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Ways to Learn
No two people learn the same way, so why have them train in the
same way? Some like to read, while others thrive in a classroom.
With My SkillSource, employees are given the advantage of choosing
how they learn. This ensures that they receive information in a
way that is optimal for them: With their comfort level up, they
will train longer and more effectively. Different delivery methods
include:
Instructor-Led
Classes:
Instructor-led classes are very much like a college class.
There's a real instructor, a textbook, assignments and, importantly,
realistic time-frames to complete each lesson. Each instructor-led
class has specific start and end dates, and students are able to
complete the work at times that are best of for them. Students do
their assignments and communicate with the instructor and fellow
students on their own schedules.
Instructor-led courses are made up of between 5-10 lessons.
Each lesson includes an overview and reading assignment, a field
trip with discussion questions, exercises, and quizzes. One lesson
per week is covered so that participants have ample time to complete
their work. And all along the way, students are able to communicate
as necessary with a real instructor to check their progress and
get feedback.
Instructor-led
classes also offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
which provide formal documentation, recognized by major institutions
within the United States, that you've completed a class.
Self-Study Courses:
Self-paced training courses are taken individually and allow students
to progress though instruction at their own pace. These courses
provide hands-on training with optional audio for an interactive
and effective training experience. Pre-assessments allow students
to channel directly into the lessons of a course that are required.
Digitized Books:
Imagine
thousands of books from major publishers like McGraw-Hill, Ziff-
Davis, Sybex,
Que, John Wiley, and MIT Press available at your fingertips, 24x7!
The Resource Center provides a library of full-length, up-to-date
reference books on Information Technology and Business topics. The
entire contents of each book and all of their illustrations and
graphics are viewable and printable right at your computer. Learners
can add favorite books to their bookshelves, and chapters can be
printed out for reading and reference as needed.
We've also posted sites and articles that enhance the learning
experience.
Skills
Testing
Aside from pre-assessments that allow students to channel directly
into the lessons of a course that they require, My SkillSource offers
skills testing and certification through Brainbench. Brainbench
allows students to validate their knowledge of the courses taken
at My SkillSource. By taking a certification exam, students can
determine their competency of particular subjects or software.
Brainbench
exams use Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT). Students respond to questions,
a computer-adaptive test "adapts" itself to test takers by selecting
the next item to be presented based on performance on preceding
items. CAP is better than static testing because:
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CAT requires
fewer test items to arrive at a more accurate estimate of students'
proficiency then pencil-and-paper exams. |
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CAT technology
allows students to receive immediate feedback on their performance. |
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Each student
is administered a different set of test items enhancing the
test's security. |
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CAT scoring
takes into account not just the number of items answered correctly,
but which items were answered correctly. A student who correctly
answers a more difficult question will score higher than a student
who answers an easier question. |
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"Studies suggest that comprehension levels and retention rates derived
from e-Learning may be up to 250% better than traditional methods."
Sandra Evans
The Washington Post
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