American Management Association Adds Virtual Seminars to Its Portfolio of Training Programs

American Management Association (AMA), a world leader in talent development and performance-based learning solutions, will offer live, instructor-led Virtual Seminars starting in October 2009. Customers will be able to access AMAís world-class training seminars online via an Internet connection and browser, delivered directly to their office or home PC.

By year-end, AMA will deliver five of its most popular seminars in a live virtual format that will be both interactive and user-friendly. The new Virtual Seminars feature AMAís high-quality, practical content in a dynamic new format that provides real-time online interaction among the course leader and seminar participants in a facilitated exchange of ideas.

The five new Virtual Seminars being offered this fall are ìTime Management,î ìFundamentals of Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers,î ìSuccessfully Managing People,î ìAMAís PMP Exam Prep Express,î and ìStrategic Planning.î All of AMAís new Virtual Seminars are open to the general public. And all of AMAís 140 seminars can be customized and delivered in a virtual format for corporate or government clients.

ìAMAís Virtual Seminars are a flexible training alternative to our classroom-based programs,î said Edward T. Reilly, AMA President and CEO. ìFor more than 85 years, American Management Associationís mission has been to advance the development of management and leadership practices and provide a forum for the exchange of business ideas. Today, advances in technology allow AMA to bring high-quality interactive learning to people at their desktops around the globe,î Reilly said.

The web-conferencing platform uses advanced Internet technologies to facilitate the live online learning experience. The course materials will include a free USB headset that enables participants to communicate with the instructor and other attendees. Other interactive features include real-time polling, chat capability, and online whiteboards that allow participants to get feedback, ask questions, post comments, and see what the instructor is writing. They will also be able to work together in groups by utilizing conference-call and file-sharing capabilities.

ìAMAís Virtual Seminars are the next progression in our online learning platform,î said Nicholas Igneri, AMAís Director of Learning Technologies. ìFor several years, AMA has offered blended-learning support for many of its popular seminars, essentially supplementing classroom experiences with Web-based resources. Now, AMA is leveraging the success of our pre- and post-seminar materialsówhich include online assessments and reinforcement and support toolsóto be able to offer an entire seminar virtually,î Igneri said.

AMA will more than double the number of Virtual Seminars being offered in 2010, with 12 titles in the market by April. The seven new titles offered next year are ìCritical Thinking,î ìAMAís 2-Day Business Writing Workshop,î ìPreparing for Leadership: What It Takes to Take the Lead,î ìLeading Virtual and Remote Teams,î ìManagement Skills for New Supervisors,î ìManagement Skills for Administrative Professionals,î and ìImproving Your Project Management Skills: The Basics for Success.î