ClevrU partners with Schulich School of Business Professors to target online education market
Posted: October 2, 2012 at 2:15 pm
MaRS Innovation and York University's commercialization office support new partnership
TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - In the age of ITunes, videotaping lectures or converting existing textbooks into e-books won't make you the market leader in online education.
Thanks to a new partnership between ClevrU, and NewMindsets Inc., facilitated by MaRS Innovation and York University's commercialization office, Canadian technology and content promises to establish the second-generation online learning standard for millions of students worldwide.
ClevrU, a Waterloo-based tech company, has created a mobile-friendly, e-teaching content delivery platform with advanced tools to create interactive learning environments. ClevrU's intelligent engine helps students and instructors collaborate while adapting course content to suit the individual's personal preferences within a multilingual environment.
The problem? They needed an equally advanced teaching model.
Enter Professors Jean Adams and Gareth Morgan from the Schulich School of Business at York University, the founders of NewMindsets Inc.
Their proven e-teaching model, based on 12 years of research and implementation, breaks up learning sessions into smaller, integrated modules or "learning nuggets" that empower students to discover and understand knowledge.
MaRS Innovation (MI)which commercializes the most promising research breakthroughs from 16 of Toronto's top universities, medical institutions and research institutes, including York Universitymet with Morgan and Adams, in conjunction with York's commercialization office, to assess how to scale their teaching model.
MI staff introduced the professors to ClevrU. Together with York's commercialization staff, they will collaborate with both parties to support the fledgling partnership.
"Students expect interactivity in online learning models," says Dana Fox, president and CEO of ClevrU Corporation. "They want to ask questions, interact with peers and dig deeper into course topics that interest them. We're excited to collaborate with Jean and Gareth, along with MaRS Innovation and York's commercialization office, to jointly create a solution that will give educational institutions a powerful, personalized solution to capture the online learning sector."
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ClevrU partners with Schulich School of Business Professors to target online education market
American Society of Appraisers to Debut New Cost of Capital
Posted: at 2:15 pm
RESTON, Va., Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The American Society of Appraisers (ASA) announces a new Cost of Capital advanced online education course for valuation professionals to debut November 1-2, 2012.
Presented by Roger J. Grabowski, ASA, co-author with Shannon Pratt of Cost of Capital: Applications and Examples 4th ed., business valuation veteran with more than 30 years of experience and frequent speaker on cost of capital issues, the course is designed for practitioners who may be unaware of the criticisms of and recent developments in the most commonly used methods for estimating Cost of Capital.
Join Grabowski as he examines the latest issues on data sources, the risk-free rate, the equity risk premium, Beta and other measures of risk, alternative cost of equity capital models, issues with distressed companies, pass-through entities and much more. This course is an update of the Center for Advanced Valuation Studies' Cost of Capital Seminar which Mr. Grabowski developed and has taught.
"We are very excited to move into the online delivery of education for the appraisal industry," said ASA's Sabri Math, Manager of Online Education. "This course and others coming soon will enable busy professionals to learn at their convenience and eliminate expenses and time lost due to travel."
The course will take place online over two days starting November 1 from 11:00am 7:00pm EDT and November 2 from 11:00am to 3:00pm EDT and costs $295 for ASA members with a regular price of $345.
12 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credits will be awarded. Recommended text: Cost of Capital: Applications and Examples 4th ed. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010).
To register or more information visit ASA online at http://www.appraisers.org or call (800) 272-8258.
American Society of Appraisers The American Society of Appraisers (ASA) is an international organization of appraisal professionals and others dedicated to the education, development and growth of the appraisal profession. ASA is the oldest and only major organization representing ALL disciplines of appraisal specialists, originating in 1936 and incorporating in 1952. ASA's headquarters is in the metropolitan Washington, DC area. To learn about membership in ASA or find an accredited appraiser near you, visit http://www.appraisers.org or call (800) 272-8258.
Press Contact: Todd Paradis tparadis@appraisers.org (703) 733-2124
This press release was issued through eReleases Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.
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American Society of Appraisers to Debut New Cost of Capital
Wiley to Acquire Deltak.edu, LLC, Leading Provider of Online Degree Program Services
Posted: at 2:15 pm
HOBOKEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa, JWb), a global provider of content and workflow solutions in areas of scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly research; professional development; and education announced today that it has agreed to acquire Deltak.edu, LLC, a privately held Chicago-based leader in higher education and online learning services, for $220 million. The acquisition, which is expected to close by the end of October, will significantly accelerate Wileys digital learning strategy and diversify the companys service offerings to include operational and academic solutions for higher education institutions. For the fiscal year ended September 2012, Deltaks revenue was $54 million. Deltak will contribute solid growth to both Wileys Global Education business and Wiley overall.
Deltak is a high-growth company that works in close partnership with leading colleges and universities to develop and support fully online degree and certificate programs. The business, founded in 1997, provides technology platforms and services including market research validating program demand, instructional design, marketing, and student recruitment and retention services to leading national and regional colleges and universities throughout the United States to achieve strategic outcomes with online and hybrid program offerings. Today, Deltak supports more than 100 online programs.
A growing number of colleges and universities are looking to enter, expand, and succeed in the online education market. These same institutions often lack the required experience, expertise, and dedicated resources to move rapidly and successfully. Institutions choose to partner with Deltak for their proven model, extensive capabilities, deep experience in higher education, and cultural alignment. The partnership with Deltak allows institutions to achieve strategic objectives by launching online programs, increasing enrollments, and extending their brand with minimal risk and investment.
The acquisition of Deltak will extend Wileys Global Education trajectory into a high-growth segment of the market and bring additional expertise to the organization in such areas as curriculum design, student recruitment services, and next generation technology solutions, said Joseph Heider, Wileys Senior Vice President, Global Education. We will leverage Wiley's publishing assets, student and instructor workflow applications, institutional relationships, and market expertise to add a competitive advantage to Deltak's current offerings and develop new products and services for the higher education market. Well also expand our online learning services to universities worldwide and create opportunities for Deltaks partners to increase their reach to the global markets we serve.
Stephen M. Smith, Wileys President and Chief Executive Officer, added, The exciting combination of Wiley and Deltak provides an opportunity for us to serve the growing needs of a wide range of customers in Higher Education around the world. Looking ahead, it will provide us with a platform for transformative new institutional products and services that will benefit customers across Wiley, including professionals, scholarly society customers, and higher education institutions.
We are very excited to join the John Wiley & Sons, Inc., family, said Craig Pines, Deltaks President and Chief Executive Officer. Wileys scale, digital assets, and international reach will substantially enhance the value we can deliver to our university partners and allow us to accelerate our growth strategies and reach new markets. Of equal importance, our cultures are closely aligned as people-focused organizations with a strong desire to develop our colleagues into leaders.
Deltak is located in Chicago, Orlando, and Denver. The Companys 300+ colleagues will become part of Wiley after the closing. Lazard Middle Market served as financial advisor to Deltak.
Wiley Global Educations mission is to help teachers teach and students learn. The company provides personalized content, tools, and services that deliver demonstrable results to students and faculty at two- and four-year colleges and universities, for-profit career colleges, and advanced-placement classes globally, as well as secondary schools in Australia. In addition to its print and digital textbooks programs, the company offers a variety of cost-effective, flexible print and digital solutions, including customizable solutions and WileyPLUS, a research-based, online environment for effective teaching and learning.
About Deltak
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Wiley to Acquire Deltak.edu, LLC, Leading Provider of Online Degree Program Services
1 in 3 Apple Employees Use macProVideo.com to Learn
Posted: at 2:15 pm
VANCOUVER, Canada, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Online Education pioneer macProVideo.com today announces that 25,000 Apple Employees are now members of macProVideo.com. With 70,000 workers worldwide, 1 in 3 Apple employees use macProVideo.com's Online Software Courses to learn new computer skills. A realtime Apple Employee signup counter can be found here:
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121001/CG84305)
http://www.macprovideo.com/apple-loves-us
macProVideo.com's Founder, Martin Sitter, was one of Apple's original courseware authors. After writing several best-selling Apple Pro Training Series Books for Logic Pro, DVD Studio Pro, and Soundtrack Pro, Martin took his trademarked "Nonlinear Educating System" and created macProVideo.com.
According to Sitter, "since the beginning, we've worked closely with Apple to create exceptional software courses. We decided to show our gratitude for their support by offering free MPV Library Passes to all Apple employees, worldwide. To our surprise the offer went viral inside Apple, demonstrating how essential our education is to the staff of the world's most valuable company."
Apple Employees can sign up to receive a macProVideo.com Library Pass on a special webpage located inside their employee Source system. Their accounts are verified and activated only if the Apple employee uses their official "@apple.com" email address during the sign-up process. At $199 per year for an unlimited pass to macProVideo.com's Online Course Library, this represents $5,000,000 USD in training that has been provided to Apple employees.
"Apple employees have viewed nearly 2 million videos from our Online Course Library, making Apple the largest user of our service on the planet," continues Martin, "Apple loves us - you will too."
macProVideo.com is an online education community featuring Tutorial-Videos and Online Courses for popular Audio, Video, and Graphics software including Adobe CS6, iLife, iWork, Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, and more. With over 22,000 tutorials and 1,200 hours of video available, macProVideo.com is the largest Mac-centric training website in the world. Unrestricted Library Passes start at $25 USD / month, or $199 USD / year.
Martin Sitter is available for interviews and comments about working with Apple, developing for the iOS App Store, and Online Education.
For more information, Visit http://www.macProVideo.com Press Relations: kim@macProVideo.com
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1 in 3 Apple Employees Use macProVideo.com to Learn
2012 International Coach Federation Conference Hits the UK
Posted: October 1, 2012 at 10:27 pm
LEXINGTON, Ky., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Nearly 1,000 coaches will gather for the coaching industry's premier, sold-out Annual International Conference. The industry's largest gathering of coaching professionalsexecutive, leadership, life, career coaches and morewill take place in London, UK, October 3-6.
Professional coaches from more than 55 countries will gather for several days of accredited education, networking, collaboration, and celebration during the International Coach Federation's 17th Annual International Conference. Speakers from more than a dozen countries are scheduled including three diverse Mega Catalysts (keynotes): an inspirational businesswoman who's known as Britain's "most colorful charity leader" Camila Batmanghelidjh; renowned vulnerability researcher and accomplished author Brene Brown; and poet and organizational development expert David Whyte. This year's Provocateur, who will play host and challenge attendees, promises some humor as he is the co-founder of Europe's top improv group the Comedy Store Players-- Neil Mullarkey.
This year's high attendance at the Conference is indicative of the growth of the professional coaching industry despite an economy in flux. According to the 2012 ICF Global Coaching Study, conducted by PwC, there are an estimated 47,500 professional coaches across the world bringing in an annual income close to $2 billion. Many organizations and corporations, such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Verizon Communications, are seeing coaching as an effective action plan to combat the complex and uncertain job market.
WHAT: 17th ICF Annual International Conference
WHEN: October 3 6, 2012
WHERE: The Novotel London West, London, UK
Interviews with ICF officials and coaches can be arranged throughout the week. To set up an interview, please contact Lindsay Bodkin at +1.901.619.1496, or icfpr@coachfederation.org. Check out the official Facebook page, Facebook.com/ICFHQ and Twitter handle @ICFHQ. Plus see what others are saying about the event on Twitter using #ICFGlobal.
MORE INFORMATION: To find out more about conference events and speakers, please visit the Conference website at Coachfederation.org/london2012
ABOUT COACHING: The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires people to maximize their personal and professional potential. According to the 2012 ICF Global Coaching Study, conducted by PwC, the approximate annual worldwide revenue produced by coaching is $2 billion (USD). Results from the 2012 ICF Global Coaching Study are available upon request. Please contact the ICF for more information.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL COACH FEDERATION: The International Coach Federation is the leading global organization for coaches, with more than 18,000 members in more than 100 countries, dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high standards, providing independent certification, and building a worldwide network of Credentialed coaches. For more information on how to become or find an ICF Credentialed coach, please visit http://www.coachfederation.org.
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2012 International Coach Federation Conference Hits the UK
June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health videos tonight Arabian princess costume abs 007 – Video
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June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health videos tonight Arabian princess costume abs 007 - Video
UCare to Offer Healthways SilverSneakers® Fitness Program in Minnesota and Wisconsin Through 2015
Posted: at 10:26 pm
MINNEAPOLIS & NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
As part of its mission to improve the health of its members through innovative programs and services, UCare today announced a three-year partnership with well-being improvement leader Healthways (HWAY) to offer the award-winning SilverSneakers Fitness Program to 125,000 eligible members in Minnesota and 26 counties in western Wisconsin.
SilverSneakers, the nations leading exercise program designed to keep older adults active and healthy, will be available effective Jan. 1, 2013, to members of UCare plans, including UCare for Seniors Medicare plan, UCares Minnesota Senior Health Options (UCares MSHO), and UCare Connect, UCares Special Needs BasicCare plan for adults with developmental and physical disabilities, and mental illness. Current members of the UCan! UCare Activity Network fitness program also will be eligible to change their fitness option choice to participate in SilverSneakers.
We are pleased to offer approximately 125,000 UCare members the opportunity to improve their health and fitness by participating in the SilverSneakers program, said Ghita Worcester, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Marketing, UCare. We work hard to encourage our members to live healthy lifestyles and take advantage of the many health and wellness options they receive through their membership in UCare plans. SilverSneakers expertise, convenient locations, and positive approach to fitness are welcome additions to our preventive health care activities.
Using proven methodologies based upon more than 16 years of science and outcomes, the SilverSneakers Fitness Program increases physical activity in older adults, resulting in higher well-being and lower health care costs. Physical activity can reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases, relieve symptoms of depression, maintain independent living, and enhance overall quality of life.
Evidence also shows that regular physical activity provides important health benefits for people with disabilities, including improved cardiovascular and muscle fitness, improved mental health, and better ability to do tasks of daily life.1 SilverSneakers engages participants in active behavior change through access to a variety of physical activity venues and programming that incorporates physical fitness and social experiences.
UCare is committed to helping people of all ages and abilities overcome barriers to care. By offering the SilverSneakers Fitness Program to their members, UCare is confirming this commitment by providing members with access to a user-friendly, proven solution that provides a unique combination of exercise and social support designed to enhance participant health and well-being, said Ben R. Leedle, Jr., Healthways president and chief executive officer.
The SilverSneakers Fitness Program was founded in 1993 and serves more than 9 million eligible members. The Healthways fitness center network offers convenient access to more than 15,000 participating fitness and wellness facilities nationwide.
About UCare
UCare (www.ucare.org) is an independent, nonprofit health plan providing health care and administrative services to nearly 300,000 members. UCare serves more people from diverse cultures and more people with disabilities enrolled in Medical Assistance than any other health plan in Minnesota. UCare partners with health care providers, counties, community organizations, and other member-directed groups to create and deliver innovative health coverage plans for:
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UCare to Offer Healthways SilverSneakers® Fitness Program in Minnesota and Wisconsin Through 2015
Humana’s 2013 Medicare Offerings Feature Savings, Choice and Preventive Health Benefits
Posted: at 10:26 pm
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
As one of the nationss most experienced Medicare companies, Humana Inc. (HUM) is preparing to address the growing health care needs of the expanding Medicare population.
Humana companies are once again offering a wide variety of cost-effective health plans during the upcoming Medicare Annual Election Period (AEP). Humana will be providing Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) to people eligible for Medicare in 2013.
The AEP, when Medicare beneficiaries will select their Medicare coverage for 2013, runs from Oct. 15 Dec. 7, 2012, with coverage taking effect on Jan. 1, 2013. As in recent years, Medicare beneficiaries wont be able to switch plans after the AEP ends (unless they qualify for a special enrollment period), per Medicare program rules.
Medicare Advantage Plans
Humanas Medicare Advantage plans help people get the most out of their health care dollars and include coverage for services like doctors visits, preventive checkups, and hospital stays and many also include coverage for prescription drugs. Most plans also provide benefits such as:
To date in 2012, approximately 1.9 million Medicare beneficiaries have selected Humana individual Medicare Advantage plans for their medical insurance coverage, said Tom Liston, President of Humanas Retail Segment. Humana Medicare Advantage members can rest assured knowing that their coverage continues to be accessible, affordable and meets their individual healthy living and well-being needs. We remain focused and committed to providing value-based health care for our members through an easy-to-navigate, customer-focused experience.
With prescription coverage, health-and-wellness offerings and chronic-condition-management programs available, Humana MA plans offer enrollees many choices including local and regional PPO plans, HMO and Private Fee-For-Service plans.
Humana MA plans also have annual out-of-pocket maximums in 2013, protecting beneficiaries against catastrophic costs. Humana is committed to informing its members and eligible Medicare beneficiaries of the various benefit and savings options that are available to them for 2013.
Prescription Drug Plans
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Humana’s 2013 Medicare Offerings Feature Savings, Choice and Preventive Health Benefits
Baboon personalities connected to social success and health benefits
Posted: at 10:26 pm
ScienceDaily (Oct. 1, 2012) Whether human or baboon, it helps to have friends. For both species, studies have shown that robust social networks lead to better health and longer lives. Now, a team of University of Pennsylvania researchers has helped show that baboon personality plays a role in these outcomes, and, like people, some baboons' personalities are better suited to making and keeping friends than others.
The research was conducted by psychology professor Robert Seyfarth and biology professor Dorothy Cheney, both of Penn's School of Arts and Sciences. They collaborated with the Arizona State University's Joan Silk.
Their work was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Seyfarth and Cheney, along with their colleagues and students, have spent the last 17 years observing a group of baboons living in the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana, studying the biological roots of their social dynamics. As with many other primates, baboon societies are strongly hierarchical. Females "inherit" their dominance ranks from their mothers and enjoy priority of access to food and mates. But high-ranking females do not always have greater reproductive success than low-ranking females. This suggests that, when it comes to evolutionary success, the inherited advantage of high rank can't explain everything.
"If you look at a baboon society," Seyfarth said, "and see the ranked, matrilineal families, you would think that whatever traits put an individual at the top of the hierarchy, that's what natural selection is going to favor. But that turns out not to be the case.
"In fact, dominance rank is not as good a predictor of reproductive outcomes as a close network of social relationships and stable relationships over time. So our question became 'What predicts having a strong network?'"
Baboon females actively work to maintain close social bonds, but, like humans, some baboons seemed to be better at it than others. With such traits closely tied to fitness and reproductive success, the Penn researchers wanted to get at the root of this variation.
During seven years of observations in the animals' natural habitat, the researchers measured individual female baboons on their sociability. They measured the number of grooming partners a baboon had, as well her tendency to be friendly or aggressive toward others. They also measured reproductive and fitness benefits they accrued: how long individuals and their offspring lived, as well as their stress levels, as determined by the presence of certain hormones in their droppings.
The researchers found that strength of an individual's social bonds was not fully predicted by seemingly obvious factors, such as the female's rank or the size of the family she was born into.
"Even when a female has a lot of relatives," Cheney said, "sometimes she's a loner, but some females who have no relatives do just fine. It suggests that you have to be both lucky and skilled to have these networks."
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Baboon personalities connected to social success and health benefits
[READ] Health and Fitness September edition online
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Read an interview with ballerina, Ella Camilleri about the discipline of dance that has helped her to succeed both on and off the stage
Rachel Zammit Cutajar
Mariella Dimech talks about the trouble of burying negative emotions. Though dealing with negative situations may disrupt the balance of a relationship in the long term, she says avoiding them will render the relationship unsustainable.
Lacking motivation to get in the gym? Don Pisani talks about new research that has proved the urban myth that women can actually achieve an orgasm while working out - whether doing abdominal training, climbing ropes or cycling - the "coregasm" is now being accepted in the scientific community.
Whether working out or eating right, taking your body type into consideration is an important part of achieving your weightloss goals. Daniel Petre tackles the two most common body types, big bums and big tummies.
After bikini season, when time for recovery may be more realistic, many will go down the surgical route to get the body they are looking for. Ray De Bono cautions people on the reasons they are going down that route and advises them how to go about it in a safe manner.
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[READ] Health and Fitness September edition online