Product Design Course Attracting Lots Of Student Enquiries Says Distance Learning Provider

The Interactive Design Institute, the UK’s leading provider of online qualifications in Art & Design is experiencing a high level of interest in their innovative online Product Design course. “Our admissions team is receiving a significant number of enquiries from students looking for an online degree course in Product Design and ultimately, a career in Product Design” reports Michael Stewart, a director with IDI.

“Our Product Design qualification has been specifically developed by the Institute and is accredited by the University of Hertfordshire, one of the UK’s leading universities. At IDI we are confident that our course suits the requirements of students who are aiming to become the Product Designers of the future”.

Throughout the world, the UK is recognised for its strong tradition of excellence in design education. UK Product design courses are based on a combination of sound educational methodology and industry practice that, in turn, generates highly sought after designers, hence the demand that is being experienced by IDI staff.

The Interactive Design Institute is a collaborative partner of the University of Hertfordshire and currently delivers their Product Design qualification to the level of Certificate in Education following one year’s online study, with the Product Design diploma being awarded after two years online study and finally, the degree after three years online study. Product Design students can opt to study all or part of the degree programme online as they also have the option to study any part of their course on an attendance basis at the University of Hertfordshire. In addition, students can choose to study product design on a full or part time basis.

Michael Stewart, director of IDI continues, “Our online Product Design course has been especially written by professional designers, industry practitioners and highly qualified academics for online delivery. Our course is specifically designed to prepare students for employment in a wide range of product design based professions”.

Essentially, IDI’s online Product Design course enables students to study towards a universally recognised degree and therefore entry to a competitive but often lucrative career. Throughout the course students are encouraged to adopt a professional attitude to their studies and the working environment is simulated through a sequence of practical projects which enables them to gain a range of technical skills and professional knowledge. As with all IDI courses, students are encouraged to be experimental and take risks in order to push the boundaries within their own practice. However, this innovative approach is underpinned by solid research work into historical and contemporary practices.

Michael Stewart concludes, “The Interactive Design Institute’s online Product Design degree programme emphasises professionalism and industry relevance. We have experienced a significant demand to provide such a course online and following extensive development work, are delighted to offer our Product Design course for students across the UK and internationally”.

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Online Graphic Design Degree Students Graduate With The Interactive Design Institute

The UK’s leading provider of online qualification in Art & Design, the Interactive Design Institute (IDI) is preparing to celebrate the graduation of the first groups of students from their innovative BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree course. This is the first time students have graduated from a UK BA (Hons) degree in Graphic Design delivered entirely online and the IDI team are delighted:

“At the Interactive Design Institute we are thrilled that our course, which was specifically developed for online delivery and accredited by the University of Hertfordshire, has proved so successful”, says Michael Stewart, director of IDI.

As a collaborative partner of the University of Hertfordshire, one of the UK’s leading universities, the Interactive Design Institute developed the online BA (Hons) in Graphic design over a number of years, with expert input from a variety of sources. IDI also went through a rigorous validation process with the University of Hertfordshire in order to ensure that the quality and standards of their online courses matches the requirements of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) “At IDI, we are aware that the UK has a long tradition of innovation in design and a reputation for the quality of teaching and high standards of research activity in its universities and colleges”, continues Stewart.

“Consequently, we tasked a specially selected group of industry professionals, design practitioners and highly qualified academics with creating course content that would prepare students for entry into a career in the Graphic Design industry”.

The results speak for themselves. Every student in the first group of graduates has not only passed, but achieved commendable grades with two first class, four upper second and two lower second degrees being awarded. Indeed, the independent, external assessors responsible for appraising the students’ work were unanimous in their praise for the high standards achieved.

“This is a remarkable achievement when you consider that only four of these students are based in the UK with the others living in Moscow, Hungary and Trinidad & Tobago”, says Stewart. “To date all communication between students and tutors has taken place within IDI’s bespoke online study environment, IDI-Study, so all are equally keen to attend the University of Hertfordshire’s graduation ceremony scheduled for November 2011”

The Interactive Design Institute is confident that this high level of student achievement is not only an endorsement of their Graphic Design course but for online delivery as a viable alternative to attendance based study.

Michael Stewart continues, “IDI’s BA (Hons) Graphic Design course is our response to the significant number of enquiries we have received over the last few years for a flexible, affordable alternative for those who want to take control of how and when they study. Many of our applications come from working professionals who wish to upgrade an existing design qualification or from those working in other disciplines who would like to retrain but need the flexibility that online study can provide.

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Choosing a Home Learning Company

NCC Home learning commenced delivery to its first learners in May 2006 and has been built on a pedigree of delivery with Colleges of Further Education for over thirteen years and to hundreds of thousands of successful learners.

Over recent years many new home learning organisations have emerged and tempt interested learners with a variety of offers and describe and present their business extremely well. On the flip side, some may have an exciting, interesting and a visually appealing website but it would appear little substance.

Prospective learners could save themselves heartache and money by making a few checks before signing up, including: Does the home learning website have an appropriate business address and can you establish how long they have been providing education? Can they be found on independent review sites with testimonials (good and bad) from learners who they have supported? Do they offer full Awarding Body accreditation with their courses if this is important to the learner? Is their fee policy transparent, or does the learner have to pay for additional items such as reference materials, accreditation etc? Is their a cooling off period?

Many organisations also offer a ‘free learner goody bay’ including additional items such as a pen, note pad, highlighter pens, bag to keep course work in etc. These items are inevitably a cost to the provider and must be factored into the overall cost of the course – ask if a discount can be offered if the ‘free goody bag’ is not required.

The most important aspect of all though is to conduct thorough research as impulsive purchases may not always suit the learner’s needs fully. Many home learning companies offer similar courses and at wildly differing prices. Once a learner has decided upon a course subject area, an appropriate search in Google, or other search engines, will throw up many organisations offering a solution. It is recommended that learner’s contact a number of organisations and satisfy themselves that they have sufficient information, before committing to make a purchase.

NCC Home learning offers learners a professional solution with Awarding Body accreditation included within the course price for over 90% of the course offered. We have approximately 250 courses available, many of which are targeted at improving employability skills such as our Teaching Assistant Diploma, Distance Learning A Levels, and Computerised Book Keeping etc.

Tony Smith, Managing Director at NCC Home Learning, said: “Learners should consider as many education development options as possible before making a decision which could ultimately change their career options.”

He also stated that: “Learners should undertake appropriate research and if not totally satisfied, take a step back before making a purchasing decision and only commit when they know that they have found the right course, and that they know that they can commit the time necessary to achieve their goal.”

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Beat the Rush and Get Your A-Levels Today!

NCC Home Learning is currently providing an impressive range of A-Level courses, ideal for those who choose to learn from home. This is perfect for those who can’t afford the new tuition fee increase but want to further their education.

September 2012 sees the rise in tuition fees for university student’s which is why now more than ever it is important to start thinking about further education. University may not be on the cards for most people but having A-Level qualifications will help to achieve potential career goals.

A-Levels could become more desired due to the increase in tuition fees. Less people will go to university and will start looking for other qualifications, so now is the best time to achieve A-Level qualifications without having to fight for the course you want.

NCC Home Learning provide courses such as Psychology courses online and Business Studies, as well as Law and Mathematics which can be completed in the comfort of your own home, so there is no need to worry about the disruption of attending any classes.

99% of NCC Home Learning learners surveyed agreed that they: “learnt a lot while studying their chosen programme” proving that studying A-Levels at home is worthwhile and now is the best time to do it in order to beat the high demands of A-Levels in the future.

Tony Smith Managing Director of NCC Home Learning, said: “The courses offered through NCC Home Learning are a fantastic way of achieving qualifications without the need to attend college.”

The course you choose to study at home will have all the correct learning materials needed to complete the course and all NCC Home Learning A Levels are awarded by national accrediting bodies including Edexcel, AQA and OCR.

NCC Home Learning aim to provide the option of further education for everyone, they enable you to learn around your busy life style making it easier to gain an education.

If you are interested in furthering your education or would like more information then please visit: www.ncchomelearning.co.uk/cart.php.

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Online Education Provider Interactive Design Institute Introduces the Employers Discount Scheme

The UK’s leading provider of online qualifications in Art & Design has introduced a scheme that enables those already in employment, the opportunity to gain the degree they’ve always wanted.

Spokesperson for the Interactive Design Institute, Michael Stewart, says, “Our admissions team was frequently approached by working professionals keen to upgrade existing design based qualifications and those looking for a means to retrain for an alternative career in design. At the Institute, we already have the type of courses that suit the learner who is looking for a flexible mode of study but we were prompted to look for ways in which we could make these courses even more affordable and that’s when we came up with the “Employers Discount Scheme”.

The idea behind the scheme is simple; both the employer and the employee are responsible for the overall course fee but because this is shared, the cost is minimised. The scheme is designed to assist both the employer and their employees, not only through generous discounts on course fees, but also by providing cost effective, in service training and career development opportunities. Employees are encouraged to enhance their qualifications at a fraction of the usual cost while employers may be able to offset their portion of the fees against tax, safe in the knowledge that the service provider, IDI, is a collaborative partner of the University of Hertfordshire, one of the UK’s leading universities.

“It really is a “win win” situation”, says Stewart. “IDI is widely recognised as a provider of high quality design based courses and we take the burden of organising continued professional training away from the employer and provide a comprehensive educational programme that leads to a universally recognised, UK based qualification”.

Praise for the scheme is already flooding in to the Institute in form of unsolicited testimony;

“Without the employer discount I don’t think it would have been possible for me to study with IDI” said student James Latham.

Uniquely, IDI’s Employers Discount Scheme is also available to those who are self employed.

“I am part owner in the company, I will personally benefit and my company will also benefit from my newly gained knowledge and its implementation into our company” said student Josh Grindal.

For several years now The Interactive Design Institute’s online learning courses have enabled students to combine their studies with other commitments, such as family obligations or work related issues. IDI students can study flexibly, at times which suit them, and can combine their studies with full or part time employment.

This latest initiative from IDI, The Employers Discount Scheme, is straightforward, uncomplicated and intended to provide access to an even wider range of prospective students. For every contribution an employer makes towards an employee’s course fees, the Interactive Design Institute will contribute a further 35%. The combined savings for employees are considerable as can be seen from these illustrative examples:

For employers paying the maximum on behalf of their employees, the fees are broken down as follows:

For Higher Education courses, the course fee is £4,000 of which the employer contribution is £2,963 while IDI contributes £1,073. The student pays nothing and therefore saves £4,000.

For Foundation courses, the course fee is £3,000 of which the employer contribution is £2,223 while IDI contributes £778. The student pays nothing and therefore saves £3,000

Naturally, the admissions team at IDI is excited about this latest product from an Institute that prides itself on providing high quality educational courses to an ever increasing student market.

Employers who have already taken advantage of the scheme include Bread & Butter Design, Layla Lingerie and Siuin Design.

For more information on individual circumstances, or to make an application through the IDI Employers Discount Scheme, please contact Carolyn Hall on 01875 320 597 or Freephone 0800 917 1118 or by e-mail at: carolyn.hall@idesigni.co.uk.

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Online Education A More Attractive Option For Students As Universities Continue Increasing Tuition Fees

The Government’s decision to allow universities in the UK to set their own levels of course fees has had an unexpected knock on effect for providers of distance learning.

As the dust begins to settle on the furore surrounding many universities plans to increase course fees to the maximum level permitted, distance learning organisations look poised to cash in – literally.

Established companies such as the Interactive Design Institute have remained largely unaffected by the scrabble to establish record levels of tuition fees across the UK’s higher education sector. “The cost of providing higher education courses need not be prohibitive” according to Michael Stewart, director at IDI, “Distance learning providers are able to deliver the many of the same courses with the same high levels of student support but at a fraction of the cost”.

For example, universities in Wales are proposing to charge student tuition fees of up to £9,000 per annum after their original applications were rejected by the Higher Education Funding Council. The HEFCW stated that the universities would be required to show that their proposals demonstrated how they would allocate a proportion of the new fee to the promotion of higher education and the encouragement of equality of opportunity.

The cost of the new scheme could result in long term financial difficulties for university level education in Wales.

In England, the fees will be paid directly to the university as a government loan. The university then recoups this loan from students following graduation. However, in Wales the government are planning to cover the increase by providing a grant to fund the difference between the current course fee and the proposed higher fee.

Consequently, 75% of Welsh students will be unaffected by the increase as they will be in receipt of this government grant. The cost to the Welsh Assembly will be in the region of £1.5 billion and this explains why the Welsh Assembly is anxious to ensure the maximum return on this investment.

Some commentators feel that the delivery of higher education requires a major overhaul but in the interim, innovative providers such as the Interactive Design Institute are generating significant enquiries from students seeking other modes of learning.

For these new providers, issues of affordability, flexibility and inclusion can be tackled quickly by re-evaluating the way in which education is delivered. Face to face interaction at an attendance based university is a resource heavy, inflexible and expensive model that requires the provision of an extensive infrastructure.

The physical classroom is no longer the centre of the educational universe, fact recognised by the collaborative partnership between The University of Hertfordshire’s and the Interactive Design Institute.

Distance learning providers such as the Interactive Design Institute deliver their courses to students through an online learning environment where each student has their own studio and can communicate with their tutors and fellow students in a series of dedicated forums.

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Back To School Discounts From Asda, Debenhams And Staples

The coupon and discount vouchers site, OfferMyOffer.com, presents back to school sales from over 1000 online stores, spanning more than 30 categories, including Education, fashion, beauty and eye care, home and garden and many more. We feature the likes of Asda back to school discounts; Debenhams discount vouchers and Staple back to school offers.

It’s the time of year again that all students dread, but all parents love: the start of term. After a long summer of holidays and fun in the sun, we welcome the Autumn with a rush of pupils who cannot wait to get back to their friends. Lessons replace gaming consoles, and weeks of boredom and laziness evaporate as everyone gets back into the swing of things.

The beginning of the academic year is an exciting time for everyone, and even if you have been through it many times before, there is always a certain thrill associated with going back to school. Whether you are a student, teacher, or parent, it can be a stressful and busy period, but one that will pave the way for new beginnings. The summer holidays can easily make people lazy, so it’s important for students to be prepared to embark upon the journey of a new school year.

It is not that simple; however, as everyone knows the rate at which students go through clothes, stationery and a whole lot more. It is not only the academic tasks that lie ahead, but also the challenge of finding the best bargains for new gear. Whether it is a set of new folders to take to University, or new uniforms for primary school children, help is at hand from Offermyoffer.com to find the cheapest deals available.

Debenhams offers a fantastic range of discounted rucksacks, like the highly sought after black Back-to-school Mini Backpack that has an astonishing 50% savings available. The backpack is also available in navy and pink. George at ASDA also has a grand offer on their back to school wear: spend £20 and get £5 off your purchase. They also have free home delivery on the same range of clothes.

For the tech-savvy students, eBooks.com is offering a 5% discount on all ebooks as their Back-to-school discount. If it is software is what you’re after, then Adobe’s Back-to-school promotion enables you a sensational saving of up to 80% on Adobe Student and Teacher Editions. Plus, they are throwing in free shipping!

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Back to School Made Easy by the Book People

Specialist online book shop the Book People has created a blog post which gives its readers their top five recommended resources when it comes to getting the children back to school.

As well as providing a huge selection of the best children’s books and reference books for kids, the Book People aims to be a useful resource for parents, teachers, children and avid readers alike. The latest blog post, which went live this morning, includes a snippet about each website included in the list so that the reader is given a taster of why it has been chosen and why they might find it useful to read before the new term begins, and afterwards.

The blog post includes websites that offer useful reading tips, fun ways to get reluctant readers interested, shopping guides to ensure the kids are prepared and how to prepare for the first days of school or nursery.

Previous blog posts from the Book People have included Top 10 travel advice blogs and Top 10 book review sites, and those sites that are included often receive an eye-catching winner’s badge to put on their homepage. The Book People offers affordable books to buy online and organises its range into age groups, genres and much more to make it easy for customers to find and order the books they want.

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