------------------------------------------------------------------
LearningWIRE - Issue 10
1 June 1998
A FREE electronic newsletter for net enabled people engaged in training, learning, coaching and staff development.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk
------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (C) 1998 Sift plc. All rights reserved.
May be reproduced in any medium for non-commercial purposes as
long as attribution is given.
In this issue
-------------
- From the Editor
- A user's guide to TrainingZONE
- About Sift
- How to Subscribe
---------------
This is the 10th anniversary issue of LearningWIRE, and offers a special, landmark edition. At the start of the year, we published LearningWIRE as a free electronic newsletter for professionals interested and engaged in staff and organisational development. This month sees the start of the second phase with the launch of TrainingZONE on the internet as a fully-interactive, constantly updated, customisable source of news and resources.
This issue provides you with all the details about how to get the most from TrainingZONE. Why not print off a copy for future reference?
Your feedback and suggestions for the next phase of development are always welcome.
Tim Pickles,
Editor, LearningWIRE and TrainingZONE
mailto:tpickles@sift.co.uk
===================================================================
What is TrainingZONE?
---------------------
TrainingZONE is a website available throughout the world on the
internet. It costs nothing to use (other than the cost of your
local rate phone call in the UK). You can customise the site to
provide you with information related to your own interests. You
can use the site to find news, resources and materials on all
matters related to your professional work - and many other topics
as well.
How do I find TrainingZONE?
---------------------------
Start up the web browser on your computer, connect to the internet
and type
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk
What does the front page show?
------------------------------
The front page is in three columns. The left column provides a
series of buttons to take you directly to other areas of the site
such as News, Discussion, Links, and Databases.
The centre column begins with a top photographic news story, and is followed beneath by sections devoted to Top Training News, the Internet Monitor, a Registration area, and a special Search Engine.
The right column contains today's editorial followed by information about LearningWIRE.
You should start by going to the Registration area towards the bottom of the centre column.
What does Registration mean?
----------------------------
By registering, you obtain access to every part of TrainingZONE.
You don't have to register but it costs nothing and it gives you
more services. Just type in your real name and your email address
in the boxes provided. You will then be taken to a Login page
where you should choose a UserID and a password for yourself; it
helps if you can remember them! These allow you to make your very
own personal edition of TrainingZONE (see below!).
TrainingZONE will send your computer a cookie (a little electronic signal) so that every time you come to the site in future using the same computer, it will know who you are, print your name on the screen, and present your with personalised information. This way, you won't need to enter your UserID and password again.
Top Training News and Internet Monitor
--------------------------------------
These two sections offer regularly updated headlines. Click on
any headline which interests you. If the headline is in the Top
Training News section, a fresh page will give you a briefing on
that item. If the headline is in the Internet Monitor section,
you will be taken directly to another web site displaying the
relevant information.
Customising TrainingZONE to reflect your interests
--------------------------------------------------
Sift's goal is to "scour the net so you don't have to".
There are two powerful ways in which you can customise TrainingZONE to reflect your individual interests. Both ways enable TrainingZONE to search for highly relevant information to meet your specific interests and present the results to you every time you come to the site without you having to do any work yourself.
First, you can create Alerts in your own personal profile. Click on the Modify link. Enter a name describing your personal Alert (e.g. Appraisal). In the keywords box, enter search words relating to this alert (e.g. appraisal, performance, measurement). Check any or all of the three boxes beneath relating to Newswires, Search Sites and TrainingZONE. Click OK. Next time you come to TrainingZONE you will find this personal alert displayed relating to your chosen topic. By clicking on it, you will be presented with up to 10 links matching your Alert which we have found for you. These are regularly updated. You can have as many different Alerts as you want.
Second, you can set up a constantly updated feed of Top Stories from more than 200 news subjects. When you first register, the default stories are all selected from business news. Click on Customise to change this. In the customisation screen (- it takes rather longer to load on screen, so please be patient), scroll through and select any of the top twenty business topics, or scroll lower on the page and select as many news topics as you want from the 200 on offer. The choice includes topics as diverse as South Africa, Women, Football, Disability, UK-General, Microsoft, etc., etc. Once you've set this up, your front page will display the latest ten stories on your chosen topic(s) each time you connect to TrainingZONE.
TrainingZONE's search engine
----------------------------
The trouble with most search engines like AltaVista and Yahoo is
that they often turn up too many links to be really helpful.
The search engine on the TrainingZONE site searches just the web sites which are most relevant to people engaged in staff and organisational development. The results will match your enquiry far more closely as a result. We recheck each of the searched sites very regularly for new content.
You can find out which sites we search, and you can suggest other sites worth adding.
Quick links to other training-related sites
-------------------------------------------
Clicking on the Links button takes you to a choice of pages.
We've found and indexed relevant training web sites on:
- Institutes
- Journals
- Government sites
- Enterprise networks
- TV and Radio
- Job vacancies
- Products
- Resource materials
- Investment
- Business resources
- Business software
- Travel
- Publications
- Weather
- Shopping
- Sports
Debating issues and engaging in coaching
----------------------------------------
Click on the Discussion button and you're taken to a conferencing
area. Here you can read, post and reply to messages with other
users of TrainingZONE.
The CoachingWEB area enables you to request help and advice from others - and to respond with suitable offers.
The Training Issues area initiates discussion on a range of professional issues. You can respond to those already posted or start a new one.
New subjects will be regularly added.
Finding useful commercial information
-------------------------------------
The Databases button takes you a choice of several commercial
databases which can help your business to develop or enable you to
research potential clients. Select the databases and subjects
which are of most relevance and browse further on-line.
Build your own web site
-----------------------
If you've not already set up your own website, the WebBuild button
enables you to choose a template and create your very own website
on-line. There are several options each of which is self-
explanatory.
TrainingZONE editorial
----------------------
The right column on the front page provides a frequently changing
editorial reflecting matters of the day and initiating debate.
Current and back copies of LearningWIRE
---------------------------------------
The LearningWIRE page allows you to select all previous issues for
reading on-line or downloading. You can also register email
addresses to receive LearningWIRE in future.
Anything else?
--------------
This is just a quick guide. Feel free to browse and explore.
Email us with comments and suggestions. In the coming months new
features will be added to TrainingZONE, and we'll update you
through LearningWIRE.
About Sift
----------
Sift plc is a leading developer of online communities. Based in Bristol, Sift has developed AccountingWEB for professionals in the accountancy profession. At the 1997 Online Information Exhibition at Olympia, Sift were voted European Information Product of the Year (and also runner up as Internet Product of 1997). You can visit this site at https://www.accountingweb.co.uk
How to Subscribe
----------------
N.B. If you were the original recipient of this message, you do not need to follow these subscription instructions as you are already subscribed to the newsletter. However, if someone has forwarded this newsletter to you, please do follow these instructions.
If you find this newsletter interesting please tell your friends and colleagues. Invite them to subscribe by forwarding them this e-mail. To subscribe by e-mail, send a message to
majordomo@sift.co.uk
and in the BODY of the message type:
subscribe learningwire youre-mailaddress
for example:
subscribe learningwire tpickles@sift.co.uk
To remove yourself from this mailing list, send a message to
majordomo@sift.co.uk
and in the body of the message type:
unsubscribe learningwire youre-mailaddress
------------------------------------------------------------
Editor: Tim Pickles tpickles@sift.co.uk
Sift plc., 33 Corn Street, Bristol BS1 1HT
Tel:+44 (0)117 930 8881 Fax:+44 (0)117 930 8887
http://www.sift.co.uk
----------------------------------------------------------
Tim Pickles ***** Designing professional toolkits
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk ***** The learning community
