Web-based education - and specifically websites offering live tuition - seem to have got the backing of the big names in business. First we heard of a 1.3 million dollars investment in EduFire.com. Now we find out that Udemy, a new website to have come out of the Founder Institute, has managed to capture the attention of Bill Gates, who thinks that web-based learning sites will revolutionize education.

The future of learning

Why, one could ask, are we writing about this on Ad_Lib Business English blog?

Well, firstly, because we agree with Bill Gates. Online training is going to change the face of education. It will never replace traditional methods of training but it will present an equally valid alternative.

Online learning offers a more diverse experience and is more flexible than traditional learning.
Most importantly, however, it will provide a near-unlimited choice to individuals and businesses who until then had to rely on their local training provider.

The big players

Secondly, large platforms like EduFire or Udemy - which basically are just marketplaces where trainers and students meet - are likely to pave the way for an array of smaller, highly specialised providers, such as ourselves.

Big learning platforms make it possible for trainers to create and advertise their courses. They are also easy to use and accessible to very many potential students. On the other hand however - because of their very nature - they make it rather difficult to have a centralised control over methodology of the courses as well as over quality control.  ‘Star rating’ and user comments fulfil their function to an extent but quality of education cannot only be assessed on the basis of clients’ experience.

Let me illustrate this statement.

If I was to take up Japanese - a language I had no contact with before - the only feedback I would be able to provide, would be on whether the tutor was ‘nice’ and the lesson interesting. I would have very little idea on the actual quality of the teaching. That would have to be assessed by somebody who (a) speaks Japanese, (b) is qualified to teach this language.

Ad_Lib and other niche providers

In the shadow of these giants, there are other smaller companies which, like Ad_Lib Business, offer highly personalised, specialist service. Ad_Lib exerts total control over the training process; working very closely with the client to prepare content relevant to the client’s needs to maximise the expected ROI.

• Course curricula are prepared to clients’ specifications and sent for approval before the beginning of the course.
• Tutors are selected not only on the basis of their excellent teaching abilities but also on their experience relevant to the client’s field of interest.
• Constant monitoring (Ad_Lib) and detailed feedback (clients) ensure high level of service.
• Our customer support is always at hand to assist.

Virtual Blended Learning

While platforms like Udemy or EduFire provide live tuition using virtual classrooms (a feature described as ‘compelling’ in a recent TechCrunch article), small niche providers are in the position to go a step further and offer features that add value to the training.

At Ad_Lib Business live online training is offered as a part of a Virtual Blended Learning package which consists of:

• fully automated, online e-learning platform (accessible 24/7)
• email mentoring
• social element via custom-built online communities
• live one-to-one training in a virtual classroom

To find out more about VBL, please download our free paper ‘Virtual Blended Learning in Plain English’.

People who follow the news in the UK might not have noticed this word used today. It was used by one of the BBC NEWS presenters in a conversation about reintroducing the near-extinct water lilly into its natural habitat in Rwanda.

(You can watch this story here)

The presenter used the adjective ‘challenged’ to describe the Rwandan society - referring to the country’s troubled past.

to challenge somebody = means to test somebody’s ability or determination

Bobby challenged his sister to go to the haunted house at midnight and knock on the door. = Bobby said to his sister  ‘I bet you will be too scared to go to that haunted house at midnight!’

a challenge = (1) a difficult task ahead, something that is going to be difficult to achieve (but usually also interesting)

= (2) a situation in which your ability or determination is tested

Speaker may face challenge as MPs gather in Commons. (BBC NEWS)

(adj) challenging

These were challenging times for the family. = These were difficult times for the family.

I am looking for a role in a challenging environment. = I am looking for a job in a company where I will have the opportunity to carry out difficult / interesting tasks, that will test my abilities and broaden my horizons.

source: /news.bbc.co.uk/

Less than a week since its coming into power, the Tory-LibDem coalition is facing severe criticism over their proposed changes to the rules on when the Parliament can be dissolved.

As the headline on the BBC News website put it:

“Government faces backlash over election vote plans”

backlash - a strong (negative) feeling among a group of people in reaction to a change or recent events in society or politics

• The latest changes to Facebook’s long-debated privacy settings has spilled over into a full-blown backlash, with a number of people looking to permanently delete their account.

= many people reacted angrily to changes to Facebook’s privacy settings (creating a backlash)

• There were signs of a backlash yesterday against Britain for refusing to take part in the eurozone’s €750bn rescue plan with a senior French policymaker suggesting Europe would think hard about coming to the UK’s help in a sterling crisis.

= There was an angry reaction yesterday against Britain…