to hinder the learning process. Learning in the privacy of your house is a far more convenient method for many. Most importantly, it means that you don't have to make sacrifices in your personal and family life.
While all types of MBA programs are ideal to expand your knowledge of the business world, online accredited MBA education from an accredited university has become a great option for all concentrations. You can keep your work and family responsibilities, study at your own pace, gain valuable work experience to pad your resume and advance within your company and earn an MBA degree all at the same time. What's not to love about those options?

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Why Characters Are Important for Elearning Course Module


Over the past few years, the concept of Elearning has evolved through dynamic changes. Continuous efforts are being made to make the process of Elearning enjoyable and engaging. In recent years, there has been a growing trend of adding characters to Elearning modules. According to experts, characters add special attraction to Elearning courses. As they help in showcasing real-life scenarios, learners can easily identify with the learning content. It helps you to carry out the day-to-day learning process in a more effective way.
Here, we have come up with a few tips that can help you to start using characters in learning modules.
Create characters that learners can identify with
Focus on choosing characters carefully so that they can properly convey the message to the learners. Your characters may represent a colleague, a supervisor or an expert in the organization. Hence, you need to design and dress your characters accordingly, so that they can comply with the content of the course. For example, if the character represents a young 26 year old retail sales executive, your character should be dressed in semi-formal clothes. On the contrary, the same will not be appropriate if the character is representing a CEO of a company.
Use situations and scenarios that are familiar
The scenario or situations, you are using should be real-life, so that students are already familiar with them Real life scenario helps the learner to relate to the character and thereby concentrate on what is being taught. Thus, communications with learners become straightforward and interesting. Keep in mind that learning objectives can be effectively met when the scenario for the characters can be easily identified with.
Prepare storyboards with a good story line
Storyboards are an integral part of the effective Elearning course modules. A good storyboard with a familiar storyline will enhance your learning experience. A storyline should have a logical sequence of content that will help in attaining the learning objectives satisfactorily. Since the ultimate aim is to ensure that learners comprehend the content accurately, using fancy characters and poor subject matter will hinder the process.
Test the character and content before finalizing
Once the storyboard and content is prepared, you must conduct a quality-analysis procedure to ensure that it will serve the learning objective appropriately. Keep your target audience in mind while creating the content as it will assist you to deliver the result as per their requirements. In short, your learners should accept the characters and be receptive to what they are trying to communicate.
Characters simulate real-life interactions between individuals and they should convey all the answers that might arise during normal interactions.
Keep in mind that characters help in making Elearning sessions engaging and interesting and this is the key idea for a successful learning session.