Author: Stelios Lambropoulos

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Learn by DOING vs Learn by watching

Learn by DOING vs Learn by watching

 

 

 

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Recent research comes to verify what Confucius said many years ago: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” Carnegie Mellon University’s research proves that students may benefit up to six times more by interactive activities than by Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) (read the full article http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/…/150914220526.htm).

Doing is incorporated with the nature of learning. We all know it. This is how we are brought up. At school we did not just listen to the teacher provide all sorts of valuable information and memorize it at once. We had to go home, process and practice all the information that we had been hearing about all day in order to actually learn it. And it has been working so far.

TIME – MONEY – EFFORT

This approach, however, has some drawbacks: It certainly requires time, money and effort. When it comes to today’s business world, time and money are two critical factors in deficiency. When it comes to our willingness to struggle about something, it is the effort that is in deficiency.

MOOC

The technology developed a few years ago has tried to provide an answer to this problem: MOOCs provide us with the opportunity to gain new skills quickly, just by watching inexpensive, pre-recorded video-lessons. As a result, too many content providers have appeared, offering too much content about almost everything we can imagine. And most of them are available for free or for a really affordable price. It sounds great! We no more have to strive, we no more need to pay too much money in order to enroll to classes, we just need to stay awake in front of a monitor which broadcasts a video-lesson and we will become wiser!

Unfortunately, as it turns out, this is not the case. Just by watching something we can only assimilate a small portion. Therefore, just by watching, we end up getting a general idea; we end up knowing that something can be done, but in most of the cases we are not in position of performing the task ourselves. This is the key point. Although the video-lessons are great at providing content, that content cannot be adequately digested by the audience.

We have to use technology for our benefit. We have to elevate the e-learning content from the one-way broadcasting of information that is at present, to an interactive exchange of expertise that will help those in need to actually build on stable foundations.

MOOC + multiple choice questions

A step towards more effective MOOCs would include video-lessons with incorporated closed-type questions. Closed type questions, such as multiple choice questions, however, can be the answer to testing the understanding of theoretical rather than practical subjects.

MOOC + in-application questions

When it comes to training on new technologies, office software and so on, modern technology gives us the tools to step forward. We can simply enhance the e-courses with online testing material that requires solving problems and performing tasks in order to reassure more satisfactory results.

Testing tools, such as TEST4U.EU, have been developed in order to facilitate the spreading of knowledge and self-study as well as the efficient evaluation and training of personnel in enterprises. The development of such services is the result of the actual need and demand of the market.

BENEFITS

This is not just another trend. Such an approach is beneficial for all parties. It doesn’t require significantly more resources than the simple e-learning approach; the time needed is about the same, and the cost remains at low levels. It does involve more effort however, because it can promise that the skills gained will be of a specified, higher quality.

CERTIFICATION UPON ASSIMILATION, NOT UPON COMPLETION

We could regard the e-learning as we know it as a primary version and level up to the new one which contains interactive features that guarantee the result of the training. Online Certifications upon proper assimilation of e-courses are next to come. Remember the words: upon assimilation. Not upon completion.

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Windows 10 + TEST4U

 

Ευχόμαστε Καλή Ακαδημαϊκή Χρονιά!

Η νέα, ολοκληρωμένη έκδοση του TEST4U για Microsoft Windows 10 κυκλοφόρησε και παρέχει τα απαραίτητα εργαλεία εκπαίδευσης με την αδιαμφισβήτητη ποιότητα της infolearn.

Κάντε αναβάθμιση στην τελευταία έκδοση των Microsoft Windows 10 και προσφέρετε εκπαίδευση στις πιο σύγχρονες εκδόσεις, με το TEST4U, το μοναδικό εργαλείο εκπαίδευσης που καλύπτει όλες τις τελευταίες εκδόσεις.

Η Microsoft δίνει στους χρήστες των Windows το δικαίωμα δωρεάν αναβάθμισης των Windows 7, 8 και 8.1 στην νέα έκδοση Windows 10. Αυτό πρακτικά σημαίνει ότι η πλειοψηφία των χρηστών θα ολοκληρώσει την αναβάθμιση.

Διαφοροποιηθείτε από τον ανταγωνισμό. Μην διδάσκετε απαρχαιωμένη τεχνολογία.

Ξεκινήστε την ακαδημαϊκή σας χρονιά παρέχοντας ανανεωμένες υπηρεσίες εκπαίδευσης στις νεότερες εκδόσεις των λογισμικών.

Το TEST4U μετρά πάνω από 700.000 ικανοποιημένους χρήστες.

Εκτιμούμε την εμπιστοσύνη που μας δείχνετε και συνεχίζουμε να προσφέρουμε ποιοτικές και καινοτόμες υπηρεσίες.

Σας ευχαριστούμε

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Skills Assessment Software – 13 reasons to start using it now

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What are the Benefits of Employee Skills Assessment Software?

High employee turnover is one of the most expensive aspects of running a business. Finding, hiring and training a new employee is a major investment. A McKinsey research reports that the main problem is not the creation of new jobs, but the lack of skilled candidates. When things don’t work out, a business loses the money it invested and has to spend even more to engage in the process all over again. Even when qualified employees are hired and retained, gauging their skills and keeping them focused on ongoing improvement is costly and cumbersome too. In a recent conference, evidence was provided that the vast majority of employees do not even possess the computer operation skills required. More than 83% of the employees were unable to pass the basic level assessment (slide 9, video presentation 3:37). Through the use of well-designed skills assessment software, employers can more accurately identify qualified candidates and more effectively track the skills and progress of existing employees. And it’s not just about the soft skills. The hard skills are becoming increasingly important. A recent study performed by Elance-oDesk & Millennial Branding suggests that 55% of the recruiters focuses on hard skills, whereas only 21% on personality. Another 45% of the recruiters believes that in the future they will become even more hard-skilled focused.

What is Skills Assessment Software?

As the name implies, skills assessment software is software that assesses an individual’s skills in a specific area. In recent years, a vast array of such programs has become available. They span a huge range of topics and subjects, allowing employers to test employees’ and prospective employees’ skills in relevant areas. It goes without saying that the various Skills Assessment Software present many differences. They may focus on soft skills and personality assessments, on hard skills and try to verify them via multiple choice questions, or even test the candidate on actual working conditions, with the cooperation of the actual application, the so called in-application testing. Each of them is more suitable depending on the needs. For instance, the computer related skills are better evaluated by an in-application assessment software, rather than by a multiple-choice one. This becomes increasingly important for modern businesses, which tend to be particularly concerned about finding candidates who are proficient in a range of computer-related skills. Not surprisingly, many skills assessment programs test people’s skills at the use of Windows, the Microsoft Office suite, PHP, MySQL, JavaScript and a wide range of other types of software and programming languages.

Benefits of Pre-Employment Skills Assessment Software

By identifying and hiring the right employee the first time, a company can save huge amounts of time and money. It’s easy for someone to claim proficiency in a subject on a resume. By actually having them prove it, a business can zero in on truly qualified candidates and skip ahead in the hiring process more quickly. A few of the main advantages of using skills assessment software during the hiring process include:

1. Reduced Turnover – People tend to stretch the truth on their resumes, assuming they can figure things out once they are hired. This causes major headaches for employers, who are often forced to let go such employees and restart the hiring process from scratch. As noted by the Edward Lowe Foundation, this issue is largely eliminated through the use of skills assessment software, which doesn’t use multiple-choice questions but rather forces candidates to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in a meaningful way.

2. Increased Accuracy – When certain skills are essential for a particular position, it makes sense to ensure that the final contenders possess them. This type of software increases accuracy during the hiring process with very little extra effort on the part of the employer.

3. Reduced Costs – Having to constantly absorb the costs of identifying, hiring and training new employees is expensive. Skills assessment programs, whether they’re installed locally or provided online, help employers keep hiring costs in check.

4. Saved Time – Businesses don’t often have the luxury of taking their time while hiring new employees. In the mad dash to replace a former employee, mistakes are often made. Skills assessment software allows a business to make accurate hiring decisions quickly and efficiently.

5. A More Level Playing Field – By using skills assessment programs, employers can give all candidates a fairer shot at landing the position. All too often, a well-written resume will zoom to the top of the pile, and more qualified and skilled candidates are left in the dust. By including the results of skills assessments in the hiring process, employers can focus less on well-crafted resumes and more on real, concrete skills.

 

6. Improved Compliance – EEOC guidelines dictate that information culled from skills tests must be applied impartially. Well-designed skills assessment software adheres to such guidelines, helping employers maintain compliance.

7. A Competitive Advantage – Companies with the most skilled employees enjoy a significant competitive advantage. Skills assessment testing allows businesses to more easily pinpoint truly talented, skilled candidates and gives them a great edge over competitors who don’t use such tests.

 

 

 

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Benefits of Using Skills Assessment Software for Current Employees

Skills assessment software is a great investment not just because it helps a business identify the most qualified candidates but because it also helps to encourage the ongoing growth and improvement of current employees. A few advantages of having employees use this software include:

8. Identify Skills Gaps – Through skills assessment software, employers can zero in on skills gaps across personnel to identify areas that could use improvement. This is much easier and more efficient than waiting for issues to arise due to a lack of skills in a particular area.

9. Develop Training Curriculum – By regularly having employees complete skills assessment tests, businesses can identify training needs. This information can then be used to develop more effective training curriculum, helping employees stay on the leading edge of the latest developments.

10. Increase Productivity – Employers can often discover untapped skills by having employees complete assessment tests using skills assessment software. Based on the results of these tests, employees may be moved to different positions where they can more effectively and productively use their skills.

11. Track Progress – Skills assessment software helps to establish benchmarks in terms of employee skill levels. These benchmarks can then be referred to after training sessions and other development activities to track employees’ progress in various areas. In this way, a company can determine the effectiveness — or lack thereof — of its training methods as well as identify employees who just aren’t progressing as needed.

12. Improved Performance Reviews – When used in the performance review process, skills assessment software improves an employer’s ability to promote employees or to engage in other HR-related decision-making.

13. Confirmation of new-skills consolidation – When a business decides to take advantage of the distant learning method, along with the benefits, comes an important disadvantage: the fact that it is very difficult to rely on just the e-learning material and suppose that the new skills have been consolidated. The Skills Assessment Software can be used right after the e-learning course in order to shed light on any dark corners.

 

Thanks to the ready availability of skills assessment software, there’s no reason for employers to go it alone when hiring new employees or when determining the skills and progress of existing ones. There is software out there that tests employees’ skills across virtually every imaginable subject and topic, and some of the most popular ones focus on proficiency across various computer programs. By evaluating prospective and current personnel with skills assessment software, any business can make more effective hiring decisions and can make the most of its current workforce.

These ideas were discussed during the 4th HR in Action Conference, which was held in Athens on 30th June 2015 by Stelios Lambropoulos, the co-founder of Infolearn-TEST4U.

You can access the presentation slides here:http://www.slideshare.net/test4u_eu/recruit-retain-and-develop-talented-hard-skilled-staff-50208460?related=1

and the presentation video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQnsUEUT9vM

 

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The new trends and tools at the disposal of HR Departments.

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The recruiters focus more on hard skills.

A McKinsey research of 2012 mentions that the problem is not located at the creation of new jobs but at the lack of candidates’ skills.

The lack of hard skills at employees at a low hierarchical level means:

  • additional training cost
  • additional manhours of colleagues that will need to help the newly hired,
  • and in the case of replacement, additional cost at the HR department

All this leads to augmented operational cost of the company and minimize its competitiveness.

All of you have noted that:

  1. The candidates do not always have the hard skills that they mention at their CV’s and
  2. at positions at low hierarchical levels hard skills are more important than soft skills because most employees won’t need to lead a team or make important decisions. What they will need to be able to do is perform their duties precisely and in a timely manner, so that their managers can rely on their work.

A recent research (which was conducted by Elance-oDesk & Millennial Branding) shows that 55% of the recruiters focuses only on hard skills and a mere 21% on personality, while in the future, 45% expects that will become even more hard skills focused.

The new tools that the HR department has at its disposal do not include simple multiple choice questions but examine in depth the skills of the examinee at actual working conditions.

 

Hard skills during recruitment

Let’s say that you need to hire a web developer with php and MySQL knowledge or a data analyst with a good level at excel.

What most companies do the last years is that they submit the candidates to an initial ranking test along with the job announcement, so as to obtain a first screening of the candidates and later on to a second test for greater precision.

The advantage of the method with the automated tests is that that provides the opportunity to more candidates of remote areas to participate. Given the difficult economic situation at our country, it is highly unlikely that a candidate will travel from Thessaloniki to Athens just to take part at a first interview. If, however, the candidate knew that he was one of the e.g. 10 that the HR department has invited for an interview, then he would know that the chances to be hired are more.

Hard Skills during the assessment of the current employees

So, we come to the case where we need to assess the entire personnel. Either because we need to ascertain the level of the employees or in the case of an acquisition or merger so that we are in position to know with objective criteria who is in position to do what.

The trend in this case as well is to use tools that will evaluate in actual working conditions.

I will refer to data from an assessment that was performed with our software. Out of 615 employees of a certain company, 518 failed. This is a stunning 83%.

And I am talking about basic computer skills: Windows, Word, Excel.

Imagine having employees at your company who need more than 1 minute to send a simple e-mail with an attachment!

Hard Skills for employee development

Recently Linkedin has acquired Lynda.com, one of the largest videolessons suppliers. The benefits for a company of the use of e-learning are definitely important.

It would be preferable, however, if we could reassure that the employee has actually consolidated the video-lesson and didn’t leave it running while he went to get a cup of coffee.

A recent research of 2014 (GreenJobInterview’s) has shown that the most common reason why companies do not take advantage of all the options that the current technology allows for is that at a 36% they do not know enough about this software.

The software that we have developed allows you to train or evaluate with an automated test your candidates or your staff either at your place or at the candidates’ choice of place (even at home), for a multitude of applications at basic, advanced or specialized level.

Please pay attention to the basic level. It is not obvious. The basic level computer certificates prove almost nothing. I have been working at this sector for more than 15 years and I know very well the skills that such certificates represent.

I don’t mean to wrong everyone who has obtained a certificate. There are definitely very capable people among them. By assessing the skills with an automated test for each one, you will be able to know their actual level for each application and for each question.

Download the hr recruitment assessment and development candidate and employee test tool that we have created.

Thank you for your attention.