Frequently Asked Questions

 Here are some FAQ's about thelearningbusiness. If your question is not answered here click the link and send it straight to us and we will respond directly to you.

Can't find what you're looking for? Why not get in touch and ask us directly?

What is the difference between an Open & Select Community?

An Open Community is available for anyone on thelearningbusiness to join. It is best for exchanging information and sharing ideas on general topics in a wide community of interest.

A Select Community is by invitation only and is where much of the valuable work of thelearningbusiness takes place, in focussed communities of practice. There is normally the full range of features in a Select Community including realtime working and online awareness, file sharing plus other specialist features. Find out more in the Communities link.

Top

What are the features of thelearningbusiness?

There are 5 groups of features and we are working on new features all the time.

  • Personal Features which allow you to, manage personal messages, your profile, your goals and your learning.
  • Anytime Features allow communication whenever it suits you, sharing files and web sites, joining discussions and accessing information.
  • Realtime Features allow to work synchronously with others live and online together. They include online meetings and online awareness where you can instantly communicate with others in your e-communities.
  • Coaching Features allow coaches and community moderators to manage the content and interactions within a community. They can collect statistics and manage the quallity of learning.
  • Specialist Features are used to suit the purpose of some e-communities. For example a Customer Relationship Management system is used by some e-communities. Talk to us about what you need to get the best of thelearningbusiness.

Top

What equipment do I need?

A computer and internet access. To access the full range of features (particularly the Realtime Features) a Pentium 2 or above and 128k of RAM are useful together with Internet Explorer 5 or later. Our site is designed not to carry heavy graphics (except where mentioned) and so can be used by older machines and browsers. If you need help just contact us and we will talk you through your system and how to access thelearningbusiness successfully.

Top

Do I need a Broadband connection?

As with everything else our site works best with a broadband internet connection, but most of our users connect with a dial up modem and the site works well. We don't rely on heavy graphics and the pages normally download quickly. You can use the Realtime features with a modem but you will find them a little slow to load first time.

Top

Can I become a coach on thelearningbusiness

Yes. You can run your own programmes through thelearningbusiness or you can join the coaching community on thelearningbusiness. You must first complete the e-coaching programme. This is in three parts, the Foundation Programme, the Practice Programme and the Qualification Programme. If you are keen to get started we may be able to arrange for you to start coaching after completing the Foundation Programme. Find out more by joining the e-coaching community and contacting us with your needs.

Top

Can I set up my own e-communities on thelearningbusiness?

Yes. Our experience is that successful e-communities have skilful and committed moderators. To help you develop your skills, and to learn how to use all the features we provide for moderators, you will need to complete our Moderators Foundation course. From then on we can set up the e-communities you need. Find out more by following the Communities link, then join thelearningbusiness and tell us what you would like.

Top

How can I become a moderator on thelearningbusiness?

You need to enroll for a Moderators Foundation course to learn the skills you need and tools you will use to moderate a community. At the same time you will meet our team who can help and advice both you and the members of your community. You can also join a community for moderators to keep you up to date with tools and techniques that will add value to your community.

Top

What do I get for registering with thelearningbusiness?

You will be sent a username and password by email. You can log on from the home page of the site. You get access to your Personal Area and use the features there. You also get access to the Demonstration Community where you can try out some of the Anytime and Realtime features. You can also join an Open Community of your choice. Most of all you will get a better insight into thelearningbusiness and what the e-communities or the Programmes can do for you. We will then help decide your best next steps.

Top

I have never joined an online community before - what can I expect?

You can expect to meet people online and share ideas with them. A good place to start is the Discusssion Board where people post messages, discuss and share ideas. you can find out about others by looking at their personal profiles, so be sure to fill your own in so they can find out about you. In any social group you get out what you put in and online e-communities are no different. So pitch in and engage and you will be surprised at the help you get from everyone else. All our e-communities have a Moderator so they should help you get the best from the community.

Top

What happens if I forget my password?

We encript your password and so if you forget it we will send you another. You can change your password to one that is memorable for you in your personal area. If you are confident that others don't use your computer you can ask Windows to remember your password so it enters automatically when you login.

Top