23/01/2009 – Ireland – Learn Skills is delighted to annouce it’s latest partnership with Didasko, the Australia innovative learning solutions provider of engaging interactive multimedia resources.  For 11 years, Didasko has been a leading developer of high quality Learner and Trainer resources for the vocational, education and training industry.
They specialise in the service sectors of Hospitality, Retail and Asset Maintenance and their comprehensive resources and systems for the training provider, teachers and students delivers superior learning, operational and marketing outcomes.  Didasko Learning Resources currently provides resources to leading international universities, domestic and international colleges, training organisations, hospitality and retail groups, corporate sector and secondary schools with vocational programs.

Learn Skills shall spearhead Didasko’s expansions plans into Europe focused on both Retails and Hospitality Unit.  This comprehensive range of courses shall be made available both on-line and also when required in CD-Rom format.  With over 100 on-line courses each supported by both a Learner Guide and Training Delivery Guide to deliver the first complete solution for Retail and Hospitality education and training in Europe. These comprehensive resources and systems for training providers, teachers and students deliver superior learning outcomes and improved operational and marketing effectiveness.

For Education and Training providers:
• The full package – from curriculum to delivery and assessment
• Tailored ordering and packaging for each student
• Low flat rate / unit
• Customised branding of the materials
• Distribution options – CD-ROM, PDF, USB, on-line
• Easy online ordering 24/7
• Just in Time delivery – all orders despatched within 48 hours

For Teachers and Trainers:
• Comprehensive tools support teacher compliance and learner
management :
(Training and Assessment plans, Learner contact logs, Competency
Assessment Matrix, Employability Self Assessment, Skills Demonstration
Training record)
• Use of multiple “adult learning” principles
• Greater focus on delivery and student centric

For Students:
• Tailored customised packaging of learner units
• Engaging interactive multimedia (text, graphics, animation, sound,
video and self assessments)
• Underpinning knowledge is gained
• Extensive glossaries and recipe files within the units
• Self evaluation worksheets
• Supports all student learning categories – ESL or learning difficulties

Galway Independant – 14th May, 2008 – More than 350 secondary school students from Galway and Leitrim descended on Sligo IT last week to learn more about good financial habits for life in the extended learning workshop, Bank Your Future, the unique national financial education initiative by Junior Achievement, generously supported by Bank of America.

Students from Calasanctius College in Oranmore were among the 350 attendees. “Empowering young people with the skills surrounding the complex area of personal finance will allow these students not only a firm understanding of their future financial choices and responsibilities but also of the importance of their career choices and potential to create fulfilling and independent lives,” said Mr Ian O’Doherty, Ireland Country Executive, Bank of America, launching Bank Your Future.

More than 700 students across Dublin, Leitrim, Cork and Galway will this academic year participate in this new initiative developed to educate students on how to establish good financial habits to carry them through their adult lives. Bank Your Future is a six-week programme taught in the classroom by independent business volunteers from a variety of business backgrounds.

Bank Your Future programme includes:

• the importance of education and its role in improving potential earning power;
• balancing salary and expenditure;
• using credit and cash wisely;
• the importance of saving;
• the benefits of insurance;
• creating and analysing the performance of a share portfolio.

Bank of America is one of the world’s largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. In Ireland Bank of America employs over 1,000 associates across its two facilities in Dublin and Carrick-on-Shannon providing financial products and services for individual customers and large corporations.

Junior Achievement, a worldwide organisation established in Ireland in 1995, brings enterprise education to young people throughout Ireland teaching them about the world of work, helping them to set goals, plan for their future and learn the skills necessary to succeed in a fast changing world. Junior Achievement aims to fill the gap where young people have no connection with business or a role model to inspire them to succeed in life. The organisation does this with the active and financial support of 150 leading Irish businesses across the commercial spectrum. Hands-on experiences help students to understand the economics of life. In partnership with businesses and educators, Junior Achievement brings the real world to young people, opening their minds to their potential.

USA – Oct 22 2007 – Nearly one in five higher education students now takes at least one class online, according to a new study of more than 2,500 colleges and universities nationwide. The 2007 Sloan Survey of Online Learning, released today by the Babson Survey Research Group, reveals that online enrollment rose by nearly ten percent in fall 2006, to 3.49 million students. Approximately 3.18 million students had at least one online course in fall 2005.

“The growth in online learning continues to far outpace that of the broader student population,” said study co-author Dr. I. Elaine Allen Associate Professor of Statistics & Entrepreneurship, Babson College. “Enrollment has increased at an average annual rate of 21.5 percent over the past five years compared with just 1.5 percent average annual growth for the overall higher education population.”

The fifth annual survey, a collaborative effort between the Babson Survey Research Group, the College Board and the Sloan Consortium, represents the state of online learning in the United States. The complete survey report, “Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning” is available at www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/index.asp.

“The survey results speak to the significance of online learning in America today,” said Frank Mayadas, Program Director, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. “With online students making up about 20 percent of the higher education population, we are seeing – and will continue to see – online learning playing a major role in the education of America’s college students.”

The Babson Survey Research Group in the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurial Research at Babson College conducts regional, national, and international research projects, including survey design, sampling methodology, data integrity, statistical analyses and reporting.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,000 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.

The Sloan Consortium is the nation’s largest association of institutions and organizations committed to quality online education and administered through Babson College and Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering.

Source: Sloan-C News

USA – Nov 9 2006 – The Sloan Survey of Online Learning, Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006 shows tremendous growth in online learning in America. The complete survey is available at www.sloan-c.org/publications/survey/index.asp.

“This is the largest study to date and it tells us online learning is growing without any sign of a plateau,” says Jeff Seaman, chief information officer and survey director, The Sloan Consortium. “There were nearly 3.2 million students taking at least one course online this past fall, up from 2.3 million just last year.”

The fourth annual survey is a collaborative effort between the College Board and the Sloan Consortium. It’s based upon responses from more than 2,200 colleges and universities nationwide and represents the state of online learning in U.S. higher education.

“We include Sloan questions in the College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges to better understand the state of online learning at our country’s institutions of higher education,” said Hal Higginbotham, chief information officer, the College Board. “The insight we gain from the survey enables us to better serve those who benefit from online courses, those who traditionally wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to connect to college success.”

The survey also finds a larger percentage (62 percent) of chief academic officers agree the learning outcomes in online education are now as good as or superior to face-to-face instruction while 57 percent say it is critical to their institution’s long-term strategy.

In addition 73 percent agree online education reaches students not served by face-to-face programs. “Offering courses online increases enrollment particularly among populations like working adults and others who traditionally have not been able to access higher education,” says Frank Mayadas, program director, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The Sloan Consortium is the nation’s largest association of institutions and organizations committed to quality online education and administered through Babson College and Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,000 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.

Souce: Sloan-C News