Category Archives: HR

How can employers help keep their work force healthy so as to avoid high healthcare costs?

Posted on April 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

Whether you’re talking about asthma, cancer, COPD, or even rare conditions, lung disease is on the rise.

The experts are calling lung disease a “time bomb waiting to explode.”

sourced: by Diane Shawe from the Institute for natural healing

Whether you are creating a workplace wellness program from scratch, or enhancing what you already have, you’re already on the right track! With increasing costs of health care, a shrinking workforce, and aging workers, a savvy workplace understands the value in supporting workers to improve their conditioning and to live a fitter lifestyle.

For instance you could help by engaging with your workforce through your company blog by blogging about five natural ingredients to keep their lungs young and healthy as follows:

1. Milk Thistle: You might already know that it has the power to help your liver regenerate its cells. But milk thistle contains silymarin. It’s a compound that flushes toxins out of your liver. It also helps prevent lung cancer from forming and spreading.

Milk thistle also contains silibinin. Like silymarin, it protects you from lung cancer. But even better. These cancer cells spread quickly to other organs in your body. And they can become drug resistant. Silibinin doesn’t only reverse drug resistance in these cells… It causes natural cell death in cancerous lung tumors.2 You can find milk thistle extract pills in health stores and online. Organic milk thistle tea is another option.

2. Fiber: Oddly enough, fiber is critical to your lung health. It may help relieve symptoms of–and even prevent—asthma.

A high-fiber diet changes the makeup of your gut bacteria. The good bacteria feed on fiber. When you keep these bacteria well-fed, they produce short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids reduce inflammation and irritation in the lungs. But don’t add grains to your diet for more fiber. They actually increase the amount of inflammation in your body—including your lungs. Instead, eat more organic artichokes, peas, raspberries, and blackberries.

3. Ginger: It’s full of antioxidant power. But two of these antioxidants in particular protect your lungs against inflammation and damage. Gingerols help clear your lungs by reducing the amount of mucous they produce.3 And 6-shagaol, the compound that gives ginger its flavor, stops bronchial tubes from tightening.4 This keeps airflow open and easy.

Ginger can be pretty intense if you aren’t used to it. Add it to your diet slowly if you don’t eat it on a regular basis. When it comes to ginger, fresh is always better. Cutting up some fresh ginger and adding it to a meal gives you antioxidant power and extra flavor. You can also juice with it or use it to brew your own tea to help soothe your lungs when you have a cough.

4. Broccoli Sprouts: Broccoli sprouts are rich in vitamins A, K, and C. But they also contain sulforaphane. It’s a compound that helps you fight the inflammation that causes asthma. One study found that it helped restore defective white blood cells in the lungs. More white blood cells mean less bacteria and inflammation.5

Broccoli sprouts have about 50 times more sulforaphane than regular broccoli. But you may not be able to find them at your grocery store. If that’s the case, look at your local farmer’s market. Or you could grow them yourself. Try them steamed or throw them raw into a salad. For convenience, you can also find broccoli sprout extract as a supplement online.

5. Bromelain: It’s an enzyme used to reduce inflammation of the sinuses after surgery. But it’s also a natural way to treat pulmonary edema.6 This condition prevents the fluid from draining out of your lungs. The result? Shortness of breath. If left untreated, it can cause deadly infections. One study found that bromelain reduces the amount of inflammatory neutrophils in the lung by up to 85 percent.7

The best way to start getting more bromelain in your diet is by eating fresh pineapple.8 And lots of it. Most of the bromelain in a pineapple is in the stem. Or you can supplement.

Pollution and secondhand smoke aren’t the only things that can irritate your lungs. Inflammation is a major factor in the development of most lung disease. Lowering it will help ensure that your lungs are working at their best. Using these five natural solutions will help keep you free of disease—and breathing a little easier.

So you can see the benefits of preparing a workplace wellness program.

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

AVPT’s two-day workshop will help you to:

o   Describe the necessity of workplace wellness programs
o   Create program elements that reflect the needs of employees and the objectives of the organisation
o   Select program elements that fit the context of current operations
o   Establish implementation and evaluation strategies

Getting you qualified in days not years!

other article you might be interested in : Dangers of Hypertension to Founder owners of SME.

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Tagged asthma, avptglobal, blended learning, cancer, COPD, diane shawe, distance learning, express courses, expresscourses, free online courses, hyertension, lung disease, mobile marketing, online teaching, rare conditions, virtual classroom

Have you every wondered why people shy away from solving problems?

Posted on September 26, 2013 | 6 comments

Do you spend a lot of time frowning? are you even aware that you frown?

article by Diane Shawe M.Ed
CEO Academy of Vocational and Professional Ltd.

Do you think more people focus on the half empty glass or the half full. Which are you? At times, it would seem that we have more problems then we can handle, but this all boils down to self responsibility critical thinking skills and optimism. Taking the bull by the horn can be a scary things, so check out a few well know secrets?

1. Smile! It is impossible to hold a frown and smile at the same time, try it, you will be amazed at how your brain will help you look and keep on the bright side of life.

2. Separating negative feelings from positive thoughts. This is an important step in solving problems. Only after you have cleared your mind with unnecessary thoughts can you start solving your problems accordingly.

3. Treat each problem as a challenge an opportunity for self-improvement.

4. Lose the scapegoat attitude. Are you pointing your finger or blaming others for mishaps? Take responsibilities for your mistakes. No one is perfect, so never put the blames on others unless your trying to say that they are much smarter because they got you to do something you did not intend.

5. Commit your problem with a pen and paper, and rate the depth of the problem and state the worse that could happen. Face the fear and then write down all the options of solving it.

6. Keep a journal and treat it as a “secret friend” who is always willing to listen to your grievances. Write your feelings freely.

7. Develop a noteworthy hobby, for this will help you lessen or minimise stress in your life.

8. Take time off from work and create variations of your daily schedule. Relax and check out the best movies in town. Travel and meet new wonderful people. You will find these activities worthwhile in the long run.

AVPTGLOBAL almost 400 courses all globally accredited

4 Steps problem solving tools

1. To determine the root cause of the problem. Ask a question, answer it, then ask why, answer that, then ask what if, and so on until you run out, that might likely be the root of the problem.

2. Draw up a strategy, then act upon it. (Pretend you was advising a friend and follow your own advice)

3. Give yourself a deadline, and reward yourself when you have completed the task

4. Reflect so you can avoid repeating the same mistakes .

Problems are problems. They are there not to annoy you; but problems are created when you fail to act upon them. Learn to Let go and you will free yourself of worry. Remember, less worries mean less stress, so you won’t just spend your time looking at problems, but working to solve them.

If you think that you really want some time out because of problems, visit the next room called “improvement.”

Why not take a look at some of our problem solving courses now. Click here

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Understanding the Language of Training

Posted on April 29, 2013 | 3 comments

I know what your thinking…

article written by Tim Dingle MBA
Chief Development Officer AVPTGLOBAL

Training is about to undergo a revolution and the understanding of body language will be crucial for those undertaking training. Speaking at a conference in Birmingham last year, a leading HR director observed that there was nothing as important as understanding the language of business. That must mean the non-verbal as much as the verbal expressed language. Non-verbal communication is commonly known as body language and I spent a lot of time studying the basis of this and its importance in training and interviews. So the question is can it be read and used by individuals, managers and directors- or indeed in their wider professional or social lives?

Body language is a broad term for forms of communication using dress, body movements or gestures instead of, or in addition to, sounds, verbal language, or other forms of communication. It is part of the category of paralanguage, which describes all forms of human communication that are not verbal language. This includes the most subtle of movements that many people are not aware of, including, for example, a discreet smile or a slight movement of the eyebrows. Such messages can be communicated instantly and silently through gesture; body movement or posture, facial expression and eye gaze.

Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle would not have recognised it, but just watching an accomplished politician, actor, or shopping channel salesperson can give you some insight into the power of gestures or facial inference. Such gestures can add to the stagecraft, amplify the message and can provide surprisingly magnetic assurance about what you are being told. Have a look at the courses we offer at The Academy of Vocational and Professional Training.

Can the use of these non-verbal signatures be imported into the business, training and HR arena? It can be a risky strategy to attempt to read and rely upon body language signatures without some training and practice. Should individuals be aware of the power of non-verbal communication and seek to harness this aspect in negotiation? If our desire, as individuals in business, training or HR, is to produce our optimum performance then we should employ all of the communication and interpersonal skills with which we individually have been gifted.

We may well consider investing our time to improve our oral questioning and language skills, but very few individuals seem to give much thought to developing the skill of both reading and transmitting non-verbal clues. We can help! Developing those reading skills would be much easier if all our clients were between three and nine years of age – this is rare of course, even if sometimes a negotiation has something of a playground quality about them. Children wear their emotions on their sleeves and are, except perhaps to other children or their doting grandparents, pretty easy to read.

Mobile Learning, Mobile Earning

Tightly crossed arms, a screwed-up face and a stamped foot quickly clues you into the internal voice of the child, even if their response to the question, “Are you OK” is “Yes”. A parent’s sixth sense is often nothing more than a demonstration of the superior body language reading skills that child carer’s, of necessity, have learned to develop. The older we grow the more we learn how to mask our true feelings, which unconsciously includes the toning-down of our body language as well. Whilst we can try and make our non-verbal communication less obvious, very few people can completely mask it.

HR directors, business people and individuals, might want to learn to look for those more subtle, but tell-tale, signs of stress, hope, agreement, confidence, resistance, and fear in the body language of the clients, and indeed their own clients. Picking up on these signs could allow us to make progress in a situation of stale-mate and could save a negotiation that is about to crash. These skills can allow us to zero-in our questioning, to know when a private meeting or a break is essential, and to see the evident bridges and agreements, even when the other side have yet to verbalise them. How too are we at listening to clients, staff and business partners when they speak to us? Are we fully engaged with them, having turned our chair, and thus our whole body towards the speaker, leaning forward and maintaining good eye contact? If you want to be heard in your turn, you need to be seen to be listening.

People will usually only tell us what is really on their mind if they believe that we are really listening. Do we really listen? Taking notes whilst staring at out iPad or mobile phone as the person tells their story, does nothing to build confidence in us or the process. Active listening skills such as reflecting back a summary of what has just been said by the speaker may just persuade, non verbally, a client to listen to you and thereby facilitate success. HR directors, managers and individuals should be encouraged, therefore, think about using their body language positively to enhance the oral skills that they already have, allowing them to maximise their potential as conflict resolution practitioners.

I know what you are thinking. You need to start training, now.

Please review our VTF Presentation and let us know if this is an opportunity for you.

Meet some of our current VTF’s:

Invitation to our Free 2 hour introduction.

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Revision? Forget it

Posted on February 11, 2013 | Leave a comment

How to Massively Improve Your Chance of Success, Now!

Become a VTF with AVPTGlobal

article by Tim T Dingle BSc (Hons) MIBiol PGCE MBA, Chief Development Officer at the Academy of Vocational and Professional Training (AVPTglobal)

I sometimes wonder what an alien might think if they were monitoring our schools, downloading training course and looking at how students try to learn. They would be forgiven for thinking that they have been artfully designed to train students in the art of forgetting. Throughout the time you take most conventional courses (excepting, of course, the cutting edge ones at AVPT www.avptglobal.com) it may seem that you spend your time ‘learning’ and ‘revising’ for tests. What then follows is extraordinary; we forget that information within weeks.

This pattern seems continue throughout schools, professional training cycles and college courses. This heroic shuffling in and out of knowledge from our cerebral hemispheres seems to be a constant cycle. Then students are tasked, days before a crucial exam, with relearning everything that they have managed to forget over the course of the year. This is the classic ‘summative assessment’ situation with a history of failure in so many cultures. This often takes almost as much time as if we were doing it from scratch. It seems that the UK Education Minister, Michael Gove is known to be an admirer of this system.

The reason that forgetting is so common in traditional learning cycles is that the way we are taught to encode and recall memories, causes fading over time. Those memories that can be recalled are the one that get repeated and are strengthened. They are prepared for the long term and placed within the Long Term Memory System (LTM). This is important because (from an evolutionary point of view) repetition correlates with importance. Meaningful or important things tend to happen again; random things tend not to.

One of the problems with most learning systems lies in a distinction between two ways to go about this repetition. It can be separated into ‘spaced learning’ (SL) and ‘massed learning’ (ML). Massed leaning is sometimes called cramming. You may remember those long sessions; students love them and believe the longer they stare at their notes /books, the more it is effective. The spaced repetition method is where the repetitions are spaced out over a period of time. The best analogy is to think of memories as plants in the garden of your memory; then think of repetition as watering with your watering can.

The ML system is like watering a plant by emptying the whole watering can all at once; then failing to do so for months. The mechanism for SL Learning is to imagine watering the plant once a week in measured amounts from the can, over a period of months. This regularity, combined with a systematic approach and by using a ‘chunked up’ seems to be crucial to success; an approach that, we believe at AVPT, is how all online learning must develop. The long term effect of these totally different techniques of watering (but the same total volume of water) results in two very different plants (one is probably dead).

Now imagine something else that can radically improve memory and success. Incredible as it seems the greatest advances in improving our chances of success can be had for free, right now. I’m talking about improving your brain from the outside in. If you take it seriously it can and will lead to faster and more accurate decision-making. It will yield greater productivity and inspire innovation. If you want to be mercenary about it, it’s the kind of smart that starts making money.

All you need to ‘invest’ is approximately 30 minutes a day. And maybe a decent pair of trainers. Over the last 30 years I have seen many articles describing how aerobic exercise is beneficial to health. There is no doubt there is a lot of truth in what has been written. Improving oxygen distribution in the body… reducing the chances of heart disease… losing extra pounds… exercise has many benefits. But cardiovascular exercise goes way beyond reducing blood pressure and cholesterol. Current research shows that exercise can alter the very structure of the nerve cells in the brain. You could read the evidence in (fairly dull) scientific papers, of which over 1000 have been produced in the last 12 months.

There are many people like me who recognise the impact that cardiovascular exercise has had on their career and every aspect of their life. It may surprise you that there is a growing cohort of business people and entrepreneurs who credit exercise not as just a component of their successful lives, but as the biological catalyst in all of their achievements.

In very basic terms, our brains function due to groups of chemicals ‘jumping’ between the neurons (nerves) within. My research indicates that BDNF – Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor – is one of the most significant of these chemicals. BDNF is a protein that is controlled by the BDNF gene in our DNA. BDNF acts on brain cells by encouraging the growth and differentiation (dividing and deciding what they want to be) of new neurons and synapses. The neurons start growing new connections on their branch- like ends (called dendrites). The more dendrites that grow, the more connections are made. The more connections you have in your brain, the greater your capacity to think: using another plant analogy, BDNF is a ‘miracle grow’ for your brain cells.

It works in the areas of the brain vital to learning, memory, and higher thinking. BDNF itself is important for long-term memory. Which is why it makes you smarter. So, exercise increases BDNF – great! But… when you are stressed, you release the hormone corticosterone. This has been shown to decrease the amount of BDNF!

In other words, being stressed makes you less smart and less able to make good decisions.If your exposure to stress is persistent, this can cause an area of the brain called the hippocampus to actively shrink. This has been shown to take place in humans suffering from chronic depression. The secret of creating change within the brain that can boost your intelligence, memory and decision making qualities (as well as relieving depression) is

The optimal amount seems to be 30 minutes of aerobic activity a day. Running, swimming, active walking – they’re all good as long as you do them regularly. I’m always interested in finding new ways to learn better and faster. I am a busy and driven individual. I try to read one book every day on top of a full time business career. The amount of time I have available to spend learning new things is limited. It’s important to get as much educational value out of my time as possible, so retention, recall and transfer are critical.

I need to be able to accurately remember the information I learn, recall it at a later time and utilise it effectively in a wide variety of situations. One sure-fire way to become a more effective learner is to learn new things and keep practicing them. The Science backs this up. A 2004 article in the journal Nature[1] reported that people who learned how to juggle increased the amount of grey matter in their occipital lobes, the area of the brain associated with visual memory.When these individuals stopped practicing their new skill, this grey matter vanished.

So if you’re learning a new language, it is important to keep practicing the language in order to maintain the gains you have achieved. This ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ phenomenon involves a brain process known as pruning. Certain pathways in the brain are maintained, whilst others are eliminated. If you want the new information you have just learned to stay put, keep practicing and rehearsing it.

One of the key secrets of memory is how brain cells connect without actually touching. The gaps are called synapses – remember those chemicals that ‘jump’ across the gaps? Circuits are formed that retain memory, but they disappear if they are not used over and over again.

So go juggle right now!

http://www.avptglobal.com

[1] Draganski, B., Gaser, C., Busch, V., & Schuierer, G. (2004). Neuroplasticity: Changes in grey matter induced by training. Nature, 427(22), 311-312.

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Can you train to become a Virtual Tutor?

Posted on February 7, 2013 | 29 comments

could you do with some additional income!

Because your skills and experience are worth it

Teaching and Learning has changed!

Employment has Changed!

The World has Changed!

Could you manage up to 20 virtual students each month

and help them qualify from your PC

iPad or Tablet?

Using the latest interactive

Learning Management System

we have over 260 specialist on-line

and classroom fast track workshops

all accredited to Global Standards

You may be a professional, or retired

a graduate, personal coach, a consultant

or a teacher wanting to work from anywhere.

You make the investment and
We will Train you,
Register you,
and even Pay you when we
send students to you throughout the year

This two day workshop will enable you to follow procedure, e-monitor, e-mentor and e-access your students progress and help them to complete their online course using a cutting edge Learning Management System. Statistics have shown that institutions of higher learning increasingly embrace online education, with 65.5 percent of chief academic officers now calling online education ‘critical’ to their institutions! long-term strategy, an opinion that’s risen more than 15% over eight years.

After you qualify you will be able to work with our students online as a one of our Virtual Tutor Facilitators using your Global Accredited certificate by the IAO.

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2012 in review

Posted on January 2, 2013 | Leave a comment

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner can carry about 250 passengers. This blog was viewed about 980 times in 2012. If it were a Dreamliner, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

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Merry Christmas from AVPT Global

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Posted on December 25, 2012 in accreditation, apps, digital tickets, educational apps, free courses, HR, Management, micro Learning, micro teaching, mLearning, mobile phone broadcasting, online colleges, online courses, online teaching, online universities, training courses

Tagged avptglobal merry christmas, diane shawe merry christmas, merry christmas, online college merry christmas, online teaching merry christmas

E-learning growth ‘set to rise to £19 billion by 2015

Posted on November 19, 2012 | 8 comments

Get qualified whilst on the move with AVPT

article by Diane Shawe M.Ed.

Academy of Vocational and Professional Training (AVPT) finds that the market for e-learning just keeps growing and growing, according to various research and sales figure surveys

A survey by Ambient Insight Research has showed that the worldwide market for e-learning products was $32.1 billion (£20.5 billion) in 2010 and is expected to rise to $49.9 billion by 2015.

Products and methods of online learning that were deemed the most successful in sales rates included “how to” videos, step-by-step interactive guides and course notes which have multi-media inserts and annotations which directed learners to other resources.

Writer for Gadget magazine, Andre Joubert of MWEB Business said that he thinks the availability of media-rich, interactive e-learning content on the internet – and the advent of uncapped, business-strength broadband connectivity is changing the face of e-learning. He based his analysis on South Africa, but his principles apply worldwide as global sales figures show.

We noted from our research that Mr Joubert said: “E-learning has long been recognised as offering considerable advantages over conventional classroom-based training when it comes to training employees and management quickly, efficiently and conveniently.

So what about the Virtual Classroom?

We see 2012/13 as being the breakthrough year for virtual classrooms, as organisations move on from webinars (which are increasingly commonplace) to more interactive environments offered by virtual classrooms.

I am certainly excited by our online courses which are recognised and accredited in over 200 subject matters. As result of this growing trend AVPT has launched the first globally accredited Virtual Tutor Facilitator course. To train

A New Career Opportunity as a VTF

professionals in becoming a qualified online Tutor who want flexibility and positive earning potential to assist individuals gain a professional recognised certificate using a mobile learning Management solutions through facilitating their online learning.

Training through online learning is now widely available on the internet and can be beneficial to anything from flower arranging, PowerPoint presentations through to health and safety.

Soft skills is now becoming the new hard skills and offering mobile training and advice through e-learning are valuable to many people and a range of businesses globally.

Tim Dingle AVPT Chief Development Officer cited many benefits of the virtual classroom, such as convenience, relevance, immediacy, affordability and ease of use. He added that beginning the learning experience can be as easy as starting up an internet browser.

According to research by Key Note from last year, instructor-led training represents the largest sector of the market, although e-learning teaching – which includes blended learning – showed the highest growth over the review period between 2005 and 2009.

Mobile Learning forging forward.

A 2009 research report summarised that they thought mobile learning could be a “maybe just maybe”, In 2010 a definite trend was being recorded and in 2011 they saw mobile learning as a major driver for the growth of the e-learning market.

The driver is not one of simple learning enhancement and support but driven by a requirement for portability and availability made possible by smart phones and tablet devices, the learning “additionality”. The PC might still remain key to many learners for some years to come but I believe that the call for mobility, flexibility and the trends to workforce mobility will win the day.

We are particularly taken with the concept of second screen learning, in that learners will use mobile devices i-pads, smart phones etc… in conjunction with other forms media such as skype, bluetooth and appliances imbedded in a variety of devices such as the TV, car or even on your fridge.

I do not see mobile learning as a straight replacement to existing genres, and accordingly iIdo not advise organisations to rush headlong into mobile learning solutions because they can be an expensive option if not properly planned out.

Mobile learning in appropriate additional ways can be used to enhance the learning mix. One principle game changer is our ability to upload current or new courses into our LMS, cutting down on project development planning time and costs and enabling a blended Learning proposition to commence not only laterally but securely, scalable and in real time.

For instance the unemployed, people of disability, prison population, senior citizens and excluded children from the educational system could all benefit in real time whilst keeping the overall unit costs down by scaling and up-skilling with an emphasis on inclusion and virtual support.

Content can now increasingly be authored or in many cases converted to become fit for all purpose all range device delivery and in real time.

HTML5 coupled with Cloud based services will further embed e-learning into the all- pervasive always on internet. Indeed the terminology of mobile learning/ e-learning will lose differentiation, as will the nature of the device that the learning is undertaken upon.

Technology coupled with the growing importance of social media learning will lead to greater learner acceptance. I for one have seen a pattern stemming from the services we are offering to date and look forward to 2013 as we believe it is going to be a bumper year for mobile learning.

Visit us on http://www.expresstrainingcourses.com or call us if you would like more information on 0203 551 2621.

Join us now with over 200 courses

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E- Book Culture Gaining Momentum spearheaded by Amazon

Posted on October 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

Article by Diane Shawe M.Ed MIod

Historical evidence has shown that over the past 5 years, some universities had tried to break away from the traditional textbook model in the past—and failed, due to a lack of feasible alternatives. But many academic teachers and private training schools are finding that the online materials now available allow them to teach entire courses without textbooks, with no negative consequences to student learning. In some cases, digital materials may be even better than traditional texts because of their variety and timeliness and media.

Technological revolution has change the way students are educated. Diane Shawe the founder and CEO of Academy of Vocational and Professional training has demonstrated time and time again that the tablet and the e-book has change how students learn through their Learning Management Solution. LMS.

A recent Tech event lists several advantages for tablets and e-book:

Tablets are lightweight compared to textbooks. This is true given that we can store a large number of books on a single tablet.

E-books are cheaper than traditional textbooks. This is a somewhat fallacious argument. Textbooks can be used standalone while tablets require electricity and the initial cost of a tablet is still pretty high. E-books will probably be sold at a cheaper price than traditional textbooks, but e-books cannot be resold once the class is over and thus the overall cost for the student could be as high as today. A major advantage of e-books for publishers is that they might be able to kill the second-hand market

E-books provide richer content. This is potentially true. For some topics, multimedia content will be a benefit. However, this argument was also given when the first e-learning software were distributed, for hyper-card, CDs and other types of technologies

E-books can be automatically updated. This is both an advantage and a drawback. For the student, this means that it can get the latest content. Note that this does not require a tablet and nature has introduced a principle of biology textbook that is hosted on its servers and also regularly updated. For the teacher, it means that he/she has to check the updates of the e-book each year and reflect them for his/her classes.

I think that it is useful for teachers and even the educational departments throughout the UK begin to experiment with the utilisation of e-books in classes as well. Instead of storing lots of paperback text books, the saving could be stealth like which the saving could be redirected to other much needed resources short of funding. The courses are packaged in a chunk-able format so that blended learning can take place whilst the student is on the move and help young people into work quickly.”

Academy of Vocational and Professional Training Ltd has expanded it online suite of courses to help students access whilst on the move a range of soft skills courses. Tim Dingle the Chief Development Officer states: “The ‘Chunk-able format’an Introduction to a new kind of Learning in which the courses are designed in, allows students to work on the move using their tablet, smartphone or notebook, rather than committing to a 2000-word essay and most courses can even be completed in just one month! Every student is assisted by a live Virtual Tutor Facilitator so as to ensure every student completes there course in four weeks”

As initiatives such as those mentioned above are expanded, they just might be catalysts for growth in the market for low-cost or free digital textbooks. And as far as the educators who’ve created their own digital alternatives are concerned, these efforts have the potential to replace textbooks altogether.

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The ‘Multi-Generational’ workforce and m-learning

Posted on July 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

article by Diane Shawe BBA., M.Ed IEEE CEO Academy of Vocational and Professional Training Ltd

Social Media, New media and e-Networking, whatever we want to call it, has certainly changed more than the way we work, the way we share and consume knowledge and even complain. The context in which we work is faster and faster, and result can almost happen in real time around the world.

Well they have come up with yet another gadgetry word, wait for it… The workforce of the 21st century is now being referred to as the ‘Multi-Generational Workforce’ because it consist of a mixture of baby boomer’s and generation Y.

Generation Y differs from the baby boomer’s because they were brought up in the digital era. They are familiar with the internet and social media and easily post a question into their on-line network and receive all types of answers in seconds!

With this in mind, we see a lot of the old ‘Tanker’ type organisations refusing to initiate, release, set free the use of this new powerful media throughout there organisation because of speculative fear mongering proposed by their IT departments! I guess these guys need to safeguard their jobs! I know the truth hurts. They say a tanker takes a much longer time to turn than a speed boat. Look at the graveyard of large tanker companies who just did not heed the writing on the wall.

This unstoppable social media era has taken a few large employees by surprise because smaller leaner business have taken the reins by freeing and empowering all their staff to become ambassador’s for their company enabling not one but many to respond to change and guarantee online responsive service and quality to the every fast moving consumer who can complain in nano seconds around the world!

The investment of continuous education (lifelong learning) of any work force is imperative. With more and more titanic type organisations downsizing, multi skilling the remaining staff efficiently is a no brainer!

Research of Harvard shows that in 1986 when the first baby boomer’s started to work they had to rely for 75% on their own knowledge. The other 25% came from sources such as manuals. In 2009 people were relying on only 10% on their own knowledge and on 90% on information from third party sources such as social networks. New media did not merely change the way we work but primarily the way we share knowledge and learn. Therefore, companies need to make sure their workforce knows how to navigate the vast online environment.

In this sense, m-Learning is more than just a cost saving method but a strategic tool to avoid damaging the company’s reputation and to project a positive brand image.

Social Media and employees
One single negative post or tweet of an employee can have a devastating effect on the image of an organisation. For this reason, many organisations have implemented policies which offer support and guidance on the usage of social media. This empowers employees to use social media when necessary while still avoiding the pitfalls that can generate negative PR fallouts. But merely setting up these policies will cut short of these goals. That is why, increasingly, organizations use m-learning to communicate these guidelines and rules in an interesting and interactive manner. There is another major advantage to use m-Learning versus traditional training methods: the costs. Academy of vocational and Professional Training can assist any company deliver to their entire workforce courses that are significant in a scalable way. m-learning provides a solution which can be accessed from the desktop, iPad, Tablet, notebook or smartphone at any time and be kept up to date in real time with changes.

mobile-learning
m-Learning is increasingly used for specific training purposes, such as communicating the social media guidelines, but it can also play a major role in the broader development and training of personnel. One of the key characteristics of well-designed m-learning solutions, is that they create a space where workers can be active and inquisitive in their learning.

What’s next?
On the modern work floor we encounter a mix of various generation groups. In the year 2012 knowledge is not the ultimate goal, because knowledge is just a few mouse clicks away. It is about how one is able to apply this knowledge and provide an added value. There are several ways to make learning more interesting for both young and mature workers. Simulations, e-coaching and online peer-to-peer learning can help bring together the generation gap. Below we provide some ideas on how we can help to accelerate learning within the organisation:

1. Keep it simple.
By adding a variety of layers, a blended learning approach meets the various learning styles with tool that are relevant and challenging for each employee. Keeping it light by a combining video, images and text without eating too much data. Encourage employees to share experiences and let them contribute to the improvement of m-learning, so that they experience blending learning as one coherent experience.

2. Work with real-life cases
Real-life cases are recognisable and will therefore be motivating. Employees should be encouraged to collaborate and share knowledge and ideas. This can be reached by integrating a familiar environment. Many employees love to learn if this will assist them to execute their daily work.

3. Mirror reality
Learning is most effective when simulations are as closely related to reality as possible. We know that Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn are the new game shifters in online communications and could be used most effectively in a controlled environement. Competitions or games could help challenge and stimulated the employee to make certain choices or come up with ideas. Be recognised and awarded. These are the most concrete experiences one can gain.

4. Make progress visible
People must be motivated to continue to learn. It is important that one can measure their progress in adopting new ideas, knowledge and behavioural changes. By acknowledging progress, the incentive to continue grows. By creating a competition element, one adds value. The employee can measure the success of the decisions made when they lead to a comparable and competitive result.

In many organisations, there is much to improve in terms of development and training. Sometimes employers forget that the whole organisation could suffer from economic and emotional depression, especially whey no energy is put into real motivation or stimulation.

While everyone knows that knowledge, development and involvement can make all the difference for a company to increase performance. Introducing an m-learning tool to reflect and inspire a higher order of thinking skills which incorporate communications, could reinforce each and every member of staff throughout an organisation. After all it is not the size of the dog, but the fight in the dog that will set the new trendsetters apart. So Let’s get to work! Let’s help your organisation stimulate on a scalable and cost effect way with our no nonsense approach to m-learning, courses and certificates that count globally.

For more information about our services visit www.academy-of-vocational-and-professional-training.com or call us on 0203 551 2621 to discuss our bespoke or white labelling services.