Category: E-Learning

Writing an Effective Covering Letter

by Tariq Bitar, posted in E-Learning, Online Courses, VLE Software

A Covering letter is a document which is sent along with your CV to the company you want to work for when they advertise a job vacancy.  It is a great opportunity to sell yourself along with the skills you hold, but many people make basic errors when they write their covering letter.  Here are our top tips for making your covering letter work for you.

  1. Make sure it is no longer than 2 sides of A4.  Any longer than this and you are likely to be waffling!  Stick to the point you are making and make sure your letter stays nice an short.
  2. Make it neat.  Keep your font size to around a 10-12, in a sensible font such as Ariel or Times New Roman.  These are clear and easy to read as well as look professional.
  3. Tailor your letter to the job – make sure you explain exactly why you suit that particular job!  Lots of people make their cover letter vague and able to use with all job applications, but since this letter could make the difference between the CV being read or not, it is always worth tailoring it to each and every job.

Developing a Good Study Space at Home

by Tariq Bitar, posted in E-Learning, Online Courses

Want to transform your room into a study paradise? Try some of these tips.

1. Kill distractions

Your phone, TV or Facebook are not your friends when it comes to studying. Don’t rely on willpower: put obstacles between yourself and the distractions.

  • Turn your phone off – or at least put it on silent and leave it across the room, where you can’t fiddle with it mindlessly.
  • Use browser extensions like LeechBlock and Nanny to block distracting websites

Setting yourself regular breaks can help you avoid temptation during work time.

2. Tidy up your act

Clearing away the clutter from your study space should help clear your mind, allowing you to focus on the job at hand. You’ll also avoid losing important notes in piles of disorganized paperwork.

3. Light up your life

Ensure there’s good lighting in your study space. If it’s too dark to read, you won’t get very far. During the day, working by the window or even outside can give you the best light to work by.

4. Get settled…

A comfortable chair will keep you working more effectively than an uncomfortable one, a sofa or, worst of all, your bed.

5. …or get moving

Study doesn’t have to be still. If you are the sort of person who doesn’t like to sit still all the time, get on your feet and pace around while repeating what you’re studying aloud.

6. Find the right background noise

A little bit of background noise can block out distractions and help you concentrate – but the wrong kind can be a distraction in itself.

Instrumental music can be a good choice, as lyrics tend to be more distracting. Alternatively, there are many websites and phone apps that play rain noises, cafe sounds or white noise.

What Does LMS Mean?

by Tariq Bitar, posted in E-Learning, VLE Software

LMS stands for Learning Management System.  This is a means for a course giver to manage the learning of their students.  An LMS allows the course provider access to information about the learning its students are doing, such as the progress being made and how many people are accessing the tools at a time.  It also allows the provider to add content to their courses and generally look after the way the courses run.

A good LMS will be flexible for the provider to add their own information and course content and will provide the useful performance information that the provider needs to see in order to adapt or alter the courses to better suit its participants.

The students themselves will often not see any part of the LMS, instead they will often be faced with learning through a Virtual Learning Environment or VLE, which is the ‘front of house’ of the online course.  It offers a place for the student to see their own progress and see which topics or modules they have taken or are yet to take.