e-learning developer TNA (Tim Neill Associates Ltd) create top quality bespoke eLearning solutions, interactive assessments of staff knowledge and competence, technical product training & simulations and corporate induction.

Since 1988, our UK team has been developing engaging, effective programs that always exceed our clients’ expectations. National Grid, BSkyB, London Underground, B&Q, Phones 4U, Nestlé, Imperial Tobacco ... these and many other blue chip companies trust TNA to bring their projects from concept to delivery.

Stunning graphics, innovative techniques, maintainable content, value for money. Combine these with a ‘can do’ attitude, a passion for quality and great working relationships and TNA could be the perfect development partner for your next outsourced project.

Phones 4u 3D 'Academy Online' now used in all stores

Retail sales staff at all Phones 4u stores can now access a vast and rich array of training, reference and promotional materials using a novel interactive 'virtual academy'.

Staff explore a variety of quirky themed ‘rooms’ in a game-style virtual world, interacting with objects to access content such as videos, audio interviews, product specifications & demos, images, documents, games and training modules. Realistic video 'fly throughs' dynamically sweep the user between rooms.

The most significant feature of the Academy is that the Phones 4u Training centre can maintain ALL the content - without programming - using a custom-built ‘Content Editing Dashboard’. The creation by TNA Ltd of a bespoke content management system (CMS) was a major task within the project.

This control over content is crucial in their business, where product and service information changes almost daily and retail sales staff must be kept up-to-date.

The EKP Learning Management System from NetDimensions was also installed to track the completion of formal eLearning courses and may be launched directly from the 3D Academy Online.

Modelled on the amazing, state-of-the-art Phones 4u building at Fort Dunlop in Birmingham, the Academy Online brings together for the first time a diverse range of material to help people in stores, head office, the customer service call centre and Phones 4u Direct, gain and maintain all the knowledge they need for their jobs ... a one-stop shop for all their needs, at any time.

Read about the development of the Phones 4u project in Tim Neill's Edu Tech 2011 Moscow paper ... here.

eLearning courses delivered for the Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS)

TNA Ltd has delivered another major suite of eLearning courses for Cambridge-based air transport training specialists Virtual Aviation College. This time it’s for their client, the Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS) in Abu Dhabi.

We have produced four interactive courses on:

• Dangerous Goods Awareness
• Security Awareness
• Safety Management Systems, and
• Safety Awareness

Virtual Aviation College staff supplied the subject matter expertise and the courses (created in Adobe Flash and SCORM 1.2-compliant) are launched from a Learning Management System.

This will be the third major eLearning project for Middle Eastern clients entrusted to us by the Virtual Aviation College. Previous projects have been on 'Ramp Safety'for ground handling staff at Dubai Airport and topics including Health, Safety and Security Awareness for general airport staff.

On-line refresher training and re-certification for National Grid Gas Distribution Engineers

National Grid (Distribution) is using a system developed by TNA for the on-line re-certification of gas engineers on the Safe Control of Operations (SCO). Engineers must be re-certified every five years, a process traditionally carried out using hand-marked quiz papers, a time-consuming and expensive business.

The new internet-based system (hosted and managed by TNA) selects and marks questions selectd at random from a large pool, based on the engineer’s authorisation level and areas of responsibility. Successful applicants may print a personalised certificate; those not reaching the pass level receive a topic revision list before re-taking the exam. The system is accessible to both National Grid and to other UK Distribution Networks, with Administrator access for export of their respective employees’ results. The assessments are carried out at our client’s training centres across the UK.

The program includes an on-line eLearning refresher course on the SCO procedures to prepare engineers for their re-certification exam. This course may be taken at home or at the exam centre. .

Interactive load-balancing simulation for National Grid

An intriguing new interactive training simulation system for National Grid’s Control Centre is now in use. National Grid is planning to install ‘series compensation’ capacitor banks on the interconnection between England and Scotland, and in North Wales, to enable the power flows to be maximised whilst still maintaining system stability.

The simulator developed by TNA gives Control Centre trainees an opportunity to understand and practise applying this new technology using a variety of scenarios, before the equipment is actually installed.

The simulator runs through a 24 hour cycle, stopping at 3 hourly intervals for the user to assess the current consumer demand on the network and to adjust the amount of compensation being applied in each leg of the interconnection and the power generation output. Power flows in each section of the network are displayed on meters, together with the network frequency, nominally 50Hz.

The user then continues to step through the cycle, repeating the process at 3 hour points, to keep the loads balanced and within operating limits without overloading any of the transmission lines and with the frequency as near to 50Hz as possible.

A powerful feature of the simulator is that all the data used is held in separate (editable) .xml files which means that National Grid may easily create any number of new scenarios.

The simulator is browser-based and may be run either in ‘free’ mode for general practice and learning, or in ‘assessment’ mode, where actions taken and their overall outcomes may be gauged, a score awarded and the results logged in a database, also developed by TNA.

A brief eLearning course on the theory behind ‘Series Compensation’ and an Administration program accompanies the simulation.

New eLearning project delivered for Middle Eastern airport staff

TNA has completed a major contract for Cambridge-based air transport training specialists Virtual Aviation College for a large suite of eLearning courses for a major Middle Eastern airport.

Topics include Airport Induction, Security and Safety Awareness, Occupational Health & Safety and Safety Management Systems.

Virtual Aviation College staff provided all subject matter expertise. The courses are SCORM 1.2 compliant and are launched from our client's' Learning Management System.

Safety procedures eLearning on 'Work on or near High Voltage Overhead Lines'

A new course dealing with High Voltage Overhead Line Working is in use by National Grid.

The course is based on the formal National Grid Safety Instructions and is being used by National Grid engineers and contractors. Each procedure is explained with illustrations and animations before the learner carries out the sequence using an interactive toolbox to apply and remove items of equipment. The program marks their actions and provides corrective feedback. Users select their level of authorisation and the program automatically selects appropriate content and final assessment questions ... more on National Grid projects.

Interactive 3D tour of the new Victoria Line infrastructure, systems and stock

The Victoria Line is to be upgraded with new trains, Service Control Centre and high-tech infrastructure to securely monitor and control that network.

To help illustrate the features and facilities of this major investment, TNA modelled (in photo-realistic 3D) every element of the new system to produce a narrated, interactive ‘flying eye’ journey.

We visit the new high security control room, fly along fibre optic cables into equipment cabinets, into tunnels to examine the new communications and signalling systems before entering the carriages. The user may pause at each location to select highlighted equipment for a narrated description.

eLearning papers Conference papers and various articles on eLearning and assessment topics by Tim Neill ... more

Top Ten ingredients for effective Serious Games.

We'd better wake up to the learning expectations of the game-playing, mouse-clicking, 'igeneration'.

Give them a 90 slide PowerPoint and they'll glaze over. But give them a challenge and they'll not give up until they've succeeded. They're certainly not lazy but they bore quickly. This article by Tim Neill explains the demands of the new workforce and suggests practical ways to engage them with task-relevant content and assessments.

Read the article