Review: How Elearning Solutions Help SMEs

Subject Matter Experts or SMEs have enjoyed a lot of beneficial training from an extremely popular type of Technology Supported Education/Learning (TSL) we all know and love as elearning. It is advantageous in a lot of ways, but the best reasons why it is a blessing to a lot of industries are because it can be used anytime, anywhere and at extremely low costs.



The development of various elearning solutions has helped the SME training process along by making it far more engaging and effective at an economical cost. The best kinds of solutions are actually the open sourced authoring tools and learning management systems (LMS) available online. They help people produce quality output at the best price ever—for free! Here are some examples of how SMEs can use these solutions to their advantage.

Combining the functions of both Moodle and CourseLab is an ideal and great elearning solution for SMEs to use in creating their course plans. Moodle is a free open source elearning software platform, known as a CMS (Course Management System) or LMS. It is specifically designed to help instructors or educators build courses and integrate rich media interaction. CourseLab on the other hand is one of the most powerful authoring tools of today and it offers WYSIWYG environment for the creation of interactive content without having to go through any programming. It can be published online, in an LMS, CD-ROM, and other storage devices.

Sometimes, there are those who would prefer more complex and advanced processes to create equally effective yet higher impact training plans. A recommended combination for this preference is using Moodle and PPT2Flash together. PPT2Flash is a powerful tool for electronic learning and it aids users even at the beginner level to create gripping Flash presentations and courses using PowerPoint by incorporating rich media, tests, interactive simulations, and so on.

I think that these free, open-source elearning solutions are a great way to help the industry along in the face of this harsh economic climate because they truly are a great way to help people develop themselves through effective, high quality individual education.

My Career in Elearning Solutions

Elearning is something that is close to my heart. I was once a teacher for middle school and it has always been my passion to teach even before I got into elearning solutions. A lot of people love asking me about how I got into this career path in the first place. They are very curious since I seem to be enjoying my job as an instructional designer. So I thought about it long and hard and decided to write this post for you guys.



First of, what exactly does an instructional designer do in the first place? This is basically being part of an elearning solutions team and being the one who makes sure that the over all effect of the module, is effective. We are the guys who try to give the elearning solutions students and trainees the best possible elearning experience that they could ever get. The act consists generally speaking of analyzing what the current level of the student is and determining their specific needs. Then the instructional designer will define what the final goal of the instruction should be. Then there will be some intervention materials that will be created if there is a need to help the students or trainees along their transition. This whole activity requires at least some level of knowledge of theories regarding pedagogy and andragogy. That is why being a teacher; this job was already very well suited to me.

I will of course miss a few things that I left behind along with my teaching career. I really miss the wonderful students that I met and made friends with throughout my years as a teacher. But all in all, I am really satisfied with my work in the field of elearning solutions because it pays a lot and it is just a little less stressful. I also love that I get to learn so many different things every time we have a new project individual.

Hacienda Luisita and Noynoy Aquino for President

The Hacienda Lucita massacre is one of the biggest things that turn people off on Noynoy Aquino. I firmly believe that the Noynoy Aquino for President campaign should address this right away or else it will come back to haunt them come election day.

So far, I believe that Noynoy has a lot of strategies he can use to defend himself against this problematic issue. First of all, Noynoy Aquino already promised to give up the hacienda or rather convince his family to give up the hacienda that has been the site for a massacre of protesting workers.



This plan has been in the works for a long time, ever since September right after it was announced that Noynoy Aquino for President was a go. The more six thousand a half hectare land in Tarlac is truly controversial for the harsh treatment of the laborers and farmers tilling the land. If the Cojuanco Aquino family will support such a decision then of course the Liberal party will give it a nod as well.

This was all happening not so long ago last 2009. Noynoy has been extensively interviewed regarding the matter. He has also been going to the slums as a double effort to remove the anti lower class stigma that the Hacienda Luisita issue permanently imbues the Aquino Cojuanco name.

Now though, it seems that Noynoy is not able to make his relatives give back the land to the people. In most interviews, Noynoy states that the problem is that the workers will most likely not be able to handle and manage the business of the land properly. It is said that the hacienda has a lot of debt and that if the reigns are given to the workers who know nothing of business, then things will be all the worst for them. But if the Noynoy Aquino for President campaign really wants to take off, they should find a way to give this land back to the people before election day.

At Least Noynoy Aquino Tackled Corruption

I’ve never been a fan of politics because I think that politicians are full of crap. What little good they are capable of is overshadowed by their deceit and relentless pursuit of power and domination, fueled by their greed and pig headedness. They’re nothing but educated (this is not even true in all cases) bullies in a playground of coercion. If ever they do accomplish something great, like a nice sidewalk for a community for example, they ruin the genuineness and reveal their ulterior motives by plastering their names across the pavement in bold letters that practically cover the entire thing.

Disgusting—they’re all disgusting.

If there’s one thing I learned about Philippine politics, it’s that no matter how good a politician was before he entered that world of corruption, if he wants to survive the government and its creatures, he has no other choice but to become evil himself.

The presidential candidates of 2010 are all questionable, without a doubt. Although some fanatical people do firmly insist that Noynoy Aquino will be able to turn the government around with his integrity and desire for good governance. That idea does seem tempting enough because God knows how sick and tired I am of the government, but then I think of the Hacienda Luisita massacre. Didn’t he defend that atrocity of an event because it was necessary?

Call me irresponsible, but this is the very reason why I do not vote. Why do we have to reduce ourselves into choosing the lesser of two evils? I’d rather not choose if that’s the case. For 2010, the presidential candidates range from brilliantly evil, to evilly absurd. I guess the one who does stand out at the moment is Nonoy Aquino, but only because his platforms were the only ones that focus on anti-corruption. I think that for the past elections, none of the candidates tackled that because it’s kind of taboo. It’s like an understanding amongst themselves, like, ‘hey, you’re corrupt, I’m corrupt, let’s not talk about it.’



If I were to choose a candidate right now, it would be Aquino. But until he answers all these questions concerning the massacre in Hacienda Luisita, then he shall be on probation.

Here is a little something about the Father of Noynoy

Mobile Elearning Should Die a Quick, Painless Death

There are so many applications and programs related to electronic or online learning right now, it’s not even funny. Most of the time I’m impressed by the cleverness of it all, but sometimes, my eyebrows would shoot up in incredulity and disdain. I’m no expert in programming, customization of technology or whatever—but I can certainly say that I’m an expert consumer. An example of a stupid innovation, I think is mobile electronic learning.



I really wish that mobile elearning will die a quick, painless death. Not only is it an impractical and ineffective way to learn courses, but it is also a health hazard (eye strain, much?). I understand that mobile phones are becoming a vital tool used in both the personal and professional environments, but seriously, how can a person really learn and absorb information via 3-inch LCD screens?

Elearning on mobile phones is not taken, or never will be taken seriously by learners because learning is not instant. It takes a certain amount of time and effort driven by the right amount of motivation. No matter how much we wish to be like the characters in The Matrix who merely have to “download” skills and knowledge via computers, it’s not going to happen—within next couple of decades, at least. The point that I’m trying to establish is that quality learning takes time and comprehension. Mobile learning will not be able to satisfy this need, basically because staring at a tiny thing for a whole day everyday for a year will numb your mind, least of all your vision. It simply does not make any sense at all.

I appreciate the effort of developers to use trends in technology to boost the utilization of electronic learning in today’s society. It is an admirable practice to keep up with the changes and evolution of technology, people and culture. For instance, elearning has tapped into social media such as Facebook, Twitter, social bookmarking sites and so on. And everyone knows how big the roles of these social media are in their daily lives. It has become a necessary entity in the lives of people from all walks of the planet.

I guess mobile electronic learning is one of those “failed experiments” for the developers in the industry. But I know that they’ll come up with more creative and useful stuff in the future. They’ve come this far, after all. There’s no stopping them from coming up with the best application or software solution for the benefit of learners everywhere in the world.

I also learned that Adobe Elearning is pricey

Of Road Trips and Free Insurance Quotes

Today, I am looking avidly for free insurance quotes. I want to get insurance but I also want to get the best deal. If I don’t search for free insurance quotes, I will not get as much bang for my buck. This is because a lot of insurance providers are very wily. They can smell if a person will get sucked into a deal that has a high rate which, on other circumstances, could actually be brought down to a very lower rate. This is the nature of sales. One will give a higher price for the object that is on demand right now simply because demand makes the price go higher, but market competition is what makes the price go lower. If a customer knew just how high the rates he or she is given by any sales agent as compared to the other rates available in the market, then he or she will not be easily swindled. This is why information is the key to getting a really good deal. And once again, this is where the importance of free insurance quotes is emphasized.



Driving down the highway with the top down feels great. You could probably even blast out loud one of your favorite songs. You could be with several of your fun friends. You could simply be with your significant other. Or you could even be just alone and enjoying the drive. Just imagine it; everybody loves going on a road trip. However, there is now some statistical surveys claiming that a lot of road accidents happen during such road trips. This is why it is important for people like me who enjoy road trips and long drives to have good insurance coverage. Start looking for free insurance quotes if you also want the best coverage for the best rate.

It is also encouraging that Microsoft fiscal 2Q earns up 60 pct on PC rebound