Online courses directory (19947)

The computer gaming industry has grown exponentially over the last 20 years and with this growth has come business and technical innovation on a scale never before imagined. EA Games is one of the largest game development companies in the world and is responsible for some of the major games such as James Bond and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. In this free online course we get an insight into the workings of EA Games as a company, how they manage their creative processes as well as their marketing strategies. The course also reviews their organisational structure, intellectual property, potential growth sectors and the future of online games. This course will be of interest to business, marketing and gaming entrepreneurs looking for inspiration to get them on the road to game development, as well as serious gamers seeking to understand the business processes needed to produce world-class computer games and companies.<br />

Microsoft Access 2010 is a software program used to build and run databases. You do not need any prior experience working with Access to follow this free course, but if you are familiar with previous versions, then this course will help you quickly make the transition to this upgraded version. In this course you will learn how to design and create tables for a new database. You will learn how to construct these tables in the database and link them with primary key fields. You will be shown how to create the relationships between the tables and how to extract information from them using queries. This free MS Access course will also review keyboard shortcuts which help you work faster by relying more on the keyboard. Databases created with Access can also be viewed and edited online by uploading them to SharePoint and this course will take you step-by-step through this process. Microsoft implements some safety precautions when you work with online files, and this course will show you how to activate your content after you download it. This course will be of great interest to all business, finance and IT professionals who create and work with databases. You will see how creating a database makes handling data much easier and you will be able to maximise the functionality of the data and reduce data redundancy. <br />

<p>Manufacturing industries are a vital component of all modern economies and all of them require employees who are skilled - in and knowledgeable about - manufacturing processes. </p> <br /> <p>This Introduction to Manufacturing Processes will give you a detailed understanding of processes such as casting, forming, cutting and joining. It will review aspects of surface and optical materials engineering as well as examine a number of case studies related to these processes. </p> <br /> <p>The course is ideal for employees in manufacturing industries or business, professionals who want to learn more about this type of work, and anyone who might be seeking a job or career in a manufacturing industry. </p>

Advances in medicine are occurring all the time and medical and scientific research continues to reveal both how the human body functions normally and what happens during a diseased state. This free online medical course discusses some of the most common medical conditions and is an overview for the average lay person who wishes to find out more about these medical conditions. The course examines topics such as cancer, meningitis and how our endocrine system works. It also reviews aspects of diabetes, spinal injuries and much more. The course gives an insight into how the body works and how medical professionals diagnose ailments or injuries. This course will be of great interest to all learners who would like to know more about the basic physiology of human body, and about common medical conditions.<br />

Sustainable development is a type of economic growth pattern where the use of resources meets the needs of the human population while conserving the environment at the same time. Sustainable development means resources are used in such a way that both current and future human needs can be met. This free online Diploma in Sustainable Development reviews a diverse range of topics including what exactly sustainability is and what systems of practice are most commonly used, and in particular, examines the importance of sustainable development in counteracting global climate change. Two very important issues in sustainable development are energy sources that meet current and future demands, and water conservation. The course reviews both non-renewable and renewable energy sources and examines how current and future demands for energy can be met for a growing global population. Water is a vital resource for all countries and the course reviews how supply and demand for water by industry, agriculture and people can be met. This course will be of great interest to all professionals interested in international development, and in the sustainability and environmental sectors who would like to learn more about global sustainable development. It will also be of interest to the general learner who is interested in how current and future demands for the earth's resources by a growing human population can be met.<br />

Venture capital firms play an important role in the financial services industry, yet not much is known about them by the average lay person. The venture capital market is made up of private equity firms and venture capitalism is a means of investing capital and helping new business start-ups. In this free online course on venture capital, we get an insight into how a company starts off based on available funds, and how they subsequently raise more funds as the company grows so that investments can be made in operations and other areas. Topics discussed include what shares are, how shares are valued, equity versus debt, and types of organisational structures. This free course also examines the difference between bankruptcy and liquidation, if a business should fail. This course will be of interest to business professionals and entrepreneurs who would like to learn more about the venture capital market and how it invests in and helps business start-ups and more established businesses grow and expand. <br />

Developing a successful business model is something that takes skill and considerable business acumen and cannot be achieved overnight. Entrepreneurs have to take into account resources, onsite expertise, and importantly, drive and diligence of both management and employees. In this free online business course, you will get an insight into the business model used in SlideShare, a digital media company based in Silicon Valley. Jonathan Boutelle and Rashmi Sinha from SlideShare discuss the learning curve that was needed in order for them to implement their strategies and achieve their goals so that their business model became a success. They also discuss how they managed the business growth process as well as the execution of their tasks. You will learn from these successful entrepreneurs about their experiences, what they learned about creating their business model, and how they dealt with the steep learning curve presented to them. This course will be of great interest to business professionals and budding entrepreneurs looking for advice and guidance on the strategies and goals needed to create a successful business.<br />

Endeavor is a global leader in guiding entrepreneurs around the world to create and develop business and economic growth in their own countries. Endeavor consists of entrepreneurs who want to give back to the world their knowledge and expertise to those in business who lack the same opportunities to grow. In this free online course the chairman of Endeavor, Edgar Bronfman, discusses the mission of Endeavor, why it was started, and how it can be implemented worldwide. You will learn about Endeavor's core values and beliefs, and how they can help entrepreneurs overcome obstacles that they encounter. This course will be of interest to entrepreneurs who have plans to start a business and would like help and guidance to get them on the road to building their own company, and to entrepreneurs with existing businesses who would like advice on how to overcome obstacles to grow their businesses further.<br />

Microsoft PowerPoint is the most popular software application used to create computer-based presentations. This free online course on PowerPoint 2010 illustrates the many new features that extend its workflow capabilities and functionality. In this free PowerPoint course, you will begin by learning why you should make the switch to PowerPoint 2010 from previous versions of the software. You will learn how to navigate the ribbon, explore the menu bar, and understand the different tasks that can be done with it. You will learn how to create, manage, and collaborate on presentations with other people; and how to enrich your presentations with video, pictures, and animations including how to embed, edit, and play a video in your presentation and trim an audio or video clip. This course will be of great interest to all professionals in any business or organisation who need to present their work or activity either informally or formally in a professional manner. Being able to present your ideas professionally is a core skill-set to have in any career.<br />

This free online English grammar course teaches you about English grammar, tenses and sentence structure, giving you effective communication with other people in the English language.<br /><br />You will learn examples of Past, Present and Future tenses, the common mistakes made when using these tenses, and their correct usage. You will also learn the word order of a sentence structure and how to turn a sentence into a negative or a question.<br /><br />This will be of great interest to all English language students, language teachers, and anyone looking to improve their use of the English language. This course is complemented by a number of free English language courses hosted for free on ALISON.<br />

Peter Diamondis of the X Prize foundation tells the story of his path to entrepreneurship, the skills required to make a successful business and the importance of following your passion in life. In this free online business course we get to hear him discuss where the idea came from to create the X Prize foundation, the risks he took to make it a success and why it remains a success today. He discusses X Prize's core values and beliefs, the hardships crossed in financing the business and the lessons learned in each risk taken to grow the business. This free online course will be of interest to business and marketing professionals, and budding entrepreneurs looking for expert help and guidance to get them on the road to building their own company, and how taking a risk is sometimes necessary for a business to grow. If you want a big idea to take off, this is recommended learning!<br />

Yahoo is a very popular Web site but, with strong competition for products and services coming from others like Google and Facebook, Yahoo as an organisation faces severe challenges in being more competitive in the advertising market. In this free online course Sue Decker, the CEO of Yahoo from 2008 to 2009, discusses how the founders of Yahoo focused on the needs of its customers by developing a hierarchal database structure for faster and more efficient searches making life easier for the customer. The course also looks at how internal structuring of the sales force was implemented to improve customer service, where the gap in monetising search queries between it and Google occurred, and recent acquisition proposals. This course will be of interest to advertising, business, marketing professionals and entrepreneurs who have an interest in how an online Web company uses its customer base as a business model.<br />

When most people think about currency exchange, we are usually thinking about buying foreign currency to bring with us on vacation. However, currency exchange involves much more such as treasuries, bonds, imports and exports, trade imbalances, and the borrowing costs of a country. This free online course about currency exchange gives us a key insight into the financing behind a country's growth and development, and answers questions such as how is the money raised to build a country's infrastructure. The course discusses how currency is valued, devalued, and how countries trade and lend money to each other. It also discusses the knock-on effects of lack of demand for treasury bonds to a country and the costs thereafter. This course will be of great interest to business and finance professionals who would like to learn more about currency exchange mechanisms, and to the non-finance professional person wishing to know more about what role currency exchange practices play in the financial system.<br />

Instructional Systems Design is the process of designing and developing instructional courses or materials that bring greater efficiency and effectiveness to acquiring knowledge or skills for learners. This free online course in Instructional Systems Design reviews important aspects such as learning theories and learning objectives and how they influence the design process. It also reviews the role of memory, needs analysis, and design models such as ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation). Robert Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction are also discussed with examples of their application and use. Finally, learning technologies and how they are used to deliver training are reviewed, as well as techniques for measuring and evaluating the effectiveness of the instructional materials. This course will be of great interest to all human resources, teaching and training professionals who are involved in training, instructional design and e-learning, and who would like to learn more about important aspects of instructional systems design and their use and application in designing and developing highly effective instructional materials or courses.<br />

The ability to negotiate effectively is an art form which many of us are not confident in doing. Formal negotiations are however, a vital part of communication across various sectors from business to politics. In this free online course, Stan Christensen, co-founder of Arbor Advisors, discusses the art of negotiation and the skills and techniques required to be persuasive in a positive manner. You will also learn why the skill of really listening is of vital importance when meeting goals at the negotiation table and he explains the lessons he learned during his time as a professional mediator. This free negotiating course will be of interest to all professionals in many varied sectors such as business, entrepreneurship, human resources and management who are looking for guidance on the art and practise of successful negotiation.<br />

Many non-native English speakers find when they study the English language that there is quite a leap from basic informal conversational English to more formal business-like English. The use of colloquial expressions by native English speakers can also be quite confusing to the non-native speaker. In this free online course you will study comparisons between informal and formal uses of greetings, introductions, offers, expressions of gratitude and apologies. You will learn how to recognise the differences between these so that you will be able to decipher what exactly is being communicated. You will practise examples to further increase your knowledge and understanding of the English language. This free English Grammar course will be of great interest to all learners who want to go beyond a basic level of spoken and written English and take their knowledge and understanding to a higher level.<br />

Silicon Valley is an area located near San Francisco in California that is the headquarters for many world leading high-tech companies such as Apple, Google, Adobe Systems, eBay and Cisco to name just a few. Why has Silicon Valley this concentration of world-class companies? In this free online course John Roos of Wilson and Sonsini discusses what Silicon Valley stands for and why today it attracts so many leading entrepreneurs in technology, life sciences and high-potential start-up companies. The course reviews the core values upon which the success of Silicon Valley is based and which companies located there still value so highly today. John Roos talks about the key skills in finance, business, IT and law found in Silicon Valley that can turn a company from a start-up into a billion dollar company within a matter of years. He talks about the importance of taking a risk in business, and why not being willing to do so is a failure to begin with. This course will be of interest to all entrepreneurs and professionals in business, finance and IT who would like to know what factors are found in Silicon Valley that allow it produce so many world-class companies and perhaps how similar successful locations can be established elsewhere.<br />

The recent financial credit crisis in America has profoundly affected not just the American economy but the global economy as a whole. The American economy is showing some signs of recovery recently but the standard of living for many Americans has decreased and will take several years to recover. This free online course reviews how the credit crisis started in America. The course will discuss how credit loans in America became easier to obtain, and how many people funded their lifestyle changes through these cheap credit loans. This in turn led to a housing bubble and when this housing bubble burst it adversely affected the wealth of many American citizens. The free course also reviews how the American government responded to the credit crisis by examining the bailout schemes for the American banking system implemented first by Hank Paulson and later by Timothy Geithner. This course will be of interest to all professionals in the housing, banking, finance and political sectors who would like to learn more about how the American financial credit crisis started and what its repercussions are, and to all learners who would like to understand the key factors which brought about the credit crisis and why it has adversely affected so many lives.<br />

Microsoft Outlook is a very popular emailing and personal information management application and Outlook 2010 has greatly increased the features and functionality of this software program. This free online Outlook 2010 course illustrates the many new features that extend its workflow capabilities and functionality. The course begins by showing why you should make the switch to Outlook 2010 from previous versions of the software. You will learn how to navigate the ribbon and understand the different tasks that can be done with it. You will learn how to create, manage, and organize your email, calendar, contacts and tasks; and how to enrich your email with attachments and business cards. This course will be of great interest to all professionals in any business or organization who wish to organize their schedule or email in a professional manner. Being able to professionally manage your email and personal information is a core skill-set to have in any career. If you have done previous ALISON courses such as our Microsoft Outlook 2003 course you will find Microsoft Outlook 2010 is the perfect next step to bring your emailing and personal information management skills to the next level.<br />

In this free online English grammar course provided by ALISON, the basics of conversational English are covered, such as what you might say when you meet people for the first time and how to talk to people and make new friends.<br /><br />This online English grammar course allows you to practice simple conversational techniques that will give you confidence when meeting and greeting people using the English language as well as reviewing basic auxiliary verbs, main verbs, adjectives and open questions.<br /><br />It is ideal for those who want to improve their basic conversational English and will help learners on their way to becoming more confident when communicating. Learn English grammar online with ALISON's free online course.<br />