Category Archives: News & Events

Payroll Accounting – Teaching Today’s Students

News & Events, Payroll Accounting, Teaching Tips & Strategies

Are you looking for new ideas on keeping students engaged in your Payroll Accounting class?

We’ve got some tips and techniques to help you change up your typical routine.  There is no right (or wrong!) way to teach payroll, but we hope to help you optimize the results you can get this year.

Finding the time to research new ideas and solutions can be overwhelming, so we have created a series of webinars that we’re sure instructors will find valuable this time of the year.

Whether or not you are using a Labyrinth Learning Solution, tune in to a webinar to learn ideas, tips, and techniques for adding elements to your class, and improving student outcomes.

Join our webinar: 8 steps you can take to improve student outcomes in your payroll course to learn:

payroll classroom

  • Methods for implementing a practical approach
  • Tips on maintaining student interest
  • Techniques to help prevent students from feeling overwhelmed
  • Issues associated with teaching payroll-related federal forms, various calculations, and state payroll nuances
  • There will also be a live question-and-answer period at the end

Presenter Eric Weinstein, an instructor at Suffolk County Community College (NY), will share best practices for both in-class and online courses.

Two sessions:

Friday, Sept 9, 2016
Time: 10am Pacific / 12noon Central / 1pm Eastern

Wednesday, Sept 14, 2016
Time: 1pm Pacific / 3pm Central / 4pm Eastern

 

Are you SURE you have the best materials for your course?

Our fourth edition textbook comes with eLab for automated assessment. Who doesn’t like to have automatically graded practice sets – and lots of them!

We think you’ll find that using our materials will provide your students with a significant advantage over their peers upon entering the workforce with the skills they need to be successful!

Our product manager, Jason Favro,Payroll-fourth-edition will present our text: Payroll Accounting: A Practical, Real-World Approach, and all of the solution elements that are complimentary for both instructors and students.

Rick Street, Professor at Spokane Community College (WA) will join us to share his experience switching to Labyrinth, as well as the success he has had with his students using the this payroll accounting solution.

Join our webinar to hear about the:

  • Table of Contents, and how our approach follows the payroll cycle
  • Structure of the Labyrinth approach, including practice set and problem methodology
  • Solution components and the ease of switching to Labyrinth
  • Practical approach elements of the textbook that can help your students be more successful in the course
  • eLab Homework Grader featuring automated grading of practice sets

Two sessions:

Tuesday, Sept 20, 2016 1:30pm PST / 3:30pm CST / 4:30pm EST

Friday, Sept 23, 2016 12noon PST / 2pm CST / 3pm EST

 

Check out eLab – for automated assessment and grading!

If you think that the Labyrinth solution might be just what you need to kick-start your Payroll class into gear – then join us for our webinar: eLab Homework Grader.

In this webinar, we will:LabLearning-eLab-joint-logo

  • Set up eLab and the “ready to go” course for Payroll Accounting
  • Demonstrate eLab Homework Grader (one eLab license comes free with every textbook)
  • Explain customization features – set up the Practice Sets to best meet your class needs
  • Create assignments and tests for student practice, for homework, and for testing.

We will have plenty of time to answer questions, and walk you through how easy it would be to switch to our Payroll Solution in time for January.

One session:

Wed, Sept 28, 2016 1pm Pacific / 3pm Central / 4pm Eastern

Championing Study Abroad for the Future Workforce

News & Events, ,
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Currently, 9.4% of college students study abroad. In an effort to increase this number, the Institute of International Education recently held a Generation Study Abroad Summit. The goals of this event were to promote the benefits of studying abroad and increase the number of students who study abroad, as well as diversify the types of students who have access to the opportunity through its Generation Study Abroad Initiative.

In an increasingly global economy, participation in a study abroad program is a valuable experience for one’s employability. Immersion in a different culture can aid in the development of important job skills, such as problem-solving, teamwork, cultural awareness, intercultural skills, and fluency in a foreign language. The IIE wants to reach more students and encourage them to study abroad to gain intercultural competencies that will make them more competitive candidates in the workplace. They would especially like to reach more students who are historically underrepresented in study abroad, like racial minorities, first-generation college students, veterans, and students who have disabilities.

This year, over 350 colleges have signed on to the Generation Study Abroad Initiative, which aims to double the number of students who study abroad within the next decade. Through this initiative, colleges have committed to various goals like increasing financial support for underrepresented students, expanding their international program offerings, and expanding short-term programs, like internship and volunteer abroad programs.

Contact Labyrinth Learning today for more information about our textbook offerings and full solutions.

 

 

Office 2016 Now Available

News & Events, , ,

blog2Microsoft’s Office Suite is a mature and much-used product. According to the Verge, there are approximately 1.2 billion Office users worldwide. Being a mature set of programs, Office 2016 doesn’t have many new features, but there are a few key changes and additions.

The most visual change in Office is the new look and feel of the program, including some changes to the program menus, that closely resemble Windows 10. However, even with these changes you will still find most of the tools you use in the same locations as the previous version of Office.

The “cloud” is a major focus of Office 2016. You will still be able to purchase a boxed copy of the software, but Microsoft is really pushing users to the cloud. When you subscribe to Office 365, you get 1 terabyte of space on OneDrive for each user, and the integration between Windows 10, OneDrive (Microsoft’s cloud storage) and Office 2016 becomes very tight. Also, saving and opening documents to the cloud has gotten a lot more seamless. The new Outlook, for example, just sends a link to attached documents that are saved to OneDrive. This allows for faster emails, less used space due to saving multiple copies of the same attachment, and the ability to edit the document after the link has been sent.

blog1

Office 2016 will be available on a variety of devices and computers.
This version of Office will be available across eight or more platforms including Android, Windows, and Mac devices. Your settings and documents will be available on whichever device you use.

The most exciting new feature is the collaboration feature in Word. When a document is stored on OneDrive, multiple people can edit that document at the same time. Google Docs has had this feature for years, but Word 2016 is a much more powerful program with even more complex tools.

Skype is now integrated into Office, and the new Microsoft Sway makes its debut in this version. Sway is a new online-only program for creating webpages and presentations. Think of it as Word and PowerPoint mashed together with some great special effects. You can use Sway for free (without buying Office) at https://sway.com/.

More information about Microsoft Office 2016 is available at https://products.office.com.

President Obama Gets the Ball Rolling on Free Education

News & Events, ,
Image courtesy of imagerymajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of imagerymajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

President Obama is working to gain support for his efforts to make community colleges free for qualifying students. At an event at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan, Obama announced the creation of a national advisory board to promote the idea that education should be free for any student willing to work hard to achieve their goals. It was in January of this year when he first announced his plan to spend $60 billion over a period of ten years to make community colleges free for students who maintain at least a 2.0 GPA.

In addition to free community college, Obama will announce a new round of federal grants meant to encourage a “learn as you earn” model where businesses hire apprentices who can learn skills on the job while earning a paycheck, rather than in a classroom. The administration will give $175 million in grants to partners, including colleges, private businesses, and labor organizations, for the purpose of hiring about 34,000 apprentices in various fields.

Give students the best education and job training for their dollar with our computer science and business and accounting solutions, which use the context of real-life business situations within lessons to emphasize the necessity of the skills being taught. To learn more, contact Labyrinth Learning today.

 

Combined Academic and Vocational Education Leads to Success

News & Events, Teaching Tips & Strategies, ,
Image courtesy of t0zz at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of t0zz at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Nearly 60% of students entering community colleges aren’t prepared to take college-level vocational or educational classes and require non-credit remedial courses in math, reading, and writing before they can start on their vocational or academic degrees. Taking months, or even years, of high school-level courses in these subjects before being able to advance to credit courses and start working towards their credentials extends the time and money it takes for students to complete their degrees. The frustration and discouragement this often leads to is apparent in the completion rate: only about a quarter of students who start out taking remedial courses complete a degree in eight years.

Washington community colleges are combating this drop-out rate with their innovative program called I-BEST (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training), which offers credit courses that teach basic math, reading, and writing skills alongside the technical skills students will need once they complete their credentials. Areas in which colleges offer I-BEST programs include accounting, business clerical skills, information technology, nursing, and academic transfer, among others. In I-BEST, students are taught basic academic skills that they will use in their chosen careers in the context of how they’ll be used on the job. There are two instructors in each I-BEST course: a basic-skills teacher and a subject expert. The basic-skills teacher lectures on the subject area for the first part of class, then the students immediately go to the lab portion of class where the subject expert teaches job procedures, applying what students have just learned in the lecture. The program has been replicated by colleges in 29 other states.

I-BEST has proven to be highly beneficial in the following ways:

Accelerated the speed at which subjects are taught: Many students don’t need an entire semester or year of remedial coursework, only strengthening in certain areas. I-BEST fills the gaps in students’ skills by concentrating on what they need to know for their career paths. In addition, the direct connection between academic work and job skills improves retention of learned basic skills knowledge.

Increased likelihood of earning a vocational or academic degree: Taking non-credit remedial courses can cause a financial strain, as many students may run out of money for credit courses before completing their credentials or even taking a single credit course. I-BEST offers basic skills intermingled with career courses for credit, allowing students to take the courses they want from the beginning. It also lays out a clearer pathway for what courses to take in order to complete a credential or work toward a degree. As a result, over 80% of I-BEST students have completed their credentials or returned for another quarter.

Produces long-term economic benefits: Students who have completed at least a year of college-level classes and earned a credential obtained better jobs and saw a significant increase in earnings.

Labyrinth Learning’s Payroll Accounting, 2nd Edition combines case studies, concepts, and hands-on exercises, both in text and in our new Homework Grader feature in eLab, to teach students the theories and practical skills of payroll accounting. Contact us to learn more about how this and our other Business and Accounting solutions can help your students to succeed in their careers.

 

Enhancements to 529 Plan May Soon be Realized

News & Events, , , , ,
Image courtesy of bugphai at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of bugphai at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Senate Finance Committee has unanimously passed measures that enhance the 529 Plan, an educational savings plan that helps parents fund their children’s college education. The 529 Plan is operated by state agencies and organizations, and withdrawals for education expenses are exempt from federal taxes.

Among the improvements added to the bill are:

  • Students can use 529 funds to purchase a computer – Under the current law, students can only use the funds to purchase a computer if the college they are attending requires them to have a computer. The new measure would allow students to purchase a computer with 529 funds whether or not their schools require it.
  • Taxation and the tax penalty on higher education expenses have been eliminated – Currently, when students withdraw from college, their refunds are subject to taxation and a 10% tax penalty. Under the new measure, refunds received when a student withdraws from school can be redeposited into their 529 within 60 days without penalty, allowing parents to use the funds to pay for the student’s education should they return to school at a later date, or even use it for another family member.

Lawmakers hope the increased flexibility these enhancements provide will encourage more parents to utilize the 529 Plan. The bill has strong support in Congress, with the House of Representatives having passed a similar bill, and the full Senate expected to pass this bill as well.

Fall semester will be here before you know it, so check out our high-quality, low-cost Business and Accounting solutions for your students today. Our full solutions include resources for both students and instructors. Contact us at Labyrinth Learning for more information.

Preparing for the Future of Higher Education

Featured, News & Events, ,
Source: morgueFile
Source: morgueFile

Whenever there is an innovation disrupting the world of higher education, it’s easy to try and ignore it and label it as just that – a brief disruption. However, the future of higher education is based off of innovation, which means that keeping up with new innovations is a smart thing to do. The following innovations could mean big things for the future of higher education:

  • Analytics – Analytics tools will allow you to predict the success of students, improve student support services, measure the achievement of learning outcomes and much more.
  • Competency-based education – Competency-based education is based on the idea of awarding credits for mastery instead of traditional credit hours. This gives students a chance to accelerate their time to degree due to the ability to acquire knowledge and skills outside of the classroom through life experience.
  • Personalized learning – Personalization has become a focal point for marketing and retail, and it makes sense that it could be implemented into education. By providing students with individualized learning pathways, you can tailor activities and readings to the needs and interests of students.
  • Open educational resources – Higher education is expensive as it is when not accounting for the need to purchase textbooks every year. Open educational resources on the web make it easier for students to do research and save money, as well.

These are some of the innovations that could change the higher education for the better. Contact us at Labyrinth Learning for additional teaching resources.

Instructors can Enjoy the Benefits of Microsoft Access 2013: Essentials

News & Events, ,

Microsoft Access 2013: EssentialsMicrosoft provides a number of different software options that are incredibly helpful in accomplishing any number of tasks. Because much of their software is incredibly in-depth, we recommend learning the ins and outs in order to make the most out of it. For example, using the Microsoft Access 2013: Essentials textbook in order to better understand the Microsoft Access program.

The Microsoft Access 2013: Essentials textbook covers a huge range of information for beginners to experts. The first unit provides instruction on how to use the Ribbon interface, how to create tables in Datasheet view, how to create database objects, how to design databases, how to preview and print data, how to format your tables, and much more. The second unit includes instruction on creating relational databases, modifying reports, creating customizable input forms, and more.

In the last unit, you’ll be instructed on the use of complex forms, complex reports, calculated controls, customizing your databases, customizing your user interface and more. All of the text is accompanied by integration lessons. The textbook is available in print as well as an advanced ebook, which also includes direct links and embedded video.

The textbook includes 12 lessons using a step-by-step, skills based approach. You’ll learn real-world focus that will help you to develop skills that you’ll be able to use immediately.

For more information about our Microsoft Access 2013: Essentials and our other in-depth textbooks and eBooks, be sure to contact our team at Labrynth Learning today.

The Promising Future of Accounting

Featured, News & Events, ,
future of accounting
Source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Trying to decide what area to study when going to college can not only be difficult, it can be downright scary. All you have to do is look at the economic landscape – many college graduates are struggling with repaying their massive student loans as well as in trying to secure employment in their chosen field of study. Fortunately, those who are studying to become accountants can feel safe in the knowledge that the future of accounting looks bright.

The new wave of accountants entering the job market have a lot to offer, so it should come as no surprise that they are excited about their future. Accounting students were recently asked about their thoughts concerning the future using Conferences.io, an interactive conference participation software, as well as MBSN (management by sticky notes). Accounting students were also asked what they wanted from their future employers.

Using the Insights to Action process, accounting students provided questions as well as comments on everything from the history of the profession, the future of the profession and the current state of the profession. Much of the information from the presentation was recorded or filmed and has been organized by hindsight, foresight, and insight categories.

Find out what accounting students think about the future of accounting and what they expect from their accounting careers and employers. For additional information on accounting and for information about our educational products and services, be sure to contact us at Labyrinth Learning today.

We Loved Working with the Students at Suffolk County Community College

News & Events, , , ,
Suffolk County Community College
Teachers at Suffolk County Community College found our eLab materials to be very beneficial for the students in their Intro to Computer Applications classes.
Source: Wikimedia Commons

We can write all we want about the benefits of our eLab Course Management system but, truly, the proof is in the pudding. That’s why we wanted to share a recent case study in which Labyrinth Learning partnered up with instructors at Suffolk County Community College to help with ongoing issues experienced with their Intro to Computer Applications course.

The course is a prerequisite for certain educational tracks and is recommended for many others. The challenge, typical of any educational setting, was that students entered at different levels and while some were flying through course material, others lagged behind or failed altogether. Plus, instructors were concerned that students “sailing through” the course weren’t necessarily retaining the materials. Another challenge was that with hundreds of students to serve, it was difficult to keep up with and return assessments in a timely manner.

One instructor used the eLab course materials, one opted to use both the materials and the course management system and the third instructor stuck to the typical routine using a popular computer text book. The instructors who chose the eLab options were thrilled with how easy it was to familiarize themselves and set up the course materials.

Within a short amount of time, they noticed a significant difference in the classroom, including:

  • Improved student performance
  • A narrowing of the achievement gap
  • More independent working
  • Greater concept and materials retention
  • More streamlined and timely assessment feedback for students

Both instructors plan to continue using Labyrinth materials in their future courses.

Take your cue from Suffolk County Community College and partner up with Labryinth Learning. We’ll provide the eLab materials and the course management system to improve student performance and outcomes in your classrooms.