June 8th, 2011 by Robin Green

Online learning isn’t just for college students, but adults seeking to learn the universal business language of software skills.

If you’re in the job market, you’ve probably seen many ads that read something like “Computer skills are a must” or “The ideal candidate for this position is computer savvy.” You might be expected to use database software, or Microsoft programs like Outlook, Excel, or Access. Desktop online learning offers the most needed skills in the job market today.

What kind of learner are you?

If you are a learner who gets more out of watching and hearing than reading a textbook to learn a computer skill, you might want to check out online learning for desktop skills. Content providers like Kallience offer self-study training videos both online and on cd, for business software skills including Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Access, and Quickbooks. For designers there are also courses in Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash, Illustrator, and others.

What does online learning offer that face-to-face classroom doesn’t?

My experience in a face-to-face web design course wasn’t all negative. I met a couple of interesting classmates and enjoyed the cookies and even the coffee that the institute offered during the break. However, there were many downsides. Two students didn’t complete the course because they felt bad about raising their hands and pausing the activity or the teacher’s instruction so often. I myself raised my hand quite a bit to interrupt and ask questions, but soon stopped as I sensed it was wearing on the other students’ pacience.

The fact is, in a classroom full of students, learning is never done on your own terms. There are things you miss because the teacher must move on. There are concepts you didn’t understand and in a face-to-face classroom, there’s no returning to a previous lecture or activity. What’s lost is lost, and the class will continue on whether or not you’re sick or unable to make the class for whatever reason.

After finishing the course, I wished I had taken it online, where I can still experience learning in a dynamic way with e-learning tools like video, audio and podcast features. However, if I need to stop to make tea or go for a jog, the class waits for me to return.

What are the most essential business software skills?

Start with Microsoft software. Many learning management systems and other content providers offer great courses that are affordable as well. For example, featured Coggno content provider Kalliance has created a series of e-learning courses making it easy and enjoyable to master the most complicated Microsoft software applications in a cost effective, timely and efficient way.

While there are many software programs out there that can perform all the same tasks, the Microsoft bundle of software applications are still the most widely used and expected of job-seekers.

Do some research and find the best fit for your schedule. Talk with students who have already taken the course to see how they felt about the quality and effectiveness. Check out Microsoft software online learning programs and others in Coggno’s marketplace.

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Coggno.com provides world-class training.

June 1st, 2011 by Robin Green

Online learning, or distance education, is growing not only among full-time college students, but is increasingly used by adults working full-time jobs who like its flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

Even though the economy is supposedly back on its feet, many are still without employment or, not much better off, in a position that isn’t ideal only because they believe it will be too difficult to find a better one. Are you one of these people? If so, consider doing what many of us do: gain new skills via online learning.

The great thing about online learning is that you can fit it into your daily schedule without interfering with the job you have now. You can keep your job and gain new skills while weighing your options for the future. That way, when the market really does pick up again, as it’s bound to eventually, you are more marketable to land the position you’d really like to work in.

How do you start online learning?

The first step is to do research on online learning programs, whether they be provided by academic or corporate instititions. To guide you through your options, use a targeted online search engine. Take notes, weighing pros and cons of the courses you find.

Weigh the factors

While doing research, make a list or a google spreadsheet to organize your findings. Be sure to include factors that are important to you, such as the level of knowledge on the topic that you’re expected to already have, the course length, instructor involvement, and cost.

Relevance to your career goals

How relevant the course is to your professional goals is a huge consideration in choosing an e-learning course. You might decide to enroll in an online certification course or an LMS training program. Remember, obtaining new skills or refreshing old ones is the first step on your way to better opportunities. Take advantage of the flexibility if e-learning to gain the skills and certification that will propel you where you would really like to be.

Tech-Savvy courses

One great option for people trying to get back into the game of the job market is an online course that increases skill level in a software or other tech-related skill that can help you reach your professional goals. Courses in eco/clean technology, programming, and software are all highly compatible with the online education format.

Software knowledge in programs such as Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Word and Excel are a good start, but why not pick up a course in Powerpoint or Dreamweaver? The more fleshed out you can prove your computer skills to be, the better your chances at hiring time.

Of course, when job-searching, having pursued any online course shows that you are a self-disciplined and self-motivated person.

Coggno is one learning management system (LMS) with a simple interface and a variety of professional skill-building online courses. Enter Coggno’s marketplace and discover LMS online courses for developing and/or obtaining highly marketable professional skills.

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Coggno.com offers high quality e-learning courses.

May 26th, 2011 by Robin Green

If you’re a teacher considering creating an e-learning course, put together a list of helpful resources and guidelines for creating an effective online learning experience. People choose e-learning courses for many reasons, including accessibility and flexibility. The cost effectiveness of online learning is another huge plus for many students. Learning can happen any time, anywhere, whether it’s squeezed in between work and dinner, or even on the treadmill at the gym. Creating quality online courses that motivates students and interacts with them is key to success.

The Teacher’s Role

In the same way that a teacher conducts a traditional in-person classroom, the teacher must also be the leader in an elearning course. Even though you are not accessible face-to-face, many students would expect you to be in contact should any questions arise. Online teachers must find creative ways to encourage student participation, a sense of group unity, and interaction between students and also between the teacher and the students. The accessibility of the teacher can significantly affect the online learning experience and what students get out of an online class.

Student Interaction

Ultimately, teacher participation is only as effective as student participation. For the system to work, the online class must be arranged in such a way that it requires the active involvement of the student as well. Students in an elearning environment must be responsible for reading and completing the assignments, investigating more deeply into the information if required, participating in online forums and posting well-developed and thoughtful answers, and engaging with peers. Posting answers on forums should be an interactive experience, meaning that students should read, reflect on, and respond to the posts of other students. Only in this way do students contribute to the online discussion in a meaningful way, and recreate the peer learning experience that face-to-face classrooms offer.

Student Responsibilities

When putting together your list of helpful resources and guidelines for an elearning course, one aspect that you’ll need to put thought into is the kinds of assignments you will include, the frequency of assignments, and the features of each of them. Unlike what the common belief of people who have never had an online learning experience, elearning isn’t easy, and can be more engaging, challenging, and rewarding than face-to-face classrooms. Why? Unlike in a traditional classroom where oftentimes students can get away with minimal participation, and other students seem to consistently hold the microphone, online interaction is a requirement in e-learning. Therefore, more thought and preparation are necessary. Furthermore, online learning requires a kind of self-directed effort that traditional classrooms don’t; the willingness to complete learning assignments on one’s own time requires a self-discipline that ultimately helps the learner on a long-term basis.

Elearning Course Delivery

There are many options for creating an online course. One is through a learning management system (LMS) like Coggno, which provides course creators with simple tools and an online marketplace for create and delivering their courses. If you’re thinking of rolling out with an e-learning course, take a tour of Coggno’s LMS and marketplace. Or, sign up for a free account and have your e-learning content ready for distribution in a matter of minutes.

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Coggno.com provides high-quality online educational services.

March 30th, 2011 by Robin Green

Recently I wrote about asking your employer for more training, an extra online LMS course, or a raise. I talked about how women are statistically less likely to approach their bosses about a raise, and when they do so, they are viewed more negatively than when men do the same thing. But whether you’re a man or a woman who has hesitated about requesting funds for work-related education, you might be unsure about how to go about broaching the subject to your boss.

In this dog-eat-dog world, I think it’s an apt metaphor to think of your boss as your master and you as–if you will–his dog. If you can condescend to consider yourself as such for a moment, let’s imagine you want your master to throw you a bone. The bone represents a raise, an LMS online course, or any other such request. How do you get him to do throw it to you? He’s reading the paper; he’s watching a football game; he’s on his phone. He’s a busy man. The bone might not even be in his line of vision. Maybe it’s under the blue sofa, well within your own line of sight. In any case, think about it. What are the odds that he is going to take notice of your lingering around the blue sofa, immediately understand your wishes, and stoop down to scoop it out for you? Slim to none.

What’s the solution? You’ve got to paw it out yourself and present it to him. Only by doing so is there a chance that he’ll catch your drift and throw you the bone. It’s probably simply not occurred to him to do this, and ultimately, if you present it to him and the conditions are right (we’ll get to those in a moment), then it only takes him a second to chuck it out for you. It ultimately doesn’t affect him all that much, and if he thinks you deserve it, then the matter is settled. In the end you’ll be a better dog for getting some exercise and fun, and everyone wins.

Now, the conditions have to be right, and you have to do some research (yes, we are leaving the dog metaphor behind for a moment). First, consult with people who have held similar positions or work with companies with similar goods and services. Whether you’re asking for a raise or online training, this will help you get a sense of what you can expect, and what’s out there.

Second, timing is another critical condition for approaching your boss about LMS education or a raise. There is such a thing as bad timing for asking your boss for a raise or course; for example, when your company is going through a substantial financial loss. Good timing would be during an annual performance review. This is akin to the difference between trying to get your master to throw you a bone during a fight with his girlfriend versus doing so when he is filling your dish or giving you attention.

Lastly, specifically if you’re asking for a raise, be sure to state the amount you want (after research). Don’t be the first to offer a number; deflect the question if necessary. Finally, don’t provide the amount of your previous salary. After all, it is not relevant to your next salary, given the change of circumstances and the position.

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Coggno.com is a premier LMS platform.

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.

November 2nd, 2009 by Melissa

Online training has revolutionized the learning and training experience as we know it. Not too long ago we were still using windows dos, dial up, computers the size of an entire room, and big floppy disks. Now we live in an age where we have streamline laptops, portable computers that we can take with us. We have internet on our smart phones, and wireless internet connection. The internet has slowly but surely become an indispensible resource that most of us use continually throughout the day. It has been created into a streamline convenient instrument for us to gain minute by minute updates, and enable continuous communication with people all over the world.

So if we are able to take the internet with us, why can’t we take learning portable too? This advanced technology has enabled learning to take place in the home with various online training curriculums, whether it is for higher education, organizational or government training. The variety in courses is vast, making it easy to find credible courses that pertain to the need for any specific individual. Some specialty Colleges have based degrees on the online learning platform, and various content creating or eLearning companies are receiving government grants for organizational training as well as school training to educate them on health and safety via online training.

New advances within online training module’s are state of the art, bringing 3D graphics, interactive courses, quizzes, and videos with sound and picture into the mix, as well as 24/7 mentorship with highly trained instructors who are available at the learner’s disposal to ensure full comprehension is achieved. With so many style options that these courses provide, learners are exposed to different types of training that could enhance productivity, comprehension, and creativity.

Among the revolution of online training in the education systems, Organizational training is receiving revisions as well. Organizational training no longer means outdated, long, and uninteresting training videos that are played in an isolated room. Online modules and interactive curriculum enables employees to gain working experience as they learn new systems and make the mundane training something that is enjoyable and effective.

As efficient and convenient online training has proven to be, an additional bonus to this new method of learning is the varietal topics of courses made available on the web. For students looking for higher education, they have multiple options of language courses, science courses and math courses. For those in the IT industry they have various system training courses that stay current as new updates within systems and platforms are created. Certifications, such as A+, Network +, Security + in the IT industry, as well as driver, helicopter, first aid and safety certifications are just a few certifications that are offered.

Online training truly is changing the way we think about learning and the mundane training that normally is included when we enter into new positions in the workforce, new systems are implemented or those annually required safety or corporate training seminars. Just as computers and the internet has been streamlined and made portable, training and education is following suit.

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Coggno.com offers high-quality online training courses.

January 16th, 2009 by Robin Green

One basic criterion for your online course is a thorough course syllabus, which should be presented before any online learning begins. Especially for students who have never taken an online course before, and for whom collaborative learning, LMSs and other elements may be untypical, they need to know as early as possible what to expect from the course.

A syllabus should show, minimally, the number and title of the course; the instructor’s email, office or phone number; the course date, length, and expected involvement; the textbooks and other LMS materials needed for the course; an outline of the LMS and course format and a clear description of navigational aids in the course; a concise description of the course content; an evaluation plan; an exam and project schedule; an explanation of instructor expectations regarding participation; and an outline of how students are expected to interact using discussion boards, wikis, and other collaborative learning tools.

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Coggno.com provides world-class online training.

December 30th, 2008 by Robin Green

In recent years, learning from LMS courses has expanded beyond its previous demographic of working people who are trying to better their opportunities. However, some sources claim that it still hasn’t blown up in the way we might expect. Some figures taken by a study conducted by the University of West Florida might surprise you.

According to the study, three-quarters of LMS learners are working full or part-time. Three quarters of online learners are working towards a degree. Two-thirds are female. More than half are married with dependents, and half are 35 years or older. Twenty percent of learning management system users are new students.

However, these numbers are undoubtedly changing as more and more schools begin to find out about LMSs and implement online learning into their school systems.

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Coggno.com offers world-class LMS platforms.