CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

As the United States Supreme Court this month hears arguments involving the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, one industry leader believes that personal accountability may ultimately be the driver in the success or failure of any healthcare-related reform.

Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on the individual mandate, America will not really get its healthcare shop in order until people realize that everyone has a personal, financial and societal responsibility to do what they can to make the healthcare system work better, said Peter Saravis, CEO of Evive Health. That means acknowledging that this notion that everyone has an unlimited right to healthcare without also having some accountability for their own lifestyle and health habits is simply not sustainable.

Saravis believes that real change will occur when people not only accept personal responsibility but when they are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed healthcare decisions. Providing access to care is obviously important, but it is not enough unless people have the information and motivation to change behavior and take action, he says. More than any governmental legislation or political intervention, providing people with the information and tools they need to make intelligent decisions regarding health and lifestyle habits for themselves and their families is the greatest consumer protection of all.

Toward that end, an increasing number of employers and health plans routinely offer affordable health, fitness and wellness programs to help Americans get healthier, manage chronic disease and lower health costs. An industry frustration however is that not enough people participate in these programs, which Saravis attributes to a myriad of reasons including lack of time, feelings of being overwhelmed, low education or health literacy levels, cultural or logistical issues, poor health, or an inability to understand the value of preventive services.

To overcome these barriers Saravis says that employers and health plans need to not only provide information regarding health and access to programs, but must become smarter and more creative in how they engage their employees or members to truly participate. Fortunately, he says, there are now proven-effective methods to help motivate people to take action. And when they do, studies have shown a significant increase in employee health and an equally significant decrease in employers healthcare costs, says Saravis.

We as a society should be concerned with maintaining and improving ongoing health rather than just treating episodic illness, he continues. If you look at some of the most common causes of death in the United States lung cancer, coronary disease, AIDS, diabetes, respiratory disease, pneumonia you realize how many of these could be greatly affected, and in some cases controlled, not by more healthcare legislation but through a heightened awareness on the part of consumers and a thoughtful and intelligent change in lifestyle.

About Evive Health

Evive Health is the leading innovator in designing personalized communication tools that motivate individuals to engage in health and wellness enhancement activities that improve their health, lower healthcare costs, and lead to a happier and healthier lifestyle. For more information, visit http://www.evivehealth.com or call 312-374-9150.

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CEO of Evive Health Calls “Personal Accountability” the Key to the Success of Healthcare Reform

European regulators have expressed concern over a report that apps are being developed for Google Android with the purpose of mining personal data and passing it on to advertisers.

Around a quarter of all mobile users in the UK use devices running Android, and around 100m apps were downloaded in January alone.

People typically give apps permission to access other parts of their handset when they download them, but a Channel 4 News report yesterday claimed that many developers are 'handing on' these permissions to advertisers.

MWR Infosecurity, which was commissioned by Channel 4 to investigate the development of 'rogue' apps, found that many popular free services were engaged in the practice.

"We found that a lot of the free applications in the top 50 apps list are using advertising inside the applications and that the permission that you grant to these applications is also granted to the advertiser," said an MWR Infosecurity spokesperson.

"If users knew about this I think they would be concerned about it but at the moment I don't think they are aware of the situation and how widely their information can be used."

The code found by MWR Infosecurity gave advertising networks access to contacts, calendar and location. It allegedly came from a large US ad network called MobClix, although the firm has not yet responded to the report.

Channel 4 took the findings to Viviane Reding, the vice president of the European Commission, who is currently trying to push through EU-wide reforms to data protection policies.

"This really concerns me, and this is against the law because nobody has the right to get your personal data without you agreeing to this," said Reding of the report.

"Maybe you want somebody to get this data and agree and it's fine. You're an adult and you can do whatever you want. But normally you have no idea what others are doing with your data."

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Android apps 'handing personal data to advertisers'

PwC kicks off first-ever Personal Brand Week in Canada

TORONTO, March 5, 2012 /CNW/ - The millennial generation (born between 1980-2000) are entering employment in great numbers and will form 50% of the global workforce by 2020 according to a recent PwC report, Millennials at work - Reshaping the workplace. To help university and college students stand out from a sea of graduates looking to land their first job, PwC Canada launched its inaugural Personal Brand Week today with the hopes of helping students build their personal brand for professional success.

A personal brand is the 'X' factor that differentiates a person from other job candidates. It begins with being self aware of one's achievements, knowledge, skills and outlook on goals. Presentation is key and with the current techno-savvy generation, it's about the interactions and presence job candidates have in person as well as online.

"It's important for students to accurately portray themselves online as they would in-person," says Mr. Davidson, Talent Acquisition Manager, Campus, at PwC Canada. "Having a profile you wouldn't be ashamed to show your parents on all of the major social networksLinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google Profilesis the first step in managing your online reputation."

Indeed, one of the defining characteristics of the millennial age group is their affinity with the digital world. The millennial report indicated that 41% of millennials prefer to communicate electronically at work than face-to-face.

Likewise, candidates can view companies' social media tools to learn more about an organization. "A company website, blog, Facebook or LinkedIn page can help applicants discover more about its corporate values, work environment, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices," says Mr. Davidson.

Millennials are a diverse group made up of individuals from different ethnic, educational and socio-economic backgrounds. Organizations must recognize and accommodate this diversity within the work environment.

According to the millennial report in 2008, 88% of respondents questioned said they were looking for an employer with CSR values that reflected their own. The brands that appeal to young people as consumers include those that stress their environment and social record, are the same brands that appeal to them as employers.

Networking like it's your job

While some millennials (72%) have made compromises to get into work during the economic downturn, networking has become an essential tool to connect students to the right professional contacts in this uncertain climate.

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Personal branding - The golden ticket for grads aiming to land their first job

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Real Software, creator of object-oriented, cross-platform software development tools for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and the web, today announced its Apps for Income campaign to provide 20,000 free Real Studio Personal licenses to unemployed workers worldwide. App development has created 466,000 jobs in the United States since 2007,according to a recent report released by technology trade group TechNet. Real Softwares flagship product, Real Studio, allows people with little or no software development expertise to easily create a wide range of applications that have proven to be primary or supplemental income sources for thousands of Real Software users.

Under the terms of the Apps for Income program, people need only provide Real Software proof of unemployment and some basic background information to receive a complimentary license for Real Studio Personal Edition. These users will receive full access to Real Softwares online customer service tools, which include email with support specialists, training videos and user forums.

With the global economy remaining sluggish, we feel that offering Real Studio for free is a great way to give people struggling to find work the chance to create their own opportunities, said Geoff Perlman, Real Software founder and CEO. After hearing so many wonderful success stories over the years of our users who developed apps that became their careers, we are striving to encourage innovation from people who have great ideas but dont know how to make them a reality.

Apps for Income Program Details:

About Real Studio

Real Studio is a full-featured cross-platform software development tool suited to creating a wide range of applications. Real Studio Personal Edition for Windows, Linux or Mac OS X is geared for hobbyists and students. Real Studio Professional Edition is required for cross-platform (Mac OS X, Windows and Linux) compilation. Real Studio Web Edition is the fastest and easiest way to create and deploy web applications.

About Real Software

Real Software provides Real Studio, a cross-platform web, desktop, and console development tool. Real Software was founded in 1996 and is based in Austin, Texas. For more information visit http://www.realsoftware.com or call 866.825.2114.

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Real Software Provides 20,000 Free Development Licenses to the Unemployed Worldwide

On May 1st, 2012, School Improvement Network will release the very first LiveBook, a new, interactive online professional development that will revolutionize the way books are published.

Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) March 05, 2012

We developed LiveBook in conjunction with Heidi Hayes Jacobs, a renowned expert in education, and a longtime partner of ours in online professional development, explains Curtis Linton, vice president of School Improvement Network. Education is a dynamic field, full people who are always learning and striving to improve. As a result, ideas in the realm of education are in a constant state of growth. Knowledge, in that way, is a living thing, and we wanted to develop an online professional development learning platform that grows and lives right along with the knowledge it conveys.

LiveBooks are similar to online professional development ebooks in that they are published online and available digitally to readers. However, rather than a single, concluded piece of work, LiveBooks can be updated by their authors at any time, with revisions and additional chapters instantly added to the existing book. LiveBook readers can interact with each other and the author, sharing ideas, notes, and even influencing the development of the book.

Knowledge almost never emerges from a vacuum, Linton says. It is the product of interaction and shared ideas. One of the weaknesses of printed books is that, though they have always been the vessels of knowledge, they are somewhat limited in their ability to reflect what real knowledge looks like and to facilitate its spontaneous growth. LiveBook, as an online professional development tool, is the first innovation that I know of that finally bridges this gap.

School Improvement Network is developing a library of LiveBooks, which will be published in coming months and years. The first of these, Mapping to the Core by Heidi Hayes Jacobs, will be released along with the online professional development LiveBook platform on May 1, 2012. To reserve your copy, or to learn more about LiveBook and School Improvement Network, visit http://www. http://www.schoolimprovement.com/products/livebook. To sign up for a free 30-day trial of SINETs premier professional development platform, PD 360, visit http://www.schoolimprovement.com.

About School Improvement Network

Founded in 1991 by teachers, the School Improvement Network provides comprehensive, research-based professional development anytime, anywhere. As the home of The Video Journal of Education, PD 360, Observation 360, the Learning 360 Framework, Equity 360, and Common Core 360, School Improvement Network resources focus on the most relevant topics, feature the top experts, and show educators how to put theory into practice. School Improvement Network works with thousands of schools and districts in every state and around the world and has visited over 3,500 classrooms to document best practices in action. Learn more at http://www.schoolimprovement.com.

About PD 360 Practical, Scalable, Measurable

PD 360 is the multi-award winning, leading online, on-demand professional learning resource for schools and districts. With 1,800 videos on 117 topics from 120 experts, PD 360 has the largest online community of educators, with over 822,000 subscribers. The innovative PD 360 videos are unique and class-leading because of the quality of production, and each is research-based with classroom examples of best practices. The videos are also relatively short in nature (approximately 6-12 minutes in length) allowing educators access to snack-able content that is easy and accessible to view and implement.

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Speak Directly to Education Experts with a New Online Professional Development Tool

A Kansas State University online degree program is being rated as one of the best in the nation for students to master education technology.

The program exposes its students, who range from certified K-12 teachers to administrators with doctorates, to the technology available for enhancing education and course structure. Its focus is to equip them with the skills to effectively integrate that technology into their own curricula.

Rosemary Talab, professor of curriculum and instruction, developed the digital teaching and learning program five years ago. Talab said the top-10 listing is a wonderful distinction.

Students in the program receive direction on how to properly utilize diverse technologies in their curriculum, such as social media or programs that allow them to take their own students on virtual field trips. By including these technologies, graduates of the program can increase diversity and interactivity among their students.

"We're building a neural network for the world," Talab said. "Technology can be a wonderful way to connect people."

Talab puts a strong emphasis on academic advising with the program. She says every student deserves to have a clear picture of his or her prospects after graduating, and the quality of a student's academic experience depends on his or her knowledge of the vocational opportunities available.

The introductory meeting on Skype that Talab holds with prospective students gives her the opportunity to align her students' goals with the program's capabilities. It also allows her to assess their goals based on their drive for achievement and job availability.

Talab said she is bothered by the popular notion that online learning is a purely individual effort. She hopes her focus on connecting with her students has contributed to the program's inclusion on GetEducated.com's list.

"I've got people that I've only met face-to-face after they graduate, and I would tell you that I know them as well or better than most people know their students," Talab said. "People ask me, 'How can you have a good experience with online learning?' I say, 'How can you not, if you do it correctly?"

View the digital teaching and learning program's listing on the GetEducated.com top 10 list at http://bit.ly/qOxs1T . For more information on Kansas State University distance education programs, go to http://www.dce.k-state.edu/distance .

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K-State Online Education Program Rates Among Top 10 in Nation

Medication Safety is first in a series of free online learning opportunities.

Denver, CO (PRWEB) March 05, 2012

Swisslog partnered with Pfiedler Enterprises to sponsor a series of patient safety-focused educational programs beginning with the launch of Medication Safety: An Online Continuing Education Activity. The online program is free to nurses and accessible via Swisslogs MedRover Facebook page.

We are committed to supporting patient safety by providing tools to healthcare professionals who are entrusted with the care of patients, said Swisslog Product Manager Vicki Faas, MSN, RN. Our goal with this new continuing education program is to provide nurses an opportunity to expand their professional knowledge and expertise.

Swisslog Healthcare Solutions is the leading supplier of logistics automation solutions for healthcare facilities. Swisslog has installed automated materials transport and medication management systems in more than 3,000 hospitals around the world, including more than 2,000 in North America. Swisslog offers total systems design, manufacturing, installation and customer support providing a complete supply chain management approach to the logistics challenges of hospitals. The North American division of Swisslog Healthcare Solutions is based in Denver, CO.

About Pfiedler Enterprises

Pfiedler Enterprises develops and implements continuing medical, nursing and adult education across the world. It is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and is an approved provider by the California Board of Nursing and International Association for Continuing Education & Training (IACET).

About Swisslog

Swisslog is a global provider of integrated logistics solutions for warehouses, distribution centers and hospitals. Its comprehensive services portfolio ranges from building complex warehouses and distribution centers to implementing Swisslog's own software to intra-company logistics solutions for hospitals.

Swisslogs solutions optimize customers production, logistics and distribution processes in order to increase flexibility, responsiveness and quality of service while minimizing logistics costs. With years of experience in the development and implementation of integrated logistics solutions, Swisslog provides the expertise that customers in more than 50 countries rely on.

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Swisslog Launches Online Continuing Education Program for Nurses as Part of Patient Safety Awareness Week

BEIJING, March 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- China Distance Education Holdings Limited (NYSE: DL - News) ("CDEL", or the "Company"), a leading provider of online education in China focusing on professional education, today announced that it has filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The annual report can be accessed on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.cdeledu.com/ under the section titled "Financials - Annual Reports."

CDEL will provide a hard copy of its complete audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, free of charge, to its shareholders and ADS holders upon request. Requests should be directed to our IR representatives stated below, or in writing to China Distance Education Holdings Limited, 18th Floor, Xueyuan International Tower, 1 Zhichun Road, Haidian District, Beijing China, 100083.

About China Distance Education Holdings Limited

China Distance Education Holdings Limited is a leading provider of online education in China focusing on professional education. The courses offered by the Company through its websites are designed to help professionals and other course participants obtain and maintain the skills, licenses and certifications necessary to pursue careers in China in the areas of accounting, law, healthcare, construction engineering, and other industries. The Company also offers online test preparation courses to self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees and to secondary school and college students preparing for various academic and entrance exams. In addition, the Company offers online foreign language courses and offline business start-up training courses. For further information, please visit http://ir.cdeledu.com/.

Contacts:

China Distance Education Holdings Limited

Lingling Kong, IR manager

Tel: +86-10-8231-9999 ext1805

Email: IR@cdeledu.com

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China Distance Education Holdings Limited Files Annual Report on Form 20-F

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

PLATO Learning, a leading provider of online education solutions for kindergarten through adult learners, announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Archipelago Learning (NASDAQ: ARCL - News), an award-winning software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider of supplemental education products. The acquisition enhances the comprehensive portfolio of education solutions that PLATO Learning provides to administrators, educators and learners. PLATO Learning is backed by leading middle market private equity firm Thoma Bravo, LLC.

Founded in 2000, Archipelago Learning products provide standard-based instruction, practice, assessment and productivity tools that improve the performance of educators and students in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Archipelago Learning is a true innovator in online, supplemental instruction. said Vin Riera, PLATO Learning chief executive officer. This acquisition allows us to cover the entire spectrum of learning needs from pre-k through post secondary; as well as reach a broader group of students and educators with a product portfolio that sets a rigorous standard in online education.

Tim McEwen, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Archipelago Learning said, This transaction is an excellent outcome for each of our constituents: the millions of students who use our products on a daily basis; the thousands of teachers who leverage our products to improve student performance and learning outcomes; and our shareholders, for whom this represents an attractive premium. PLATO Learning is an excellent partner for Archipelago Learning, with a strong presence in online core curriculum that is highly complementary to our online supplemental curriculum. With our combined financial strength and additional support from Thoma Bravo, we have the means to support our continued innovation and expansion to more comprehensively meet the needs of our customers.

Thoma Bravo has a long history of investing in and cultivating industry-leading software companies, and we are excited to bring together Archipelago Learning and PLATO Learning, two leaders in education technology, said Holden Spaht, a partner at Thoma Bravo. The acquisition of Archipelago will allow PLATO to offer a complete set of products and services to its customer base.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2012.

About PLATO Learning, Inc.

PLATO Learning is a leading provider of high-value, comprehensive education technology solutions with a focus on learner achievement leading to academic and career success. With more than 50 years of experience driving significant advances in the industry, PLATO offers a wide variety of innovative solutions spanning a multitude of program areas to facilitate 21st century teaching and learning. For more information on PLATO Learning, visit http://www.plato.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.

About Archipelago Learning, Inc.

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PLATO Learning Enters Into Agreement to Acquire Award-Winning Education Technology Company Archipelago Learning

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOHFJRSDNFQ

26-01-2012 07:34 Hypnotherapy, Life Coaching, CBT, NLP, TFT, Careers Advice in South Woodford http://www.louiselevy.co.uk Serving East London and West Essex: South Woodford, Woodford Green, Wanstead, Leytonstone, Leyton, Walthamstow, Chingford, Ilford, Clayhall, Barkingside, Loughton, Chigwell, Buckhurst Hill, Epping, Harlow, Romford, and all surrounding areas or North,South and West London

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Louise Levy Hypnotherapy, Life Coaching And Careers Advice In South Woodford - Video