Tips for Getting the Most Out of Web-based Learning

Manage your learning time

  • Make an effort to schedule time for training just as you would schedule time for your client.
  • Change your voice mail greeting to indicate you will not be available on (date) and that you will return the call as soon as possible.
  • Reserve a conference room or other quiet space and close the door.
  • Inform the people you work with that you are scheduled for training and will be unavailable.
  • If another member of your project team or office is also planning on doing a Web-based learning (WBL) program, share the space. However, don’t share the network connections (i.e. don’t use a hub) as this may cause network traffic problems and degrade the performance of the WBL courses.

Be aware of network traffic and Internet latency

  • EY’s WBL courses reside on the Internet. (Yes, the same place you go to find out the weather, current events and maybe even do a little online shopping.) If there is anything unusual going on with the Internet (for example, viruses such as Code Red, I Love You, etc.), you may experience delays.
  • EY’s network experiences the heaviest volume between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Just like going home during rush hour, you may experience some delays during this timeframe.

Be kind to your computer

  • Close all applications other than your browser including Lotus Notes, MS Word, and MS Excel. This will free up the maximum amount of PC memory for the courseware and should increase WBL performance.
  • Prior to each WBL session delete temporary Internet files. From the browser window select Tools>Internet Options>Delete Files; check “Delete all offline content,” and then click “OK.”

Start early!

  • If you are completing courses as pre-requisites for a classroom course, start the courses as soon as possible. You never know when a client is going to call, a partner is going to walk into your cube, or the network is going to go down. The earlier you start, the better your chances of completing all the courses prior to attending the classroom portion of the course.
  • Like the Internet, WBL courses are generally available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, you just never know what might be going on in cyberspace. Remember Murphy’s Law—if anything can go wrong, it will.
  • You may find that the amount of time it takes you to complete the course does not match the CPE credit hours. The amount of CPE credit is based on the average time it took a group of pilot testers to complete the course. You may find that the amount of time it takes you to complete the course is longer or shorter than the CPE credit hours, depending on your learning style, individual experience, and subject knowledge.

Maximize your learning

  • Take notes. Open up a blank Word document or pull out your handy Ernst & Young pad of paper, and keep track of important points in the course.
  • Take care of yourself.
  • Take a 5 to 10 minute break at least once every hour
  • Drink water
  • Stretch
  • Arrange your space for maximum comfort; ensure the lighting is appropriate; adjust the height of your chair so that you are comfortable; minimize noise.
  • You are responsible for your own learning, so make the most of this opportunity to learn at your own pace.
  • As with any training opportunity, you will get out of this experience what you put into it.
  • Have fun! The courses have been designed to be engaging and interactive to maximize your learning experience!

If you encounter a problem with a Web-based learning course, please call 1-800-EYHELP3, Fast Path #1-3-2.