Innovative experiential learning solutions announced by industry leaders demonstrates best practices in CompTIA A+ 2009 Edition skills delivery

gtslearning, the leading supplier of CompTIA-approved learning content, and Toolwire, a world-leader in experiential learning solutions for IT and the 2009 IITT Innovation in Training Services Gold Award Winner, announced a new training solution today for CompTIA A+ 2009 Edition.  This new collaborative learning solution combines the widely lauded strength of gtslearning content and the award-winning hands-on power of Toolwire LiveLabs and “Day-in-the-Life” Interactive Scenarios.

The CompTIA A+ certification is the industry standard for computer support professionals and has long been acknowledged as a primary catalyst for careers in Information Technology.   The vendor-neutral certification has been designed to prove competence in a broad range of computer support skills, including installation, preventative maintenance, networking, security, and troubleshooting.  In addition, certified technicians must prove that they command the necessary customer service and communication skills to work with clients in today’s modern, highly connected world.

The announcement took place today, at Learning Technologies, and Matthew Poyiadgi, Vice President EMEA for CompTIA said: “Bringing together two of the IT industry’s most innovative learning leaders is a significant vote of confidence in the latest version of CompTIA A+.  We look forward to implementing these experiential learning solutions and providing certification candidates with first-class preparation, no matter what challenges of time and distance they may be confronted with.”

This latest CompTIA A+ certification, 2009 Edition, requires candidates to prepare for, and pass, two exams: CompTIA A+ Essentials and CompTIA A+ Practical Application. CompTIA A+ Essentials measures the necessary competencies of an entry-level IT professional with hundreds of hours of hands-on experience in the field.  CompTIA A+ Practical Application is an extension of the knowledge learned in Essentials, with more of a “hands-on” orientation focused on troubleshooting scenarios in which specific tools must be applied to resolve “real-life” problems.

gtslearning and Toolwire have joined to co-create compelling CompTIA A+ courseware featuring real-world virtual labs and scenarios for Essentials and Practical Application.  These Interactive Scenarios bring the learning to life with several weeks in a “technology apprenticeship” with real equipment, operating systems, and applications – all delivered anytime, anywhere via a web-enabled browser.

“We are delighted that Toolwire has partnered with gtslearning to create a unique CompTIA A+ learning solution that will have strong appeal to education centres around the world,” said Robin Adda, gtslearning’s Managing Director. “Toolwire is recognised as a leading provider of online experiential learning and combining Toolwire’s purpose-built virtual labs with gtslearning’s award-winning CompTIA-approved curriculum enables us to offer a ‘best of breed’ blended learning solution to meet changing demands in the CompTIA education market.”

These unique Interactive Scenarios are designed around an IT Technician’s roles and help students translate realistic requests from co-workers and customers (via phone, email, meetings and site visits) into viable IT solutions. For example, in a customer service Scenario involving viruses, the student is guided through the process of gathering all relevant data, identifying the virus, and then inoculating it in a risk-free, insulated hands-on virtual data centre.

This breakthrough blended learning solution embraces the latest technologies to provide not only individuals with a great learning resource, but also instructors and lecturers with a flexible, scalable, anytime, anywhere, solution to power their online IT programs so they can focus on what they do best: educating their students.

“We are all being challenged daily to rapidly and profoundly change our approach and attitudes towards learning, and embrace innovative solutions in order to remain competitive in the fast-changing global economy,” said John Valencia, CEO and President of Toolwire. “We look forward to ensuring the success of future CompTIA A+ certification candidates through their use of these combined world class technologies.”

About gtslearning

gtslearning’s mission is to be the leader in the global distribution of training solutions leading to internationally recognised certifications for generic IT baseline technical skills which are underpinned by internationally recognised certifications. Since 1998, we have provided IT technical courseware and online learning tools to academic and commercial training centres, vendors and channel partners in every corner of the world, and have made a significant contribution to the growth of CompTIA certifications both inside and outside of North America. Visit www.gtslearning.com for more information.

About Toolwire

Toolwire, Inc. is the world-leader in experiential learning solutions for Information Technology. Toolwire’s hands-on LiveLabs and Scenarios provide on-demand, personalized practice with live systems for blended training initiatives. “Learning by doing” provides the quickest and most effective way to develop skills and ensure ongoing competency with technology. The company is headquartered in Pleasanton, CA. For more information, please visit www.toolwire.com

About CompTIA A+

CompTIA A+ is part of the certification track for corporations such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco and Novell, while other technology companies, including CompuCom and Ricoh, have made CompTIA A+ certification mandatory for their service technicians. More than 700,000 people worldwide have become CompTIA A+ certified since the program’s inception in 1993. www.comptia.org

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Media Contacts:

Cameron D. Crowe
Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Development
Toolwire, Inc.
1-925-227-8500 x161 (t)

1-408-489-8138 (m)
ccrowe@toolwire.com

Robin Adda

Managing Director :: gtslearning International

Three Elysium Gate, 126-128 New King’s Road, London SW6 4LZ

t. +44 (0) 20 7887 7990 f. +44 (0) 20 7887 7988 m. +44 (0) 777 555 7550

robin@gtslearning.com

Pebble Learning, producer of the online Personal Learning System PebblePad, has appointed a new ePortfolio Consultant. Matthew Wheeler formerly worked at the internationally renowned research department, Beyond Distance Research Alliance, led by Professor Gilly Salmon at the University of Leicester.

Colin Dalziel, Director of Pebble Learning, comments, “We’re delighted that Matthew has chosen to join Pebble Learning. His experience will bring an additional perspective and understanding of the way that technologies can improve teaching and learning within organisations through his research and experience with tools such as podcasting, immersive virtual worlds such as Second Life, and learning design.”

In the latest release of the PebblePad online Personal Learning System, users can draw upon items they create using common online tools such as Twitter, Blogger, and any other RSS or ATOM enabled system. This means that a wide range of items from documents to webpages or video links can now be imported straight into PebblePad and then used as a personal resource to support development or for incorporation into a presentational portfolio. PebblePad is used for Personal Development Planning, Continuing Professional Development, Learning, Teaching and Assessment in schools, colleges, universities, professional organisations and local government.

During his three years as the ‘Keeper of the Media Zoo’, a Senior Learning Technologist role with responsibility for informing institutional policy, Matthew was involved in over 15 externally funded research projects with an income of over £1 million.

Working in various Higher Education institutions throughout the UK for the last decade, Matthew’s knowledge and skills have been put to good use on a consultancy basis across the world from large companies like Toshiba to the Royal Air Force.

Matthew’s interest in learning technologies started whilst studying Education at Sheffield Hallam University – here he was introduced to the early versions of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and web-conferencing technologies. The desire to better understand the pedagogic underpinnings of learning technologies led Matthew to his first position at Sheffield Hallam University. Subsequently he held positions at Nottingham Trent University where he was involved in developing an in-house customised VLE, and at the University of Derby where his team was responsible for marketing, recruiting and supporting distance eLearning students. He also held project management roles in the implementation of the institutional VLE and Student Records System.

Outside work, Matthew competed internationally in athletics before injury put paid to his dream of representing his nation at the Olympics. He now enjoys mentoring and supporting some of the UK’s top junior athletes. Matthew has also been a volunteer at Study Support Centres, notably one at Sheffield United Football Club and has recently completed his term as an elected School Governor for a large inner-city primary school.
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Notes to editors:

Pebble Learning’s first annual conference will be held from 8-10 June 2010http://www.pebblepad.co.uk/conference

About PebblePad http://www.pebblepad.co.uk
PebblePad is an innovative personal learning system designed to support any learner, learning at any level. Its unique interface hints at the user friendly system which allows users to build and share a broad collection of items related to their studies, personal development, continuing professional development or any event of personal significance.

For more information contact Pebble Learning: info@pebblelearning.co.uk or phone 01952 288300

About Pebble Learning Ltd
Pebble Learning, with its blend of technological and pedagogic expertise, offers a wide range of services designed to help the UK educational community develop expertise in the use of innovative personal learning technologies to meet the challenges and realize the opportunities elearning offers.

For more information contact Pebble Learning: info@pebblelearning.co.uk or phone 01952 288300

The RAF will headline the speaker line-up at HowToMoodle’s February seminar. The specialist training and consultancy firm is running the inaugural seminar to focus on what Version 2.0 of the popular open source course management system Moodle will bring to users plus an update on Moodle’s development path. Andy Perkins, RAF Squadron Leader will present a case study demonstrating how the RAF is using Moodle with 30,000 personnel.

HowToMoodle’s seminar takes place on 23 February 2010 in Farringdon, London. The event will run from 5pm to 8pm. Early bird tickets are £20 before 19 January and £25 after that date. To book a place, visit: http://www.howtomoodle.com/seminars.

Tips in the use of Moodle are available regularly from HowToMoodle’s blog: http://blog.howtomoodle.com/ and Twitter account: @howtomoodle. For more information or to sign up for news on future seminars, visit www.howtomoodle.com.