Toolwire Reaps Two Gold Medals for Immersive Learning Environments

PLEASANTON, Calif. and LONDON, Feb. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute of IT Training (www.ittrainingawards.com) awarded Gold Medals for "Learning Technologies Solution of the Year" and "Instructional Designer of the Year" to Toolwire (www.toolwire.com), a global leader in experiential learning solutions. Toolwire was the winner of the 2009 IITT "Innovation in Training Award" and sponsor of the 2011 IITT "Innovation" Award.

The "Learning Technologies Solution of the Year" award celebrates high quality, innovative solutions in terms of both content and instructional technique. The "Instructional Designer of the Year" award went to Michael Watkins for his ground breaking work in instructional technology for Higher Education.

Both medals were awarded for Toolwire's development of Immersive Learning Environments. Immersive Learning Environments enable students to enter photo realistic learnscapes where they can interact with video characters to acquire information, demonstrate knowledge, and apply course concepts in "virtual internships" across a broad spectrum of subjects.

Unique in their simplicity of design, learnscapes are extremely powerful in their ability to engage students. Toolwire's Immersive Learning Environments have been accessed over 1 million times by 100,000 students across many of the world's leading universities. These learning solutions have significantly improved student course completion rates.

"Toolwire is honored by these awards," said David James Clarke IV, Toolwire's Vice President of Learning Solutions. "We have years of experience co-creating experiential learning solutions for enterprises and institutions of higher learning. My team and I have enjoyed working with these institutions to help bring their courses to life."

"One of the most exciting features of these learnscapes is that knowledge and skills are assessed so naturally that learners don't even realize they are being measured," said Michael Watkins, Toolwire's Director of Instructional Design and Technology. "Instead, students simply perform natural tasks in the context of an engaging storyline."

Sarah Frame, Director of UEL Connect, University of East London commented, "We recognized that Toolwire's development of Immersive Learning Environments offered an ideal technological solution to create an experiential learning tool for enhancing legal education at UEL."

"Toolwire is extremely proud that the Institute of IT Training chose to recognize our Immersive Learning Environments for these prestigious awards," said John Valencia, President and CEO of Toolwire. "These solutions embody our co-creation methodology and significant commitment to instructional design disciplines. We are working hard to combine the latest thinking in instructional design with innovative new learning technologies."

About Toolwire 

Toolwire is a learning solutions provider specializing in products and services for experiential learning. Toolwire's LiveLabs, Scenarios, and Immersive Learning Environments provide on-demand, personalized practice to best meet the dynamic needs of the learner. "Learning by doing" provides the quickest and most effective way to develop skills and ensure ongoing learning, knowledge retention and competency. Toolwire's award winning solutions "bring knowledge to life".  For more information, please visit www.toolwire.com.

About The Institute of IT Training

The Institute of IT Training is the world's first professional body for IT training professionals. It was established in 1995 and since then has grown on an annual basis to where it is now firmly established as the leading authority throughout the UK and Europe on IT training and development. IITT exists to continuously raise standards of professionalism within the training industry.  For information, visit www.iitt.org.uk.

About the IT Training Awards

The Institute of IT Training hosts the annual IT Training Awards to recognize outstanding examples of high standards, best practice, innovation and excellence within IT training.  The awards are presented at The Dorchester, Park Lane, London, at the Institute's prestigious Awards Dinner, held in February each year.  The awards are firmly established as the benchmark for excellence throughout the IT training industry.

SOURCE Toolwire