Dashcourses' Blog

Dashcourses Online Training VS the Firewall

2008-10-06T17:45:52-07:00

What happens when you buy an expensive online training course for your staff and discover that it’s not compatible with your firewall? You have a lot of unhappy people on your hands, that's what happens.

Your staff isn't happy because they aren't going to get the training they have been anticipating. Management isn't happy because you’ve spent money. You're not happy either.

Many of the online webinar-style tools suffer from this problem. Ours does not. The classroom environment is hosted on a Dashcourses server farm that allows students to connect to it through their corporate firewalls. Once inside this virtual classroom, students are then able to talk to the instructor, watch the instructor, and connect to Dashcourses' computers which are pre-loaded with the requisite software.

For example, if it is a Java development class, all the Java development software is already pre-installed and pre-configured on a a PC in the Dashcourses virtual classroom. The student does not need to install java development software on his own PC.

The important aspect of this is security: even though the student is going through his own PC to connect to ours, no one has visibility into his PC

The student hears the instructor, sees the instructor, and talks to the instructor. When it's time to do the exercises, the student clicks a button and presto, he/she is on a computer in the virtual classroom dedicated to him/her.

The instructor can watch students work just as if he is standing there right at the student's side.

Dashcourses Breaks Down Online Training’s Technology Barriers

2008-10-03T09:10:00-07:00

Good training should be more than a bunch of Powerpoint slides. Good training should include some group interaction, time for Q and A, and most importantly, it should include hands-on exercises.

Unfortunately, online training that includes hands-on exercises usually means messing with the student’s PC. For example, let’s say that it is a Java course. That usually means that the student is required to installed J2EE and some development tools on his PC.

In most corporate settings, the student does not have the rights to install software on his PC and so he needs to get permission, submit a ticket to the help desk, wait for the IT staff to get to his request… If you’ve worked in big corporations then you know the drill.

And what if installing this software breaks something?

Dashcourses’ Online Training eliminates this problem. Dashcourses’ Virtual Classroom Environment uses superior technology to provide the student with access to a PC in our server farm containing all the software preconfigured specifically for the course he is taking.

We send the student an email containing a link, the student clicks on the link and logs in. When it's time to do the exercises, the student clicks a button and presto, he is connected to a computer in the virtual classroom dedicated to him.

Not only that, even though the student is going through his own PC to connect to ours, we have no visibility into his PC. We can't see what he has installed, read the registry, or anything. His own PC is not accessible to us.

If you've been reluctant to try online training because of the requirement to modify the student's PC, why don't you give Dashcourses a try?

25 Reasons Why It's Great to be in IT

2008-10-01T08:50:00-07:00

If you are thinking of a career in IT, you should check out this great post over on the Palaestra Training Blog.

25 Reasons Why It's Great To Be an IT Guy (or Girl)

If you’re in the IT industry, many of these will be common knowledge to you. If you’re not in the industry yet, or thinking about making a change, you really need to consider these 25 Reasons why it’s Great to be an IT Guy (or Girl).

Dashcourses' Free Power Hours Are Perfect For Engineers

2008-09-29T18:05:00-07:00

Hardware and software engineers are under a lot of pressure to meet tight schedules and as a result, it is hard to keep technologically current without spending nights or weekends doing it.

Dashcourses' free Power Hours can solve that problem. A Power Hour is the equivalent of a brown bag lunch session online: an informal session with a subject-matter expert who provides you with a high-level overview of the latest information about some topic. Better yet there is no charge – That’s right: absolutely free.

Of course, you can't go into a lot of detail in an hour, but we've designed our Power Hours so that even technical heavyweights will take away useful information.

And just so that you know: we use the same instructors for our Power Hours that we use in your regular training courses so you will be learning for an expert.

Best of all, you can spill pizza sauce on your shirt and no one else will see it.

Dashcourses Power Hours: Learn More. Pay Less

Click here to see our schedule of upcoming Power Hours.

Dashcourses International
info@dashcourses.comhttp://www.Dashcourses.com

Dashcourses to be at IT Summit

2008-09-28T21:15:24-07:00

The City of Los Angeles Technology & Education Summit is the executive technology conference for leaders from the government, education, economic development and corporate communities. The event is produced by and for senior-level IT executives for the purposes of economic development, education, and the proliferation of information technology.

If you are attending look for us in Booth 130.

Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Click Here for more information

Dashcourses' Free Power Hours Are Perfect for Training Managers

2008-09-26T18:03:00-07:00

With today's hectic schedules, it is tough to find time to do your job and stay up to date at the same time. If you are a training manager you should consider taking advantage of Dashcourses' free Power Hours.

A Dashcourses' Power Hour is the equivalent of a brown bag lunch session online: an informal session with a subject-matter expert who provides you with a high-level overview of the latest information about some topic. Better yet there is no charge – That’s right: absolutely free.

Let's say for example you need to get up to speed on what’s new and different in Oracle 11g. Attend a Power Hour.

Of course, you can't go into a lot of detail in an hour, but we've designed our Power Hours so that no matter what your level of expertise is, you will take away useful information.

And just so that you know: we use the same instructors for our Power Hours that we use in your regular training courses so you will be learning for an expert.

Dashcourses Power Hours: Learn More. Pay Less

Click here to see our schedule of upcoming Power Hours.

Dashcourses International
info@dashcourses.comhttp://www.Dashcourses.com

Dashcourses' Free Power Hours Are Perfect for IT Staff

2008-09-24T18:01:00-07:00

With today's hectic schedules, it is tough to find time to do your job and keep technologically current at the same time. If you are in IT you should consider taking advantage of Dashcourses' free Power Hours to help keep you up to date.

Let's say for example that you are an Oracle shop currently using Oracle 10g. Need to get up to speed on what’s new and different in 11g? Attend a Power Hour.

Of course, you can't go into a lot of detail in an hour, but we’ve designed our Power Hours so that even technical heavyweights will take away useful information.

And just so that you know: we use the same instructors for our Power Hours that we use in your regular training courses so you will be learning for an expert.

Best of all, you can spill pizza sauce on your shirt and no one else will see it.

Dashcourses Power Hours: Learn More. Pay Less

CClick here to see our schedule of upcoming Power Hours.

Dashcourses International
info@dashcourses.comhttp://www.Dashcourses.com

Dashcourses' Power Hours Are Perfect For IT Managers

2008-09-22T17:59:00-07:00

A friend of mine – one of the smartest people I have ever known – said this to me a few months after a promotion to management:

Dave, never become a manager. In six months your people will treat you like an idiot, and the next thing you know you are one.

This was his way of saying that once you become a manager, your knowledge starts to become obsolete because you are not working in it every day. If you are an IT manager you should consider taking advantage of Dashcourses’ free Power Hours to help keep you sharp.

Let's say for example that you are an Oracle shop currently using Oracle 10g. Need to get up to speed on what’s new and different in 11g? Attend a Power Hour.

Of course, you can't go into a lot of detail in an hour, but we've designed our Power Hours so that no matter what your level of expertise is, you will take away useful information.

And just so that you know: we use the same instructors for our Power Hours that we use in your regular training courses so you will be learning for an expert.

Best of all, you can spill pizza sauce on your shirt and no one else will see it.

Dashcourses Power Hours: Learn More. Pay Less.

Click here to see our schedule of upcoming Power Hours.

Dashcourses International
info@dashcourses.comhttp://www.Dashcourses.com

Dashcourses' Free Power Hours

2008-09-19T18:13:20-07:00

We've introduced a new learning vehicle that we call the Dashcourses Power Hour. It's the equivalent of a brown bag lunch session online: an informal session with a subject-matter expert who provides you with a high-level overview of the latest information about some topic. Better yet there is no charge – That’s right: absolutely free.

Let's say for example that you are an Oracle shop currently using Oracle 10g. Need to get up to speed on what's new and different in 11g? Attend a Power Hour.

Of course, you can't go into a lot of detail in an hour, but we've designed our Power Hours so that even technical heavyweights will take away useful information.

In fact, everyone and any level can take away useful information. Engineers and IT specialists can use Power Hours to learn bout new developments in their technologies. Managers can use Power Hours to keep their knowledge from becoming obsolete. Training managers can use Power Hours to stay up-to-date.

And just so that you know: we use the same instructors for our Power Hours that we use in your regular training courses so you will be learning for an expert.

Best of all, you can spill pizza sauce on your shirt and no one else will see it.

Dashcourses Power Hours: Learn More. Pay Less

Click here to see our schedule of upcoming Power Hours.

Dashcourses International
info@dashcourses.comhttp://www.Dashcourses.com

Dashcourses Online Training Ideal for the Internet Generation

2008-09-14T16:10:10-07:00

One of the things we have been talking about recently here at Dashcourses is that today’s new IT professional learns very differently than the previous generation.

These Internet Generation professionals grew up with a game controller in their hands. They are bored with hours of lecture and textbook, but excel in an environment with lots of hands-on exercises. You can train a Boomer using a presentation consisting solely of a couple hundred PowerPoint slides but don’t even try it with NetGen’er.

As one NetGen’er said to me, “It’s not that computers and video games changed the way I learn, they are the way I learn.”

Furthermore, while us Boomers tend to learn in a very linear fashion, NetGen’ers do not. They grew up in a technology-enabled world that rewards the ability to multitask on a variety of items while remaining engaged in learning (So that’s how my son was able to have the stereo going, watch TV, play a video game, AND do homework all at once) .

NetGen students are immersed in interactions through collaborative and social technology tools like blogs, wikis, and podcasts that engage the generation’s desire to learn in non-linear way. NetGen’ers adept use of technology creates a population of masterful information collectors and researchers. And while I prefer to be locked in a room alone while learning new subjects, NetGen’ers love collaboration and prefer to solve problems in a group environment.

Consequently, training programs geared toward NetGen’ers need to be drastically different that those for Boomers. The first thing is to rip the fluff material out of the curriculum: Strip it down to the lean meat. Make it fast-paced with lots of hands-on exercises and group problem solving. Shorten the sessions so they don’t consume the entire day. Make sure that you use only those instructors who are not only tuned in to these changes but also know their stuff: NetGen’ers won’t respect an instructor or boss who is not an expert in the field.