For instance, learning which microbes in the gut regulate functions such as the digestion of fat or proteins could help in the fight against obesity, researchers said.

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However, many of our purely technical, function-specific learning (updates to tax regulations, for instance), have been transformed from live learning to rich virtual delivery.

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For instance, studies of social learning, the core process that appears affected in children with autism-spectrum disorders, have found differences between the two sexes.

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"I've got a lot of listening and learning to do in the first instance but I will look within the first six months to the first year to give people the impression that there is someone there very committed to the job, " he added.

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Texas Instruments, for instance, has developed a programme to encourage the learning of science.

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For those who want to get the opinions of others, she points out that the Entertainment Software Rating Board provides feedback and that parents are always learning from one another on, for instance, discussion boards.

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For instance, in 1993, Jones International University became the first fully online university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

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