Online courses directory (19947)

Modern Project Management - Managing the Project Start-up, Scheduling and Budgeting is the third in a series of free online courses designed for anyone who wants to learn about contemporary project management. This course is broken down into three key areas: how to manage the start-up phase where a project is selected and started, how to create and manage project schedules, and finally how to estimate and manage the project costs. At its core project management is about getting projects completed on time and within budget. In this course the learner will discover how the project manager must definitively establish the project, along with its goals and processes. When a project has been established the course describes how a detailed project schedule, covering both the team members and equipment needs to be drawn up, reviewed and approved. After the project start-up phase the course describes how the schedule must be tracked and evaluated to ensure that milestones will be met, the end deliverables are as scoped, and all stakeholders are kept informed as per the communications plan. Along with the time schedule the course further describes how the project must also be costed in detail, and how the costings are measured against budgets through the use of standard formulas to ensure that the project remains financially on track. The course also contains a sample project which is used to demonstrate to learners the key tasks in creating and monitoring the schedules and budgets. This free course will be of great interest to all professionals working in the area of project management who would like to learn more about project scheduling and budgeting or learners who just want to be able to manage personal projects more effectively.<br />

Modern Project Management – Managing Quality Control, Risk, Procurement and Project Closeout is the last in a series of free online courses designed for anyone who wants to learn about contemporary project management. This course is broken down into four key areas: how to implement the appropriate quality control procedures throughout the project life-cycle, how to assess risks to the project, how to set up and run an efficient and effective project procurement system, and finally how to close out the project successfully. The course shows learners why rigourous implementation of quality control is a very important aspect of project management. Both the project manager and the project team must implement a quality control system that inspects all outputs from the project processes and procedures, and ensure that they are aligned with the project scope. The quality control system must also ensure that the project management system itself is performed to a high standard and is audited and adjusted as required. The course also describes why the project manager and the project team must be risk aware - They must be capable of identifying and quantifying the known risks, and then deciding what mitigating strategy to use for each. As project phases are completed new risks will emerge and the project team must ensure that the risk plan and contingency funding are kept up to date. The course explains how the project manager also has to oversee the procurement process where goods and services are sourced from third parties. The project manager must ensure that the relevant contracts with suppliers are in place and that each supplier meets all the necessary requirements. The final part of the course explains how a project manager oversees the successful closure of a project, from gathering all the key statistics and summarising them, to closing out the supplier contracts, and archiving all the key documents. Possibly the most important part of project closure is the post-project review where the lessons learned are identified for the future. This is usually followed by the end of project celebration where the effort of the project team is acknowledged and rewarded. This course will be of great interest to project management professionals who would like to learn more about managing quality control, risk, procurement and project closeout. It will also be of interest to learners who would like a career in project management or learners who just want to be able to manage personal projects more effectively.<br />

Aesop's Fables work their magic by enchanting us with animals that behave like people and events that could never happen. At the same time, they pass on some essential truths about life, love, war, and friendship that still hold meaning for us today. In essence, Aesops fables are fables with morals. These simple truths are summarised in the &quot;moral&quot; of each story. For any adult, it is useful to be reminded of the ancient wisdom found in Aesop’s Fables. The lessons to be learned are as applicable in the workplace as they are in our personal lives. The course is also perfect for parents with young children and teachers of primary school students who would like to get their children and students to read a selection of Aesop’s fables and to discuss the moral of each story. This practice encourages children to think more deeply about the stories they are reading and will help them deal with the complicated world in which they live.<br />

The course Business Communication - Fundamentals of Business Writing introduces you to the theory and practice of writing in the modern business environment. In this free online course you will be introduced to the principles of written communication so that you will be able to express your thoughts and ideas through writing in a clear, concise, and efficient manner. You will see how preparation is key for successful writing and learn how to use a planning checklist when writing any type of business message. You will also learn about writing styles and which writing style is most appropriate for business communication. In the modern business world having the skill to write a professional business letter is of great importance. Whether you are sending an inquiry to a company or organisation, or applying for a job having a correctly formatted letter can make the difference between having the letter taken seriously or not. Having completed this course you will have the confidence and skills needed to express yourself in writing in any business environment, and the skills needed to write a business letter that will look distinctive, professional and high quality. This course will be of great interest to all learners who want to improve their business communication skills, in particular business writing.<br />

Conversational German – First Contact is a free online course which is designed for anyone who wants to learn to speak basic German. The course is broken down into pronunciation of the alphabet, numbers and words and the basics of conversation covering hello, goodbye and introductions. Audio segments will let you hear the sound of each letter in German, as well as how the various letters are pronounced in words. The course lays down the foundations of the spoken language by introducing learners to the pronunciation of words and phrases through text and audio. Short audio segments let you hear how the words and phrases are pronounced. You will learn how to greet people and address them correctly, both formally and informally, with multiple examples for listening to. You will learn how a sentence is formed in German and become familiar with basic grammar. This course will be of great interest to anyone who wants to learn to speak German for use in business or social occasions, and for those wanting to travel to any German speaking country or region in Europe.

The free online course Business Communication - Managing Successful Team Meetings introduces you to the communication skills needed for coordinating and managing successful team meetings in the work place. Team meetings are an essential part of any business or organization: they help progress ongoing projects with the business; they can facilitate the creation and development of new ideas; they can highlight and resolve serious problems within a business. Poorly managed team meetings result in frustrated team members and are a waste of time and resources, whereas successful team meetings result in motivated team members and bring great benefits to a business. Successful team meetings depend on excellent business communication skills to arrange, manage and report on the meeting. In this free online course you will learn about the key communication skills needed for successful team meetings. You will learn that how a team meeting is arranged is key to its successful outcome. You will learn about the importance of the purpose statement and agenda for the meeting, and how they must be communicated to the individual team members so that they can prepare for the meeting. Once the meeting is in progress you will learn about the communication skills needed to manage a meeting, how to transition from one topic to the next, how to help team members contribute positively at the meeting and how to bring the meeting to a successful conclusion. You will also learn about the importance of creating and distributing minutes of the meeting that accurately describe what was discussed at the meeting, and any actions that were agreed upon and whose responsibility they are. This course will be of great interest to all business professionals who would like to learn more about the key communication skills needed to manage successful team meetings, and for any learner who would like to improve their business communication skills.<br />

The free online course Business Communication - Developing Effective Business Presentation Skills will help learners prepare more effectively for a presentation, be more confident speaking in front of people, and develop the skills to engage and persuade an audience. Many business professionals lack confidence when it comes to making presentations but the good news is that effective presentation skills can be learned. In this course you will learn how to plan and develop an effective presentation by breaking it into its essential components, map its flow and create appropriate text, graphics and other presentation aids. You will learn how to assess the expectations of your audience and engage with them effectively by understanding their demographics, listening style and presentation expectations. You will also learn how to overcome nervousness and become more confident when speaking in public. You will learn tips and techniques to deliver presentations naturally, whether you are speaking at a small team meeting or presenting to an audience of hundreds. This free online course will be of great interest to all business professionals who want to prepare and deliver presentations with confidence, expertise and professionalism, and all learners who want to be more confident when speaking in public.<br />

The free online course Understanding Cross-Cultural Communication in International Business offers business professionals advice and guidance for communicating effectively with work colleagues and clients who come from different cultural backgrounds. The course first introduces learners to the concept of cross-cultural communication and its importance in the modern globalized workplace. The course then describes strategies for identifying both similar and divergent cultural characteristics across different cultures, and why they play an important role in effective cross-cultural communication. Learners will be introduced to potential barriers to cross-cultural communication such as language, religion and food, and the course suggests suitable ways of overcoming them. Many business professionals move abroad as part of an international assignment and this course also gives guidance and advice on how best to prepare for moving to a country with a different culture, and effective strategies for living and working within a different culture. This free online course will be of great interest to all business professionals who would like a greater understanding of cross-cultural communication and how it plays an important role in conducting effective international business.<br />

The free online course Diploma in Business Communication Skills will help you develop effective communication skills for the workplace, from enhancing your professional writing techniques to improving your interpersonal and presentation skills. Good communication skills are an important element for a business or organisation to function effectively, and for the development of good relationships between work colleagues within a business and with clients and customers outside a business. The course first introduces the principles of written communication. You will learn that preparation is key for successful writing and will allow you express your thoughts in a clear, concise and efficient manner. You will learn about writing styles, how to use a planning checklist for business writing, and which writing style is most appropriate for business communication. Next, the course covers the key communication skills needed for successful team meetings. You will learn about the importance of the purpose statement and agenda for the meeting. The course also covers the communication skills needed to manage a meeting once it is in progress. You will learn how to transition from one topic to the next, how to help team members contribute positively at the meeting and how to bring the meeting to a successful conclusion. The course then shows you how to plan and develop effective presentations. You will learn how to assess the expectations of your audience and engage with them effectively. You will also learn how to overcome nervousness and become more confident when speaking in public. Finally, the course introduces you to the concept of cross-cultural communication and its importance in the modern globalized workplace. It then describes strategies for identifying both similar and divergent cultural characteristics across different cultures, and why they play an important role in effective cross-cultural communication. This free Diploma course will be of great interest to all business professionals who want to improve their communication skills, and to any learner who is about to enter the world of business and wants to develop an engaging and responsive communication style.<br />

The free online course Diploma in Modern Project Management Theory and Practice is designed for anyone who wants to learn about contemporary project management. With organisations looking to deliver projects faster and cheaper project management has evolved continuously since the 1980’s to help address these needs. Using the Project Management Institute's Book of Knowledge, along with other core theory, this course describes in detail the modern theory and best practices of project management. The course begins by introducing you to essential topics such as profiling projects, the phases and organizational structures within a project, and the tasks performed in a project. You will then learn how the role of project managers needs to shift emphasis; project managers need to move from managing the tasks to taking a leadership role. As projects become more complex project managers need to get a good understanding of what the clients' expectations are. They also need to know how decisions are reached, how information is communicated, and how and why changes are made to the project plans. The essential element of project management is about getting projects completed on time and within budget. In this course you will learn how a project, with its associated goals and processes, must be definitively established by a project manager. You will also learn how a project schedule covering both the team members and equipment needs to be drawn up, reviewed and approved. The course then describes why rigorous implementation of quality control is a very important aspect of project management, and why the project manager and the project team must be risk aware during each phase of the project. You will also learn about how the project manager has to oversee the procurement process by ensuring that the relevant contracts with suppliers are in place and that each supplier meets all the necessary requirements. The final part of the course explains how a project manager oversees the successful closure of a project, from gathering all the key statistics and summarising them, to closing out the supplier contracts, and archiving all the key documents. This free Diploma course will be of great interest to all professionals working in the area of project management or those who have become involved in a work project or learners who just want to be able to manage personal projects more effectively.<br />

The German language course 'Conversational German – From Time of Day to Eating Out' is a free online course which is designed for anyone who wants to learn to speak basic German. With 120 million German speakers in over 20 countries this course is the second in a series of conversational German courses that lay down the foundations of the spoken language by introducing learners to the pronunciation of words and the use of phrases and sentences through text and audio. You will learn the German words and phrases for telling the time and dates. You will also be introduced to nationalities, how to tell someone where you are from and ask where they are from. You will then learn German words and phrases that will help you order drinks and snacks at a cafe, how to reserve a table at a restaurant, how to order food and ask for and pay the bill. The content is broken down into key terms and vocabulary. There are also audio clips accompanied by a transcript and translation with additional key cultural and grammatical points being highlighted and explained. This free online German language course will be of great interest to anybody wanting to travel to Germany or a German speaking region, either as a tourist or for business, business people who have regular contact with German speaking colleagues and for any learner who has an interest in speaking or reading German. <br />

The free online course Conversational German – From Family to Shopping is designed for anyone who wants to learn to speak basic German. With 120 million German speakers in over 20 countries this course is the third in a series of conversational German courses that lay down the foundations of the spoken language by introducing learners to the pronunciation of words and the use of phrases and sentences through text and audio. The course starts by introducing key words and phrases that allow you describe your family and talk about members of your family. You will also be able to ask about other people's families. The course then tells you how to describe your profession, where you work and aspects of your job. You will learn key words and phrases for shopping for day to day basics like bread, cheese, fruit and vegetables. You will also learn how to request that you taste a sample of the food. When buying clothes you will learn how to ask for recommendations or assistance in a shop, and ask for an item of clothing by colour. If you are ill you will learn how to describe your symptoms to a pharmacist and request medicine. The content is broken down into key terms and vocabulary. There are also audio clips accompanied by a transcript and translation with additional key cultural and grammatical points being highlighted and explained. This free online German language course will be of great interest to anybody wanting to travel to Germany or a German speaking region, either as a tourist or for business, business people who have regular contact with German speaking colleagues and for any learner who has an interest in speaking or reading German. <br />

Conversational German – From using the Phone to Pastimes and Holidays is a free online course which is designed for anyone who wants to gain confidence in speaking German. With 120 million German speakers in over 20 countries this course is the last in a series of conversational German courses that lay down the foundations of the spoken language by introducing learners to the pronunciation of words and the use of phrases and sentences, with English translations, through text and audio. With the focus on spoken German the first module takes the learner through using the phone for taking and leaving messages as well as making appointments. The remaining modules address leisure time such as sporting activities, going to the theater, and making plans for the weekend. You will also learn how to book a hotel or hostel, check in when you arrive, report any problems with your room, make inquires about activities, ask for information and directions as well as talk about your holidays to other people. Additional information about German culture, grammar and verbs is presented to enable you to expand your knowledge of the German language. This course will be of great interest to anyone who wants to learn how to speak German in social settings or anyone who is looking to travel to any German speaking region in Europe.<br />

In this free online Diploma in Basic German Language Studies course you will learn the basics of conversational German so that you will have the confidence to talk to and listen to native German speakers in a wide variety of situations. With 120 million German speakers in over 20 countries this course lays down the foundations of the spoken language by introducing learners to the pronunciation of words and the use of phrases and sentences through text and audio. The course begins by introducing you to the alphabet, numbers and words and the basics of conversation covering hello, goodbye and introductions. Audio segments will let you hear the sound of each letter in German, as well as how the various letters are pronounced in words. You will then learn the German words and phrases for telling the time and dates. You will also be introduced to nationalities, how to tell someone where you are from and ask where they are from. You will then learn German words and phrases that will help you order drinks and snacks at a cafe, how to reserve a table at a restaurant, how to order food and ask for and pay the bill. Next, the course introduces you to key words and phrases that allow you describe your family and talk about members of your family. The course then tells you how to describe your profession, where you work and aspects of your job. You will learn key words and phrases for shopping for day to day basics like bread, cheese, fruit and vegetables. When buying clothes you will learn how to ask for recommendations or assistance in a shop, and ask for an item of clothing by colour. If you are ill you will learn how to describe your symptoms to a pharmacist and request medicine. The remaining modules address leisure time such as sporting activities, going to the theater, and making plans for the weekend. You will also learn how to book a hotel or hostel, check in when you arrive, report any problems with your room, make inquires about activities, ask for information and directions as well as talk about your holidays to other people. This free online Diploma in Basic German Language Studies course will be of great interest to anybody wanting to travel to Germany, either as a tourist or in a professional capacity, business people who have regular contact with German colleagues and for any learner who has an interest in speaking or reading German.<br />

The free online course Applied Psychology - Introduction to Consumer Behavior introduces the psychological processes behind the behavior of consumers and how they make their decisions. All consumers are similar in that they all have needs and wants, but all are different in that they have different consumption patterns and consumption behavior. In this course you will learn about the nature and scope of consumer behavior, and how it evolved from other disciplines such as psychology and sociology into its own distinct field of study. You will then learn about the application of consumer behavior and how studying it helps marketers formulate appropriate marketing strategies for consumers and their environment. You will learn how the study of consumer behavior may be applied to segment the market, select the target market and position the product or service offering. The course then introduces the very important area of consumer decision making, in particular, programmed decision making and non-programmed decision making. You will also learn how the study of consumer behavior has identified five buying roles and how the marketer needs to understand these roles so as to be able to frame suitable marketing strategies to target them. This free online course will be of great interest to all learners who have certified in ALISON's Diploma in Psychology as it introduces practical applications of psychological processes in the area of consumer behavior. It will also be of great interest to marketers and professionals in the area of consumer marketing who would like to learn more about the psychology of consumer behavior.<br />

The free online course Applied Psychology - Understanding Models of Consumer Behavior will introduce you to models of how consumers approach the marketplace and how they each go through the buying decision process differently. The psychological makeup varies between consumers and this impacts greatly on the final decision each consumer makes. The course first introduces you to the four models of consumers which researchers have identified. These models help marketers determine how consumers may approach a particular marketplace. The course then describes in detail both General Models and Specific Models of consumer behavior which attempt to explain how and why consumers behave as they do, and what factors may impact the buying decision process. Consumer behavior models help a marketer in identifying and understanding a wide range of variables that could explain consumer behavior. In this way these models help a marketer understand and predict buyer behavior, and they help the marketer formulate better marketing programs and strategies. This free course will be of great interest to all professionals in the area of marketing and psychology who would like to know more about consumer behavior models and their importance in creating effective marketing campaigns.<br />

The free online course Applied Psychology - Understanding Consumer Attitudes introduces learners to the importance of understanding consumer attitudes for creating effective marketing strategies. For a marketer, consumer attitudes reflect a consistent favorable or unfavorable feeling that a consumer has after evaluating a product/service offering, brand, price etc. By understanding the dynamics behind consumer attitudes marketers can design marketing strategies that positively influence consumers towards the product/service offering, brand, price etc. The course starts by introducing you to the nature and functions of attitudes in general and how researchers have described four structural models of attitudes. Attitudes cannot be directly measured so the course then describes the techniques and procedures of accurately measuring consumer attitudes using qualitative and quantitative methods. You will then learn how attitudes are formed and what factors influence attitudes enough to change them. You will learn about the two main theories that have been developed to explain how and why attitudes change, and you will learn how marketers can use this information to design marketing strategies that positively influence consumers' attitudes. This course will be of great interest to all marketing and business professionals working in marketing, and all learners who are interested in a career in the area of marketing.<br />

The free online course Applied Psychology - Matching Marketing Strategies to Consumer Personalities introduces learners to the psychological aspects of consumer personality and why consumers generally buy those products/brands whose 'brand personality' matches their own. Psychological research has shown that a consumer's decision about whether or not to buy a particular brand as well as the timing and place of purchase, the amount purchased, its usage and disposal, are all based on the consumer's personality. Because of this it is of great importance that marketers understand the psychological aspects of consumer personality so that they can devise appropriate marketing strategies to introduce the right product/brand to the right consumer. The course first introduces you to the nature of personality in general and you will learn about the differences between personality types and personality traits. You will also review aspects of self-concept and self-image and see how these help shape each consumer's personality. Finally, the course introduces theories of personality developed by psychologists and you'll learn how marketers can adapt these theories during the design, development and implementation of marketing strategies. This free online course will be of great interest to all marketing professionals who would like to learn more about consumer personality and why understanding this aspect of consumer behavior will help marketers design more effective and efficient marketing strategies. <br />

The free online course Diploma in Applied Psychology - Consumer Behavior introduces the psychological processes behind the behavior of consumers and how they make their decisions. This course begins by reviewing the nature and scope of consumer behavior, and how it evolved from other disciplines such as psychology and sociology into its own distinct field of study. You will learn about the application of consumer behavior and how studying it helps marketers formulate appropriate marketing strategies for consumers and their environment. The course then describes in detail both General Models and Specific Models of consumer behavior which attempt to explain how and why consumers behave as they do, and what factors may impact the buying decision process. The course then introduces you to the nature and functions of attitudes in general and how researchers have described four structural models of attitudes. You will also learn how attitudes are formed and what factors influence attitudes enough to change them. You will learn about the two main theories that have been developed to explain how and why attitudes change, and you will learn how marketers can use this information to design marketing strategies that positively influence consumers' attitudes. Finally, the course introduces you to the nature of personality in general and you will learn about the differences between personality types and personality traits. You will also review aspects of self-concept and self-image and see how these help shape each consumer's personality. The course introduces theories of personality developed by psychologists and you'll learn how marketers can adapt these theories during the design, development and implementation of marketing strategies. This free online Diploma course will be of great interest to marketers and business professionals working in the area of consumer marketing who would like to learn more about the psychology of consumer behavior.<br />

The free online Advanced Diploma in Workforce Re-entry Skills is a comprehensive e-learning course that will help you develop the key skills needed by people re-entering the modern workforce, and studying this course will give you the confidence to apply for work positions that are of interest to you. The course first introduces you to the skills needed as part of your job search and career planning. You will learn how to organize and plan an appropriate job search based on your skills and qualifications. You will also learn how to write up a suitable cover letter and résumé when applying for a job. Employers expect all employees to have certain basic skills, in particular, basic IT skills. In this course will you will learn how to improve your touch typing skills and you will learn how to use Microsoft Word 2010 to create documents. You will also be introduced to Microsoft Excel 2010 where you will learn how to create basic spreadsheets and manipulate numbers within them. Having a good knowledge and understanding of customer service is important in any business or organisation and this course brings you through the key skills in customer service so that you will be able to handle customer inquiries or complaints in a friendly, efficient and professional manner. The food service industry is a very important employer for people wanting to re-enter the workforce and this course will give you a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the health and safety issues related to food service which you can use when applying for positions within the food service industry. This free Advanced Diploma course will be of great interest to all learners who would like to gain the necessary skills to re-enter the modern workforce and gain meaningful and long-term employment. <br />