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Visitors to Tata Interactive Systems' stand at Learning Technologies reveal trends

London, UKLearning NewsMPS Interactive Systems

Business simulations - both those that simulate an entire organisation and those that look at one aspect of business life - along with blended learning programmes on health and safety and electronic performance support systems were the most popular topics with visitors to global e-learning producer, Tata Interactive Systems (TIS)'s stand at this year's Learning Technologies event, held recently in Olympia, London.

Business simulations - both those that simulate an entire organisation and those that look at one aspect of business life - along with blended learning programmes on health and safety and electronic performance support systems were the most popular topics with visitors to global e-learning producer, Tata Interactive Systems (TIS)'s stand at this year's Learning Technologies event, held recently in Olympia, London.

TIS produces TOPSIM, Europe's leading decision-making multiplayer simulation that offers learners a systemic perspective of the business environment and which is currently being used by more than 1,000 customers. TOPSIM provides decision-making multiplayer simulations that offer learners a systemic perspective of the business environment and provide a 'thrilling way to learn'.

According to TOPSIM developer, Dr Georg Fehling: "The objective in a TOPSIM is to train learners on specific business functions while retaining the context of the overall business and operating environment - so learners manage an entire business, making decisions across various business functions like marketing, production, and R&D to logistics and HR.

"Principally, simulations are used to develop business competence in areas such as project management and to support the roll-out of new management concepts, such as 'value-based management'," Fehling explained.

Custom-built TOPSIM simulations cover a wide variety of topics including marketing, logistics, business start-up, business development, and e-commerce. There are also currently 13 generic TOPSIM simulation titles and these are being used by more than 1,600 organisations around the world.

"Visitors to the TIS stand also rated highly the blended learning programmes on health and safety which we have developed in partnership with health and safety management specialist Solutions Training & Advisory Limited," explained Alan Samuel, head of UK operations for TIS.

Initially covering safety issues for 'first response units', including fire and ambulance services - and now in use among Kent Fire and Rescue Services staff - these materials are gaining popularity among the corporate sector too.

According to Paul Meek, founder and managing director of Solutions Training: "There is a real need for the sort of blended learning programmes that we are producing with TIS. The key benefit of having these programmes is that they deliver up-to-date vital safety information to front line professionals at their work bases - which will not only help these professionals to perform their duties but will also help them to keep the rest of us safe!"

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