Automated Learning Explained

Many people learn in many different ways and with this variety comes a range of different teaching methods. Automated Learning is one such method and is becoming increasingly popular due to its accommodation of both visual and auditory learners alike. It's helping people of all ages obtain new knowledge in an enjoyable and engaging manner. But what is automated learning? Is it difficult or hard to come by? Not at all – in fact, you may have already come across it in your working life without realising it!

Automated Learning provides users with interactive, easy-to-access lessons and plans to help them better engage with source material. Whilst anyone can read from a textbook or listen to a teacher, information and skills aren’t as necessarily easily accessible. Automated Learning, therefore, seeks to take out the perceived difficulty in learning and adapting new skills by appealing to users’s behaviour. For example, if you are more likely to learn through visual cues, an automated, computer-based learning system will appeal to you through the use of images and even video media. If you prefer to practice what is preached to you, you’ll be given the option to carry out an exercise or two. Rather than throw all learning options at you in one load, automated learning can be adjusted and molded to benefit your own learning patterns and abilities.

Further to this, Shift discusses that there is evidence to suggest e-learning modules can be completed up to 60% quicker than those undertaken in a classroom setting. This certainly makes the case for automated programs offering a more streamlined learning experience. It should also be noted that automated learning can also save businesses considerable money – as Mohamed Reda notes, companies were saving around 50% on learning and training costs by moving to e-learning platforms in 2015.

Hexis Plus offer automated learning facilities for any business means, allowing corporations and small enterprises alike to provide simple, digestible digital education to their entire workforce. Automated Learning is appealing, entertaining and saves you time and money and also ensures that your staff or pupils receive the highest quality education across the board. More and more institutions are turning to e-learning and automated systems – why not get in touch with us to learn more?

By Graham Pierrepoint

Formative Vs Summative Assessment

Here at Hexis Plus we appreciate the value of formative and summative assessments as metres of performance. Let’s look at the differences and attributes of both.

Formative assessment, also known as assessment for learning (A.F.L.)  is used by a tutor to measure the student’s performance and abilities, throughout the course, but not in a stress filled high level risk exam. These assessments: identify the student's strong and weak areas, how much a student has grasped and whether additional attention needs to be spent. They are, therefore, diagnostic.

For example, a formative assessment could be to construct a flow chart about the company sales process.  If student A grasped all but one stage and student B missed out two important stages this is immediately flagged up when the tutor views their charts, but it carries a lesser impact on the overall mark the student achieves at the end of their course.

The tutor can modify their techniques to ensure that students A and B are taught in a style that helps them to retain and communicate the data effectively and the student can give their own feedback about how they think they are doing throughout the duration of the lesson or course.

The Manchester Metropolitan University uses the following forms of formative assessments:

• Participation in role plays.
• To provide a summary about learning something specific.
• Write reports on set tasks carried out and their results and conclusions.
• Verbally present a principle to another student or the tutor.
• Draw a map or flow diagram of a process.
• Take a multiple choice test.
• Participate in a quiz, online or offline.
• A presentation using various forms of media.
• Write a blog post or webpage.
• Performance.

Summative assessment, also called assessment of learning (A.O.L.,) is used at the end of an educational segment to ascertain the student’s knowledge and abilities against a set benchmark or criteria.

So, for example, in the travel industry training is given to meet the Association of British Travel Agents guidelines which are fixed. Subsequently, the an exam sat is of a higher consequence to the student and their career. Nursing also has standards which must be met so the summative assessment will illustrate whether they are competent or not in the theory or practical assessment.

The University of Manchester lists their summative assessment methods on their website and they are:

• An unseen exam in controlled conditions.
• A previously seen exam paper in controlled conditions.
• An open book exam.
• A take-away exam.
• An oral exam.
• A multiple choice test.
• An essay or assignment.
• A dissertation.
• A presentation or practical performance.
• Attendance.
• Participation in lessons.

The results of a formative assessment can be used as preparation for the summative assessments and subsequent further studies.

Hexis Plus appreciates the implementation of both assessment types and we hope to assist you.

By Joanne Hayle

Top 5 Teaching Mistakes To Avoid!

Teaching is inherently subjective. What works for some people, won’t necessarily work for others. Regardless of how your subjects absorb new information, our experienced teachers here at Hexis Plus have compiled a list of the five mistakes that are almost guaranteed to make your learners lose interest. Take heed, note down these tips and your teaching will be improved immeasurably.

1. Not enforcing the rules - The majority of educators understand that laying down the rules is essential when faced with a new class. The mistake many make is enforcing these rules each time they start subsequent lessons. For example, if a learner is punished for talking and interrupting one day but they are unpunished on another occasion, this sends mixed messages.

2. Talking too much - There may be a lot of information to get through but talking nonstop from the start of a lesson to the end is guaranteed to lose you a learner's attention. Try taking breaks, asking questions and creating some enjoyable activities such as quizzes and games.

3. Taking everything personally - In a classroom environment, taking insults and put-downs personally is a recipe for disaster. Getting over emotional clouds your judgement and in turn, lessens the impact of your authority, so try and be as understanding as possible and always take the moral high ground.

4. Shouting - Raising your voice to establish boundaries is acceptable but shouting at a group of learners - or worse at an individual - is one of the most ineffective methods you can employ. Yelling delivers a message that says you only mean what you say when you raise your voice. Try taking a second to calm yourself down, think about what you want to say and deliver your message with a cool and calm demeanour. In fact, a study by the University of Pittsburgh has found that shouting at children and teens can be just as detrimental to their long-term well being as physical punishments.

5. Hiding your personality - Yes, you’re a teacher and you need to have a certain level of professionalism but you are human and it is important to let your personality shine through. Having fun and being yourself helps to build a relationship with your learners which in turn engages more of them and increases interest in the topics being taught.


No one ever said teaching would be easy but if you avoid these five common mistakes your classroom is more likely to be a harmonious environment that fosters creative learning. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula that can be repeated at the start of every lesson so you’ll find yourself changing and adapting your style to suit your learners. As long as you keep an eye out for what works and what doesn’t, however, you’ll be able to find a teaching style that suits you and the people you're educating.

Have we left anything out? What other mistakes do you think teachers sometime make? Drop us a comment below!.

By Laura Caldwell

Responsive Learning & Its Benefits

Responsive Learning is a method of teaching where a learner is educated using technology and the lesson is customised according to their responses.

These responsive learning technologies look and function professionally and are simple to use. Hexis Plus’ responsive learning system allows you to avoid endless scrolling. The technical matters have been taken care of so a learner sees the data they need in the perfect size and format.

Pros Of Responsive Learning	Cons Of Traditional Methods
JavaScript and HTML 5 tools allow the content to cross browsers with no loss of visual clarity.	With the traditional format, the user is effectively stuck to their desk to complete coursework.
The course only needs to be written once and the material can be tailored to the user, business and industry.	It needs investment / work on adaptations by an I.T. department and is a more limited in format.
Updates can be carried out/rolled out quickly.	Fixed modules require I.T. resources, writing and new roll out.
A one version multi platform roll out is cost effective.	Various versions of the course would impact on resources, turnover and accessibility.
Usage of mobile devices is overtaking desk based hardware at 61% - Q1 2015.	People expect freedom in this technology driven world. 15% of homes are mobile only.
Roll out of a responsive learning management system is automatically adapted for devices.	The visibility of content is diminished when downsized from PC to mobile.
The course content is instantly available globally and is a cohesive tool.	A classroom environment cannot support instant changes.
The content self modifies, for example, an animation on the desktop version can show as a static graphic on a device.	Traditional learning methods simply can’t do this.
This technology aids blended learning (i.e. face to face and online mixed).	Not everyone flourishes in a classroom environment.
Its functionality and convenience make the trainee more motivated.	Limits to enthusiasm include inconvenience, hanging pages, static data, fixed study locations…
A trainee can start an assignment on their desktop, work on it on their smartphone and complete it on their tablet.	Traditional methods are hampered by time and facility limitations, less flexibility and they distract the trainee from core business operations.
The course material is future proof. As technology evolves the course content will reach more platforms.	The traditional teaching methods will lag behind, even more than they do at present.

The United Nations, YouTube and Samsung have adopted effective responsive learning systems, quickly recognising the benefits of using this type of technology to educate their extensive global workforces. Whether your company is large or small, why not undertake staff training using the most effective method available? Hexis Plus would be delighted to help you to maximise your staff’s potential using our top rated responsive learning courses.

By Joanne Hayle

The History of eLearning

A well-established concept today, the term eLearning has actually only been in existence since 1999. Short for ‘electronic learning’, eLearning usually involves using a computer, tablet or some other type of electronic device to deliver some sort of lesson or learning, either as a full course, or in conjunction with more traditional learning methods. In order to fully understand the history of eLearning, we need to first delve deep into its past, long before the Internet even existed. Some say that eLearning dates back to the 19^th century, although author, consultant and eLearning researcher Terry T. Kidd states: “It is important to note that there is no single evolutionary point of which the eLearning originated nor is there a single agreed definition of eLearning.”

As far back as the 1840s, Isaac Pitman was conducting distance classes where he taught pupils to write in shorthand via a series of correspondence mailed back and forth between himself and his students. Whilst the ‘electronic’ is missing from this type of learning, this is a method of remote learning that is synonymous with eLearning. In 1924, an intelligence testing machine was invented called the ‘Automatic Teacher’ to allow students to test themselves without the need for a teacher.  Exactly thirty years later, this was followed by the invention of the ‘Teaching Machine’ by Harvard Professor, B. F. Skinner. However, it wasn’t until the following decade in the '60s when the world’s very first computer based training program was created and this became known as PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operation).

When they were first created, eLearning systems simply delivered information to students via a computer but, as time progressed, they became more complex and interactive, allowing students to communicate with the program rather than just reading information off a screen. In the UK, eLearning really came into its own when the Open University started using online systems to deliver courses to students. Previously, they had had to post course materials out to students and all interactions with tutors and teachers were carried out by mail too.

As it drew closer to the information age, the invention of the computer and the internet boosted the capabilities of eLearning. As computers were mass marketed and became more popular in homes and schools, eLearning allowed education and knowledge to be accessible to anyone with a computer, regardless of whether they could afford further education, where the lived or how much time they had. By the start of millennium, businesses also began to see the benefits of using eLearning for training employees.

Today, eLearning is as popular as it’s ever been and with the likes of YouTube, Skype, iTunes U and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOG), it’s never been easier or more fun to engage in eLearning. There’s no knowing where the technology will take us.

The History of eLearning
Year	Key Events
1924	The first intelligence testing machine – Automatic Teacher
1954	The first Teaching Machine
1960	CBT - PLATO
1966	Computer Aided Instruction in schools
1969	Precursor to the Internet created - ARPANET
1970	Computer mouse & GUI invented
1980	Computers begin to be mass marketed
1990	First digital natives born (i.e. people born with computer access)
2000	Businesses adopt eLearning
2010	Social websites boost online learning

 

By Laura Caldwell

Paperless is MORE!

Many people will likely be aware that companies up and down the country have been rolling out ‘paperless’ billing and documentation for some time now. Whether it’s your utility provider, your insurance carrier or even your employer, there are a number of reasons as to why you should consider removing the need for paper entirely from your education service or enterprise. After all, textbooks and guides could soon be a thing of the past! 

If you regularly provide educational resources to a customer base that is willing to broaden their knowledge, you could significantly cut down on their paper consumption as well as your own expenditure. Not only can cutting down paper usage benefit your budget but it may also impact positively upon the world around us – Sam Martin of Ecology estimates that around 35% of all felled trees are cut down for paper industries meaning that if only a few of us were to adopt a more environmentally-friendly approach, we could reduce dependency upon paper by a considerable margin.

Get rid of paper and save thousands!

The Paperless Project reveals that companies based in the US generally waste more than $120 billion on printed forms alone and this cost is only likely to increase as businesses grow and inflation rises. Over in the UK, it’s thought that small and medium enterprises will generally spend around £10,000 per year in printing costs. Going paperless, therefore, makes all the more sense for saving money – but are people more likely to respond to eLearning than to a paper textbook? The signs are very positive indeed!

Statistics suggest that companies and learners the world over are turning to online learning tools more. eLearning Industry advises that 2015 saw considerable growth in take-up of online platforms, and around 28.5% of in-house corporate training was delivered online or via PC. The source also advises that larger companies are more likely to invest in online educational platforms and modules, meaning that you may well get more attention if you choose to scrap paper altogether.

Switching to paperless learning needn’t be a hassle. Hexis Plus offers seamless integration for your existing educational resources via a conclusive and user-friendly platform. We believe that eLearning will eventually trump textbooks for good! We therefore invite you to take a closer look at how we can help your business engage with users and compete with rivals ahead of any technological revolutions yet to come.

 

By Graham Pierrepoint