LearnKey Blog

Free Training for Your Thoughts

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Here is your chance to win a free online training course!

Have you been thinking of getting your A+ certification? Or maybe you need to hone your Excel 2010 skills? For one week only, we are giving away a year of access to an online training course for one lucky winner – and all you need to do to enter is tell us why you want your selected course!

How to enter:

First, choose one of the following courses:

  • Excel 2010
  • Dreamweaver CS5
  • JavaScript Fundamentals
  • Windows 7 Configuration
  • CompTIA A+
  • IC3 Global Standard 3

Then post on our Wall on Facebook or Tweet to us on Twitter (@LearnKey) why you want your selected course. Are you getting a certification to go for a promotion? Or maybe you want to train up for a new job? Or maybe you’ve always been curious about how to use Dreamweaver? Let us know, and you could win!

The contest ends one week from today, at 11:59pm PT on March 3 and the winner will be announced on Facebook and Twitter March 4, where we will then work out the details and get you set up with your free OnlineExpert course. Remember you only have a week, so what are you doing still reading our amazing blog? You should be entering on Twitter or Facebook!

*Offer applies to the selected Online courses only. The contest winner will receive 1 year access to OnlineExpert, where they will be assigned the course of their choice.

Using Technology to Improve Employee Training

Whether you are an employer or employee, think of your workplace – you probably have computer programs that make your job much easier. Maybe you use Microsoft Word to create letters and proposals, or maybe you use Google Docs to collaborate and share documents between your various offices. Technology is often implemented to make work more efficient, but what about decreasing the time between the hiring and starting work? What about the training?

Training can be difficult to find time to do in the workplace. When you get hired at a new job, they hired you because there was a position that needed to be filled, which means often times they need you to start right away. This can sometimes make it difficult to find time for training. That’s where a flexible, training program that is available 24/7 comes in.

(By the way, LearnKey’s online training platform is being implemented in businesses and schools all over the world – check out learnkey.com to see what we have to offer!)

In an article by Margery Weinstein “Technology Keeps Training on Track” she discusses the challenges a retail store faced with training employees. The main challenge was the amount of time available to train. This was solved by implementing a training program that was available online all the time, and the lessons were divided into short modules of 5-10 minutes. This new program proved to be more successful for the retail company.

So, think of your workplace again – you’re currently using various technologies to make your work easier. Where else could changes be made? Could your business benefit from an online training program?

Presidential Facts for President’s Day

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President’s Day was designed to celebrate George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays, but for many of you it just means an extra day off from work and some amazing sales. So, in honor of the Presidents of the United States of America (the actual Presidents, not the 90’s alt-rock band), here are some fun facts about our nation’s past leaders:

Continue reading “Presidential Facts for President’s Day”

TCEA 2011 – After the Show

We had a blast this year at TCEA and loved meeting everyone who stopped by our booth. We still have blisters on our hands from turning and testing so many keys. We look forward to next year and hope to see Ya’ll then.

There are so many of our friends in Texas that are making a difference in their student’s lives. We could not touch so many lives for the better without all of you!!

We gave away various prizes at the show, including iPods, USB flash drives, gift cards, LearnKey swag, and a Kindle – check out the image gallery below of our winners!

Visit Art Around the World – on Your Computer!

Have you ever wanted to walk the halls of the Palace of Versailles or get a close up view of the real The Starry Night? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you now have the opportunity to do so because of a unique partnership between Google and 17 museums around the world. If you are a teacher this is a great chance to show your students some amazing art from around the world, that they may otherwise never have the chance to see. This would be a great tool to integrate into your history lessons with all of the information provided right there for you.

The Art Project provides viewers with information about the art, artists, museums, viewing notes, and a lot more. You can also walk through and explore the museums that house some of these great art pieces. In addition, you can zoom in on the art piece, giving you an up close view and the ability to examine the brush strokes in high resolution. It also allows you to create your own artwork collection that you can share with friends and family. The best part about it, is that it is free! So if you have some extra time and want to check out some of the best art in the world while lounging in your PJ’s you now have the option to do just that!

Laws Against Bullying Put Pressure on Schools

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More than 42 states have laws against bullying and many other states are working on legislature, putting pressure on schools and teachers to address these issues and start programs to prevent bullying. The fact is that the change has to take place at the school level and that starts by educating students.

Bullying is serious and it can lead to a lot of serious problems in schools. Bullying has been attributed as the root of suicides, school shootings, and many other violent actions. There have been a lot of high profile cases lately dealing with bullying in schools and this has also added to the pressure being put on schools to make changes and make them now.

If you are interested in this topic or your school is looking for resources to help stop bullying, LearnKey does have training courses available. If you would like a 5 day free trial of our Bullying: You Don’t Have to Take it Anymore course, just fill out this quick form and we will get you set up within the next couple of weeks.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I hope everyone has a great day filled with way too much chocolate and candy!

So today is not all about candy and flowers, there is actually some interesting history behind the reason why we celebrate today. It is still a mystery who exactly we are celebrating, but there are some very good theories. There are at least three saints named Valentine or some variation and all three were martyred, perhaps this is why there is so much mystery surrounding the origin of this holiday. There are a few theories about who Valentine was, from a priest who performed secret weddings for young lovers and was killed for it to a man named Valentine who sent the first Valentine and signed it “From your Valentine” to a man who attempted to bust people out of jail. I like the first theory myself, but whatever the reason is it sounds mysterious and my sweet tooth is thankful for it.

Here are some fun facts about today:

  • One billion cards are estimated to be sent each year.
  • Women buy 85% of all valentines.
  • Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., France, and Australia.
  • They even sent Valentine greetings in the Middle Ages.
  • Esther A. Howland made the first commercial Valentine’s Day cards in 1840 in the U.S.

Whatever it is you do today make sure it is sweet!

College for All?

A recent article by Catherine Gewert, Harvard Report Questions Value of ‘College for All’ featured in Education Week discusses a major issue in the American Educational System. In the report that was released by a group of Harvard Scholars, they point out that education is too focused on classroom-based academics with four-year college as a goal. The fear is that this is not serving all students – some have different needs and skills that a traditional education doesn’t cover.

In the report they looked to European systems of vocational education, arguing that we need this in America. This would include providing apprenticeships, internships, and involving employers more. This would also include career counseling from earlier on, and allow students to focus on a particular area of interest. This change is also being called upon because of job forecasts that show there will be a gap between jobs available that require associates degrees or vocational training, and the number of people who acquire training and associates degrees to fill those jobs. Basically, schools will be preparing people for the real world by taking the traditional route, while the real world will have a lack of people who are prepared for the job needs that are available.

I think this change makes complete sense; we all excel at different things, and we don’t all fit into the same box. So to try and force everyone to take the four year college route doesn’t seem logical. I think the way things have been going, we have been neglecting students who might have talents and interests in other areas. What do you think about this proposed change in education? Could we be missing out on educating many students because they don’t fit into the mold? Or is the traditional education system a tried and true method because it works the best?

LearnKey at TCEA 2011

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Are you an Educator in Texas? Are you going to the TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) 2011 Conference? If so, remember to stop by and see us at booth 1555. We’ll be giving away some great prizes, like iPods, flashdrives, and a Kindle – and make sure to talk to one of our tie-dye clad sales reps about implementing LearnKey training in your classroom!

See you in Austin!

JavaScript Fundamentals Course Available!

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If you read the recent post about Dice.com’s jump in ITIL requests, you should definitely finish reading this. JavaScript skills requests jumped by 98% to nearly 7,919 postings. In a recent article on Dice they talked about how there were 1,100 positions availble for people with JavaScript experience in the Silicon Valley alone.

If you are looking for a new career path to follow, with so many positions available, this may be the one! LearnKey has just released our newest JavaScript Fundamentals Course – for more information visit the product page at www.learnkey.com/js_fundamentals.