Thomson NETg Introduces All New Live Now Expert-Led Virtual Classes for Business & Professional Development
Virtual Classroom Events to Focus on Coaching Skills, Professional
Communications and Time Management, Among Many Other Management Topics
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Building on its highly successful series of Live Now virtual classroom events focused on IT/Desktop and Project Management certification, Thomson NETg, the leading provider of knowledge on demand to global enterprises and part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC), has introduced a new offering of expert-led Live Now virtual classes for Business & Professional Development.
Thomson NETg's Live Now series takes the classroom from its traditional "bricks and mortar" setting to the World Wide Web by offering scheduled virtual classroom instruction that is engaging and dynamic enough to qualify as learning "events." The new Live Now offerings in Business & Professional Development feature skilled instructors who are experts in their fields who provide an interesting, instructive and engaging experience, capturing a learners' full attention while ensuring knowledge transfer.
"Thomson NETg's Live Now programs are leveraging technology to enhance delivery of critical professional development services, and serve as a benchmark for interactive learning," said Adam Newman, vice president of research at Eduventures. "The expanded line of virtual classes provides a solution to enterprise-wide learning issues, enabling organizations to capitalize on a learning solution emphasizing quality, accessibility, and collaboration."
Broadcasts of the new Live Now courses -- just one part of the Thomson NETg Knowledge Now Suite of learning solutions -- are scheduled for introduction throughout the second quarter of 2005 and will address the following topics:
* Coaching Skills for Supervisors and Managers
From coaching diverse employees to mastering the nuances of the
coaching process, this course helps learners master the fundamentals of
coaching and provides the necessary skill practice that will enable
them to succeed as the kind of leaders who inspire trust and
commitment.
* Managing, Measuring and Maximizing Performance
Performance management allows for ongoing communication between
employees and managers and, done well, results in employees striving
for and reaching their potential. This expert-led course assists
learners with all aspects of managing employee performance. This course
also ensures that learners understand the common pitfalls and
misconceptions around performance management.
* Professional Communication
Communicating effectively in the workplace and beyond is a fundamental
and critical skill. This exciting course offers the learner suggestions
for communicating with individuals who hold various roles in an
organization. Guidelines and best practices are provided for
communicating with peers, supervisors, subordinates, and
customers/vendors. This course also assists learners in the all-
important areas of first impressions and rapport building.
* Managing Your Time for Business Results
This practical and important course allows learners to realize the
benefits that proper time management can bring. These benefits include
controlling stress, bringing balance to one's life, identifying and
setting priorities, increasing productivity, and accomplishing one's
goals.
By taking the "bricks and mortar" classroom approach online, Thomson NETg's Live Now programs allow large organizations and geographically dispersed learners to attend critical professional development events from within their own workspace without losing the important qualities that traditional classroom-based instruction confers: interactivity, expert instruction, collaboration with peers and more. As with all Thomson NETg Live Now virtual classroom events, these new expert-led Live Now events for Business & Professional Development include:
* Expert-led, virtual classroom training through which learners can
interact with instructors during class
* Access to Expert Now, a recorded version of the live, expert-led
training event, for 24x7 access to the instruction
* A learn-by-doing environment with engaging activities and multi-path
simulations to allow learners to practice new skills in a safe
environment
* Classroom support materials that include an online student guide that
can be searched and printed
* Unlimited 24x7 access to a personalized online learning portal powered
by KnowledgeNet, NETg's Web-based enterprise learning platform, that
launches and manages the entire learning experience
"Our clients tell us over and over again that targeted professional development is among the most important means for ensuring organizations meets their critical business objectives," said Joe Dougherty, president of Thomson NETg. "Each of our Live Now learning events delivers all the benefits of bricks and mortar classroom instruction while keeping costs in check and scheduling and traveling demands to a minimum."
Live Now courses can be easily combined with Thomson NETg Learn Now self- paced e-learning courses and Expert Now recordings of our live learning events to achieve a truly blended learning experience that results in better knowledge transfer, retention and application to real-world situations (Thomson Job Impact Study II, 2003; The Blended Learning Book, J. Bersin, Pfeiffer, 2005). Combined with NETg's custom content development tools and consulting services, organizations are able to develop and deliver unique, relevant and compelling enterprise learning solutions that can lead to measurable impacts on bottom-line objectives.
All Thomson NETg ready-to-use instruction is powered by its KnowledgeNet Enterprise Learning Platform, which includes learning management, content management and virtual classroom systems. The enterprise-class Web-based learning platform also enables rapid authoring of custom content and features "instant on" capabilities, reducing the time and expense associated with organizational learning program implementations.
For all Live Now learning event schedules and comprehensive information regarding Thomson NETg's full Knowledge Now Suite of enterprise learning solutions, visit http://www.netg.com or call 1- 888-577-5779.
About The Thomson Corporation and Thomson NETg
The Thomson Corporation (http://www.thomson.com), with 2004 revenues from continuing operations of $8.10 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) has approximately 38,000 employees and provides services in approximately 130 countries. Its learning businesses and brands serve the needs of individuals, learning institutions, corporations and government agencies with products and services for both traditional and distributed learning.
Thomson NETg (http://www.netg.com) delivers powerful knowledge on demand to the global enterprise, helping to align people, processes and priorities better than ever before. Our breadth and flexibility of knowledge resources, together with more than 35 years of enterprise empowerment experience, help organizations of all sizes to manage change, transform operations and exceed bottom-line expectations. Thomson NETg: Knowledge Now.
SOURCE Thomson Corporation
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/CONTACT: Derek Gordon, Marketing Communications Director, Thomson NETg,
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/Web site: http://thomsonlearning.com
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