January 25th, 2010 by Robin Green

Many people are upgrading their skills these days by using a learning management system (LMS). With a fast paced work environment, most organizations are implementing blended learning solutions that enable learners to experience the benefits of a classroom in a virtual environment. These learning systems can be invaluable and keep you updated about the various training courses. Using a LMS for a blended learning solution involves using different training mediums, events and activities to create a robust course for different audiences.

If you’re not really sure what a learning management system is, it’s basically a type of software application that uses various types of e-programs and other training content programs and methods to educate people. The systems usually look after all aspects of learning, including administration, documentation, tracking, and reporting. There are various types available which range in their capabilities.

While many employees are initiating their own involvement in a learning management system you will find there are just as many companies that are asking employees to utilize them. The employers see these systems as excellent ways to teach numerous people the same job skills simultaneously.

While some companies prefer to have their trainees learn at their own pace in an individual setting, many firms still believe there are advantages to training people in a virtual classroom environment.

Some of the benefits of a virtual classroom using a learning management system include:

• If training takes place in a virtual class the employees will begin to feel and act like a team instead of individuals and it’s usually teamwork that leads to success these days. The class will realize everybody is on the same page when it comes to achieving business goals.

• It also allows the employees to take courses according to their schedules and also experience the benefits of a classroom. This guarantees that students interact and network with each other while learning at the own pace. It does not need them to worry that somebody is too far ahead or behind the rest of the group.

• For trainers, a learning management system provides a forum for students to exchange ideas, queries and promotes a healthy discussion which supports knowledge retention. If there are any important messages or changes in the course outline, everybody will hear about it instantly.

• A virtual classroom learning management system will also allow students to help each other out when needed and can help them bond.

• Everything that is learned in the classroom will eventually create a common experience for all students to share and discuss.

• The costs for running a virtual classroom using a learning management system is less than having all the learners in a classroom.

• Students can work in team, but the employer still has the option of having them work individually when necessary.

Because each learning management system may vary greatly from the next, some of them will be more suited to classroom settings while others may be more appropriate for people to learn on their own.

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Coggno.com offers premier e-learning education.

January 18th, 2010 by Robin Green

If you need a productive and efficient employee, you can consider online training to overcome the performance gap. As a company one of the greatest assets is a valuable employee. When a company hires an employee they are making an investment in their future. Employee retention is extremely important because every time the company has to start from scratch training a new employee it costs more money to them. Therefore, it is more cost effective to the company in the long run to ensure the employee is happy in their job. Part of this entails paying a fair wage and benefits for the position but another responsibility of an employer is to ensure proper training.

Why Train Employees?
Online training can help facilitate your organizational training needs. Employee training includes ensuring the employee is qualified and trained in the position for which they were hired. However, it goes even further than that. If the company wants to ensure employee retention they have to provide a stable future to the employee. An employee wants to be challenged in their area of expertise and they also want to know that there is room for advancement. If they can not advance both professionally and financially internally with the company, the employee will start looking elsewhere. In addition, it simply makes sense to ensure the employee has all the available tools needed to work efficiently and effectively. The more knowledge the employee has, the better they will be at their job.

What can Online Training Offer?
Online training allows employers to offer employees tools to advance themselves within their career and personally. Internal online training can mean training materials and course work geared toward a specific position. New hires can take online training courses to learn how to do their job and test on policies and procedures. Existing employees can begin taking job specific courses that will ready them for their next steps within the organization. For example, if an employee wants to move to another department, that employee can begin taking coursework to become familiar with the operational procedures within that department.

Additionally, online training can provide personal improvement possibilities. This can help the employee do their existing job better as well as prepare them for more advanced positions within the company. For example, an employer may have available computer courses. This will allow the employee to add skills to their resume. A savvy employee will look first at their existing position to see how they can apply their new found knowledge to improve their work. This will result in getting noticed my management and their proactive stance in their position will give them an advantage on the competition when it is time for internal advancement.

Advantages to Online Training
Many companies are moving toward online training as opposed to sending employees to traditional brick and mortar learning institutions. The two primary reasons for this are cost and convenience. First, online courses typically cost less so the company can provide more training at the lower cost. Next, the employee has the advantage of being able to work from the office or home as is convenient. In the office they will be available for questions or in case of emergency. But, they also have the option of taking continuing education classes in the convenience of their own home when they have free time to do so.

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Coggno.com’s online LMS provides e-learning to anyone, anywhere.

January 2nd, 2010 by Robin Green

Every organization has an additional responsibility when they send their employees on assignments outside the country such as training, now made easier with compliant platforms of online training. Usually, these trainings teach employees of the work culture, safety tips, how to deal with emergency situations etc. Have you considered using online training to educate your employees? You might find this as an expense for a minor training requirement but since this a one time investment; it has advantages in the long run.

Most employees find any training boring and unnecessary, and attend them because they are unavoidable or a requirement to travel abroad. If you use online training to teach ‘International Travel Safety Tips’, you can change their perception. Elearning can make the program flexible and interactive. An interesting example is to make an interactive solution that would involve the learner going on a short journey.

The online training can have real-life scenarios that an employee would face during international travel. Usually, these trainings are conducted by the travel team or an individual from HR. The trainings are conducted by them every time employees are scheduled to make a trip. This can be a time consuming activity for the trainer and even stressful for the employee.

With an online training program on international travel, employees can learn everything they want to and get certified as well. You can include a bunch of questions as a part of an assessment to ensure that they have retained the training. The training programs are self-paced and do not require them to pull out of their daily schedule to complete.

Organizations have employees traveling to different countries. In such situations, trainers are required to be knowledgeable about each destination and this can be quite tricky. Online training allows you to have a single interface, with content that is focused to each destination. Elearning ensures that each employee that takes the training receives consistent information; this cannot be guaranteed in a classroom setup.

If you have budget constraints to build such training, you can always look for online training that are available on the Internet. Once you find the training, you can customize it to meet your organizational needs. In fact, some of the online training is designed to cover every aspect of travel safety. For instance, the training covers topics that comprise of type of clothing, different aspects of the destination, information that must be seen on your itinerary, emergency contacts, documents for the business trip etc.

In the past, training employees about international travel safety tips was not taken too seriously. With strict rules and regulations defined by the federal and state authorities organizations needs to carry out these trainings. Taking advantage of an online training solution can help you meet your organizational training needs and ensure compliance to government regulations.

Training your employees about safety for international trips can be overwhelming and it is a good idea to cover every aspect. From H1N1 to getting to the airport, every organization must train their employees and make certain they are prepared for an emergency. With the right online training program, you can have your own ‘Travel and Living’ and make this an enjoyable experience for your employees.

Visit Coggno’s online training marketplace now for online training courses on a variety of topics.

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Coggno.com is a leading provider of high-quality online training.

November 9th, 2009 by Robin Green

What makes online training different from traditional classroom training? Is it the cost of training delivery, course of degrees that your learners can choose from, or is the flexibility that elearning offers? We have listed some of the most widespread advantages that online training offers to learners and trainers.

You want to lower the cost of training! With online training you can reduce brick and mortar costs that are needed for classrooms. If you have a global learning audience, e-learning can help you reach this audience with ease and cut the cost involved for travel, accommodation and support material. With online training, students can save on the cost of buying books, notes or additional materials that are required in a classroom. All the materials can be made available online and downloaded as required.

You need flexibility when training! When you have your entire training available online, you don’t need a schedule. All you need to do is upload the training modules, videos, audio transcripts and launch the course. What you need to do is decide on the calendar day to release the training so that your students are aware when the latest online training is available. This approach works well for students as well because they can study at their own pace.

Make your training effective!  It’s a fact that most of the learners do not retain all the training delivered in the classroom. Online training is designed and developed to overcome this challenge and allows the learner to revisit the training when needed. In fact one of the top advantages is that you can have a large audience and better training effectiveness as compared to a large classroom audience.

Flexibility with the audience! Most of the training carried out in the classroom is not suited for learners who are working. They are either at night school with a day job, a part time job with a part time course and or in-house training in organizations. In any scenario this can affect the productivity of employees and be quite tiresome for such students. Online training is an advantage in such scenarios. Why? Learners can decide the schedule, learn when they choose to and get back to the job. The training is always available and can be picked up from where its left off. Even trainers can reach a wider audience, which is not really an option with in house training. Not everyone is willing to leave a job to earn a degree but would find this alternative quite tempting.

Your learners can network! Though classrooms enable face-to-face interaction, it is not a solution when your learners have a doubt. In such situations, online training can give your learners the comfort of asking questions without feeling awkward. This confidence helps learners; trainers and the learners can network while they work with each other. Virtual classrooms like these foster an environment to learn and have a high success rate.

Assignments, assessments and evaluation!  Online training leverages the latest technology to assess learners and provides trainers with customized reports. Assessments can be made more interactive, real life scenarios can be used to engage learners and even basic multiple-choice questions can be randomized to avoid dishonesty. Learners have the advantage of receiving feedback instantly or at the end of the test. In house training assessments do not offer learners or trainers flexibility of this variety.

It is important to remember that online training has proved to help learners better and retain a large amount of training because of a self paced environment. There are other benefits that are seen in an online learning environment but usually experienced by learners that are a part of an online training for the first time.

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Coggno.com offers world class LMS set of features and benefits.

November 9th, 2009 by Melissa

Colleges around the nation have begun to revolutionize their curriculum by implementing a Learning Management System into their course work. Specialty schools such as Full Sail University, South University, Strayer and numerous other universities have based entire degrees off of the Learning Management System and offer eLearning courses for their students who are located nationwide. Interactive courses, high tech videos taking place of seminars, as well as group projects, still allow the student to receive a higher education with the same quality as learning inside the classroom.

One student, Jim Miller, an Internet Marketing Major, talks about his experience attending Orlando based Full Sail University, while living on the West Coast. He states that having to work full time for a living and go to school full time makes it difficult, but the flexibility of his classes is what makes it possible for him to seek higher education while establishing a career. “It’s great because class is wherever you are. The convenience and flexibility of when you attend your class enables you to work your education around your career which helps to facilitate both endeavors.”

The Learning Management system provides a platform where students can seek help if they have questions about any of the concepts covered within the courses. Professors or Counselors open their availability to their students in the case they may need support, and a 24/7 mentorship with highly trained Counselors is offered, or students can contact their Professors directly via email. Another additional benefit to implementing distant learning programs into College’s curriculum is that it allows students to experience and experiment with different learning methods to see how they learn best.

However, with every pro there must be a con. Some courses within Universities may require their students to participate group projects. This can make it difficult when factoring in work schedules, time differences, and less motivated students that could hinder the integrity of their projects. Assessments are constantly underway to ensure that the curriculum is being delivered in a way that students fully comprehend the concept as well as the technique that is being used within that course is effective and successful.

When asked how he felt about the quality of the Learning Management System in regards to curriculum and teaching of “in classroom” courses in comparison to online courses, Jim Miller states, “The only difference that I have experienced is that you are not physically in the classroom. I feel the quality of the curriculum and the concepts I am being taught are held at the same standard and uphold the same quality at any other University attending an in-person course.”

Other Colleges, while still may not have implemented an all inclusive Learning Management System online learning program, have implemented certain components into their curriculum. To spice up some of the classes, Professors will hold class online in a chat room and do the whole class in video slides and hold discussion in a chat box hosted on the School’s secured website. People are starting to recognize the ease in online learning and the fascination, and slowly but surely they have started to implement Learning Management System into their own curriculum.

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Coggno.com provides high-quality online training.

May 27th, 2009 by Robin Green

There are a number of misconceptions surrounding the purpose and function of learning management systems (LMS) and the related area of eLearning. It is perhaps an erroneous first step to look at these two areas as being distinctly separate. While it is true that each of the concepts that are presented here do have distinct definitions, they nevertheless form an integral partnership with one another, a virtual (no pun intended, but applicable) symbiotic relationship. Let’s take a look at how each of these concepts is defined in order to better understand the dynamic relationship they share with one another.

A LMS is a software package that an organization (be it business or educational) can utilize to provide instructional material and resources to personnel/students. Typically, an organization will integrate a LMS into their existing computer systems, or it can be a stand alone package. Whatever the case, a LMS is a tool that is used to offer training, educational courses, evaluation mechanisms and a whole host of other benefits. Usually, these resources can be accessed from computers that are provided on location and/or online.

Electronic learning or eLearning (also known as technology support learning [TSL]) is a means of instruction that is facilitated by technological means. In other words, it’s an educational experience that uses computers and other technology to provide training, classes, testing and other needed functions. Classes provided online, with either a virtual instructor or done remotely, is an example of eLearning.

At this point, a clear picture should be developing on the synergy that exists between a LMS and eLearning. In short, a LMS is the means and structure by which one facilitates eLearning. In an educational environment, for example, a LMS can integrate teaching and learning functions to enhance the overall use of resources, as well as the dissemination and absorption of information.

This is accomplished by the development and management of classes, information accessibility, student accomplishment analysis, progress tracking, and even the delivery and presentation of classes. With a LMS, eLearning is not limited to a single location. An educational organization can provide its offerings to a wide range of students in diverse locations as a result of online capabilities of a LMS.

There is little mystery, as one can see, about these concepts. LMS’s and eLearning allow effective and wide-reaching instructional offerings. It is within this understanding that Coggno, a software developer has stepped forward. This company that specializes in LMS’s, has offered to provide public schools free eLearning tools with its software. This move in the midst of educational budget cuts only serves to highlight the practicality and resource efficiency that these concepts provide. Coggno, for its part, is providing a much needed service to the public.

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Coggno.com provides world-class online training.

May 27th, 2009 by Robin Green

Every organization realizes a need for both resource efficiency and training/information dissemination. Indeed, much time, energy, and budget allocations are directed to these functions. With a learning management system (LMS) delivering an organizations eLearning requirements, many training/educational delivery problems find quick resolution.

For the uninitiated, a LMS is a software package that enables an organization to deliver educational/training materials to those who need it. This can be done either on location, utilizing computers and other technological means, or online from remote locations. eLearning is simply the concept of utilizing technology to teach or receive instructional material.

Ok, this sounds great, but why should you care? The reason is simple and it goes to the point that we started this article off with: “Every organization realizes a need for both resource efficiency and training/information dissemination.” This is what an LMS and eLearning can do. An educational organization, for example, has the need to instruct students in the most effective manner possible. This entails not only classroom instruction, but also testing, evaluation, class management and more.

An LMS can perform all of these functions in an efficient manner. Consider these benefits of utilizing an LMS for eLearning:

• Schools will be able to instruct a greater number of students
• Students progress will be able to tracked efficiently
• Faculty and teachers can be easily accessed
• Information is easily accessible and disseminated
• Students experience more time and convenience in learning endeavors
• Enhanced opportunity to complete courses

These are only a small sampling of the benefits that are enjoyed by utilizing an LMS.

What should be noted is that these are all benefits that educational entities seek on a general basis but are often unable to attain because of budget constraints or manpower that such moves would require. A LMS is a practical, and more importantly, budget friendly means of accomplishing the progressive goals that educational organizations rightfully endeavor toward. There is little question, in the final analysis, of the benefits that eLearning and a LMS can provide an organization.

Indeed, one such organization that develops software that delivers online training tools is taking the initiative that illustrate this very point. Coggno is providing public schools that accept its offer, with free LMS software to provide them with eLearning capabilities. As more and more states slash educational budgets, their ability to adequately serve students is hampered. Coggno understands that these problems can alleviated by implementing eLearning solutions. By offering LMS tools to public schools, Coggno is not only providing a public service, but also showcasing the ability of these concepts.

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Coggno.com provides high-quality LMS platforms.

November 11th, 2008 by Robin Green

The shortcomings of today’s eBook readers will need to be overcome in order to secure their place in the online courseware world. One feature that eBook readers will need is integrated animation and video. In regular books, photos are sometimes designated to the middle of the book, where they’re bunched together to save on reproduction costs. But in eBooks, including photos and videos shouldn’t be pricey. Creating more interactive eBook readers will be essential to keep up with increasingly engaging online courseware.

Suitable digital rights management and intellectual property protection are aspects that will also need to be ensured in eBook readers. Purdy suggests providing an open standard for eBook publishing that’s “cross-device, cross-publisher and includes DRM–all at reasonable prices…then people will gladly pay for the privilege of enjoying reading that really good story.” The rights of online courseware developers, authors and publishers will thus be protected.