2021
In This Issue
- Welcome to the Newsletter
- e-Learning: Using the Internet as an Investigative Research Tool
- More Self-Paced e-Learning Programs
- Featured Article: What Exactly, Is Critical Thinking?
- Upcoming Select Public Courses
- Tools, How-To’s, and Articles of Interest for the OSINT Professional
2020
In This Issue
Gone are the classroom-based, in-person training programs. Here are live remote training programs via Zoom and enhanced self-paced study programs via Moodle.
In pivoting to new delivery mechanisms to serve our clients in isolated work environments, we’ve noticed something remarkable: By fully embracing remote delivery technologies, there are many significant and quantifiable advantages to remote learning that are not available through the “old school” (classroom) delivery mechanisms we have all relied on for so many years.
The advantages of remote training we’ve been able to realize have not happened by accident; rather, they have come as a result of significant investment in hardware, software, and the skill building necessary to deliver a quality product. We have put deliberate effort into re-thinking adult-learning models in this new paradigm, and we have consulted with psychologists and other behavioural scientists to not just understand, but to innovate in this new environment.
Taking advantage of the elimination of training venue and travel costs, we have been able to introduce multiple specialized instructors into many of our learning programs to create even more comprehensive training offerings that appeal to a wider range of students, all the while providing better value for money.
And this shift is paying off. Customer feedback is excellent, clients are receiving more “bang for their buck,” and student satisfaction is at an all-time high.
Clients are also telling us in no uncertain terms that in the isolated environment their employees are now working in, training is seen as “highly important,” not just for personal development, but also for essential team building in these difficult times.
What can we do for you? Contact us to find out, we are happy to share our experience.
2020
In This Issue
We are pleased to present our FREE Drop In and Learn (“DIAL”) weekly webinars. From best practices in preserving and presenting online sourced evidence to essential critical thinking skills, OSINT techniques, and through provoking cyber security practices, each week we feature a different expert guest to keep you informed.
June 4 (1500 hrs UTC)
“Getting the Most Out of Google” with Nico Dekens
June 11 (1700 hrs UTC)
“Medical Intelligence, Pandemics and Global Health Emergencies: A Practitioner’s Perspective” with Chelsey Goodman
June 18 (1700 hrs UTC)
“Cyber Risks During COVID: Small and Medium Business Edition” with Dominic Vogel
Running time of the DIAL webinars ranges from 30 to 45 minutes and registration is free. To sign up and find out about upcoming webinars please visit dropinandlearn.org – past editions are available on the DIAL YouTube Channel.
2020
In This Issue
We are pleased to have launched the Drop In and Learn (DIAL) series of FREE weekly webinars this last month.
Running approximately 30 minutes in length (with some additional time for participant Q&A), DIAL sessions have featured expert guests and focus on essential critical thinking skills, especially important during the current “Infodemic.”
Upcoming DIAL webinars include:
- Effective Facebook Photo Searching
- Ransomware, Weapons and Drugs: Gathering Threat Intelligence on the Dark Web
- Cybercrime During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Awareness, Prevention and Response
To view recordings of past webinars, visit the DIAL YouTube Channel.
Please note places are limited and these webcasts fill quickly. Early registration is strongly recommended.
2020
In This Issue
A Possible Pandemic and a Certain Infodemic
As the world comes to terms with the public health and economic threat posed by SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, governments, organizations, and the general public are aggressively searching for knowledge in order to assess the risk and make decisions on the best course of action. In an effort to get the necessary information, the vast majority are turning to any number of online sources.
Internet sources of news are immediate and they are abundant; they are also biased to varying degrees and depending on the source, possible carriers of misinformation and disinformation. As information consumers, we are also biased in numerous and different ways, and this shows itself in how we research, the information sources we choose, and how we process what we find.
In the quest for timely and trustworthy information about the emerging health crisis, an additional challenge, the “Infodemic”, or as it is defined by the New Oxford English Dictionary, “a surfeit of information about a problem that is viewed as being a detriment to its solution”, is also emerging.
At TII, we believe that now more than ever, effective OSINT and Critical Thinking skills are absolutely essential, not just for identifying threats and assessing risks such as the ones we are now facing, but also for making the best possible decisions under often difficult circumstances.
To this end, we have been developing essential Critical Thinking curricula for all of our training programs over this past three years. We are focusing not just on how to effectively find information online, but also how to properly think about what we are doing, how we are doing it, and what we are seeing as a result.
With regard to the emerging global health crisis, we have been providing relevant OSINT-powered “information triage” services to select clients so as to empower them to mitigate risk and make better decisions in uncertain times.
We have also been taking proactive measures to ensure the safe delivery of our training programs both remotely and in person, with Standard Operating Procedures now in place to ensure the safety of class attendees and our staff.
Further, and supported by our existing computer based training platforms and programs, we have been increasing the live delivery of our training curricula through various teleconferencing mechanisms to significant success.
In this newsletter, we continue with our series of Critical Thinking articles and delve into the issues around some of the factors that can psychologically limit us when processing information, drawing conclusions, and making decisions.
As always, we appreciate your feedback and invite you to contact us anytime at contact@toddington.com.
View Issue (Download)2020
In This Issue
Welcome to our first newsletter of this new decade!
We are off to a busy start this year with our teams focused on curriculum development and the launch of a number of new online and classroom-based training courses in the coming months.
On January 30-31, we will be delivering our highly-acclaimed Social Media Intelligence & Online Investigations course in Vancouver, facilitated by TII’s resident Social Media Expert and Lead Intelligence Analyst, Julie Tillotson. Registration will soon be closing and seats are limited, so be sure to sign up or reserve your seat as soon as possible if you wish to attend.
Over the past two years, we have been paying significant attention to the importance of essential Critical Thinking skills for investigators and analysts; in this edition of the newsletter, David Toddington and Julie Tillotson share their article, “Critical Thinking: What Can We Learn From House Hippos and a Tree Octopus.”
Often overlooked, yet essential for front-line practitioners and managers alike, you can learn about, and develop your critical thinking skills in our brand new Critical Thinking for Investigators course in Vancouver on March 23rd & 24th, or in Toronto on March 30th & 31st. Click here to find out more and reserve your space.
View Issue (Download)