Florida Association of Realtors Joins Digitec’s LMS Family

The Florida Association of Realtors, the largest trade association in the state with more than 115,000 members, is the latest membership organization to adopt Digitec’s Knowledge Direct® learning management system (LMS).

The association switched to Knowledge Direct from an in-house Moodle-based solution to take advantage of Knowledge Direct’s ease-of-use, built-in authoring tool, robust reporting and seamless integration with iMIS. Association staff use the system to create, edit, and implement their training courses from anywhere and collaborate virtually on new courseware. The members of the association can access these courses from popular tablets and smartphones including iPad, iPhone, Android and Blackberry.

We’re proud that The Florida Association of Realtors has joined the ranks of associations worldwide who have chosen Digitec’s Knowledge Direct as their LMS. If you’re considering a new or replacement LMS, check out the Top 10 reasons to choose Knowledge Direct.

ROI Calculator for Association eLearning

Many associations have discovered that eLearning is a valuable member benefit and a more efficient and flexible way for members to learn on their schedule. But before an association commits to producing and marketing an eLearning course, it’s important to explore the business case and potential return-on-investment.

Associations should ask these questions:

•Is there a market for the course?
•What would be a competitive price for the course?
•What is the potential return on investment (ROI)?

In our latest blog post, we address these very important questions. If your organization is an association, this post can help you learn how to determine when a new course offering makes sense. The post also includes a free ROI Calculator, which you can use to estimate the projected revenue, the investment, and your return over three years. Is the eLearning cost-effective for your association? Find out using the eLearning ROI Calculator.

Digitec offers blogs, insightful commentary and eLearning Course Design Tips on its website. Visit today to keep up with the latest news and views.

Digitec Announces Knowledge Direct Enhancements

Digitec is pleased to announce the latest round of enhancements to its Knowledge Direct learning management system.

* Course surveys — Knowledge Direct already provides a very robust, flexible survey creation tool and reporting. But now, administrators can copy and reuse existing course surveys.

* Rapid eLearning tool upgrade — Direct-to-WEB is provided FREE with Knowledge Direct and allows content authors to transform a simple PowerPoint file into a game-based learning module for web or mobile delivery. The new enhancement now allows authors to save Direct-to-WEB activities and games to reinsert into updated modules.

These new enhanced features are included with the latest release of Knowledge Direct.

These enhancements are just the latest to Knowledge Direct. To find out more, check out the Six Reasons Why You’ll Love Version 6!

Digitec Gives Back

Each year during the holidays, Digitec chooses a charitable organization to support. This year, Digitec employees have chosen the US Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program. We are proud to assist in this effort in our own community and encourage you to support Toys for Tots in your location.

How You Can Help:
• Donate a toy to your community’s Toys for Tots campaign
• Donate your time to assist your community’s Toys for Tots campaign
• Allow Marines to place a toy collection box at your company/business

To find out more about this invaluable program, please visit the Toys for Tots website.

We wish all of you the happiest of holidays! Enjoy this special time of the year with your family and friends. We’ll see you next year, in 2013.

Digitec Named a Company to Watch by TrainingIndustry.com

For the third year in a row, Digitec has been named to the TrainingIndustry.com Learning Portal Companies Watch List.

As part of its commitment to continuously monitor the training marketplace for the best providers and services, TrainingIndustry.com searched out those companies that best met the following criteria:

New and innovative service offerings

• Unique approach to delivering learning solutions
• Commitment to improving learning through technology
• Quality of initial clients

“We’re thrilled to be included on the Watch List for the third year,” said President of Digitec, Jack McGrath.”We focus on innovation in learning technology, and it’s great to be recognized for that on the global scale.”

Digitec’s Knowledge Direct WEB offers innovative and effective learning portal solutions to its many clients. To view case studies, visit our website.

Digitec Hits the Road for AMA Conference in Baltimore

Digitec will demonstrate Knowledge Direct® MED and its CME eLearning services at the American Medical Association CME conference in Baltimore, Maryland, October 10-12. The 23rd Annual Conference of the National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration is focusing on forces shaping the future of the CME Provider and Industry.

Continuing Medical Education (CME) is a big issue today in the medical profession. There is a push to improve the quality of patient care, and part of that effort is to make sure physicians are keeping up to date on the latest knowledge in their field. Many physicians are now taking their CME online through the Digitec Knowledge Direct MED learning management system.

Many medical associations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, use the Knowledge Direct MED platform to develop, deliver, test, track and report on CME.
To learn more about the Knowledge Direct MED eLearning system, please visit our website.

Planning on being at the conference? Please come join us at booth 10. We’ll see you there!

Digitec Offers iMIS Bridge for LMS Integration

Digitec is pleased to announce the release of several standardized iMIS bridges for the Knowledge Direct LMS. iMIS is one of the most popular Association Management Systems (AMS). The bridges integrate with several different services offered by the AMS to enable more rapid, seamless integration with iMIS versions 10.x to 15.x and beyond, resulting in a speedier and more cost effective integration project.

If you are an iMIS organization and would like to learn more, contact Dick Hofmann at 407-299-1800 or dhofmann@digitecinteractive.com.

Mobile Learning — the Authoring Tool Evolution

As the growth of tablet and smart phone technology explodes, Digitec has made the development of mobile
apps for eLearning a priority.

This month’s blog entry discusses how mobile technology has influenced the current wave of authoring tools for eLearning. The article traces the evolution of these tools beginning in the early 1990s, and cites Digitec’s own authoring tool, Direct-to-WEB, as an example of how these tools are continually transforming in response to the evolving needs of eLearning professionals and learners.

We invite you to read the full article. And sign up to receive Jack’s weekly blog posts to keep up to date on the latest developments in learning technology.

Digitec Produces eLearning for the International Sign Association

Associations are moving to eLearning every day, but with limited resources, it can be a challenge to produce quality online courses. The International Sign Association (ISA) has overcome this challenge by partnering with Digitec on a cost-effective solution to create custom eLearning courses for its members, who are manufacturers, users and suppliers of on-premise signs and other visual communications systems.

Digitec is working with ISA to develop and launch three online courses in their new Knowledge Direct® portal, which goes “live” in September. Digitec has completed development of the first course, “The Sign Installer’s Guide,” a 90-minute course that focuses on the rules and regulations sign installers must follow to ensure safety on the job site. Developed in Digitec’s Direct-to-WEB, the course features scenario-based questions and examples to provide context for learning, and activities that enable learners to check their knowledge by identifying the safety hazard in a sign installation photo. Matt Rumbaugh, Director of Education at ISA, remarked, “Kudos to you and your team, this is really well done and the internal reviews so far are universally enthusiastic.”

Could your association use some guidance and expertise in its eLearning “road map”? Contact us today.

Digitec to Develop Two New Mobile Gaming Apps

Digitec was recently awarded contracts for two new mobile game apps to teach product
knowledge and sales skills. Digitec will develop the games using HTML-5, so players can compete using iPads and Android tablets as well as through PC and Mac browsers.

More and more organizations are embracing “gamification” in their learning design. According to the researcher Csikszentmihalyi, a successful game creates a sense of “flow,” where the player is in complete immersion and focus. In this state, users are more receptive to content, and that content becomes more prone to affecting behavior. This is exactly the goal in a successful learning experience, so applying engaging and fun gaming activities to the instructional design helps today’s learners understand and retain the content more effectively.

For more information on the benefits of games and learning, check out Digitec’s white paper The Effectiveness of Game-Based Learning. Digitec has specialized in game-based learning since 2002. To learn more, check out our web site.

Digitec Supports iMIS at the Users Group Gathering

On September 12-14, Digitec will attend the iMIS Users Group gathering in Philadelphia, demonstrating our Knowledge Direct learning management system for associations. Some of our iMIS association partners include the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, and the Direct Marketing Association.

Digitec integrates its Knowledge Direct learning management system with many Association Management Systems (AMS) for single sign-on and user authentication. iMIS is one of the more popular AMS systems that Digitec integrates with.

No matter which AMS you use, Digitec has the technical knowledge and experience to integrate it seamlessly with our eLearning platform. Contact us today to find out more.

RECP and Digitec Partner to Offer Certification Program

The Real Estate Certification Program (RECP), Indiana’s oldest and largest real estate school, has partnered with Digitec to create and offer a new online course. The new 24-Hour Broker Transition Course, delivered through the Knowledge Direct LMS, is now available for licensed Indiana real estate agents.

Digitec has integrated its LMS with the RECP iMIS management system to offer on-demand courses for the busy professional who prefers the convenience of online instruction to live classroom courses. The new legislature-approved certification program is 24 credit hours, and the online course enables agents to take it any time of the day or night for whatever time they have available. All of the RECP courses will eventually be offered through the Knowledge Direct LMS.

Are you searching for a similar certification solution? Talk to one of our team about how Digitec’s Knowledge Direct LMS can meet your association’s education needs.

Digitec “Saddles Up” for ASAE Conference in Dallas

The Digitec team is putting on its Texas-size smile as it prepares to head out west to Dallas for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Annual Meeting & Exposition, August 11-14!

More than 3,000 association professionals from around the country are expected to unite at the year’s most anticipated event, where they can network, meet solution vendors, and participate in focused learning workshops and thought-provoking presentations.

In addition to learning about the latest technology trends shaping member-based organizations, attendees can meet the Digitec exhibition team in booth #467 and see live demos of the Knowledge Direct learning management system (LMS).

Want to see a sneak peak of what’s in store, and learn how to schedule your private demo with Digitec representatives during the event? Download the event app for the iPad today.

NSGC Goes Live

Digitec is pleased to announce the launch of the National Society of Genetic Counselors’ (NSGC) new online learning portal, powered by the Knowledge Direct LMS.

NSGC promotes the professional interests of genetic counselors and provides a network for professional communication and continuing education. NSGC’s offerings of accredited online courses include Genomics, The Common Disease in Family History, and Genetic Counseling in the New Era of Genetic Medicine.

Digitec integrated Knowledge Direct with NSGC’s association management system, iMIS, to allow single sign-on authentication for members to seamlessly move between the learning portal and the association website. Knowledge Direct also integrates with the NSGC eCommerce system, enabling quick and easy course purchases directly from the course catalog, with immediate access to courses.

Learn more about the Knowledge Direct MED LMS by visiting our newly redesigned website.

American Academy of Pediatrics Deploys Digitec-Developed Tool

Physician practice improvement is an important topic in the medical community today. Physicians are increasingly asked to demonstrate practice improvement, which becomes part of their Maintenance of Certification (MOC) renewal by specialty boards. The MOC Part IV program is part of the American Medical Association (AMA) Physician Recognition program, which ensures physicians meet their continuing medical education (CME) requirements. Digitec recently completed design and development of a unique tool that helps physicians demonstrate practice improvement. The tool has been deployed by the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP).

Jodie Bargeron, Medical Home Initiatives Director at ICAAP, recently relayed encouraging news regarding the tool and its impact on the association’s ability to offer board certified CME courses. Bargeron said, “I am pleased to inform you that The American Board of Pediatrics approved the Transitioning Youth to Adult Health Care for Pediatric Providers course for 25 Maintenance of Certification Part IV points. This is the maximum amount of points that one activity can provide. They have also approved [Knowledge Direct] for future activities.”

Ready to see what Digitec and the Knowledge Direct MED LMS can do for your online accredited coursework? Contact us today.

Digitec Announces Fall 2012 Blog Calendar

Over the coming months, Digitec’s eLearning blog will be rolling out a series of posts for instructional designers and developers.

Here’s what you can expect for the remainder of 2012:

Sign up for the blog’s RSS feed today and have each post delivered right to your inbox!

Digitec Awarded Mobile App Development Contract

Digitec was awarded another mobile app development project for a Fortune 500 tech company out of Silicon Valley this month. The app, which will be available for iPad, iPhone and Android devices, will help simplify large-scale software purchasing, which is typically an extremely complex process.

The app will simplify the sales process, using algorithms and a “Turbo Tax” style wizard approach to filter results from hundreds of product configurations. This will help users more easily determine exactly what software they need to purchase.

Digitec provides end-to-end mobile app design, deployment and hosting services, with expertise in learning and business apps.

Check out our website for more information on Digitec’s mobile app development services.

Online SEO Training Course Now Available on OpenSesame

Digitec’s latest interactive training program, Search Engine Optimization: How to Make the Web Work for You, has been published to the OpenSesame eLearning course catalog. The online course is geared towards non-technical business owners, marketers and webmasters who want to learn how to get their websites ranked higher in the search results. The course is available for individual and group purchases and enables learners to view the course in the OpenSesame LMS or any other learning management system.

The course is grouped into five easy-to-understand, self-paced modules:

1. Demystifying SEO – The truth behind search engines and their algorithms
2. Content is King – What every site owner must know about the content on their site
3. Domain Domination – 5 techniques you can apply to your website today to drastically increase page rank
4. Competitive Analysis – How to use your biggest competitors to outrank them in the search results
5. Behind the Numbers – What Google Analytics is really telling you about your site and how to use the information to climb even higher up the search results

Be one of the first to purchase the newly available course and receive the special introductory price of $79.95. For more information and to register, please visit the course product page.

Digitec Selected as a Finalist for Florida Companies to Watch Award

The Florida Economic Gardening Institute has named Digitec as a finalist for the Florida Companies to Watch award – a premier award for second stage businesses in the state. Eligible companies must be privately-held commercial enterprises in a growth stage, and must be nominated by an independent party who recognizes the organization as a high-performing enterprise.

Visit the Edward Lowe Foundation website to learn more about Companies to Watch.

Knowledge Direct Exhibition Team Headed for the Red Carpet

Digitec’s Knowledge Direct exhibition team heads to star-studded Los Angeles, California next month for the American Association of Medical Society Executive’s (AAMSE) annual meeting. The 3-day intensive conference features an action packed schedule of educational sessions, workshops, and “Red Carpet” networking. AAMSE Attendees will also be among the first to see the latest version of Knowledge Direct.

Please join us on location at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel, July 18-21. Conference information is available on AAMSE’s website.

Digitec Launches New Knowledge Direct Website

Digitec launched its new Knowledge Direct product website this month. The new site incorporates the latest in web development and web 2.0 technologies. The site features a system product tour, demonstrating Knowledge Direct’s improved user interface and advanced feature set; an interactive event calendar; an intuitive demo request form; and the ability to upload and submit requests for proposals (RFPs).

Digitec’s new product site provides improved navigation, with information clearly segmented for Digitec’s three core business sectors: associations and non-profits, medical organizations, and corporations. The site also includes sections dedicated to sharing industry resources such as white papers, recorded seminars, relevant web links and answers to frequently asked questions regarding learning management technologies.

Additionally, visitors to the site interested in custom courseware can easily browse Digitec’s course production and game-based simulation samples and learn more about the company’s award-winning eLearning production services.

Check out the new Knowledge Direct website today and tell us what you think!

Digitec Welcomes New Knowledge Direct LMS Partners

The Irrigation Association (IA), the leading membership organization for irrigation companies and professionals, has selected the Digitec Knowledge Direct learning management system for its online certification, continuing education and recertification programs.

With the addition of the association’s new online learning portal, IA is able to deliver and track eLearning courses, learner progress, completions and continuing education units (CEUs) earned. Integration with the group’s association management system (AMS), iMIS, will allow for seamless entry into the portal with single sign-on and automated learner registration.

The International Sign Association (ISA) also joined the Knowledge Direct family this month when they selected the learning management platform to expand the reach and scope of ISA’s educational offerings. The Knowledge Direct platform will support ISA’s blended learning programs with the ability to facilitate self-service enrollment and track attendance of live events, as well as deliver and manage eLearning content. System integration with iMIS will also enable single sign-on from the portal, course status reporting back to the AMS and single sign-out.

For more information on how Knowledge Direct can help your organization expand and market educational offerings and deliver effective and affordable learning, please visit our website.

Audio Engineer, David Geldert, Rejoins Digitec Production Team

In 2010, Dave completed an internship with Digitec, where he put his V/O, ADR and SFX Design skills to work on numerous projects including Just Right, a feature film starring Dwight Howard, and Burn Notice, a television series airing on the USA Network.

Dave’s passion for music, technology, high-quality audio and attention to detail led him to rejoin the Digitec Interactive production team as the company’s Audio Engineer. Dave is a graduate of the Audio Recording Technology Institute (ARTI) in Orlando, FL, where he received his professional certification in Audio Engineering. Dave is currently attending the University of Central Florida, majoring in Music Composition. In his spare time, Dave enjoys playing trumpet, guitar and piano.

Digitec Joins the ‘Advance Guard’ to Support Injured Service Members

Digitec has pledged to support the Wounded Warrior Project’s mission to “honor and empower wounded warriors” of the United States Armed Forces through charitable donations and participation in a local fundraiser. The non-profit organization uses the monthly gift to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs.

This winter, Digitec employees will take to the mud as part of a grueling 10 mile obstacle course event known as Tough Mudder to raise money for the non-profit. To date, Tough Mudder participants have raised approximately $3 million to support thousands of warriors returning from the battlefield.

Additional information about the Wounded Warrior Project and how you, too, can support the mission can be found on their website.

Knowledge Direct Version 6.0 Now Available

Digitec released the latest version of the award-winning Knowledge Direct learning management system this month. Version 6.0 includes new features and functionality, as well as enhancements to the system’s current feature set.

“Knowledge Direct users will benefit from an even more intuitive, user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing interface in Version 6.0,” said Amy Bassett, Marketing Director at Digitec Interactive. “The latest enhancements to Knowledge Direct also give LMS administrators flexibility to tailor learning content to specific groups of learners – from delivery to pricing.”

New Version 6.0 includes the following new features and updates:

Enhanced User Interface – Knowledge Direct 6.0 includes a more visually appealing, easy-to-use interface.

Student Pacing – Set Module sequencing with prerequisites to control the order in which modules are taken.

Discount Codes – Create course discount codes with start and end dates to allow for limited-time promotional pricing.

Enhanced Module Player – Direct-to-WEB, Knowledge Direct’s built-in content authoring tool, features an updated player for enhanced mobile capability.

Auto-Advancing Modules – Create modules with auto-advancing slides using Direct-to-WEB – auto-advance individual slides or the entire deck.

Please visit our website for more information about Knowledge Direct or to schedule a live demo and 30 day free trial.

Digitec Exhibition Team Heads North by Northwest

Representatives for the Knowledge Direct learning management system are preparing for a busy month with two international conference in May. First, the team heads to picturesque Denver, Colorado for the world’s largest training and development conference, ASTD International 2012, May 7-9. More than 8,000 attendees from 70 countries are expected to attend the premier event for workplace learning and development professionals hosted by the American Society of Training & Development.

Next, the team travels across country lines into Canada for the bi-annual CME Congress event in Toronto, May 30 – June 2. During the 4 day intensive event, the team will meet with professionals in continuing medical education from across North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

In response to growing interest from international audiences, Digitec plans to continue efforts to serve training and development professionals globally by incorporating additional multilingual and multi-currency pricing functionality into the Knowledge Direct suite of software.

Additional information about ASTD International and CME Congress can be found on the conference websites.

Digitec Welcomes Knowledge Direct Partner Indiana Association of REALTORS®

The Indiana Association of REALTORS® has officially joined the Knowledge Direct family with the implementation of the association’s new online learning portal for member professional development and continuing education. Knowledge Direct will also support a new certification program offered by the association through their online university, Real Estate Certification Programs, Inc.

Programs offered through RECP include Salesperson and Broker Prelicensing courses along with basic and advanced level continuing education courses on timely topics. RECP also prepares students to enter the real estate industry with programs focused on appraisals and property inspection, among others.

Integration with the group’s association management system, iMIS, will allow seamless entry into the portal with single sign-on and automated learner registration. Multi-portal capability within Knowledge Direct will enable the association to run various, segmented portals through the platform with centralized content management and reporting.

For more information on how Knowledge Direct can help your organization expand and market educational offerings and deliver effective and affordable learning, please visit our website.

Digitec Digitec Begins Integration with Personify Association Management System

Digitec has begun building a bridge to integrate its Knowledge Direct learning management system with TMA Resource’s Personify association management system. An off-the-shelf integration with the Personify AMS will provide users of both systems with single sign-on, secure data transfer, eCommerce and enhanced member self-services.

Once the integration is complete, users will log in through the Personify AMS and be automatically granted access to the Knowledge Direct LMS. Member demographic information will also be passed from the Personify database and be reflected in the user’s Knowledge Direct learner profile. Course purchases made from the Personify eBusiness catalog will be automatically populated in the learner’s course assignments in Knowledge Direct. Course completion records, assessment scores and CE credit achievement will also be transferred from the user’s Knowledge Direct eTranscript to Personify.

Additional information about Digitec’s integration capabilities can be found on our website.

Digitec Publishes Industry White Paper

Selecting an LMS is a big decision for any organization. To help make sense of it all, Digitec has released its new industry white paper, 8 Steps to Selecting an Association LMS.

Whether you’re just getting started, or have narrowed down your list to a select few, the white paper offers a few practical suggestions on how to simplify the process of selecting your new LMS.

This useful step-by-step guide is now available for download, compliments of Digitec Interactive.

Digitec Partners with Association Management System Provider, TMA Resources

Digitec has joined TMA Resources’ Partner Advantage Program, which brings member-based organizations best-of-breed solutions that integrate with the popular association management system, Personify.

As a Solution Partner, Digitec provides an off-the-shelf integration with the Personify platform for single sign-on, secure data transfer and eCommerce for TMA Resources’ association and non-profit clients.

Digitec will participate in the TMA Resources Annual Users Group (TAUG) Conference, April 15 – 18 in Indianapolis, IN, where existing users of the Personify system can see product demonstrations of the Knowledge Direct LMS and meet with Digitec representatives.

Additional information can be found on TMA Resource’s website.

Production Wraps on Florida Virtual School Book Trailers

Digitec is teaming with Florida Virtual School, a public online eLearning school serving grade K-12 students around the world, to produce 11 new book trailers. Titles include, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs and The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.

Filming spanned 5 days at various locations around Central Florida and featured 7 local actors. Once complete, the book trailers will be used to promote literacy and reading in a Florida Virtual School produced English course.

Please visit our Production Portfolio to see samples of similar work.

Digitec Nominated for Florida Companies to Watch Award

Digitec was honored to receive a nomination for the Florida Companies to Watch award by the Florida Economic Gardening Institute – a premier award for second stage businesses in the state. Eligible companies must be privately-held commercial enterprises in a growth stage, and must be nominated by an independent party who recognizes the organization as a high-performing enterprise.

If selected to receive the Florida Companies to Watch award, Digitec Interactive will be featured in a commemorative magazine and be celebrated at the award ceremony, October 19, 2012.

Digitec Speaking at Learning Solutions Conference

In a recent eLearning Guild study, only 62% of respondents said their Learning Management System (LMS) lived up to vendor promises, while 13% plan to abandon their current LMS. Unfortunately, making the switch is not always smooth and can present challenges.

To help navigate the move, the eLearning Guild has selected Digitec’s Jack McGrath to lead a session on making a successful switch to a new LMS at the upcoming eLearning Guild Learning Solutions Conference.

For session details, please visit the conference website. Interested parties can save $100 on registration when they use the coupon code “208LS12″ at checkout, courtesy of Digitec Interactive.

Knowledge Direct Gets Fresh New Look

Digitec’s flagship product, Knowledge Direct, an all-in-one learning management system for online training and development, looks better than ever, thanks to an updated user interface! Digitec’s product development team officially released the new version this week.

New and existing users of the Knowledge Direct LMS will enjoy a sleeker, more user-friendly and fluid interface – featuring collapsible text areas, graphical icons and better organization of module content.

Digitec will be demonstrating all of the enhanced features at the upcoming Learning Solutions Conference in March.

Want to check out the new look for yourself? Existing and prospective clients are encouraged to schedule a complimentary demonstration of the system.

New Knowledge Direct MED Tool

Recently, there has been a move in the medical community to include improved patient outcomes as part of MOC credits. Digitec Interactive recognized this need and is taking the lead in developing a tool for what is called MOC Part IV. Once completed, the MOC Part IV tool will automate the process of setting goals for Key Clinical Activities.

Following the completion of a data collection cycle, the tool generates graphical reports displaying the physician’s goals for the cycle, their baseline, and actual performance. Physicians can also compare their performance to that of other physicians in their practice by running the Practice Aggregate Report. Data can be exported and saved to an Excel document or PDF for proof of practice improvements. Data is then submitted by the physician to the association who can approve or deny credit. Once approved, the association forwards the data to a third party accrediting agency for issuance of credit and the next data collection cycle begins.

The MOC Part IV tool will be available for inclusion in the platform in early April, 2012. Contact Dick Hofmann for additional information.

Digitec Adds Three New Conferences to the 2012 Exhibition Schedule

Digitec’s exhibition team plans to participate in 11 more conferences before year’s end, with 3 all new stops in 2012. For the first time, you’ll be able to meet representatives for the Knowledge Direct LMS and see live product demos at the TMA Resources Users Group Conference in Indianapolis, CME Congress Conference in Toronto, and the American Medical Association’s Annual CME Task Force Conference in Baltimore.

Check out our complete 2012 conference schedule to see when we’ll be in your backyard.

Planning to attend? If so, we’d love to meet you! Simply drop us a note to receive a complimentary expo pass or discounted conference registration.

Digitec’s Jack McGrath Interviewed by Industry Expert Craig Weiss

Craig Weiss, author of the popular E-Learning 24/7 blog, recently featured Digitec company president Jack McGrath during a half hour long interview for the blog’s podcast series. Mr. Weiss posed interesting questions regarding trends and challenges facing eLearning and learning management technologies.

The 30 minute interview covers:

• Mobile Learning – devices and operating systems

• Game-based Learning – simulations, virtual worlds and augmented reality

• Content Authoring Tools – desktop application vs. cloud-based

• Mobile Development Approaches – HTML5 vs. Flash

• Requests for Proposals (RFPs) – worthwhile or a waste of time?

Listen to the interview in its entirety at the E-Learning 24/7 Podbean or click the links above to listen to clips of the interview grouped by topic area.

Take a Tour of Knowledge Direct

Digitec just launched a new Knowledge Direct online tour! Now, you can watch a quick demonstration on using Knowledge Direct to create, manage, market and deliver eLearning to learners around the globe – anytime, anywhere.

Launch the tour now and let us know what you think!

Digitec Welcomes New Additions

Digitec would like to introduce its newest team members: Caitlin McGrath and Samantha Sherdel.

Caitlin McGrath the newest addition to Digitec’s eLearning production team, begins the New Year in a new role as Assistant Writer. Caitlin joins Digitec from the University of Florida where she studied English Literature. Caitlin is an accomplished author and writer, with published works appearing in Subtropics, the University of Florida’s literary journal.

Samantha Sherdel joins us as a production assistant after completing a stint with Orlando Magazine. Samantha has been working in multimedia for 6 years, focusing primarily on editorial photography and editing. At Digitec she focuses on scheduling, providing support to production staff, and scouting talent.

Please join us in welcoming them to the team!

Digitec Welcomes New Knowledge Direct LMS Partners

Visioning Healthcare, the leading provider of consulting and education for safe patient handling, has selected the Digitec Knowledge Direct learning management system for its continuing education and recertification programs.

With the addition of the company’s new online learning portal, Visioning Healthcare will make the transition from instructor-led, classroom-based training to eLearning. Visioning Healthcare hopes the new technology will make it easier and more convenient for healthcare providers to earn continuing education credits and apply for certification.

The American Clinical Neurophysiology Society also joined the Knowledge Direct family this month when they selected the learning management platform to administer self-assessments for fellows. The self-assessments serve to assess the fellow’s individual subject mastery as well as areas in need of improvement. Future plans for the online learning platform include continuing education courses for their membership at large as well as Maintenance of Certification exams. Integration with the group’s association management system, IMPAK, will allow for seamless entry into the portal with single sign-on and automated learner registration.

Visit the client Case Studies section of our website to learn how organizations like yours are utilizing the Knowledge Direct LMS to grow their business and reduce training costs.

“The Nuts and Bolts of Implementing an LMS:” a First-Hand Look at the NACUA Story

This month, Jack McGrath, President and Creative Director of Digitec Interactive co-presented with John Bishop and Camille Heenan of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) at the ASAE Technology Conference in Washington, D.C. The session gave conference attendees a first-hand look at NACUA’s online continuing education program, powered by Digitec’s Knowledge Direct learning management system (LMS), and discussed the process they used to implement the system.

As attendees learned, NACUA initially struggled to identify an experienced eLearning vendor that offered the type of easy-to-use and adult learner-focused delivery platform the member-based organization would need to carry out their mission “to advance the effective practice of higher education attorneys.”

John Bishop shared his experience in dealing with large vendors who were either disinterested in working with associations or who were simply too expensive. Thankfully, John says, they finally found their match while visiting exhibitor booths at the ASAE Technology Conference in the winter of 2008, discovering Digitec and Knowledge Direct. Throughout the presentation, John shared his tips for finding a qualified LMS provider and keeping members engaged in online learning programs.

Camille Heenan, Assistant Director of Legal Resources – Programming, later demonstrated the association’s user-friendly learning portal and online courses, delivered through Knowledge Direct.

Jack McGrath rounded out the presentation by sharing Digitec’s vision for platform improvements, including content-specific discussion, collaboration enhancements and interactive worksheets.

Want to learn more about the challenges NACUA faced, and the solution that landed them on the front page of Association Management magazine? Download the Case Study and Presentation Handout now.

What eLearning Clients Get WrongBlog Series

Jack McGrath continues his series What eLearning Clients Get Wrong with his most recent post, “Harnessing the Power of Humor.” Here, Jack shares his ideas on how to better engage learners and increase retention rates by adding a little humor to your eLearning, as well as when humor is right for a particular project.

Adding an element of comedy is engaging and helps learners relax and enjoy the learning, leading to a more pleasurable experience and better recall of the lesson. In fact, according to a study conducted by Valparaiso University, students recalled as much as 50% more material when it was presented to them with humor.

To get the full story on using humor to better engage your audience, check out Jack’s eLearning blog – now at its new address.

Digitec Exhibit Team Prepares for Jam-Packed Conference Schedule

January has historically been a busy month for the Digitec Interactive exhibit team, and this year is no different. The team will be participating in two back-to-back continuing education and professional development conferences.

• Alliance for Continuing Medical Education (ACME) 37th Annual Conference, January 21-24, Orlando FL

• American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Techknowledge Conference, January 25-27, Las Vegas, NV

Planning to attend either of these great events? If so, we’d love to meet you! Simply drop us a noteto receive a complimentary expo pass or discounted conference registration.

Digitec Welcomes New Knowledge Direct MED Client NSGC

The National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC), the world’s first and longest-running professional society for genetic counselors, is partnering with Digitec to offer its members continuing education opportunities and recertification programs through the Knowledge Direct learning management system.

The new online learning portal will feature more than a dozen self-paced courses, allowing members to login, complete courses and earn continuing education units (CEUs) – online, anytime.

Visit the client Case Studies section of our website to learn how organizations like yours are utilizing the Knowledge Direct LMS to grow their business and reduce training costs.

Happy Holidays from Digitec Interactive

As 2011 comes to a close and we head into the holidays, Digitec would like to pause for a bit and thank all our customers, clients, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter fans — and YOU – for keeping us busy, challenging us, and helping to make us one of the most respected names in the business.

Here’s hoping your holidays are bright, your presents are what you asked Santa for, and that you and your families spend quality time together. We look forward to serving you in 2012, and for many years to come.

Beta Testing Begins for Online SEO Training Course

Official beta testers were the first to see the inner workings of search giants Google, Yahoo! and Bing this month when they took a test drive of Digitec’s latest interactive training program Search Engine Optimization: How to Make the Web Work for You. This online course is geared towards non-technical business owners, marketers and webmasters who want to learn how to get their websites ranked higher in the search results. It takes learners by the hand and explains the process step-by-step.

“I’m only half way into the SEO course and already I am impressed. It is hands on, and has real tools that I can use right now to improve my site. The modules on keyword research and WordPress are very helpful and I put them to use right away. Thank you!” John Will Tenney – PEOPros.com

The course is grouped into five easy-to-understand, self-paced modules:

1. Demystifying SEO – The truth behind search engines and their algorithms

2. Content is King – What every site owner must know about the content on their site

3. Domain Domination – 5 techniques you can apply to your website today to drastically increase page rank

4. Competitive Analysis – How to use your biggest competitors to outrank them in the search results

5. Behind the Numbers – What Google Analytics is really telling you about your site and how to use the information to climb even higher up the search results

Beta testing is scheduled to continue through October with the official launch of the online program slated for November, 2011. For more information about the program and to preregister, please visit www.SeoOptimizationGuide.com.

Digitec Welcomes New Knowledge Direct MED Partner ACOFP

The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) has officially joined the Knowledge Direct family with the implementation of the association’s new online learning portal for member professional development and continuing medical education.

The new partnership with ACOFP also marks the first complete integration of Knowledge Direct with the web conferencing platform, ReadyTalk. With the new systems in place, ACOFP is able to create, schedule, manage and broadcast webinars, in addition to offering asynchronous, self-paced courses – all within the portal.

For more information on how Knowledge Direct can help your organization expand and market educational offerings and deliver effective and affordable learning, please visit our Learning Management Systems website.

Digitec Interactive Named to Learning Portal Company Watch List

Representatives from Training Industry, Inc. have selected Digitec Interactive for inclusion in its Top 20 Learning Portal Companies Watch List directory for the second consecutive year.

Selection to the Watch List is based on the following criteria:

• Breadth of portal capabilities and types of clients served

• Commitment to improving learning through technology

• Industry visibility, innovation and impact

• Quality of clients

• Geographic reach

• Company size and growth potential

• Unique approach to delivering learning solutions

The end result is a list that acknowledges companies who demonstrate success in the market and embody the spirit of innovation in cloud-based learning. This is a great honor and Digitec is very proud to be named an “up and coming leader in the learning portal market” by Training Industry, Inc.

Digitec Welcomes New Knowledge Direct Client ADMA

The Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA), a recognized leader in marketing education representing more than 450 of Australia’s leading businesses, is partnering with Digitec to offer its members professional development and training through the Knowledge Direct learning management system. Upon go live later this year, current and prospective members will have access to the group’s many educational offerings, including certification exams—online, anytime via the ADMA Learn portal.

Visit the client Case Studies section of our website to learn how organizations like yours are utilizing the Knowledge Direct learning management system (LMS) to grow their business and reduce training costs.

Practice What You Preach: Play to Teach in Action

Jack McGrath, President and Creative Director of Digitec Interactive, kicked off eLearning Guild’s Top Trends in eLearning Online Forum event September 15, 2011 with his presentation Alternate Reality? Simulation? Multiplayer? How & When to Use Play to Teach. The 75-minute opening session was the first ever to include real-time collaborative “team play.” Using an alternate reality approach, Jack informed participants of their mission: choose a training situation in their organization that they would like to explore using game-based learning. After accepting this mission, participants selected their team—Sales, Leadership, New Hire, Compliance or Technical—and formed their respective virtual teams. Then, throughout the presentation, teams exchanged ideas and strategized on how they would use game-based learning within the team’s chat log, based on the case studies, statistics and best-practices Jack shared on the topic.

Attendees loved the innovative approach and collaborative twist on traditional online forums. Kate L. said, “hands-down BEST webinar/online forum session I’ve ever attended.”

Watch the recording and then download the accompanying whitepaper, Solving the Training Dilemma with Game-Based Learning.

Wondering how you can create more effective learning while decreasing costs associated with traditional approaches? Game-based learning might just be the answer. Visit Play2Teach for more information.

What eLearning Clients Get WrongBlog Series

Jack McGrath continues his series on What eLearning Clients Get Wrong with his most recent post, Keep the End in Mind. Jack, a 20-year “survivor” of the online learning industry, shares his ideas for aligning business needs with measurable outcomes and bringing in experts to help uncover the “real end product” before the project goes out for bid.

By focusing on the end product and not getting caught up in the features and formalities of the training, Jack says Training Departments can better serve their learners and more easily measure the return on investment (ROI). “The true ‘end product’ is not a virtual world, talking avatars or even an eLearning course at all. It’s a learner who knows or can do something they couldn’t do before the experience.”

To get the full story on “beginning with the end in mind” and “what clients often get wrong,” visit Jack’s eLearning blog.

Become a Fan of Digitec on Facebook

Want to keep in touch and see what we’re up to inbetween newsletters? Join the nearly 400 fans of Digitec’s media production and Knowledge Direct fan pages on Facebook.

Our fan pages:

• Actively stream news about our business and products, Twitter feeds, and blog posts

• Announce upcoming events that we are attending, speaking at, or sponsoring

• Showcase the work of our talented staff through videos, games and photos

• Give fans the opportunity to vote and share their opinions on topics related to eLearning and media production

• Relay industry news and hot topics we think our fans will want to hear about

We also give fans the chance to enter contests for prizes and opportunities to become official product beta testers!

Find us on Facebook and become a fan of Digitec and Knowledge Direct today!

Digitec Releases Updated eLearning Course for Motor Vehicle Dealers

As longtime readers of The Fuse know, Digitec specializes in eLearning solutions for its many clients. But did you know that Digitec also produces eLearning products commercially for general use?

One of our learning portals, Fast Compliance, offers training courses for specific populations, such as financial officers and bankers, who need to be aware of regulatory requirements such as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA). The most popular offering in the Fast Compliance lineup, however, is the Motor Vehicle Dealer Prelicensing and Continuing Education courses. Thousands of new and experienced dealers in motor vehicles, mobile homes, and recreational vehicles login and learn the ins and outs of the regulatory side of their business each year.

After an extensive overhaul due to recent Florida legislative changes, Digitec now offers dealers a brand new and fully up-to-date set of dealer licensing courses. Featuring all of Digitec’s proven game-based learning and online education expertise, the courses provide these dealers with the knowledge they need to successfully apply for licensure to the state’s Division of Motorist Services.

The revised courses have been approved for use by the State of Florida and are now available online.

Want to learn more about Digitec’s regulatory compliance and training courses? Please contact us today.

Digitec and Knowledge Direct Client, STLE, to Present at NiUG Conference

Dick Hofmann, Vice President of Sales at Digitec Interactive, and Kara Lemar, Director of Education at the Society for Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE), have been invited to co-present two breakout sessions at the National iMIS Users Group (NiUG) Annual Discovery Conference.

Dick and Kara share the STLE Secret to Successful Online Learning, Friday, October 21, 2011 at 11:00am. During the hour long session, a case study style approach identifies the challenges the association faced in providing timely, relevant and on-demand continuing education to their members. The session is intended to demonstrate how the solution, the Knowledge Direct learning management system (LMS), has aided in the member-based organization’s growth and contributed to a positive return-on-investment for their education program overall.

Dick and Kara take to the stage once more at 3:00pm to deliver their second presentation, What’s in an LMS: The Deciding Factors. This session is intended for users of the iMIS association management system (AMS) who are actively seeking or researching learning management technologies that integrate with their AMS of choice.

Areas of discussion include:

• The importance of selecting an AMS-friendly LMS

• The top 5 features every association LMS should have

• How to qualify vendors and compare systems

• Implementing and integrating your new LMS with iMIS

Event registration and session details are available online. Unable to attend? Request a copy of the presentation.

Video Production Crew Travels to Times Square

Knowledge Direct client, the Direct Marketing Association, heard “Lights, Camera, Action!” as cameras rolled during an on-location shoot at their headquarters in New York’s Times Square this month.

Digitec’s video production crew began working with the member-based organization for businesses and non-profits that use direct marketing tools earlier this summer, scripting the shoot and sketching storyboards. With script in hand and production gear all packed and loaded, Digitec’s crew took to the sky to capture the organization’s CEO and Director of Education in-person and on camera.

The completed videos will be used as an introductory greeting for first-time visitors to the group’s online education portal, and as a promotional piece to recruit new learners.

No video shoot is complete without behind-the-scenes photos! Check them out on Facebook now.

Digitec Welcomes Three New Knowledge Direct LMS Clients

Digitec expanded its Knowledge Direct client base by three this month when it secured partnerships with a national association, a not-for-profit community service organization, and a public school district.

Bossier Parish Schools, located in northwest Louisiana along the east Red River, was the first to partner with Digitec this month when they chose the Knowledge Direct learning management system (LMS) for their online staff training. Within weeks, faculty and staff were up and running with their new online learning portal- just in time for the new school year!

Lion’s Heart, a Southern California based community service organization for teen volunteers, also saw a need for the Knowledge Direct online delivery system. Training parents and adult volunteers who work with teens will be more convenient, cost-effective and traceable when the portal goes live in early September.

The Association of Property Scene Designers (APSD), a member-based organization for Home Stagers and Designers working to increase property appeal and decrease time on the market for residential clients, rounds out the group. Upon go live early next month, current and prospective members will have access to the group’s many educational offerings, including certification exams-online, anytime.

Visit the client Case Studies section of our website to learn how organizations like yours are utilizing the Knowledge Direct learning management system (LMS) to grow their business and reduce training costs.

From Denver to Dallas, Digitec is Headed to a City Near You!

The past twelve months have taken the Digitec Interactive exhibition team from coast to coast and to nearly a dozen destinations. But that’s nothing compared to what’s in store for the coming months!

Check out our upcoming conference schedule to see when we’ll be in your backyard.

Planning to attend? If so, we’d love to meet you! Simply drop us a note to receive a complimentary expo pass or discounted conference registration.

Jack McGrath to Deliver Opening Session at eLearning Guild Forum

Jack McGrath, President and Creative Director of Digitec Interactive, and nationally-recognized speaker on game-based learning, has been invited to present the opening session at this year’s Top Trends in eLearning online forum, presented by the eLearning Guild.

Jack will take to the virtual stage Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 11:30am with his presentation, Alternate Reality? Simulation? Multiplayer? How and When to Use Play to Teach.

Attendees will learn:

• How to identify game types and when to use each
• About game theory and theory tenets for increased learner engagement
• About the latest developments in gaming and how they apply to learning
• How to select the right game-based simulation engine

Event registration and session details are available online. Interested in game-based learning, but unable to attend? Post your questions to Jack’s eLearning blog.

Digitec Delivers Mobile App for Symantec Corporation

Digitec continues to make an impact on the mobile app development scene with its latest foray, a partnership with renowned digital protection giant Symantec. Digitec’s mobile app development team worked hand-in-hand with subject matter experts from Symantec to develop and launch the company’s first mobile app this month. The troubleshooting application provides level-1 support for the Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) antivirus and personal firewall product. Soon Symantec customers will be able to download the free application from the iTunes store and Android Marketplace for easy installation, FAQs, troubleshooting links and other information related to SEP.

To learn more about Digitec’s mobile app development services, please visit our website.

Digitec Team Gets “Jazzed” for ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) will host its annual meeting and expo in St. Louis, Missouri, August 6-9 and Digitec will be there! Representatives for the Knowledge Direct learning management system (LMS) look forward to this opportunity to meet the participants and learn about the latest technology trends shaping member-based organizations.

More than 3,000 association professionals from around the country will unite at the year’s most anticipated event to network, meet solution vendors and participate in focused learning workshops and thought-provoking presentations.

Want to see a sneak peak of what’s in store, and learn how to schedule your private demo with Digitec representatives during the event? Download the event app for iPhone or Android today.

Hit Television Series Heats up the Digitec Recording Studio

The USA Network original drama, Burn Notice, may be filmed on location in and around Miami, FL, but when the show’s producers need dialogue replaced in post-production, they call on Digitec’s audio production team.

Most recently, members of the cast gathered at Digitec’s audio suite in Orlando, FL, for an automated dialogue replacement session, more commonly referred to as ADR. While in the studio, the actors watch playback of the show as they re-record lines of dialogue to obtain a cleaner, more intelligible dialogue track.

To learn more about Digitec’s audio production services, please visit our website.

LevelItUp Game Hits App Store

Want a fun way to learn? Check out Digitec’s new LevelItUp game, now available in the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iTouch. Earn points by answering questions to advance through the game levels and rank on the leaderboard!

LevelItUp Lite is free to download and play, with ready to load art and pop culture trivia games. Using the online LevelItUp engine, organizations can create their own games, which players can unlock by using an access code. This style of mobile learning in perfect for test prep, continuing education and viral promotional campaigns.

Install LevelItUp Lite today.

Interested in launching your own app for the iPhone, iPad or Droid? Check out our portfolio to see our mobile app development work.

Digitec Welcomes Two New Knowledge Direct LMS Clients

Digitec is thrilled to add two new Knowledge Direct clients to our growing family. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics both selected Knowledge Direct as their Learning Management System.

Both membership organizations intend to use the learning management system (LMS) to create, deliver and track continuing professional education activities online.

To learn more about the award-winning Knowledge Direct suite of software, please visit our website.

Production Wraps on New Virtual Learning Objects for NCCCS

Digitec’s custom courseware production team recently completed two new virtual learning objects for the North Caronlia Community College System’s BioEd Center. Autoclave Operation and Aseptic Technique were designed and developed in collaboration with subject matter experts from the NCCCS BioEd Center.

The learner-centered modules include simulations that enable students to practice using lab equipment in a safe, non-threatening environment.

To learn more about student-centric learning, we invite you to check out Digitec’s Top 10 eLearning Course Design Tips.

One Instructional Video Wraps as Two More Begin Production

Florida Virtual School (FLVS), an accredited public, online eLearning school serving grade K-12 students around the world, contracted with Digitec to produce instructional videos as part of their distance learning curriculum.

The first, which completed this month, is Basic Geometry for 10th & 11th grade students. The videos consist of twenty individual lessons and follow industry best practices for incorporating video into eLearning.

Digitec was also just selected to produce a series of scenario-based video vignettes to supplement French and Spanish foreign language courses for FLVS. Shooting starts this month and wraps later this summer.

Digitec writes, produces and edits instructional and promotional videos for academic, corporate, association and not-for-profit clients. Visit our website to learn more about Digitec’s video services.

Digitec Welcomes David Auguste to the Team

David Auguste, the newest addition to Digitec’s web application development team, hit the ground running this month as he assisted several projects to successful completion. Skilled in PHP, JavaScript, jQuery and XML, among other programming languages, David plays a vital role in the production, development and maintenance of Digitec’s numerous web applications.

David joins Digitec from the University of Central Florida where he studied Digital Media and Computer Science while working in the university’s Advising and Exploration Department as a Programmer. David is also a member of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM).

Please join us in welcoming David to the team!

Digitec Unveils New iPhone Game Engine at World’s Largest Training Conference

Crowds gathered at the Digitec Interactive booth May 23-25, during the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) Conference & Expo, as representatives unveiled the company’s latest innovation, the LevelItUp iPhone game engine. This new game engine features web-based templates so non-technical users can easily create and customize iPhone and iPad learning games.

The engine was a huge hit with conference attendees, who lined up to compete against each other. With as many as five iPhone and iPads in circulation at the booth, attendees battled one another in an intense head-to-head competition, experiencing the game from their learners’ perspective. Each day, the player who dominated the leaderboard walked away with iTunes gift cards and bragging rights!

LevelItUp Lite is currently in review by Apple for inclusion in the official app store and will be available later this summer. To receive more information about the engine and find out how you can use LevelItUp to create your own games, contact us today.

Knowledge Direct Featured in Tagoras Association LMS Report

For the second year in a row, Digitec’s Knowledge Direct learning management system was one of the select few software solutions reviewed in the 2011 Association Learning Management Systems report by Tagoras. Tagoras, an independent eLearning technology research firm whose focus is on the association sector, offers detailed profiles of key learning management system providers to membership organizations. The annual report premiered in 2010 and is positioned as a practical research report on systems that are a good fit for associations.

Jeff Cobb and Celisa Steele, highly regarded industry experts and authors of the report, credit the Knowledge Direct system with having a “clean administrative interface” and “sophisticated authoring tool.” The authors went on to say, “Knowledge Direct strikes us as a very easy-to-use system that, in combination with Digitec Interactive’s content development services, covers the full range of capabilities needed for the average association e-learning initiative.”

Tagoras’ full product review and evaluation of Knowledge Direct is available upon request, compliments of Digitec. Request your free copy today.

Digitec Offers iPhone and Droid App Development

Looking for new ways to more actively promote your product, organization or learning opportunities? Why not connect with the more than 45.5 million Americans who never leave the house without their beloved smartphone? Digitec has an app for that.

Imagine giving your employees, customers or prospects instant access to:

• Video demos

• Course catalog offerings

• Tutorials

• FAQs

• Store Locators with turn-by-turn directions

• News feeds, and more!

Once created, your new mobile ready content can be managed through your own web site, enabling your staff to update content quickly and easily.

Digitec designs, produces and launches apps for the AppStore and the Android Market. Have an idea? Visit our website. to learn more and schedule your free demo.

Press Release

Knowledge Direct LMS Receives Excellence Award

Digitec Interactive Wins Silver Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Technology Award for the Knowledge Direct® Learning Management System

Orlando, FL, May 3, 2011: Digitec Interactive, a leader in innovative learning technology solutions, has won a coveted Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Technology Award for their flagship learning management solution, Knowledge Direct. Knowledge Direct – a SaaS (software as a service) learning management system for continuing education, professional development and certifications, received high praise in the category of Best Advance in Learning Management Technology for External Training where the platform received the silver award.

The Knowledge Direct suite of software for corporate, association and not-for-profit organizations incorporates several highly innovative features designed specifically for end users of the system external from the organization. Feature-sets unique to the platform include:

• An integrated course catalog with built-in marketing components

• A robust recommendation engine which automatically recommends courses of interest to learners based on their current course assignments

• Social learning integration with the web’s most popular networking sites including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn

• Automatic output for mobile devices including the iPad, iPhone, Android and Blackberry

”We’re thrilled to receive this recognition,” said Jack McGrath, president of Digitec. “Our goal with Knowledge Direct has always been to use technological innovation to create a product that’s very powerful, yet easy-to-use for non-technical users.”

The Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Technology Awards are presented by Brandon Hall Group, a leading research firm in training and development. The Learning Technology Awards program showcases innovative products for creating and managing learning, talent and performance.

“These excellent tools and systems are the cutting edge of learning technology,” said Tom Werner, chief research officer and director of the Awards program. Comments from the judges indicate that the “system offers a very clean, easy-to-use interface” as well as “novel features to allow an organization to present content to external users.”

Digitec representatives will be demonstrating the Knowledge Direct suite of software and answering questions at the following upcoming conferences:

ASTD International, Orlando, Florida, May 23-25, 2011.

AAMSE Annual Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, July 20-22, 2011.

ASAE Annual Meeting and Expo, St. Louis, Missouri, August 7-8, 2011.

NiUG Discovery Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, October 19-21, 2011.

ASAE Medical Associations Conference Baltimore, Maryland, November 7-8, 2011.

ASAE Technology Conference, Washington, D.C, December 6-8, 2011.

About Digitec

Established in 1988, Digitec Interactive is an award-winning eLearning production company and learning management system provider, developing educational products for corporate, association, academic, medical and non-profit clients. Digitec Interactive is best known for the popular learning management system, Knowledge Direct® and has grown to be the leading provider of easy-to-use learning portals and engaging e-Learning programs and courseware.

About Brandon Hall Group

Having worked with more than 5,000 clients globally and after 17 years of delivering world-class solutions, Brandon Hall Group is the preeminent research and analyst organization focused on developing research-driven solutions to drive organizational performance for emerging and large organizations. Through the recent merger of Brandon Hall Research and AC Growth, Brandon Hall Group has an extensive repository of thought leadership, research, data, and expertise in Learning and Development, Talent Management, Sales, Marketing, and Executive Management.

To learn more, visit KnowledgeDirectWeb.com, or contact our offices at 1.800.942.4537, info@digitecinteractive.com.

Media contact:

Amy Bassett

abassett@digitecinteractive.com

Office: 407.299.1800

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Digitec Launches New Corporate Website

Digitec launched its new corporate web site this month. The new site incorporates the latest in web development and web 2.0 technologies, demonstrating our capabilities and showcasing our work. The site features an extensive project portfolio and more.

Digitec’s new corporate website is comprehensive, with sections dedicated to each of the company’s three core business areas: eLearning, Audio and Video Production, and App Development. The site also provides improved navigation, with information targeted to existing and prospective clients, investors, analysts, career seekers and the media.

Check out the new Digitec Interactive corporate website today and tell us what you think!

Digitec to Participate in World’s Largest Training & Development Conference

The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) International Conference is the largest gathering of training and development professionals in the world. Held each spring, the conference brings together more than 8,000 instructional designers, training managers, eLearning developers, facilitators, performance consultants and other workplace learning professionals from more than 70 countries. This event features more than 250 educational sessions from industry-leading experts and a world-class exposition showcasing the latest products and services.

Representatives for Knowledge Direct, Digitec’s flagship eLearning solution for online continuing education, professional development and certification, will be on-site demonstrating the software’s unique feature set. Additionally, Digitec representatives will offer attendees an up- close look at game-based learning simulations and custom courseware.

This year’s event takes place in Orlando, Florida, May 22 – 25, 2011, at the Orange County Convention Center.

For more information about the event, please visit ASTD International.

Digitec Welcomes New Knowledge Direct Partner – Novartis Animal Health

Novartis Animal Health, a division of Novartis International, the third largest pharmaceutical company in terms of sales, is partnering with Digitec Interactive to train its distributors on available treatments offered by the manufacturer through the Knowledge Direct learning management system.

The Novartis Animal Health eLearning portal will be available to distributors in over 40 countries and will act as a single unified repository for self-paced training courses, live and recorded webinars, and interactive simulations regarding the health and treatment of disease for both pets and farm animals worldwide. Together with Digitec and the Knowledge Direct learning management system, Novartis Animal Health will educate distributors of its products on the very latest in research and development of vaccines and pharmaceuticals for animal health in near real-time.

For more information on how Knowledge Direct can help your organization deliver effective and affordable learning, visit us at Knowledge Direct Web.

Production Wraps on New Sizzle Reel and Sales Presentation Video

Digitec’s video services team recently added two new projects to the company’s portfolio of creative and award-winning video productions. Steve Radley, director of video services, led the projects for Hilton Grand Vacations and the American Education Television Network.

Updates to Hilton Grand Vacations’ Rental Marketing video, originally produced in 2007 by Digitec Interactive, are centered on the resort’s new brand standards. Bold new photos of the properties from popular vacation destinations around the U.S. give the promotional video new life. The updated sales presentation video will be utilized by vacation sales centers around the country to showcase Hilton Grand Vacations’ resort properties.

2820 Design, an Orlando-based digital branding agency, also called on the talents of Digitec’s video services team to edit a sizzle reel for a new television network coming this fall. American Education Television, a full-time cable network focused on the debates, success, issues, news and events of our nation’s educational efforts, plans to promote the network’s launch and secure funding utilizing the polished demo reel.

Please visit Digitec’s new video production portfolio to view samples of our most recent work.

Digitec Announces Special Savings — 20% Discount on LMS Implementation

New Knowledge Direct LMS clients are eligible for our Spring sale! For a limited time only, Digitec is offering new Knowledge Direct clients a 20% discount on implementation (start-up costs) when choosing the all-in-one learning management solution for online delivery, tracking and reporting of web-based training.

With new version 5.0, Digitec’s Knowledge Direct eLearning platform offers associations, not-for-profits, corporations and academic institutions:

• Cost savings when compared to instructor-led training or when switching from comparable learning management solutions

• Ease-of-use for non-technical LMS administrators and learners

• Peace of mind knowing learners will have access to their courses anytime, anywhere

• Premium 24/7 customer support by telephone, email or live chat

• Integrated content authoring tools for rapid content creation and automatic output for online and mobile delivery

Visit our website to learn more about getting started with Knowledge Direct and this special, limited time offer.

Trends in Mobile Learning

Digitec president and creative director Jack McGrath makes the case for mobile learning with his latest blog post, “Mobile Learning Apps: Statistics and Trends”. The article comes after questions swirled about the need for mLearning during the Learning Solutions 2011 conference in Orlando last week.

According to a report by Ambien Insight in 2010, “the US market for mobile learning products and services is growing at a five-year compound annual growth rate of 18.3%”; making it one of the only sectors whose demand has remained relatively unchanged despite the national recession.

An even more remarkable report by internet analyst Mary Meeker of Morgan Stanley indicates that by 2014, the number of mobile internet users will surpass the number of users browsing the internet via a desktop computer. Surprised?

For more interesting statistics and to get the full story on trends in mobile learning, visit Jack’s eLearning blog.

Digitec Presents at Cisco Systems’ Innovations in Learning Virtual Meeting

Digitec Interactive’s long-time partner in eLearning, Cisco Systems — the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate — recently held their Innovations in Learning virtual meeting. Event organizer Jerry Bush invited Digitec president and creative director Jack McGrath to lead a session on its rapid mobile learning tool, Direct-to-WEB. With more than four dozen members of Cisco Systems’ global professional education and training team in attendance, the audience received an up-close, behind-the-scenes look at Direct-to-WEB, Digitec’s rapid content authoring tool for web-based and mobile delivery.

The hour-long session explored the global adoption of smart phone technology and trends in learning through the vast array of mobile devices. The Holy Grail for corporate learning is an easy way to “create once, deliver to all platforms.” Jack then demonstrated Direct-to-WEB, which enables trainers to create interactive learning using PowerPoint®, then deliver versions for web browsers, smart phones, tablet computers and MP3 players. Session attendees were also the first to see Direct-to-WEB’s latest innovative eLearning enhancement features, including the ability to add interactive activities and YouTube videos between slides after the presentation is converted from a PowerPoint presentation to Direct-to-WEB.

Digitec to Sponsor iMIS User’s Group Conference in Chicago

Digitec Interactive is proud to sponsor this year’s National iMIS Users Group (NiUG) Conference, a 2-day networking and educational event for member-based organizations that utilize Advanced Solutions International’s association management solution. Digitec representatives will demonstrate the Knowledge Direct learning management system, which integrates with the iMIS association management system.

Integration of the two solutions results in a wide range of benefits for associations who plan to offer eLearning courses to their members, including:

• Single sign-on for seamless entry into the learning portal

• User authentication with the association’s member database

• eCommerce shopping cart for secure payments

The conference takes place in Chicago, IL, April 18 – 20, 2011, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. More than 300 association executives, staff and IT personnel are expected to attend, providing a forum for association staffers to discuss the latest in tools, technologies and processes to improve member services and continuing education programs.

For more information about the event, please visit NiUG International. We look forward to seeing you in Chicago!

Florida Virtual School Selects Digitec for Online Curriculum Development

Florida Virtual School (FLVS), an accredited, public, online e-learning school serving students in grades K-12 around the world, has selected Digitec as a pre-approved, preferred vendor for their on-going online curriculum development.

Vendors were selected to provide services in one or more of 8 categories:

1. Mobile application development

2. Design and page creation

3. eBooks

4. Creative writing

5. Content development

6. Audio, video and digital images

7. Digital game-based learning

8. Course creation and ancillary services

Digitec Interactive was the only vendor selected to provide services in all eight categories. Digitec has previously partnered with FLVS on several game-based learning and content development projects, including a 3-D Virtual Frog dissection and Virtual Globe Theatre game, featuring William Shakespeare, himself.

Jack McGrath Educates Audiences on Game-Based Learning

Jack McGrath, President and Creative Director of Digitec Interactive, and nationally-recognized speaker on game-based learning, presented “How and When to Use Play to Teach” at Training Magazine’s Training 2011 Conference in San Diego, earlier this month.

Play to Teach, an engaging, interactive approach to learning using games and simulation, is quickly gaining popularity in training and professional development.

During his presentation, Jack shared research studies showing that 25 hours of training and practice using multimedia and simulations were equivalent to the effects of four years on the job skills. “The potential of game-based learning, alternate reality, simulations, and multiplayer experiences to increase learning outcomes and better engage today’s workforce is no longer just a theory, but a fact supported by research,” concluded Jack McGrath.

Those who attended the presentation said, “Great! This is the stuff I came here for. Thank you!”

Want more information about game-based learning and the Play to Teach approach? Go to Play to Teach to learn more.

Digitec to Sponsor Avectra Users Group Conference in Orlando

Now in its seventh year, the annual Avectra Users and Developers Conference is a 3-day intensive training and educational event for member-based organizations who use Avectra’s association management solution, netFORUM. This year Digitec Interactive is proud to sponsor the event and demonstrate how the Knowledge Direct learning management system integrates with netFORUM to enable single sign-on and data sharing for its association clients.

The conference will be held in Orlando, FL, February 27 – March 1, 2011 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. More than 300 leading association executives, staff and IT personnel, including representatives from Digitec’s newest Knowledge Direct partner, the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), plan to attend.

Dick Hofmann, VP of Sales, says, “The ability to integrate Knowledge Direct with third party solutions, such as Avectra’s netFORUM is critical for associations. Digitec is delighted to support this conference and provide its members with a powerful, yet simple LMS that works well with their existing association management system.”

For more information about the event, please visit AUDC 2011.

Digitec Adds Twelve Conferences to Exhibition Schedule

With the recent release of the new version 5.0 of the Knowledge Direct learning management system and its rapid content authoring tool, Direct-to-WEB, interest in the solution has reached a new high.

Excitement over the release was apparent during Digitec’s just-concluded California conference tour. Attendees of the Golden State shows packed into the Knowledge Direct booth to get a glimpse of the new and improved eLearning platform. In response, Digitec has decided to participate in a dozen additional eLearning conferences this year to demonstrate the system’s new feature set.

Next Conference:

eLearning Guild Learning Solutions Conference

March 23 – 25

Hilton Walt Disney World Resort

Orlando, FL

NBA All-Star Dwight Howard Draws in Crowds On and Off the Court

Photo credit: George Skene/Orlando Sentinel

When Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard arrived at the Digitec audio production suite for an audio recording session on February 7, no one could have imagined the media frenzy that would ensue. It was just an ordinary day at the office aside from the fact that 6’11 Dwight Howard was in-house, when film crews, photographers, reporters and Disney Channel executives and producers appeared at Digitec’s headquarters in Orlando, FL to see the star in action. Howard, a regular to Digitec’s audio production facility, was recording voice over for the Disney Channel animated cartoon series, Kick Buttowski, in which he portrays movie star Rock Callahan.

Coverage of the event spanned national and local newspapers, magazines, television stations and countless blogs. Watch a video clip of Dwight behind the mic at Digitec Orlando.

Digitec Partners with North Carolina Community College System for Two New VLOs

Following the creation of Environmental Monitoring, Digitec’s first virtual learning object (VLO) for the North Carolina Community College System’s BioEd Center in 2010, NCCCS has again partnered with Digitec to provide the design and development of two new learning objects: Autoclave Operation and Aseptic Technique and Working at a Laminar Airflow Bench.

The learner-centered objects include simulations to enable students to practice using the equipment and techniques taught in the classroom without endangering themselves or expensive lab equipment.

We invite you to check out the case study on Environmental Monitoring and how it is being used to provide virtual “hands-on” cleanroom training for NCCCS students.

Digitec Releases New Direct-to-WEB PowerPoint-to-Flash Content Authoring Tool

Digitec’s rapid content authoring tool (RCAT), Direct-to-Web, has been totally re-engineered and is now available as part of the Knowledge Direct® suite of software. Built in to the Knowledge Direct platform, the tool converts Microsoft® PowerPoint® files into engaging Flash eLearning modules and enables users to quickly create module content from any computer.

The latest version of Direct-to-Web features a new array of sleek and stylish user interfaces, supporting:

· Animations

· Transitions

· Embedded hyperlinks

· Inter-module search

· Slide annotations

· Audio Narration

Direct-to-Web can also automatically create a version of the eLearning modules for mobile access for the iPhone, iPad and other smartphones, so learners can access courses on the go!

For more information about Direct-to-Web and the Knowledge Direct learning management system, contact Dick Hofmann.

The Digitec Team Heads West for 3 California Conferences

This month marks the beginning of our busiest conference year to date and will be taking our team down the California coast for what are sure to be three very informative conferences.

The first stop on the 14-day, 3-city tour is historic San Francisco, home of the Golden Gate Bridge, mysterious fog, and the Alliance for Continuing Medical Education’s (ACME) 36th Annual Conference and Expo. The conference begins Jan. 26 and runs through Jan. 29 and expects to attract more than 1,500 continuing medical education professionals.

Next up, our team travels to the “Capital of Silicon Valley,” San Jose, for the American Society of Training and Development’s (ASTD) Techknowledge Conference and Expo Feb. 1-3. Learning professionals from around the country will gather to learn how the latest technologies can give their educational programs the edge in the New Year.

Wrapping up our conference triple-header, we head south to San Diego for Training Magazine’s annual conference, Feb. 7-9, where thousands of training directors from the world’s most progressive companies gather for three days of education sessions, vendor showcases and keynote addresses from inspiring minds such as Grammy award-winning guitar player Jeffrey Baxter.

If you are planning to attend any of these great conferences, make sure to stop by the Digitec Interactive booth and meet our exhibition team!

Digitec Welcomes New Knowledge Direct MED Partner ENA

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), a recognized leader in the emergency nursing profession with more than 36,000 members worldwide, is partnering with Digitec to offer its members continuing medical education through the Knowledge Direct MED learning management system. The portal, ENA University, is expected to go live in July and will act as a single, unified repository for self-paced courses, live and recorded webinars, CEN practice exams and interactive simulations.

For more information on how Knowledge Direct can help your organization expand and market its educational offerings and deliver effective and affordable learning, visit us at Knowledge Direct Web.

Production Wraps on New eLearning Course for CFMA

Digitec’s custom courseware production team recently completed a new online training course for the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), a long-time client and Knowledge Direct LMS partner with more than 7,000 members. CFMA, the recognized authority on construction financial management, collaborated with Digitec to produce the 7-module course. The new course features interactive spreadsheets for practicing financial calculations and informative Knowledge Check games. The course is already receiving high praise from members of the course review board, and is expected to be a big hit with CFMA members.

For more information about Digitec’s custom courseware development, click here.