SAS Institute. The Power to Know

Learning Center

This Month's Featured Course(s):
SAS Programming With SAS OnlineTutor Products

Sean O'Brien Sean O'Brien is SAS Education's director of business and curriculum development and has been working with the SAS OnlineTutor product for eight years. "OnlineTutor offers just-in-time training right in the employee's workspace," he says. O'Brien discussed two OnlineTutor products with us recently, Beginning to Intermediate SAS Programming and Advanced SAS Programming.

EDU: What are the advantages of using SAS OnlineTutor?

OBR: OnlineTutor is Web-based training that users can access from their desktop or server any time they want. They don't have to be available at a specific time to attend a course and they don't have to travel to a training site. The software can be installed locally on a PC or on a Web server, or any machine that supports html files, within minutes. This same content can also be accessed over the Internet through the Self-Paced e-Learning site.

Another advantage is that content is broken into discrete enough units that users can take training on a specific topic. Users can look up a procedure or report style. For example, if someone wants to know how to produce a tabular report, there's a lesson on proc tabulate and how to produce a tabular report.

OnlineTutor also connects with SAS, so when it comes time to do a lesson you're using SAS to do exercises with data provided.

EDU: Who should consider using Beginning to Intermediate? Advanced?

OBR: Beginning to Intermediate allows users who are new to SAS to get started in a safe environment and moves through DATA step programming and creating reports. The Advanced programming course helps large, mature SAS programming sites that have advanced content and mature SAS users that need training on the MACRO, SQL procedures and advanced DATA step programming etc.

EDU: Can these courses be used to help prepare for certification?

OBR: OnlineTutor covers all of the content for the SAS Base and Advanced programming exams and then some. We also have a program specifically for exams called SAS Certification Base Programming for SAS 9.

EDU: How does SAS OnlineTutor compare with similar technology-based programs?

OBR: SAS OnlineTutor earned a silver medal in the prestigious 2000 Brandon Hall of Fame Awards -- the only awards program dedicated entirely to the technology-based training industry -- for its instructional design and exceptional use of media. We're very proud of that.

How does SAS OnlineTutor differ from SAS' Web training options?

SAS OnlineTutor is a software learning product that can be licensed annually for installation on your desktop or company network. It addresses SAS programming only. SAS also offers Self-Paced e-Learning and Live Web classes. With Self-Paced e-Learning, you decide when and what to learn. It's available from the Web 24/7 for between 30 to 365 day access. Live Web classes, on the other hand, are taught on-line by live instructors in real-time using a Web browser and telephone. Choose the learning style that works best for you.