Web Based Training for Pro Tune Up 4


How does it work? There are three aspects to "Web Based Training" as I define it.

First, there are about 7 hours of presentations and demonstrations that are pre-recorder. You will have a week to view these videos over the web prior to the live webinar portion of the class. In a standard face to face PTU4 class you would hear me make basically the same presentations and demonstrations. However in a live face to face class you would be able to ask questions at any time. Often times my answer would be "Wait a couple slides and we will address that specific issue." In the case of the web based training you will need to keep a list of questions so we can discuss them during the live webinar session. You can view or review any of the presentations as many times as you wish during the week. You will receive the same Power Point slides and down loads as the normal class. The main benefit to this scheme is time shifting. You can take the bulk of the class at your leisure rather than dedicating a single 8 hour block of time. It is also helpful to be able to stop and rewind if you feel that you missed something.

Second, there will be a 1-2 hour live webinar to summarize the key points in the recorded presentations and also to answer questions. For this portion of the class you will need to have a quiet location with a high speed internet link. Please note, this is a summary of the key points in the 7 hours of presentation. This is not a substitute for the recorded material.

Third, you will have extended time for labs. In the normal class there is never enough time for all of the labs I would like the student to do. In the live face to face class, we are limited to one 7 hour block of time to get everything across. In the web version, you will have another two weeks to do more labs. These can either be my canned examples or something of your own choosing that may be more meaningful to you. I highly recommend actually doing the labs. Part of the video presentation is me doing the basic labs. It is one thing to watch someone run a canned simulation. It is an entirely different thing for you to run your own lab using your own data.

What do I need to participate in the web based training. You should have a wide band connections like DSL or Cable Modem. Go to speedtest.net. Run the test and be sure you have at least 1M down load speed and 256K up load speed. I highly recommend a quiet room for the webinar portion of the training as well as a USB head set for the VOIP audio portion of the class. I don't use a web cam because it uses up valuable bandwidth. You must view all of the presentations prior to the live webinar session.

Why is the webinar only 1 to 2 hours? The webinar is meant to summarize concepts and to answer questions. It is not the main teaching tool. The main teaching tool is the video presentation and the labs.

What is the benefit of web based training? The primary benefit is being able to offer a class at the students convenience. Time shifting is great, but just as important is the ability to offer an alternative for small classes where it is economically impossible for me to give in person. This also gives the student the ability to listen to the same presentation more than once. The last important benefit is having more time for the labs. We never have enough time for the labs. I could easily imagine a class that had 20 hours of labs. You can learn a lot from labs. They are like having a professor in a box. You keep asking questions and the simulations keep providing answers. Labs using my canned examples are the most bang you can get in a limited amount of time. However, using your own examples will bring ever greater incite. With the web version of the class you could do 80 hours of labs. You will have the real working software on your system.

What do I need to get started? I need the MAC address of the computer on which you will run the lab simulation software. To get the MAC address, open a DOS box (Start --> Accessories --> Command Prompt ) and type "ipconfig -all". Right Mouse Key in the box...Select All...Crtl C...then Ctrl V to paste the information into an email. It is licensed software so you must provide me with the information necessary to get that license. Once you receive the license, you will also receive a link to down load Mentor HyperLynx 8.x software. You will have access to the full HyperLynx suite of tools for about two weeks. Installation is quite straight forward. Take the default locations for the license file and installation directory. I recommend putting the HyperLynx software on a computer that is available in your off time in order to maximize your lab time.

You will also receive a URL and a password to view the play list of video presentations. You can view / review these as many times as you wish during the week prior to the live webinar.

You will also receive an invitation to attend a webinar on Friday morning at 7:00AM Seattle time. To prepare for this log on to WEBEX, down load their plug in, and run one of their demo's to make sure you connection is solid.

Do you also offer the full class as a live webinar? Yes I do, but I need a minimum class size of 5 to do that. Overall, I think the mix of videos and live webinar is the best for the student. It allows each student to proceed through some pretty important material at their own pace. When I am trying to present to a room full of students, I have a responsibility to keep the class moving. With the video, you can simple back up and listen to it again.

Can more than one student view the videos? Technically that can be done. My intention is one tuition = one student.