Verizon Business and Element K Receive Innovative Learning Technology Award

Verizon Business and Element K have received the Innovative Learning Technology award from the American Society for Training and Development Technology-based Learning Special Interest Group. The award recognizes Verizon Business's specialized certification training and Element K's underlying vLabs technology.

The award, presented recently by the Atlanta chapter of ASTD, selected the winning educational partners based on how well they used specific technology to improve performance, as well as the uniqueness and effectiveness of their training method.

Shaunda Paden, president of the TBL Sig branch of ASTD and one of the judges of this year's competition, said, "I was impressed by how Element K's solution improved performance by providing remote learners training on real equipment rather than a theoretical simulated environment." 

Using the vLabs technology, Verizon Business technical employees who work on complex network systems can receive advanced training necessary for their jobs. The employees can refer to a sample solution and work toward it to eliminate guesswork. The labs also have a time limit, which helps simulate real-world pressures and actual exam experience. As a result, vLabs allows students to gain practical knowledge through self-paced instruction, then practice those skills and return to the coursework as needed to refresh their knowledge.

"By leveraging Element K's vLabs technology to deliver our course requirements, Verizon Business is able to deliver an advanced virtual classroom to a large technical audience scattered around the globe," said Michael Sunderman, executive director of learning and development for Verizon Business. "Valuable hands-on experience from virtually anywhere in the world, anytime of the day, is critical to our training process."

Added Chris Harte, vice president of Learning Delivery at Element K, "We are honored to have our work with Verizon Business recognized by ASTD. Element K's vLabs provide an incredibly cost-effective and safe way for professionals to practice crucial skills. Verizon Business' program is an excellent example of how this technology can be leveraged to successfully implement major organizational training initiatives." 

Read the complete case study about the Verizon Business technical training program.

About ASTD
ASTD (American Society for Training & Development) is the world's largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals. ASTD's members come from more than 100 countries and connect locally in more than 130 U.S. chapters and with more than 30 international partners. Members work in thousands of organizations of all sizes, in government, as independent consultants, and suppliers.

About Element K
For over 25 years, Element K has provided clients with learning solutions to develop their employees, enable their partners, and educate their customers.  Element K offers content collections that include e-Learning, e-Reference, instructor-led, and blended materials to provide learning and performance support in topic areas ranging from management skills to information technology skills to workplace compliance.  We also provide custom learning program design, course development, and deployment.  Element K enables learning delivery with flexible delivery technology, including the KnowledgeHub LMS and ContentHub Integration Server, and a broad set of administrative and advisory enablement services.

Element K is headquartered in Rochester, NY and employs over 700 professionals.  For more information, please visit www.elementk.com.

About Verizon Business
Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with one of the world's most connected IP networks to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions.  We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees - enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment.  Many of the world's largest businesses and governments - including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions - rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

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