Tag Archives: e-learning resources

The Value of Certification

Certifications, , ,

Do you offer certification testing? Your students can gain an extra edge when seeking employment by taking advantage of certification programs.

 

Some of the professional advantages of certification include the following:

  • Certification helps broaden employment opportunities.
  • Advanced skills can help students earn more.
  • A study conducted by Microsoft revealed that those who are certified are viewed as more competent, more productive, and more credible by their employers.
  • Certification can lead to increased job satisfaction.
  • Those who pass certification exams are authorized to display certification logos on resumes and other materials to demonstrate proof of certification, according to the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers.

 

Microsoft and QuickBooks offer certification programs that validate comprehensive knowledge of the materials. The Microsoft Office Specialist certification is globally recognized as “the premiere credential chosen by individuals seeking to validate their knowledge, skills and abilities relating to the Microsoft Office application suite.”

 

Several Labyrinth Learning textbooks are approved courseware for the Microsoft and QuickBooks exams. For more information, please visit our website and look at our Excel and QuickBooks texts.

 

Image from Lablearning.com

 

Windows 8: What to Expect

Featured, News & Events, ,

When you upgrade to Windows 8, you and your students will see a big difference from your current version. Read on for some of the biggest changes:

Start Screen. The most dramatic change is to the Start Screen, which has been redesigned to look more like a tablet or phone screen than your traditional Windows start screen interface. On the desktop, the Start button only appears when you hover your cursor in the bottom left corner of your screen, where you can return to the Start Screen or launch other desktop apps.

Charms. Charms appear when you move your mouse to the right-hand side of the screen or swipe from the right on a touchscreen device. They include buttons for accessing the Start Screen, Search, Share, Devices, and Settings functions quickly and with ease.

Touch Support. You’ll see better touch support than with Windows 7. Windows has also incorporated an intelligence system to tell it what you are attempting to do, according to TechRadar.

Multiple Monitor Support. Windows 8 is better capable of supporting multiple monitors than previous versions. If desired, you can place the Start Screen on one monitor and the desktop on another.

The Windows Store. Windows 8 has its own app store. Mashable notes that apps can be downloaded from the store and are then accessible on your home screen.

Cloud Integration. Windows 8 also includes cloud integration, just like Office 2013. You can sync your address book, photos, SkyDrive data, and even data within 3rd party apps. You can access the data on any Windows 8 device.

Labyrinth Learning will be hosting a webinar in the coming months to demo the changes and discuss implications for the classroom. Once we’ve set the date, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, feel free to contact us with any questions.

Image from Mashable.com

Computer Literacy: Five Reasons Why You Should be Testing

Teaching Tips & Strategies, ,

You may think it’s safe to assume that all of today’s students have a basic knowledge of computer skills, given that we live in the digital age. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. As noted by The Instructional Design & Development Blog of the FITS Department at DePaul University, just because you know how to use social media, it doesn’t mean you are computer literate.

Today’s students arrive at school with a wide range of computer skills. Accurately assessing these skills gives you the data you need to best meet the needs of students – before, during and after coursework. Testing allows you to:

  1. Place students in the course that best fits their skill level. Many students arrive at school lacking basic computer skills such as file management, email, Windows, and the use of applications such as word processing and spreadsheets. Others are well prepared. Placing everyone in the same introductory computer class leaves some students bored while others struggle to keep up. Testing allows you to match students with the right course.
  2. Let advanced students test out of the course. In the same way that students with advanced math skills should not sit in a basic math class, students possessing excellent computer skills should not waste time in a basic computer course. Testing provides an accurate and fair means for allowing advanced students to bypass courses that they have already mastered.
  3. Validate that students registering for online courses have prerequisite computer skills. Online courses require a fundamental understanding of email, file management and other computer functions. If a student doesn’t possess these skills, chances are they will struggle – and have a much higher chance of dropping the course. Testing allows you to identify students who are unprepared and need some basic computer training before taking online courses.
  4. Modify course content to meet the needs of students. As more computer skills are taught at the high school level, student skills are continually changing. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your class and modify course content to meet those needs. Instead of teaching topics that students have already mastered, adjust your content to focus time on the skills that students need. And testing mid-course allows you to identify topics that need more work.
  5. Confirm learning following course completion. Computer skills are essential for success in future classes and in the workforce. Testing after course completion or as a graduation requirement confirms that students possess the skills needed to be successful.

Computer literacy is more important now than ever, and no student should be left behind. To learn more about testing your students, read about Labyrinth Learning’s eLab Skills Evaluation Tool, which instructors can use to test their students’ skills and help prepare them for success. Visit our website or contact us for more information.

 

Microsoft Office 2013: What’s Changed?

Featured, , ,

The latest version of Microsoft Office is coming soon, and many of you may be wondering what changes to expect. How is it different from Office 2010? And what is Office 365?

If you have those questions, read on. Here’s a brief understanding of the different options.

Microsoft Office 2010 vs. Microsoft Office 2013

Office 2013 includes all the standard Office programs and capabilities seen in previous versions of Office, as well as a variety of new features that make for a better user experience. Below is a glimpse of some of the new features of Office 2013, along with a few of the differences between Office 2013 and Office 2010:

  • One of the first things you’ll notice about Office 2013 is a refreshed interface. The new look falls in line with the “Modern” interface of Windows 8, featuring a minimalistic appearance that PCWorld suggests will be less of a distraction to users.
  • You’ll see a much more touch-friendly version, allowing you to scroll through items by swiping your finger across the screen. And you can switch to a traditional navigation when you’re using a desktop without a touchscreen monitor.
  • SkyDrive and SharePoint have been integrated for you to more easily access documents stored online from any location.
  •  PDF Editing is another new feature of Office 2013. PDF files can be opened and edited in Word 2013, and then saved as either DocX files or as PDFs.
  • Excel 2013 has the ability to support multiple monitors, unlike Excel 2010.
  • While the Ribbon hasn’t changed too much in functionality, its appearance in Office 2013 has changed slightly. Information Week describes it as being flatter than the 2010 version of the Ribbon. Office 2013 also includes an option to make it more compatible with touchscreens for tablet use.

Microsoft Office 365

While Office 2010 and 2013 must be installed onto a desktop or laptop computer, Office 365 is an online service to which users must subscribe. Instead of purchasing boxed copies or online downloads, users can purchase an Office 365 subscription which provides all the core Office applications, as well as email, shared calendars, public websites for businesses, and internal sites for teams. Those with Office 2010 already installed on their computer can configure the program to work with Office 365 and have the ability to retrieve, edit and save Office documents in the Office 365 cloud. Users can also complete tasks such as co-authoring documents in real-time or begin PC-to-PC calls. Office 365 is compatible with Office 2007 and newer versions.

To learn more about what’s coming in Office 2013, register for our webinar on November 13 for a demonstration of major new features within each application. Visit our website or contact us for more information.

Image from InformationWeek.com

Welcome to the Labyrinth Learning Blog!

Featured,

Welcome to the Labyrinth Learning Blog! We are glad you’ve stopped by to check out our latest online adventure. We look forward to sharing lots of great information and ideas with you through our blog in the weeks to come, so stop by often for the latest news and information from us.

Today, we want to tell you a little bit about us. Labyrinth Learning was founded by Brian Favro, a teacher who recognized the importance of teaching people how to properly use products like Microsoft software, but also realized that adequate instructional materials for such programs were lacking. Brian and his colleague, Russel Stolins, worked together to develop Labyrinth Instructional Design, “an innovative approach that ensures easy, effective learning, enabling students to master material quickly and apply knowledge in real-world situations.”

After seeing the popularity of his textbooks among his own students and other local instructors, Brian decided to start his own company in order to help even more students achieve success. To date, over two million students have benefitted from learning the Labyrinth way in high schools, community colleges, continuing education programs, career and technical education, corporate trainings, and other programs.

In addition to books, Labyrinth Learning’s solutions include instructor support materials, integrated learning management tools, and eLearning components. These solutions cover a variety of topics ranging from computers and technology to specific subjects such as accounting. Our goal is to make teaching and learning easier for everyone.

We look forward to using our new blog to share more information about our products and ideas with you in the near future. Stay tuned for further updates. Also, be sure to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter for additional ideas and information.