Online learning and corporate online training is growing fast. There are many different platforms so why is Guts Academy suitable for your needs? the moot common concerns and questions are listed below If you want to schedule a meeting, please let us know how we can help further: hello@gutsacademy.com

What is ‘Online Training?

Online training is training delivered online through a learning management system (LMS). Course participants log in to the LMS (we use Moodle LMS), read, discuss and work on tasks and quizzes together with the support and guidance of a trainer (often known in the online world as a ‘facilitator’). The training is ‘asynchronous’, which means the participants can log in and study at their convenience.

Face to Face versus Online Learning

With face-to-face training it is difficult to find a day and a time to suit all staff members and often it is not effective to have too many people away from their desks at any one time. In larger face-to-face groups, participants can get lost in the crowd and may not always have the opportunity to participate. Less confident people may not feel comfortable asking questions in front of a big group and will therefore benefit less. Other participants may find that they study better at certain times of the day and that the time of the training doesn’t work for them.

The advantages of online learning:

• Asynchronous and offers flexibility in when and where to study
• Benefits busy people travelling for work with no time for face-to-face training
• Participants have control over their learning and can decide how much time they need to spend on reading and tasks and go at their own pace
• Gives all participants the opportunity to get involved and ask questions
• Identity can be concealed through the use of avatars and nicknames for less confident participants
• Facilitator-driven collaborative learning rather than spoon-fed teaching
• Effective and sustainable as learning is spread over several weeks rather than condensed into a day’s training
• Provides a bridge between face-to-face learning and performance in the workplace

Who should study online?

There is no typical student. Everyone can benefit from enrolling for online learning. Companies with multiple departments will be able to offer a broad platform of courses and see the benefits. The online dashboard will track and show progress and certificates can be given automatically online.

Individuals can focus on advanced elements of online training at their own pace. It is very useful  for companies with multiple offices and locations or for sales staff on the road.

Is offline learning separate from online learning?

Definitely not. We encourage our clients and students to choose the method or methods that work best for them. Some clients like self-access for reading and writing and exams but prefer live teaching to practice speaking and meeting English. Others combine online learning with intensive face to face courses. We also offer live online learning with native, qualified English teachers.

Are all offline courses available online?

Please check the relevant sections of the website to get a list of online and offline courses. We are constantly updating the courses available online. Our regular newsletter and Blog, social media platform will also publish news of new and updated courses.

How long are the courses?

Online course length is calculated in study hours. We recommend 1-2 hours per days for busy students and professionals. Intensive course study of 6 hours a day is the recommended maximum.

General English | Business English
Each level – Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced contains 100 hours of material-  reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar and vocabulary. We recommend 3-4 months of study per level.

Other English | Business English Courses
We offer separate Writing and Reading , Grammar and Vocabulary courses which can be studied alone or to offer extra practice. Typically, these courses contain 20 hours of study material and require 4-6 weeks to master.

Business Skills
Online Skills training courses are typically split into 4 modules requiring 4 hours each for study (2 full days). Extra practice can double the amount of time required to master Business Skills.

English by Business Sector:
10-15 hours per course. Content is designed to be studied on intensive 2-day courses or over 4 -6 weeks depending on time available.

Vital Topics
15 hours of study per topic

Exam Training
As these courses vary by level and intensity, please see each course for more information. We recommend 3 months minimum for part-time study per level and 1 month for training pre-exam if full time.

How do you measure progress online? 

can be checked at any time for a specific course and by/for a specific student depending on the permission levels granted on the platform. Individuals can check their own progress. Corporate clients set up their permission levels and the administrator(s) can check all courses and progress at any time.

Students are also monitored throughout the course through the data provided by the LMS and the facilitator. The LMS collects data on the number of log ins, time spent online, tasks completed and number of discussion posts. HR will have access to this and can monitor progress at all times. Overall progress will be measured through a final assignment, completion of the interactive exercises and the quality/level of participation in the forums both on individual and group-based activities and tasks. The aim of the course is not about ‘passing a test’ but developing skills that will enhance workplace performance.

HR/Training staff with responsibility for a course will be assigned a course user account with special permissions to access reporting data from the course. Through accessing this data, you will be able to closely track the progress of all your staff enrolled on a course.

Reports will give you the option to generate the following from the course:

• • a log of activity in the course, for various periods
  • a course activity report, showing the number of views for each activity and resource
  • a participation report for a particular activity
  • graphs and tables of user activity.

What certificates are given on successful completion?

For individuals, a report on progress, a grade and a certificate is issued on successful completion of the course.

For corporates, learning data for each course is available for the training department, and participants will be given an overall pass or fail grade for participation and their final assignment. Individual feedback can be given at the company’s discretion and a certificate can be made available for automatic download with details of each student’s performance.

How many participants should study on a course?

It depends on the goal of the student or organisation. Some companies like to have regular scheduled courses throughout the year and offer these to multiple groups on a strict schedule. Others allow students to log on and discover courses related to their business skills.

How to access the courses and content?

The online courses are delivered through a learning management system (LMS) with course topics, content, test, progress and certification all handled on the cloud.

Individuals
Single participants sign up for an account and pay via online payment gateways, They then have access to a dashboard and progress charting as well as access to all the courses for the level of signup.

Corporate Packages
Company white label platforms can be modified to allow administrators to manage the signup internally and to have control of the dashboard and progress of the students.

Course content is a combination of video and slides, tests and interactive exercises, in the form of a slide presentation. Students can also interact with other participants and the facilitator on forum activities and tasks if so desired.

Is the eLearning platform accessible 24/7

Yes, we guarantee 99.9% uptime. The only time the server will not be available will be due to occasional upgrades or if the third party hosting provider requires an update. We will provide full details of any potential planned downtime. Typically, upgrades are no more than 1-2 hours when they take place.

What software/hardware is needed to get online?

Any PC or Mac with the capability to run a browser (Firefox, Chrome, IE, Safari)  is acceptable, Any mobile device or tablet with Mac OS or Windows will work.

How does the platform encourage regular participation and course completion?

The eLearning platform has a social and collaboration function. There is a gamification layer to offer badges for progress:

• • • We provide clear learning objectives and latest materials
    • collaborative learning van be opened up by course or cohort
    • social interaction is an optional layer which can be turned on
    • Progress updates are given through out the course as well as regular mini tests with collectible badges and status recognition to motivate

What if an enrolled participant does not logon as required?

For individual students, motivation is a personal driver but the system can send notes of encouragement at stags of the course.

For corporates, administrators can check the logon status of students and those not logging on van be sent reminders, notes and e-mail messages to check what the problem is.

Are the contents downloadable?

Courses vary in terms of content but a typical course will have a number of modules and lessons in each module. There will also be tests at intervals throughout the course. Downloads include a PDF of the course main points and a workbook for working on tasks set on the course, There are also key language and skills points and useful references for material available elsewhere on the web.

How much does eLearning cost?

The cost of a course varies depending on the length, type and options for customisation (for corporate level). Prices are very competitive and are benchmarked against global standards for online courses.

For individual students, pricing is indicated on each course but there is also an option to have an annual license at a substantial discount. We also offer discounts from time to time by course and scholarships are advertised on the website.

For corporates, we offer standard packages for access to a slice of courses or all courses. The license fee is available with a minimum number of students on an annual basis (currently 25). There is a set up fee for customisation and white labelling to the corporate access and permission, design changes needed to match corporate branding.

We also offer a custom package for a specific industry. Content is developed to match the needs of the business sector with examples, exercises based on industry specific terminology and workplace tasks (e.g. finance, technology, shipping & logistics, retail,  luxury fashion, banking, hotels,  insurance, manufacturing).

Where can I get a trial of the platform?

Demos of the platform can be arranged. Please contact us to arrange setup of a trial: hello@gutsacademy.com