Online training provider Fitness Industry Education (FIE - http://www.fitnessindustryeducation.co.uk ) is launching several new courses through its ‘Learning Management System’ (LMS), starting in December 06.

FIE already offers high quality and affordable online distance learning courses in fitness related subjects such as Personal Training, Exercise to Music/Aerobics Instructor and Weight Management. The company is now adding online training in Assessing, Health Related Exercise for Children, Studio Resistance, Aqua Instructing and Indoor Cycling to its roster.

All courses have full central YMCA qualifications or Active IQ accreditation and are approved by REPs (Register of Exercise Professionals) - the recognised industry standard for training programmes.

The LMS is designed to support the student throughout the duration of their course – whether they choose to complete it in three months or three years. Students can log in and view the learning material, which consists of animations, videos, audio and text, at their own pace. Knowledge and understanding is checked throughout each course by a series of online self assessments giving instant feedback on the student’s progress.

Thanks to a handy online desktop, the student can book into assessments, training days and ‘eClassrooms’ conducted with a web conferencing application which is free to download. Students may also communicate with each other in an online chat room, participate in forums and use the latest blogging technology to store their study notes, favourite websites and any documents or pictures useful to their study. The blogs can then be shared with other students on the system.

Upon completion of each course stage, students can view their results, as well as tutor and assessor feedback, and see action plans. The system tracks their learning progress through to the completion of the course and the subsequent awarding body certification.

FIE managing director, Michael Betts, comments: “Our research shows that the greatest benefit for students is the flexibility our Learning Management System gives them. Approximately half our students are already working in the fitness industry and others are looking for qualifications that will allow them to move out of their existing job into a career in fitness. Some FIE students complete the courses in weeks, while others have other work and time commitments and take much longer.”

He adds: “Helpfully, our system tracks the students’ progress while keeping learning fresh at all times. As a result of this approach, we expect course dropout to fall, which is beneficial to us, students and the industry alike.”

- Ends -

Notes for editors
Fitness Industry Education was founded in 2000 by renowned fitness educator, Michael Betts, and celebrity trainer and nutritionist, Steele Williams. The site is designed to provide quality distance learning courses for people who want to improve their employment prospects in the fitness industry or simply develop their knowledge in a specialised field. Currently, FIE has almost 5,000 enrolled students and has graduates working in the fitness industry with companies including Virgin Active, LA Fitness, Fitness First, Next Generation, numerous local leisure centres and many others.

For further information, please contact:
Michael Betts, Fitness Industry Education Limited
Tel: 0870 606 1317/ 020 7292 9150 / 07768 736 829
Email: michael.betts@fitnessindustryeducation.com
Site: www.fitnessindustryeducation.co.uk

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 14th, 2006 at 12:20 am and is filed under Education, Online Education. Tags: Education, Student, Study. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.