Please use a monospaced font (Courier 12 point, for instance) to view this document. SELECTING AND IMPLEMENTING COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BUSINESS SELECTING AND IMPLEMENTING COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING By Brett Bixler and Terri Bergman NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BUSINESS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This publication was written by Brett Bixler, Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy at The Pennsylvania State University, and Terri Bergman, National Alliance of Business. Noreen Rice and Robert Visdos contributed to the research and writing. Scott Cheney helped develop the information on the costs of computer-based training and technology requirements. Tony Kauffman provided input on power and wiring issues. Kay Drake Jones and Cathy Stewart helped collect information on resources for the appendices. Stephen Mitchell provided continued support and guidance throughout this publication's development. The National Workforce Assistance Collaborative would like to thank the individuals who provided guidance on the development of this publication: _Russ Barnes, consultant _Dale Brandenburg, Wayne State University _Ned Ellington, Georgia Technical/EDI Management Services _Lynne Fry, U.S. Department of Labor _Jim Hayes, SPIRC _Nancy Renner, Catonsville Community College _James Van Erden, National Alliance of Business _Jack Wismer, Black Hawk College This publication could not have been completed without their help. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 This Guide in Context 7 Process for Addressing a Company Performance Problem 9 Selecting the Training Medium 10 Checklist: Selecting the Training Medium 16 Selecting the Type of Computer-Based Training 18 Types of Computer-Based Training 19 Issues in Selecting Computer-Based Training 23 Checklist: Selecting the Type of Computer-Based Training 36 Selecting a Computer-Based Training Product or Provider 39 Checklist: Selecting a Computer-Based Training Product 49 Checklist: Selecting a Computer-Based Training Provider 54 Checklist: Selecting a Total Computer-Based Training Package 56 Implementing Training 57 Appendices 62 Training Vendors 63 Books and Magazines 70 Electronic Resources 73 Associations 79 Conferences 82 Glossary of Computer Terms 83 National Workforce Assistance Collaborative Advisory Groups 92 National Workforce Assistance Collaborative Products and Services 93 INTRODUCTION AUDIENCE FOR THIS GUIDE This guide is appropriate for your use if you are involved in selecting, developing, or revising training. It is particularly appropriate if you work with small and mid-sized companies, as a company employee or an employee of a service provider, because of the advantages computer-based training can offer smaller organizations. øCompanies can purchase off-the-shelf computer-based training programs or enroll their employees in computer-based training labs at relatively low prices, making these training methods very cost-effective for firms that only need to train a few individuals. øMuch computer-based training can be provided any time of the day or night, allowing firms the flexibility they need to keep employees at their work stations when they are needed there. øFrequently, trainees do not all need to be participating in computer-based instruction at the same time, which enables firms to rotate workers in and out of training, and keep work stations covered throughout the work day. Consider the following questions: øAre you familiar with CBT terminology? øDo you know when to use CBT? øDo you know how to select high-quality CBT that is appropriate for your training needs? øDo you know the proper methodology for implementing CBT? øDo you have a list of available CBT resources? øDo you know how to locate CBT vendors? If you answered "no" to any or all of these questions, this guide will provide you with valuable assistance in your training preparation and planning efforts. PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE Selecting and Implementing Computer-Based Training can be used by a business person, labor representative, or service provider to determine whether computer-based training (CBT) is the most appropriate methodology for meeting a specific training need. If computer-based training is appropriate, this guide will help you determine the most appropriate type of computer-based training, and determine the best computer-based training product or provider for a company's circumstances. It will also provide guidance on how to implement computer-based training. CBT offers several advantages over other forms of training, including: øCost-effective delivery, øA self-paced, flexible, and individualized training curriculum, øManagement control over training activities, and øA catalyst for gaining acceptance for integrating new technology within a company. CBT is no longer considered an esoteric training delivery method. Advances over the last decade in technology and the knowledge of how to properly use it make CBT a tool worthy of investigation any time you are planning a training program. DEFINITION OF COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING Computer-based training is any training that uses a computer as the focal point for instructional delivery. With CBT, training is provided through the use of a computer and software, which guides a learner through an instructional program. Other related terms: øCAI - Computer-Assisted Instruction, and CBI - Computer-Based Instruction. Delivering instruction through the medium of a computer. These are alternative terms for computer-based training. øCAL - Computer-Assisted Learning. Using a computer as an adjunct tool to aid in a traditional learning situation, like classroom training. The computer is a device to assist the instructor during the training process, like a blackboard or handouts. øCAT - Computer-Assisted Testing. Assessing an individual through the medium of a computer. Individuals take the test at the computer, and the computer records and scores the test. CAT is imbedded in most computer-based training. COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING TECHNIQUES Most CBT uses one or a combination of the following techniques: øTutorial. The most common of all techniques is the tutorial. It is used to introduce new information that must be taught in a sequential manner. It is useful for teaching factual information, simple discrimination, rules, and simple application of rules. øDrill and Practice. Another commonly used technique is known as drill and practice. It provides opportunities for practice when mastery of a new skill or information is desired. It should be used after initial instruction. øTraining Games. Training games supplement other instruction and are used to provide motivating and engaging opportunities for practice after a skill or new information is taught. Training games capitalize on the competitive interests of learners and add entertainment value to instruction. øSimulation. The technique of simulation is most often used when practicing a skill in its real context is too costly or dangerous. It provides an opportunity for experimentation, and allows students to test assumptions in a realistic context. Simulations are also used to model real-world situations that are not physically dangerous or costly, in order to build realism and relevance into the training situation. øProblem Solving. One of the most challenging techniques used in CBT is problem solving. It helps students develop skills in logic, solving problems, and following directions, and is generally used to augment higher order thinking skills. øDemonstration/Presentation. Demonstration or presentation is best used to support the introduction of new information. It can also be used as a review tool. Most CBT incorporates one or more of these techniques. A training game, for example, might have some of the elements of drill and practice; a tutorial might use problem solving questions. If one or more of these techniques is right for meeting your training requirements, CBT may be an appropriate training method for you. COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING FEATURES CBT has a number of distinct features, including: øImmediate Feedback. The immediate feedback most computer-based training provides on trainee progress allows both instructors and trainees to monitor progress and adjust instruction accordingly. This feature is important for all skills, because it ensures that students are actually learning what they need to know. øPlacement. Placement via on-line testing that matches a trainee with needed training is also built into many CBT systems. By using this feature, you avoid any unnecessary training for an individual. The CBT can accommodate each individual's needs by "branching" to the level of training that is appropriate for that individual. øIntegration of Text, Graphics, Video, and Sound. If the training is particularly content dense (many new concepts presented close together) or uses a hierarchy of skill acquisition (where current concept mastery is dependent on mastery of earlier concepts), CBT's integration of text, graphics, video, and sound facilitates the learning process. On average, people remember: _ 10% of what they read, _ 20% of what they hear, _ 30% of what they see, and _ 50% of what they hear and see,0 so CBT's rich, multi-sensory delivery system can facilitate greater retention of new knowledge. BENEFITS OF COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING "Computer-based training is an inherently active mode of learning. The learner must continually do something --answer a question, select a topic, ask for a review, and so on. This contrasts with the inherently passive instructional approach involved in classroom lectures, videotapes, or textbooks. Students learn at their own pace, individual learning styles are considered, resulting in increased student satisfaction." -- Greg Kearsley, Computer-Based Training: A Guide to Selection and Implementation. CBT has many positive features and effects, many of which are particularly important to small and mid-sized companies. CBT is cost effective: øWhile customized computer-based training programs can be very expensive, off-the shelf and "customizable" programs can run as little as $20 to $100, and enrolling employees in computer-based learning labs may cost only $30 to $50 per credit hour. øAfter initial costs, you have a 24 hour per day trainer. øUsing CBT, a trainer can teach any number of trainees at the same time. øBy customizing CBT programs to focus only on what trainees need to learn, training time and costs can be significantly reduced. CBT works with an adult population: øThe trainee feels in control. øThe computer is non-judgmental and non-threatening. It provides a privacy factor that reduces learners' embarrassment about taking "remedial" classes or making mistakes while answering questions in the training materials. øThe computer actively engages the trainee in the training process, providing increased trainee satisfaction. CBT is self-paced, flexible, and individualized: øTrainees work at their own pace. øCBT can sequence training to match the trainee's needs. øThe computer can always match the trainee's schedule. øCBT can reach trainees outside the traditional classroom, providing instruction on the job or at home. øCBT provides immediate feedback to trainees on their progress. øCBT does not have to be delivered to all employees at the same time, thus allowing the company to maintain coverage of critical positions. CBT is tireless: øIt never needs a break. øIt is always there. øIt can train greater numbers of students in a given time frame compared to other methods. øIt meets the need for round-the-clock (continuous) training. CBT gives trainers increased control over training activities: øIt provides management systems for tracking trainees' progress and location. øIt provides on-line testing to match a trainee with needed training. øIt provides consistency of training in terms of quality and information presented. øIt provides standardization of training when training occurs in several work locations simultaneously. CBT can reduce resource requirements: øYou can have a higher trainee-to-trainer ratio, where the instructor serves as facilitator, assisting trainees as needed. øThere is less need for a centralized training facility. øFacilitators can serve more than one company with a CBT program, lessening the investment each company would have to make. øBecause CBT may enable you to reduce or eliminate travel for trainees, your total training costs can also be lessened. CBT can improve job performance: øIt trains people in specific skills for specific performance. øIt trains people in general skills that broadly affect general performance. øIt provides increased access to information tools for decision making. CBT can be a change agent: øCBT may be the catalyst for a paradigm shift to new training approaches within an organization. Companies might begin to look beyond traditional classroom instruction to meet their training needs. øCBT can provide computer literacy skills to employees, resulting in improved personal and organizational productivity. Computer-based training is not, however, the answer to every training need. It is more appropriate -- effective and cost efficient -- in some situations than others. The material in this guide will help you determine when computer-based training can effectively meet your training needs. STRUCTURE OF THIS GUIDE Selecting and Implementing Computer-Based Training is divided into seven chapters: 1. Introduction -- Explains the purpose of the guide, defines CBT, and provides a rationale for using CBT. 2. This Guide in Context -- Lays out the entire training process and identifies how and where this guide can help you in that process. 3. Selecting the Training Medium -- Walks you through the process of determining whether CBT is the best instructional delivery system to use (versus other methods, such as videos, texts, workbooks, or lectures). 4. Selecting the Type of Computer-Based Training -- Helps you determine which type of CBT may best match your needs. 5. Selecting a Computer-Based Training Product or Provider -- Helps you identify potential products and providers, and determine which will best meet your needs. 6. Implementing Training -- Provides a plan for implementing CBT, covering such issues as installation, staffing, and the capability of your company to effectively use CBT. 7. Appendices -- Provides information on computer-based training vendors, books and magazines, electronic resources, associations, and conferences; contains a glossary of computer terms; and lists members of the Collaborative's Board and Councils, and the Collaborative's products and services. THIS GUIDE IN CONTEXT Selecting and implementing computer-based training is just a part of the process of developing and operating a training program. To ensure that a training program will meet a company's needs, the company, or a provider in concert with the company must: 1. Identify the problem facing the company, 2. Determine whether training will solve that problem, and, If training is called for, 3. Determine the most appropriate methodology for delivering training, 4. Select the most appropriate training product or provider, or develop appropriate training, 5. Set up the training program, 6. Deliver the training program, 7. Evaluate the training results, and 8. Use the evaluation results to improve future training delivery. This guide only pertains to steps 3, 4, and 5: øDetermining whether computer-based training is the most appropriate methodology for delivering training, and, if it is, determining the most appropriate type of computer-based training, øSelecting the most appropriate computer-based training product or provider, and øSetting up a computer-based training program. It assumes that: øA business problem or objective was identified, and øIt was determined that training would address this problem or meet this objective. The National Workforce Assistance Collaborative has developed a number of other tools to help companies and service providers carry out the steps involved in developing and operating a training program, including: øAssessing an Organization's Training Needs, to identify performance assessment issues and help identify assessment tools, øEmployee Training Product Checklist and Workplace Literacy Product Checklist, to select the most appropriate employee training or workplace literacy product, øEmployee Training Interview Guide and Workplace Literacy Interview Guide, to select the most appropriate employee training or workplace literacy provider, øAssessing the Value of Training, to evaluate training results and use these results to improve future training delivery, øResource Guide, for locating training resources and providers, and øWorkplace Literacy Publications, for locating workplace literacy tools and information. The process for addressing a company performance problem is outlined in the flow chart at the end of this chapter. Notes on the flow chart highlight both when other Collaborative products could assist in the process, and when the various chapters in this publication would be useful. All Collaborative publications can be ordered through the National Alliance of Business Distribution Center, listed on the inside front cover. Collaborative products can also be downloaded from our Internet gopher server or world wide web home page. Instructions for accessing these are contained in the appendix listing Collaborative products and services. PROCESS FOR ADDRESSING A COMPANY PERFORMANCE PROBLEM National Workforce Assistance Collaborative products that could assist in the process: Start Chapters from Selecting and Implementing Computer-Based Training that could assist in the process: Assessing an Organization's Training Needs Labor-Management Relations and Work Restructuring Interview Guides Employee Training and Workplace Literacy Product Checklists and Interview Guides Assessing the Value of Training Identify the problem facing the company. Will training solve the problem? Can a labor- management or work restructuring consultant solve the problem? Select a labor-management or work restructuring consultant. Use the evaluation to improve the training. Select a training product or provider. Set up and deliver the training program. Evaluate the program. Were program goals achieved? End Determine the most appropriate methodology for delivering training. Is it computer-based training? Determine the most appropriate type of computer-based training. Select a computer-based training product, provider, or site. Selecting the Training Medium Selecting the Type of Computer-Based Training Selecting a Computer-Based Training Product or Provider Implementing Training *There are no National Workforce Assistance Collaborative products to continue the process from these points. In one case, the company still needs to identify a solution to its performance problem. In both cases, the solutions must be implemented, evaluated, and improved on, until the performance problem is solved. SELECTING THE TRAINING MEDIUM Before you begin selecting a specific CBT product or provider, you need to determine whether CBT is appropriate for your training situation. Computer-based training is not an appropriate tool for all training situations. Whether it is appropriate for your situation depends on your task, learner, administrative, and cost requirements. The discussion below lays out the issues involved in selecting the most appropriate training medium. The checklist at the end of this chapter can walk you through the decision making process, contrasting computer-based training with video-, text-, workbook-, and lecture-based training. TRAINING MEDIA Computer-Based Training Video-Based Training Text-Based Training Workbook- Based Training Lecture-Based Training There are a variety of training media. Some of the more common ones are compared with computer-based training in this chapter. øComputer-Based Training. As discussed in the Introduction, computer-based training is any training that uses a computer as the focal point for instructional delivery. øVideo-Based Training. Video-based training is provided on a standard video cassette tape for playing in a standard video cassette recorder (VCR). Video-based training does not allow for interaction between an instructor and trainees, but it does allow access to the most respected minds in the country, action pictures of anything being demonstrated, flexible delivery times, and, if necessary, repeated instruction. These days, VCRs are available in almost every home and most work sites. øText-Based Training. Text-based training comes from a standard textbook or any book on the subject of study. Again, text-based training does not allow for interaction between an instructor and trainees, but the books may be written by the country's foremost experts on a subject, trainees can access them when needed, and trainees can re-read sections as needed. Bookstores carry books on just about any subject one might need to study. øWorkbook-Based Training. Workbooks include both instructional text and practice exercises. These books are written specifically to help readers master particular subjects or techniques. The practice exercises help readers remember what is covered in the books. øLecture-Based Training. Lecture-based training is what most of us associate with the word "training." It is the traditional instructional technique -- teacher in front of a classroom -- most of us grew up with. It can allow for considerable interaction between teacher and students, though it can be very inflexible in other regards. REQUIREMENTS Task Learner Student Management Budget The appropriate training media depends on the tasks the training must accomplish, as well as the learners' needs, and a company's student management requirements and budget limitations. Task Requirements. The tasks that training must accomplish vary, depending on a company's instructional requirements. These instructional requirements might stem from the training subject, or the training environment. How important each of these tasks is to a company will depend on its own training needs. øAbility to teach a physical skill. Most of the training media highlighted in this chapter are not well suited to teaching skills that involve physical action, such as running a machine. Learning that involves physically doing something is best done using the actual machine or tool. However, recent advances in CBT simulations may allow you to teach physical skills using specifically designed CBT programs. If your employees are to be using expensive or complicated equipment, or working in hazardous environments, CBT can provide "practice" via simulations. With simulations, mistakes, and the learning that results from them, will take place on the computer, not on the job. øAbility to provide human interaction. Social interactions (conversations between people) are very difficult to teach in the abstract. If your trainees are learning how to use English (or the appropriate spoken language) that is acceptable with supervisors, peers, and clients; follow, clarify, or provide feedback to oral instructions; use aural communications devices; or engage in appropriate social interaction with supervisors, the public, co-workers, or instructors, live, lecture- (or conversation-) based training is probably the best training delivery method. However, recent advances in CBT simulations and video instruction tapes may allow you to use these media for language instruction. And in some cases, CBT or video might be an appropriate adjunct to instruction with human interaction. øAbility to use computers. Computer literacy is rapidly becoming a basic skill all productive people will need to function in society and on the job. If employees are in jobs that require them to use computers, computer-based training can do double duty: both providing the training content intended, and building employees' comfort and facility with computers. If computers aren't yet used on the job, but will be soon, using CBT will introduce employees to computers and familiarize them with computer functions. øAbility to determine and adapt to individual needs. Assessment is a valid part of any training. It enables the training program to target instruction appropriately. Computer-based training assessments may be best at initially placing and then monitoring students' progress within a curriculum. Workbooks and lecturers may also be able to assess learners and gauge their needs. The greatest value of assessment is the guidance it provides on targeting instruction. Good CBT can adapt to learners' individual needs, providing the amount of instructional support needed. Workbooks and lectures can do this to a lesser degree. øAbility to question students and adjust instruction accordingly. It is important to quiz students periodically to determine whether or not they are mastering the material, and then to adjust instruction accordingly. Well designed CBT will provide follow-up instruction appropriate to students' responses. Lecturers can also adapt instruction to students' grasp of the course content, but they usually have to target their follow-up to general student needs, rather than to each student's needs. Students using workbooks will probably have to determine what further instruction they might need on their own. øAbility to provide immediate feedback. It is important for students to know how they are doing and whether they are mastering course content as soon as possible. Immediate feedback can keep them from floundering, or going forward under misperceptions. CBT is best at providing immediate feedback. Workbooks and lecturers may also be able to, though not as well. øAbility to produce life-like images. Some instruction requires high quality visuals, such as illustrations of machine parts or body organs, to be effective. All of the training media discussed here have that capability, though lecture-based instruction needs some augmentation to provide these visuals. øAbility to produce high quality audio. Some instruction also requires high quality audio reproduction to prepare trainees properly. Machine malfunctions might be best diagnosed by the sounds that they make, and the different sounds people make breathing could indicate different ailments. CBT and video are best suited to providing high quality audio, and with augmentation, lectures can provide it as well. øAbility to portray motion. Instruction using motion can demonstrate how something is to be done, for example, assembling equipment or a piece of furniture. CBT and video can clearly show the action, while texts and workbooks can only show pictures at various points in the process. Lectures can be augmented to portray motion. øAbility to telescope time (e.g., time lapse or slow motion). Some processes (like the life cycle of a flower) are best shown with time-lapse video. CBT and video can do this extremely well. Conversely, some training may require slowing down time (showing the individual piston strokes of an internal combustion engine, for example). Again, CBT and video do this well. øAbility to use in combination with other media. Some forms of instruction can be combined fairly easily (lecture with text, for example), some cannot. The ability to combine media may be important if, for example, learners need to master both theory and practice. Textbooks and workbooks are frequently designed for use with other media, while most CBT is designed as a stand alone product. øAbility to reach trainees remotely. Trainees may not all be in the same physical place at the same time. All of the training media discussed in this chapter, except lectures, can handle this situation well. øAbility to access training where needed. Many organizations are also seeking ways to conduct training without removing employees from their day-to-day job tasks. Again, textbooks and workbooks are most mobile, classroom-based lectures are least mobile. The mobility of computer- and video-based instruction depends on a company's access to computers and VCRs. øAbility to access training when needed. Many organizations today are looking for a way to train employees when skills are needed. Textbooks and workbooks are most responsive to satisfying the immediate needs of an employee. Lectures are least responsive. CBT and videos can also enable employees to work through an appropriate skill module when the skill is demanded by the job, making them very efficient training delivery methods. øAbility to teach more than one trainee simultaneously. If a company has a number of people that need to be trained, it is important that the training media work well with groups. All five of the media looked at in this chapter (computer-, video-, text-, workbook-, and lecture-based training) can teach more than one trainee at a time, though trainees would need to be able to access the computer-based training and textbooks individually, and each student would need his or her own workbook. øAbility to provide team as well as individual study. At times, it may be appropriate for individuals to learn how to do something as a group, such as analyze production processes in order to improve quality. In these cases, it is best that individuals receive instruction together, so that they can share ideas and practice techniques together. Solitary training media, such as texts and workbooks, are not well designed for team instruction. øAbility to update and change course content frequently. If the content of the subject being taught will change frequently, the training media needs to be fairly flexible. If course content is more stable, media flexibility is unnecessary. The lecture format is most flexible, videos and computer-based training least flexible. Learner Requirements. Different training media are best suited for different learners. Companies need to evaluate their own situations to determine their learners' requirements. øAbility to gain attention and motivate. If trainees are resistant to training, or the subject matter is particularly difficult, it may be important to keep the trainees' interest and motivate them. CBT and lectures are best at this, text- and workbook-based instruction are worst. øAbility to minimize demands on verbal and reading skills. If trainees have difficultly reading, text- and workbook-based instruction will be difficult. Video- and lecture-based instruction will be easiest. øAbility to minimize demands on technical skills. If trainees are not computer literate, it may be best to stay away from computer-based training media. Unfamiliarity with a computer could turn trainees' focus from the substance of the CBT course, to the technology itself. At a minimum, trainees should be able to activate a computer, navigate to an appropriate program and start it, use a keyboard and mouse to enter and manipulate data, and access on-line help. Student Management Requirements. Some organizations may need to track trainees' progress in order to satisfy an external requirement, from, for example, large company customers or grant providers. Others may want to track progress for their own purposes. øAbility to record trainees' progress. High quality computer-based training is designed to record trainees' progress. Lecturers can track progress, and workbooks can be checked to track trainees' progress as well. Videos and textbooks provide no means of gauging trainee progress. øAbility to report on trainees' progress. Computer-based training systems are also designed to produce reports on trainees' progress. Trainee progress records from lecturers and workbooks can be compiled into reports, as well. Budget Requirements. All organizations operate with limited funds these days, and the costs of training media must fit within an organization's budget constraints. øCosts (development, acquisition, equipment) must be kept low. In general, text and workbooks are the most economical training media on the market. Videos usually fall in the mid range, while lectures and computer-based training, particularly when equipment costs are included, tend to be the most expensive. However, off-the-shelf CBT packages can be very affordable, particularly when a company already owns the necessary hardware. ANALYSIS The checklist on the next page can help you determine which training media is most appropriate for your situation. To use the checklist, you should: 1. Determine how important each requirement on the checklist is to you. Rate the requirements on a scale of 0 to 4, and note your ratings in the column marked "X." 0 Not important 1 Somewhat important 2 Important 3 Very important 4 Critically important 2. Multiply the numbers already in the chart by the importance ratings you determined. (The checklist uses numbers from 0 to 3 to indicate how well each training medium addresses the various task, learner, student management, and cost requirements. A "0" indicates the medium does not address it at all, a "3" that it addresses it very well.) For example, if you gave the first task requirement a rating of 2, you would fill out the chart this way: Requirements X CBT Video Text Workbook Lecture Task Requirements: Ability to. . . Teach a physical skill. 2 2 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 3. Add the columns of numbers you created by multiplying those in the chart by your importance ratings on each page, and then add the subtotals together. 4. Determine the medium that is most appropriate for your training need. Do not simply select the medium with the highest total score. Look back at the individual requirements and make sure the medium you select can handle those that are most important to you (those you rated with a 3 or 4). Combining media may reduce or eliminate weaknesses present in any single medium. For example, CBT may deliver instruction, a text may contain photographs that augment the lesson, and an instructor may motivate students and lead a group discussion on how the new information and skills may be transferred to other challenges. Each component of the delivery system provides unique strengths and minimizes the potential limitations of the other media. CHECKLIST1 Selecting the Training Medium Instructions: 1. Rate each requirement's importance, on a scale of 0 to 4, in column "X." 2. Multiply the numbers in the columns by your importance factors. 3. Sum the new columns of numbers. 4. Select the most appropriate training medium. Compare the totals, but also ensure that the final selection will address the requirements most important to you. Requirements X CBT Video Text Workbook Lecture Task Requirements: Ability to. . . Teach a physical skill. 2 1 1 1 1 Provide human interaction. 1 1 0 0 3 Use computers. 3 0 0 0 0 Determine and adapt to individual needs. 3 0 0 1 2 Question students and adjust instruction accordingly. 3 0 0 1 2 Provide immediate feedback. 3 0 0 2 2 Produce life-like images. 3 3 3 3 2 Produce high quality audio. 3 3 0 0 2 Portray motion. 3 3 1 1 2 Telescope time (e.g., time lapse or slow motion). 3 3 1 1 2 Use in combination with other media. 1 2 3 3 2 Reach trainees remotely. 3 3 3 3 1 Access training where needed. 2 2 3 3 1 Access training when needed. 2 2 3 3 1 Subtotal Requirements X CBT Video Text Workbook Lecture Teach more than one trainee simultaneously. 2 3 2 2 3 Provide team as well as individual study. 2 2 1 1 2 Update and change course content frequently. 0 0 1 1 3 Learner Requirements: Ability to. . . Gain attention and motivate. 3 2 1 1 3 Minimize demands on verbal and reading skill. 1 3 0 0 3 Minimize demands on technical skills. 0 2 3 3 3 Student Management Requirements: Ability to. . . Record trainees' progress. 3 0 0 1 3 Report on trainees' progress. 3 0 0 1 2 Budget Requirements: Costs (development, acquisition, equipment) must be kept low. 1 2 3 3 1 Subtotal Subtotal from previous page TOTAL SELECTING THE TYPE OF COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING Once you determine computer-based training is the right approach for your training situation, you need to decide what type of computer-based training can best meet your needs. Different types of computer-based training are appropriate for different training situations. Which is appropriate for you depends on both your training needs and your training capacity. Small and mid-sized companies might find that their restricted training capacity limits the types of computer-based training they can pursue. The discussion below first explains the different types of computer-based training, and then lays out the issues involved in selecting one. Graphic boxes at the beginning of each section summarize the material that follows. These boxes are then combined at the end of this chapter into a checklist that can aid you in the decision making process. TYPES OF COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING This publication looks at six types of computer-based training, which cover most of the available options: performance support systems, training instruction, off-the-shelf training, customizable training, customized training, independent study, on-site classroom training, and off-site classroom training. These six types of training, which are discussed in detail below, can be classified within three training dimensions. COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING DIMENSIONS Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Computer-based training can vary along three dimensions: timeliness, customizabilty, and instructional format. øTimeliness. While all computer-based training allows great flexibility in the timing of training delivery, some types are more flexible than others. Performance support systems are the most flexible, enabling employees to call up instruction on a particular task at the precise moment they need to perform that task on the job. Computer-based training instruction, on the other hand, occurs separate from job performance, and therefore sets some limits on the timing of training delivery. øCustomizability. The degree to which computer-based training programs can be customized to company needs varies greatly. At one extreme are off-the-shelf packages where no modifications can be made. At the other extreme are customized programs, built from scratch, to company specifications, by professional computer-based training developers. In between are customizable programs that allow companies to insert their own technical vocabulary and practice reading materials in lessons, and create exercises from materials used on the job or in the employee handbook. øInstructional format. Computer-based training can be offered as an independent study exercise, where trainees are expected to work through the instruction on their own, with little or no support. It can also be offered in an on-site class or off-site class where trainees have access to an instructor who can provide them with assistance. TIMELINESS Performance Support System Training Instruction The most timely computer-based training are performance support systems, though computer-based training instruction can be very timely also. øPerformance Support Systems. Performance support systems are used to provide employees with specific training, when questions arise, and without removing them from their day-to-day job tasks. Thus, a performance support system must be immediately available to employees at their job locations. Performance support systems are best for situations where short instructional sequences (20 minutes or less) are possible and the skills to be learned are simple. They are inappropriate for learning complex skills, unless these can be broken up into less complex tasks. Note: Some performance support systems are ideal for learning complex skills because they allow the user to focus on single segments of these skills at a time. An example of a performance support system is how bank loan officers might be prepared to fill out a new loan form. Instead of providing a sequential training program, the bank could load the loan form onto officers' computers, along with optional instruction modules (the performance support system). The officers could then call up instruction on specific aspects of the form as they were filling the form out and had questions. Performance support systems are still in their infancy and may be out of the reach of small and mid-sized companies, unless a number of companies have the same skill needs and can share the cost of the systems' development. øTraining Instruction. Training instruction usually occurs separate from job performance. During instruction, trainees sit in front of computers and receive training, via the computer, for varying lengths of time (_ hour or more). Most computer-based training falls into this category. Training instruction is best for learning complex skills. In contrast to the performance support system example discussed above, loan officers receiving training instruction on filling out a new loan form would work through a sequential CBT package on their computers and at their convenience, or at a special training facility. While undertaking the training instruction the officers would not be performing the job task of completing the loan form; they would only be learning how to do so. Upon completion of the training instruction, the loan officers should have the skills needed to complete the loan form correctly. CUSTOMIZABILITY Off-the-Shelf Customizable Customized Off-the-shelf computer-based training offers companies few opportunities for adapting programs to their needs, while customizable and customized training can be adjusted to meet company specifications. ø Off-the-Shelf. Off-the-shelf training is computer-based training you buy and use "as is." The content of the computer-based training is fixed and can't be changed. This type of computer-based training is best when the skills to be taught are relatively generic. It is inappropriate for learning unique skills. Reading improvement and awareness of cultural diversity are generic skills that translate well into a variety of environments, and are offered on a number of off-the-shelf training programs. Operating a specific manufacturing machine is a unique skill unlikely to be taught by an off-the-shelf training program. Because off-the-shelf CBT tends to be inexpensive, it is one of the best options for small and mid-sized companies. øCustomizable. Customizable training is computer-based training that you can alter to meet your specific training needs. Most customizable computer-based training comes with a set of specific content you can augment or replace. Usually you cannot alter the manner in which the content is delivered; you can only alter the content itself. This type of computer-based training is best when the skills to be taught are relatively unique, you cannot locate computer-based training that meets your specific needs, and you have a large number of people to be trained. It is usually inappropriate for training small numbers of people, due to the cost of customization. While customizable CBT usually costs more than off-the-shelf CBT, it may still be affordable for small and mid-sized companies. øCustomized. Customized training is computer-based training that is built from scratch according to your needs. You specify both the content and the sequence of instruction. This is the most expensive type of computer-based training to implement. It is best used when the skills to be taught are unique, no computer-based training exists to teach those skills, and you have a large number of people to be trained. It is usually inappropriate for training small numbers of people, due to the cost of customization. Customized CBT is likely to be beyond the reach of most small and mid-sized companies. INSTRUCTIONAL FORMAT Independent Study On-Site Classes Off-Site Classes Computer-based training can be offered in a variety of environments. øIndependent Study. Trainees undertaking independent study are expected to use the computer-based training on their own. The training could take place at the trainee's home, work-site, a designated "resource room" with computers, a local library --wherever the trainee has access to a computer. Because there is no instructional support or "formal" instruction beyond the computer-based training, it doesn't matter where the training takes place. Independent study works best when the skills taught are easily mastered. It is inappropriate for learning complex skills, because there are no instructors to guide the trainee through difficult training sequences. It would also be inappropriate when trainees have little or no facility with computers. øOn-Site Classes. When CBT is delivered through an on-site classroom -- usually located in the same environment where the trainee works -- an instructor is provided to facilitate learning. Different trainees might be working on different concepts during the same time period, while the instructor is available to provide assistance. On-site classroom CBT must take place at a specified time and location because of this instructional support. On-site classroom computer-based training is best when the skills to be taught are complex or must be completely mastered. It is inappropriate when the numbers of trainees are too small to justify hiring an instructor and operating a classroom. øOff-Site Classes. Off-site classroom CBT is provided by an outside organization, like a community college, that has a computer-based training lab employees can go to for instruction. The site provides the computer-based training package, computers to use for the training, and instructors who either run classes at specified times or are available as resources to help students when they are having trouble. This type of computer-based training is best when the skills to be taught are complex or must be completely mastered and when you have only a small number of employees that need to be trained. It is inappropriate when employees need to learn very specific skills, because such training must be relatively generic. Off-site CBT classes may be a very good option for small and mid-sized companies. The types of computer-based training listed here are not necessarily mutually exclusive. In many cases selecting a computer-based training package will be like ordering from a Chinese menu; you will be selecting one from column A (timeliness), one from column B (customizability), and one from column C (instructional format). In other words, you can, for example, purchase training instruction, that is customized, and is taught in an on-site class. ISSUES IN SELECTING COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING The type of computer-based training that is best for you depends on both your training needs and training capacity. TRAINING NEEDS Skill Needs Instructional Needs Trainee Needs Training needs can be divided into three categories: skill needs, instructional needs, and trainee needs. In the charts that follow, symbols are used to indicate which types of computer-based training are best for a particular situation (_), fine for a situation (_), not most appropriate for a situation (_), or inappropriate for a situation (_). SKILL NEEDS Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Perfor-mance Sup- port System Train- ing Instruc -tion Off- the- Shelf Cust- omiz- able Cust- omized Inde- pen- dent Study On- Site Classes Off- Site Classes Skills to be taught are relatively generic. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Skills to be taught are relatively unique. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Skills to be taught are complex. _ _ _ _ _ _ Skills to be taught are easily mastered. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ øSkills to be taught are relatively generic. Generic skills are skills that people in your organization need that are not company-specific. For example, understanding diversity issues is a generic skill most people need in today's workplace. Because generic skills don't vary much by workplace, an off-the-shelf computer-based training package is an appropriate, low-cost option. It would be a waste of money to purchase a customizable or customized training package for teaching generic skills. øSkills to be taught are relatively unique. Unique skills are those specific to your company. Some of the skills needed to operate a piece of machinery only your company uses or complete a process only your company follows fall into this category. An off-the-shelf package would not capture your unique circumstances, so you would have to have an existing package customized to your specific needs, or an entirely new package developed to meet your specific needs. If you only had a few people in your company who needed to learn these skills, it would be very expensive to have a computer-based training package developed just to train them. øSkills to be taught are complex. Complex skills are those that involve higher-order concepts (such as problem solving and decision making), or multi-step processes. Skills that must be totally mastered (such as learning to pilot an airplane) fall into this category as well. The skills needed are complex so people need to be trained on them; independent study might not be sufficient. Employees can't just stop in the middle of their work to check one thing, so a performance support system would not be appropriate. Fully developed computer-based training is usually best to teach complex skills. Note: Performance support systems may be used to support complex tasks, such as flying an airplane. However, you would not want pilots to be learning new skills for the first time while they are up in the air. øSkills to be taught are easily mastered. Easily mastered skills are skills involving recognition and recall of information. Performance support systems and independent study work well when the skills to be taught are easily mastered. On-site or off-site classes would add an unnecessary expense to the computer-based training. INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Perfor-mance Sup- port System Train- ing Instruc -tion Off- the- Shelf Cust- omiz- able Cust- omized Inde- pen- dent Study On- Site Classes Off- Site Classes Large number of people are to be trained. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Small number of people are to be trained. _ _ _ _ _ øLarge number of people are to be trained. The cost of computer-based training development is high. To be economically feasible, these development costs must be shared by a large number of trainees. If you have a large number of trainees, you can justify the purchase of customizable or fully customized computer-based training. øSmall number of people are to be trained. If you only have a small number of trainees, the development costs must be shared with others outside your firm. This can occur if you purchase off-the-shelf computer-based training or send trainees to an off-site class. It can also be accomplished by combining small companies with similar training needs into a learning consortium.2 A secondary cost of CBT is delivery. With a small number of trainees, the costs associated with setting up an on-site classroom might not be justified, so employees would either need to engage in independent study or attend an off-site classroom. TRAINEE NEEDS Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Perfor-mance Sup- port System Train- ing Instruc -tion Off- the- Shelf Cust- omiz- able Cust- omized Inde- pen- dent Study On- Site Classes Off- Site Classes Large differences exist in trainees' initial skill levels. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Few differences exist in trainees' initial skill levels _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ øLarge differences exist in trainees' initial skill levels. When there are large differences in trainees' initial skill levels, training should take place where instructors or facilitators are readily available. The capability of some computer-based training packages to adjust completely to an individual's needs is still limited, though most packages are able to make some accommodations to trainees' skill levels provided a facilitator is available to assist. If you have trainees whose skills are near the bottom of the computer-based training program's recommended level, the trainees may need additional help that only an instructor or facilitator could provide, though these trainees might be able to work with the computer-based training package after some initial period of instruction. Performance support systems may also be inappropriate when trainees' skills vary greatly because the systems are limited in the depth of instruction they provide. On-site classrooms with facilitators that know each individual trainee's needs are best in this situation. Note: A high quality computer-based training program or performance support system might well be designed to meet the needs of trainees with different initial skill levels without any instructional support. øFew differences exist in trainees' initial skill levels. When there are few differences in trainees' initial skill levels, training can take place as independent study. For example, professional electrical engineers could independently use a computer-based training program to learn about new electrical fields produced by a new machine, because they all have strong backgrounds in electrical engineering. This same group, however, might have difficulty learning how to identify and deal with sexual harassment problems through independent study; their prior knowledge on the subject could vary greatly, while the computer-based training package's approach could have assumed a common knowledge base. TRAINING CAPACITY Technological Capacity Support Capacity Space Capacity Budget Training capacity can be divided into four categories: technological capacity, support capacity, space capacity, and budget. Because this section only refers to a company's own training capacity, that is, conditions within the company seeking training, most of the issues raised in this section are not relevant to off-site classes. The space capacity issues are only relevant for classes provided on company sites. In the charts that follow, symbols are used to indicate which situations are required for a particular type of CBT (_), which situations are fine for a type of CBT (_), which types of CBT cannot be used in a particular situation (_), and which situations are not relevant to a type of CBT (NR). The charts also show cost estimates for the different types of CBT. TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Perfor-mance Sup- port System Train- ing Instruc -tion Off- the- Shelf Cust- omiz- able Cust- omized Inde- pen- dent Study On- Site Classes Off- Site Classes Trainee/computer ratio is high. _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Trainee/computer ratio is low. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Hardware is sufficiently powerful. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Operating system software is sufficiently current. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR øTrainee/computer ratio is high. Computer-based training is appropriate for most situations where you have many trainees in comparison to the number of computers you have available, except performance support systems, where each person must have a computer "on demand." It is only appropriate for on-site classes if trainees will be in class at different times, so that all trainees have a computer when they are in class. øTrainee/computer ratio is low. Any type of computer-based training is possible when there are few trainees per computer -- or a one-to-one correspondence between trainees and computers. This low ratio is critical though for performance support systems and on-site classes where all of the trainees will be in the class at the same time. øHardware is sufficiently powerful. Most computer-based training programs require at least a 486 PC, with 8 megabytes of RAM (random access memory), and enough hard drive space that there is at least 20 megabytes free when running the program for the computer to swap files between the hard drive and the RAM. øOperating system software is sufficiently current. These days much software is developed and upgraded pretty quickly, and new programs are designed with an eye toward the next generation of computer and operating systems. This means that most of the computer-based training programs on the shelves are made for DOS 6.1 and Windows 95. SUPPORT CAPACITY Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Perfor-mance Sup- port System Train- ing Instruc -tion Off- the- Shelf Cust- omiz- able Cust- omized Inde- pen- dent Study On- Site Classes Off- Site Classes Qualified instructional personnel are available. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Qualified technical support personnel are available. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Qualified administrative support personnel are available. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Group instructional equipment is available. NR _ _ _ _ NR _ NR øQualified instructional personnel are available. Instructional personnel help trainees with training content when they are having difficulties. Qualified instructional personnel should be available in all cases. Qualified instructional personnel are critical for on-site classes. Instructional personnel do not have to be full-time company employees; they can be contractors engaged for a limited number of hours each week. øQualified technical support personnel are available. Technical personnel are responsible for implementing, operating, and maintaining a CBT system -- the hardware and software. Technical support is needed in all cases. It is critical for both performance support systems and training instruction in on-site classes and independent study. Technical personnel do not have to be full-time company employees; they can be contractors engaged to respond to requests on an "as needed" basis. øQualified administrative support personnel are available. Administrative personnel are responsible for planning, supervising, and managing CBT activities -- making things happen. Technical personnel by themselves cannot ensure CBT will be successful within your company. How the CBT is used and scheduled is equally important to its success. This is important in all cases and is critical for independent study and off-site classes. Administrative personnel do not have to devote full time to this effort; they can be regular employees who spend only a few hours a week on the program, or they can be contractors engaged for a limited number of hours each week. øGroup instructional equipment is available. If group instruction will be part of the CBT delivery, it is important to have such instructional aids as white boards, and overhead projectors. This does not apply to performance support systems or independent study, as neither takes place in a classroom. The company may not need to own all of this equipment; some of it might be leased. SPACE CAPACITY On-Site Classes Self-contained space for instruction exists. _ Space is sufficiently large for students. _ Doors guarantee security and privacy. _ Windows guarantee security and privacy. _ Lighting is appropriate. _ Ventilation, heating, and air conditioning are sufficient. _ Telephone outlets or network connections are sufficient and well located. _ Electrical outlets are sufficient and safe. _ øSelf-contained space for instruction exists. If you will be operating on-site classes, it is important that a separate, self-contained space for instruction be used. It will be very difficult for trainees to pay attention to lessons if they are in a room with other activities going on. Finding self-contained space will be particularly difficult for small and mid-sized companies. These companies might want to join with others to jointly share the costs of a training facility.3 øSpace is sufficiently large for students. In a lab or classroom situation, each trainee should have enough space to operate the computer, take notes, and use other nearby resources easily. øDoors guarantee security and privacy. Doors giving access to a lab should be sturdy and have strong locks to prevent theft. Doors with windows should have blinds to discourage prying eyes. øWindows guarantee security and privacy. Windows in a lab should be sturdy and have strong locks. They may need to be covered with bars or wire mesh to prevent theft. Windows should have blinds. øLighting is appropriate. Lighting is also a consideration when planning a computer lab. When you place your computers in the lab, it is important to avoid locations where direct sunlight can shine on them. This will help to reduce glare on the screens and avoid potential damage the sun can cause on the computer, floppy disks, etc. In addition to sunlight, you need adequate overhead lighting that can be easily controlled for presentations. øVentilation, heating, and air conditioning are sufficient. Ventilation is very important for computers. Although great strides were made in this area during the last decade, some computers will malfunction in temperature extremes. Ideally, a computer lab should be kept at a comfortable -- 70o to 80o -- temperature. øTelephone outlets or network connections are sufficient and well located. The location of telephone outlets or network connections is important only if you are using telecommunications or certain networks. If this is the case, you want the outlets or connections as close to the computers as possible, to avoid wire tangles and tripping. øElectrical outlets are sufficient and safe. Because most computer stations have several power cords, many grounded electrical outlets are needed in a lab. Surge protectors should be available to help protect your equipment from electrical surges. The electrical outlets must be able to handle the electrical load placed on them. BUDGET Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Performance Support System Training Instruction Off-the-Shelf Customizable Customized Independent Study On-Site Classes Off-Site Classes NR NR $2,020 to $2,476 $3,300 to $8,456 $32,740 to $50,256 $2,020 to $50,000 $2,276 to $50,256 $1,752 to $21,152 The budget figures presented in this section represent costs to a company purchasing computer-based training, assuming the company -- and not its individual employees -- is paying for the training. The costs for CBT would be the sum of the development and delivery costs charged to the company. Development costs depend on the customizability of the training, while delivery costs depend on the instructional format. In most cases, calculating the expected cost of a computer-based training effort involves determining the customizability and the instructional format of the program, and adding the costs associated with these together. The one exception to this rule is off-site training classes. Charges for off-site classes incorporate the costs of development within them; therefore no additional costs need to be added to these figures. Note: The timeliness of computer-based training -- whether it is a performance support system or training instruction -- will not affect the cost of the training. What will affect the cost are the other dimensions -- customizability and instructional format. Costing out a performance support system or training instruction program follows the general rule: determine the customizability and the instructional format of the program, and add the costs associated with those together. The cost estimates of the various computer-based training options shown in this section's charts are based on the following assumptions: øA company will be training five employees, a reasonable figure for a small to mid-sized firm. øThe training will be eight hours long and delivered over an eight week period. The descriptions of the various cost components in the text following the charts frequently provide information that will help companies develop alternative cost figures if these assumptions do not meet their needs. DEVELOPMENT COSTS Off-the-Shelf Customizable Customized Computer program/software $100 - 300 $100 - 5,000 $100 - 2,000 Customization or development -- $1,280 $30,720 - 46,080 Selection and installation $640 $640 $640 TOTAL $740 - 940 $2,020 - 6,920 $31,460 - 48,720 øOff-the-Shelf. The development costs for CBT modules that are purchased off the shelf are very low. Computerized language instruction may cost between $30 and $60, while typing instruction may cost $20 to $50. The cost for purchasing five such modules would range from $100 to $300. However, staff time should be factored into the cost to cover choosing the software, installing it on the computer(s), and making sure it functions properly. This cost is estimated assuming 20 hours of work at a staff cost of $32 per hour, fully loaded, or $640. (The figure of $32 per hour is based on a wage of $21 per hour, a reasonable figure for a mid-level employee, pus 25 percent each for benefits and overhead.) øCustomizable. Customizable training packages range from $25 to $1,250 in price, with lab packs (enabling a site to train five individuals at a time) ranging from about $100 to $5,000, and site licenses (allowing a site to train an unlimited number of individuals) costing from $300 to $5,000. For example, "Spelling," a multi-grade level approach to helping users spell words correctly, allows teachers to enter their own spelling words, and costs $24.95 for an individual user and $99.95 for a lab pack. At the other end of the scale is "Skills Bank '96," a comprehensive resource for diagnosing and remediating students' basic skills, which allows student, teacher, or computer assigned lessons, and provides customizable worksheets. This package costs $1,245 for an individual, and $4,980 for a site license. The estimated time for customizing these training packages by building in company-specific material and selecting relevant lessons is about 40 hours, though it could be considerably less for the more simple programs. The 1995 report "Compensation in the Human Resources Field," by Abbott, Langer, & Associates, shows the median hourly wage of training materials developers in business and industry to be nearly $21 per hour.4 Adjusting this figure to account for benefits and overhead yields a median cost per hour of $32 ($21+25%+25%). The cost for customizing the packages, then, would be $1,280. Another 20 hours is added for selecting, installing, and trouble-shooting the programs. At $32 per hour, fully loaded, this would be $640. øCustomized. Customized software is software built from scratch. Your specific content is taken and developed into a new and unique CBT package. Most customized CBT is developed by using an authoring system -- software designed to assist you in developing CBT. Software packages for developing customized computer-based training programs range between $100 and $2,000 in price. For instance, the development package for ExpressTrainTM costs $1,950 while the retail prices for ToolBookTM and AuthorWareTM are $600 and $1,000, respectively. Low-end development tools may cost as little as $100, though. Customized modules are the most expensive to develop. Training magazine's 1993 survey estimates the median number of hours to develop a one-hour, customized CBT module at 120 hours. The "1995 CBT Report," conducted by SB Communications, estimates the median to be 180 hours.5 Using the estimates of 120 to 180 hours for developing a one-hour training module, and $32 per hour for a training developer, we arrive at an estimated cost of $3,840 to $5,760 for one hour of instruction.6 Eight hours of instruction would cost $30,720 to $46,080. Twenty hours is again added to the cost estimate for selecting and working with the developer, an additional $640. DELIVERY COSTS Independent Study On-Site Classes Off-Site Classes Instruction -- $768 $600 - 20,000 Instructional Support $1,280 $768 $512 Selection and enrollment -- -- $640 TOTAL $1,280 $1,536 $1,752 - 21,152 øIndependent Study. Independent study requires limited instructional support, but it would be a mistake to assume that it will not require any. Up to five hours per week may be necessary to support independent study: tracking student progress, providing limited instructional support, and addressing any problems that might arise with the training program. The estimate shown above assumes an eight week training program, and a salary of $32 per hour, fully loaded. øOn-Site Classes. Abbott, Langer and Associates reports that the median hourly wage for classroom instructors in business and industry is roughly $15/hour. After appropriate adjustments to account for overhead and benefits, this would yield a median hourly rate of $24. If we assume three hours of additional work for every hour of instruction, eight hours of instruction would yield instruction costs of $768. With on-site classes, companies would need to provide less instructional support, which is estimated here at only three hours per week. øOff-Site Classes. Off-site instruction would most likely occur at a school campus, and costs would generally be charged per credit hour. Costs per credit hour vary, depending on the institution and the state, and may range from $30 to $50 in a community college, to $600 to $1,000 at private four-year universities. Assuming a four unit course, the cost to a company for enrolling five students would be $600 to $20,000. The cost of off-site instruction needs to be augmented by the cost a company would bear in searching for and selecting the appropriate program for its employees, and enrolling them in a computer-based learning lab (estimated at 20 hours and $32 per hour, fully loaded), and of instructional support (estimated at two hours per week for monitoring employees' progress and communicating with the provider). BUDGET MATRIX Development Costs Delivery Costs Independent Study On-Site Classes Off-Site Classes $1,280 $1,536 $1,752 - 21,152 Off-the Shelf $740 - 940 $2,020 - 2,220 $2,276 - 2,476 -- Customizable $2,020 - 6,920 $3,300 - 8,200 $3,556 - 8,456 -- Customized $31,460 - 48,720 $32,740 - 50,000 $32,996 - 50,256 -- To accurately compare the prices of most of the computer-based training options, development and delivery costs need to be added together. With off-site classes, however, the cost figures do not need to be augmented; these costs already incorporate their development costs within them. Development and delivery costs are shown together in the above matrix. An off-the-shelf computer-based training package delivered through independent study, for example, would cost a company between $2,020 and $2,220 for five employees. At the other extreme, a customized computer-based training program delivered in an on-site classroom would cost a company between $32,996 and $50,256. The range of costs for off-the shelf, customizable, and customized computer-based training programs depends on whether the programs are delivered through independent study or on-site classes, and can be read from left to right on the table: ø$2,020 to $2,476 for off-the-shelf programs, ø$3,300 to $8,456 for customizable programs, and ø$32,740 to $50,256 for customized programs. The range of costs for independent study and on-site classes depends on whether a company uses off-the-shelf, customizable, or customized programs, and can be read from top to bottom on the table: ø$2,020 to $50,000 for independent study programs, and ø$2,276 to $50,256 for on-site classes. Enrolling the five employees in an off-site class would cost a company between $1,752 and $21,152. There are no additional development costs charged for these programs, as these are incorporated into the delivery costs. ADDITIONAL COMPANY COSTS It is important to note that the figures detailed above reflect only those costs relating directly to the actual development and delivery of the CBT module. Many CBT instructional designers estimate that as much as 80 percent of their time on a project is spent on such activities as planning meetings and gathering information, in addition to module development. Further, there may be additional costs for up-front services to make the CBT training most effective, such as evaluations of training needs (to identify what the CBT should address) and assessments of individuals' skill levels (to identify at what level each employee should start the CBT training). Costs may also be incurred to purchase the necessary computer hardware on which to customize the training modules and through which to provide them. Video and audio capabilities, color scanners, and expanded memory and hard drives may be required for customizing training modules. For instruction, additional hardware may be needed to network computers. If computer networks are to be used for the CBT, the higher prices for networked site-licenses should be factored into the budget equations. ANALYSIS You can use the checklist on the following pages to select the type of computer-based training most appropriate for your company. øFirst, place check marks in the "Your Firm" column for each of the traits that matches your training situation in the "Training Needs" section. øSecond, place check marks in the "Your Firm" column for each of the traits that matches your training capacity in the "Training Capacity" section. øThird, insert your training budget in the "Budget" row. øFinally, compare your firm's traits and budget to those of the CBT types shown in the table, and select the type (or combination of types) that corresponds most closely to your situation by following these steps: 1. Compare your budget to the estimated budget needed for each of the CBT types.7 Rule out any that you cannot afford. 2. Compare your check marks to blank spaces in the checklist. These match ups show CBT types that are inappropriate for your firm. Rule these out. 3. Compare your blank spaces to _s in Section II. These match ups show CBT types that are inappropriate for your firm. Rule these out. 4. Compare your check marks to _s in Section I. These match ups show CBT types that are most appropriate for your firm. Of the CBT types remaining after steps 1, 2, and 3, these are your best candidates. Match ups to CBT types with _s are your next best candidates, and match ups to those with _s are your final candidates. 5. If steps 1, 2, and 3 leave you with no options, reconsider your analysis. Can you change some of the conditions in your firm? Are you willing to go with a CBT option that is not completely appropriate? CHECKLIST Selecting the Type of Computer-Based Training Follow the instructions for parts I and II to fill in the "Your Firm" columns, then use the instructions in part III to determine which type of computer-based training will best meet your needs. I. TRAINING NEEDS Instructions: Place check marks in the "Your "Firm" column for each of the traits that matches your training situation. _ Type of CBT is best for this situation. _Type of CBT is fine for this situation. _ Type of CBT can be used in this situation, but is not most appropriate. _ Type of CBT is inappropriate for this situation. Your Firm Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Perfor-mance Sup- port System Train- ing Instruc -tion Off- the- Shelf Cust- omiz- able Cust- omized Inde-- pen- dent Study On- Site Classes Off- Site Classes Skill Needs Skills to be taught are relatively generic. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Skills to be taught are relatively unique. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Skills to be taught are complex. _ _ _ _ _ _ Skills to be taught are easily mastered. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Instructional Needs Large number of people are to be trained. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Small number of people are to be trained. _ _ _ _ _ Trainee Needs Large differences exist in trainees' initial skill levels. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Few differences exist in trainees' initial skill levels _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ II. TRAINING CAPACITY Instructions: Place check marks in the "Your "Firm" column for each of the traits that matches your training capacity, and place your training budget in the "Budget" row. _ This situation is required for this type of CBT. _This situation is fine for this type of CBT. _ Type of CBT cannot be used in this situation. NR This situation is not relevant to this type of CBT. Your Firm Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Perfor-mance Sup- port System Train- ing Instruc -tion Off- the- Shelf Cust- omiz- able Cust- omized Inde-- pen-dent Study On- Site Classes Off- Site Classes Technological Capacity Trainee/computer ratio is high. _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Trainee/computer ratio is low. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Hardware is sufficiently powerful. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Operating system software is sufficiently current. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Support Capacity Qualified instructional personnel are available. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Qualified technical support personnel are available. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ NR Qualified administrative support personnel are available. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Group instructional equipment is available. NR _ _ _ _ NR _ NR Space Capacity (On-Site Classes Only) Self-contained space for instruction exists. NR NR NR NR NR NR _ NR Space is sufficiently large for students. NR NR NR NR NR NR _ NR Doors guarantee security and privacy. NR NR NR NR NR NR _ NR Windows guarantee security and privacy. NR NR NR NR NR NR _ NR _ This situation is required for this type of CBT. _This situation is fine for this type of CBT. _ Type of CBT cannot be used in this situation. NR This situation is not relevant to this type of CBT. Your Firm Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Perfor-mance Sup- port System Train- ing Instruc -tion Off- the- Shelf Cust- omiz- able Cust- omized Inde-- pen-dent Study On- Site Classes Off- Site Classes Lighting is appropriate. NR NR NR NR NR NR _ NR Ventilation, heating, and air conditioning are sufficient. NR NR NR NR NR NR _ NR Telephone outlets or network connections are sufficient and well located. NR NR NR NR NR NR _ NR Electrical outlets are sufficient and safe. NR NR NR NR NR NR _ NR Budget NR NR $2,020 to $2,476 $3,300 to $8,456 $32,740 to $50,256 $2,020 to $50,000 $2,276 to $50,256 $1,752 to $21,152 III. ANALYSIS Instructions: Compare your firm's traits and budget to those of the CBT types shown in the table, and select the type (or combination of types) that corresponds most closely to your situation by following these steps: 1. Compare your budget to the estimated budget needed for each of the CBT types. Rule out any that you cannot afford. 2. Compare your check marks to blank spaces in the checklist. These match ups show CBT types that are inappropriate for your firm. Rule these out. 3. Compare your blank spaces to _s in Section II. These match ups show CBT types that are inappropriate for your firm. Rule these out. 4. Compare your check marks to _s in Section I. These match ups show CBT types that are most appropriate for your firm. Of the CBT types remaining after steps 1, 2, and 3, these are your best candidates. Match ups to CBT types with _s are your next best candidates, and match ups to those with _s are your final candidates. 5. If steps 1, 2, and 3 leave you with no options, reconsider your analysis. Can you change some of the conditions in your firm? Are you willing to go with a CBT option that is not completely appropriate? SELECTING A COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING PRODUCT OR PROVIDER Selecting a specific computer-based training product or provider is a complex task. You will want to evaluate the quality of a product's training content, delivery, and support. If you'll be hiring a company to provide services, you will need to check out the company's qualifications. Before you can begin comparing products and providers, you need to find them. When searching for potential computer-based training products or providers, don't limit yourself to one information resource. Instead, explore multiple avenues of information. You can ask business colleagues you know if they have any recommendations. You can also explore possibilities on your own. A number of training vendors, books and magazines, electronic resources, associations, and conferences are listed in the appendix to help you begin your search. You can also consult the National Workforce Assistance Collaborative publication Resource Guide: A Key to Organizations Working in Employee Training, Labor-Management Relations, Work Restructuring, and Workplace Literacy, which is listed in the appendix on Collaborative products and services. Once you've located a few products and providers that seem promising, you are ready to compare and contrast them. The checklists at the end of each section of this chapter will help you compare computer-based training products and providers. The final analysis checklist at the end of the chapter enables you to combine the results of the two separate checklists to select the best total computer-based training package for your needs. REVIEWING PRODUCTS AND PROVIDERS Timeliness Customizability Instructional Format Perfor-mance Sup- port System Train- ing Instruc -tion Off- the- Shelf Cust- omiz- able Cust- omized Inde- pen- dent Study On- Site Classes Off- Site Classes Conduct a product evaluation. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Conduct a provider evaluation. maybe maybe maybe maybe _ _ You will need to conduct a product evaluation no matter what kind of computer-based training program or service you are purchasing. You will only need to conduct a provider evaluation if you plan to have your program delivered in on- or off-site classes. You will never have to conduct a provider evaluation if you plan to purchase a performance support system or have your employees train through independent study. However, you will need to conduct a provider evaluation for training instruction, or off-the-shelf, customizable, or customized computer-based programs if you plan to have these programs delivered in on- or off-site classes. As was the case with the budget analysis, the real driving forces shaping your product and provider evaluations are their customizability and instructional. Your product evaluation should be shaped by the computer-based program's customizability (off-the-shelf, customizable, or customized), while your provider evaluation should be shaped by its instructional format (independent study, on-site class, or off-site class). The product and provider checklists found in this chapter may be more extensive than you need. Which parts of this chapter's checklists you use will depend on the type of computer-based training package you intend to buy, and the computer-based training characteristics that are important to you. While this chapter discusses all characteristics, you will be picking and choosing which ones you include in your analysis. For example, if you are sending your employees to an off-site class, you may only be concerned with selected parts of the product checklist. TRAINING PRODUCT Off-the-Shelf Customizable Customized Review characteristics within existing programs. _ _ Review customizer's history in developing programs with specific characteristics. maybe _ A training product can be an off-the-shelf, customizable, or customized program. When evaluating off-the-shelf or customizable programs, you will need to look for specific characteristics within the existing programs. When selecting a customized program, you will want to look at a customizer's history in developing programs with those characteristics. For customizable programs, you will also want to look at a customizer's history in developing programs with specific characteristics, if you are going to hire a provider to undertake the customization. You should examine a computer-based training product from a conceptual (instructional quality) and physical (computer systems) standpoint. You need to look at course content, delivery, implementation, and design; technological compatibility; and review options. You will also want to look at instructional and technical support. These supports could be built into the products, or they could be on- or off-site services the product developer can provide.8 Course Content. High quality computer-based training products have the following course content characteristics: øClear description of course content exists. A clear description of the content is needed to help you make a quick decision on whether to examine the product further. øCourse content is accurate and up-to-date. If the product contains inaccurate data or is several years old, it won't be appropriate. Unlike wine, computer-based training does not age well. If you are hiring a customizer, the customizer should be knowledgeable about the issues to be taught and understand your subject matter. While customizers do not have to be experts on your subject themselves, they need to understand it well enough to take content information provided by experts, and incorporate it into a computer-based training package. øCourse content fulfills company training requirements. The product needs to meet your training needs as closely as possible. If there is a gap between your needs and what the product provides, you will have to acquire additional instruction to meet your training goals. Most off-the-shelf products will not meet 100 percent of your needs, though some may come close. Customizable products should help decrease the gap between your needs and what the product offers. A fully customized product should meet all of your needs completely. A customizer should know how to develop a CBT product that will meet your training needs for both the content and instructional design characteristics. øInstructional objectives are clearly stated. Objectives tell you what the product was designed to do. Each objective should contain an audience, a behavior, a condition, and a degree. This is often called the ABCDs of objectives. For example, in the following objective, "Upon completion of unit 12, the trainee will be able to identify, with no errors, the mean and standard deviation in a statistical chart," the audience is the trainee, the behavior is identify the mean and standard deviation, the condition is completion of unit 12, and the degree is 100 percent (without error). øInstructional objectives are divided into appropriate sub-categories. Objectives should be broken up by category so you can measure your training gains effectively. Ideally, each section of the product should have its own specific objectives. øTraining gains are measurable. Your training gains should be directly related to the instructional objectives of the product. If the objectives are clearly stated, especially the degree of each objective, they should be easy to measure. øCourse is designed for intended trainees. The product should be graded or scaled in such a way that you can quickly know if it is at the appropriate training level. It is extremely important that a customizer understand your trainees' skills before a customized product is developed. If the existing or customized product is too easy for your trainees they will be bored and learn little. On the other hand, if the product is too difficult or advanced, your trainees will be frustrated and again learn little. øCourse can be customized. Customization is always a plus for any product. Only fully customized computer-based training will meet your exact needs, but if you can identify a product that you can customize, you can approach this ideal at a fraction of the cost of fully customized computer-based training. Course Delivery. High quality computer-based training products have the following course delivery characteristics: øCourseware is reliable. The courseware should be bug free and run on your system smoothly, without crashing. A customizer should have a history of developing reliable courseware. You can test a customizer's history by examining other products it has developed, by asking it for a list of former clients you can contact, and by checking how long it has been in business. øInstructional format is appropriate. The format -- tutorial, drill and practice, training games, simulation, problem solving, and demonstration/presentation -- must work for your training needs. A customizer's previous products should demonstrate expertise in appropriate instructional formats. (See the introduction for more detail on the different instructional formats and their uses.) øDegree of interactivity meets training requirements. Active learning is more likely to stick than passive learning. As the old saying goes: Tell me and I'll forget. Teach me and I'll remember. Involve me and I'll learn. Also, if your training requirements specify that trainees must demonstrate certain skills upon completion of the training, the product should provide the interactivity or "hands-on" time to practice these skills. øTraining features are appropriate. The use of text, graphics, video, and sound in the product are an integral part of the training. They should be used when and where they are needed. A customizer's products should demonstrate expertise in the training features appropriate for your proposed training. øCourse provides appropriate feedback for correct or incorrect answers. Trainees need to know when they are on the right track. Feedback (the computer responding to what the trainee does) is very important. It allows trainees to assess their progress and adjust accordingly. øCourseware is user friendly. The product should be easy to operate. Navigation is best accomplished via a menu or some other easily understood device. The screen advance should be user controlled. If appropriate, trainees should be able to bypass instructions they don't need. There should be a non-frustrating method for answering questions, i.e., using a space bar or clicking the mouse button instead of typing an answer. A customizer's products should demonstrate "look and feel" expertise. You should be able to maneuver through the products easily, choose a specific instructional sequence from all instruction available, and answer questions easily. øCourse directions are clearly understandable. The trainee should always know what to do next, how to proceed to the next screen or topic, etc. øOn-line glossary is available for definition of technical terms. If jargon, acronyms, or obtuse terms are used in the product, the trainee should be able to quickly and easily access definitions within the product. øKeyboard skill requirements match trainees' skills. If your trainees have low keyboarding skills, a product that forces them to input paragraphs of text is inappropriate. The keyboarding requirements of the product should be equal to or lower than the trainees' keyboarding skills, unless the product is designed to increase these skills. Course Implementation. High quality computer-based training products have the following course implementation characteristics: øComputer-based training is available when the company needs it. If you need the training right away, the product should actually exist and not be "under development." If you are using an off-site class, the off-site class should already have the product and have it installed. A customizer should be able to complete the course in time to meet a company's needs. To check a customizer's reliability, you may want to ask to see past development time lines for products it has developed. Check to make sure the customizer met these development deadlines. Ask the customizer for a list of past clients you can contact about this issue. øEasy-to-use student management system exists to track trainee progress, print records, and prescribe instructions. A management system will enable you to monitor your trainees and document their progress. A good management system will either prescribe instructions directly to trainees as needed, or show you what you need to prescribe to your trainees. You can check the management systems in other products a customizer developed to determine its skills in this area. øSystem can accommodate multiple trainees simultaneously. It is only important for the system to accommodate multiple trainees simultaneously if you are running the product on a network or off of a file server. In that case, the product should be designed to work well in this environment. If you will be serving multiple trainees at the same time, it is important that a customizer have a history of developing products that work well in networked environments, where the product is stored on a file server linked to many computers. øSystem accommodates security needs. If you work with on-line, proprietary information, the product should be protected from unauthorized access via passwords or codes. Unauthorized people should not be able to access the product, nor should people using the product be able to enter other connected, restricted electronic areas. Unauthorized people should not be able to access any records kept on individual trainees. If security is an issue for you, be sure to check the security systems in other products a customizer developed. Course Design. High quality computer-based training products have the following course design characteristics: øExperts were used to design the course. One way of ensuring the quality of the training is determining whether subject matter experts were used to develop the product's content. You should be able to verify this easily. Another benefit of expert involvement is that you may be able to contact these experts when a content-related question arises. If you will be having a product customized, checking designer resumes is another way to ensure the product developed will be top quality. øCourse was field tested before it was released. It is important that the product was tested in an environment similar to yours before it was available for sale to the public. This will increase the likelihood that any problems specific to your conditions were eradicated earlier. The product developer should be able to tell you what field testing was undertaken. If you are having a product customized, it should be bug free when it is delivered to you. The only way any customizer can ensure this is to test it on an audience similar to your trainees during the development process. This audience might well by your own employees. However, if your employees are used, the provider should make a commitment to refine the program based on a trial period of use. øCourse is bias free. Not only should the product be free of sex/racial/age/ethnic stereotypes, it should be free of any biases that make it harder for some people to learn than others. These biases frequently arise when instruction is culturally based. øCourse is part of a product line. In some cases, you might want the course to be part of an integrated product line containing other courses that may be useful to you at a later time. If you decide to use another course in the same product line, your instructors or trainees will need little or no training to operate the program because the new course should function similarly to the first one. If you think you will want additional, related training programs in the future, it is important to examine the long-term viability of the product developer or customizer and its ability to develop the other programs you may need. Think about your future development needs up front; make tentative plans for your future. Technological Compatibility. Appropriate computer-based training products have the following technological compatibility characteristics: øPlatform requirements match the company's existing system. It is important that the product run on your existing computers, unless you plan to upgrade your computer technology. If you already have a computer system in place, a customizer must be able to develop the product so it runs on that hardware, unless you are willing to purchase new hardware. øStorage requirements match the company's existing system. You need to be able to store a product you purchase on your computer system without overtaxing your storage requirements, and a customizer needs to be able to develop a course compatible with your existing storage capacity. Because the storage capacities of modern computer systems have increased dramatically, and many new products are now available on CD-ROM, this is not nearly as much of a concern as it used to be. øMemory requirements match the company's existing system. The product should be able to run on your current computer system with no additional memory requirements, and a customizer needs to be able to develop a course compatible with your existing memory capacity, unless you are prepared to purchase expansions. Most products today state their memory requirements in terms on megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM). øPeripherals required match the company's existing system. Some computer-based training products require additional hardware, such as printers, to function effectively. You need to make sure you have any of these extra devices if they are needed. A customizer should be able to provide you with a product that will not use extra devices you don't currently have, unless you are willing to purchase them Review Options. High quality computer-based training products have the following review options: øInspection copy is available and satisfactory. An inspection copy or demonstration disk of the product should be available. This is a very valuable way for you to perform an initial evaluation of any product. The demo disk should be free, or if there is a charge, you should be able to deduct this charge from the purchase price of the product. For a customized product, previous work should be available for review and should be satisfactory. Reviewing previous work is the best way to determine whether a customizer can meet many of the requirements discussed in this section. øTrial period is allowed and satisfactory. Most computer-based training products have a trial or test period after you purchase the product. During this time you can return the product for a refund if it does not meet your needs. Generally, you will need several months to determine this fact, so look for a trial period of 90 days or more. øReferences or reviews are available and satisfactory. You should examine any reviews a journal or magazine conducted on the product you're examining. The reviews will help you decide whether to purchase the product or not. When hiring a customizer, it is important to check with previous clients and obtain several opinions on the quality of the customizer's work. Instructional Support. High quality computer-based training products have the following instructional supports: øCourse includes supporting materials. A manual that explains to the trainer how the product is to be used is essential. Off-line workbooks that explain and supplement the product are very useful for trainees to take with them and work on when they can't access the CBT itself. You should check the support materials in other products a customizer developed to see if they would meet your needs. øCourse updates are available and at a reasonable cost. All software requires periodic updating. Operating system software and computer capabilities change constantly, and the CBT package must change accordingly. Update costs should not be more than 30 percent of the original purchase price. You should examine the long-term viability of a customizer and its history of providing updates to its previous clients. øTrain-the-trainer option exists. A train-the-trainer option allows you to send your trainers to the developer for instruction on how to use the product to train other people. The trainers can then return to your organization and successfully implement the product. If you are hiring a customizer, you should check the training programs for other products it developed to see if they meet your needs. Technical Support. High quality computer-based training products have the following technical supports: øDocumentation is available. Specifications on exactly what hardware and configurations the product was designed to operate with should be available. Installation and trouble-shooting suggestions should be included as well. A name and process for contacting technical support should be readily available. You should check the technical manuals in other products a customizer developed to see if they meet these standards. øMaintenance agreement is available. A maintenance contract between you and the provider of the product should be available as an option. Maintenance should include updates, bug-fixes, and priority technical support. øSupport is available by phone. If a product developer offers phone support, you could quickly contact the developer, via the telephone, when a technical or operational problem arises. The developer could then work with you to solve the problem. During the evaluation of a product, look for a technical support 800 number to defray operating costs after purchase. While many developers offer technical assistance via the telephone, the quality and accessibility of this service varies greatly from developer to developer. If you purchase a maintenance agreement with a developer, look for a priority telephone number that guarantees you quick access to support. It may be valuable to try to reach the support help line before you buy, to see how responsive it is. øSupport is available on-line. On-line support enables you to quickly contact the product developer, via on-line services, when a technical or operational problem arises. The developer could then work with you to solve the problem. This generally is not as fast as telephone support, but can allow you to write a concise statement of the problem and receive a concise reply. If a developer offers on-line technical support, make sure you have electronic access to it. If a developer is on Compuserve, for example, and you do not have a Compuserve account, the on-line support will do you no good. Look also for on-line updates for the product, on-line discussion areas where you can talk to other people using the product, and an on-line listing of common problems with their fixes that is updated regularly. øField representative is available to provide help. A field representative that can come on-site when requested is a valuable technical support resource you can use when telephone or on-line support are not sufficient. øProduct developer can configure the product's operating system. You may want the developer to come on-site to configure, or set up, your system to run the CBT product effectively. øContinuing system configuration support is available to meet increased demands. As your computer system grows, you may need to reconfigure your system to run the CBT product effectively. You might want the product developer to offer this assistance. CHECKLIST Selecting a Computer-Based Training Product Instructions: 1. Place the names of the CBT products you are reviewing at the top of the four right-hand columns. 2. Place a check mark in the "Your Firm" column for each of the characteristics that is important for your company's CBT program. (There are likely to be fewer important characteristics for an off-site class product than for products you will be using in a company.) 3. For each CBT product you evaluate, place a check mark in the appropriate column for each important characteristic the product has. Be sure to evaluate the products only against the important characteristics selected during step 2. 4. Total the number of check marks, and insert these numbers, along with the products' costs, into the "Analysis" checklist at the end of this chapter in order to select the best total computer-based training package. Computer-Based Training Characteristics Your Firm Course Content Clear description of course content exists. Course content is accurate and up-to-date. Course content fulfills company training requirements. Instructional objectives are clearly stated. Instructional objectives are divided into appropriate sub-categories. Training gains are measurable. Course is designed for intended trainees. Course can be customized. Course Delivery Courseware is reliable. Instructional format is appropriate. Degree of interactivity meets training requirements. Training features are appropriate. Course provides appropriate feedback for correct or incorrect answers. Courseware is user friendly. Course directions are clearly understandable. On-line glossary is available for definition of technical terms. Keyboard skill requirements match trainees' skills. Subtotal Computer-Based Training Characteristics Your Firm Course Implementation Computer-based training is available when the company needs it. Easy-to-use student management system exists to track trainee progress, print records, and prescribe instructions. System can accommodate multiple trainees simultaneously. System accommodates security needs. Course Design Experts were used to design the course. Course was field tested before it was released. Course is bias free. Course is part of a product line. Technological Compatibility Platform requirements match the company's existing system. Storage requirements match the company's existing system. Memory requirements match the company's existing system. Peripherals required match the company's existing system. Review Options Inspection copy is available and satisfactory. Trial period is allowed and satisfactory. References or reviews are available and satisfactory. Instructional Support Course includes supporting materials. Course updates are available and at reasonable cost. Train-the-trainer option exists. Technical Support Documentation is available. Maintenance agreement is available. Support is available by phone. Support is available on-line. Field representative is available to provide help. Subtotal Computer-Based Training Characteristics Your Firm Product developer can configure the product's operating system. Continuing system configuration support is available to meet increased demands. Subtotal Subtotal from first page Subtotal from second page TOTAL TRAINING PROVIDER Independent Study On-Site Classes Off-Site Classes Review instructional support. _ _ Review off-site services. _ A training provider is an individual or organization you hire to conduct your computer-based training class. A provider is only needed for on- and off-site classes. In reviewing providers for on-site classes, you will want to gauge their abilities to provide instructional support. For off-site classes, you will also want to evaluate a few specific off-site services.9 Instructional Support. High quality training providers deliver the following instructional supports: øDelivery times accommodate trainees' schedules. It is important that the provider's schedule of services match the trainees' availability. øInstructor is knowledgeable about the issues being taught. The instructor should be an expert on the instructional concepts embedded in the package and how to use them effectively. You should have some proof of this from a resume or references. øInstructor is skilled in the operation of the CBT package. The instructor should know how to run the CBT package smoothly and help trainees work it easily. You should have some proof of this from a resume or references. øInstructor is skilled at teaching adults. The instructor should be familiar with adult learning theories and methodologies. You should have some proof of this from a resume or references. øInstructor can modify the course to meet company training needs. You may want the instructor to assess your organization's unique needs and suggest the best way to use the package to meet those needs. This could involve modifying the scope and sequence of various modules, or suggesting ways to integrate company materials and practices into the instructional exercises. This is more feasible with on-site than off-site classes, though some off-site computer labs do try to make some accommodations for companies' individual needs. øTechnical support is always available. The instructor, or other provider staff, should have the skills and be available to address all technical crises whenever they occur. Off-Site Services. The following, additional services are important to note when selecting an off-site training provider: øPlace(s) of training accommodate(s) trainees' needs. Off-site training classes should be easily accessible to the trainees. They should be close to where trainees live or work, and they should accommodate any physical handicaps the trainees may have. øComputer hardware is appropriate. An off-site computer lab should have up-to-date computer equipment that is in good working order. There should also be enough computer stations for all trainees attending classes. øInstructors are always on site. You need to be sure that trainees will always have access to instructional personnel when they are at the training site. Some computer-based training labs rely heavily on resource assistants with limited instructional and technical skills. CHECKLIST Selecting a Computer-Based Training Provider Instructions: 1. Place the names of the CBT providers you are reviewing at the top of the four right-hand columns. 2. Place a check mark in the "Your Firm" column for each of the characteristics that is important for your company's CBT program. 3. For each CBT provider you evaluate, place a check mark in the appropriate column for each important characteristic the provider has. Be sure to evaluate the providers only against the important characteristics selected during step 2. 4. Total the number of check marks, and insert these numbers, along with the providers' costs, into the "Analysis" checklist at the end of this chapter in order to select the best total computer-based training package. Computer-Based Training Characteristics Your Firm Instructional Support Delivery times accommodate trainees' schedules. Instructor is knowledgeable about the issues being taught. Instructor is skilled in the operation of the CBT package. Instructor is skilled at teaching adults. Instructor can modify the course to meet company training needs. Technical support is always available. Off-Site Services Place(s) of training accommodate(s) trainees' needs. Computer hardware is appropriate. Instructors are always on site. TOTAL ANALYSIS Because the computer-based training program you are reviewing might be a combination of products and providers, you need to look at these services in combination in order to select the best total computer-based training package. The checklist on the next page lets you combine the results from your product and provider checklists by following these steps: 1. Place the names of the CBT product/providers you are reviewing at the top of the four right-hand columns. 2. Insert the check mark totals from the earlier checklists. 3. Add together the check mark totals from the product and provider checklists. 4. Insert the costs of the CBT product/providers. 5. Compare the totals, grand totals, and costs of the items you are reviewing. Do not rely solely on these summary figures. Where the numbers are close, look back at which traits the CBT product/providers did or did not include. Some of these may be more important to you than others. CHECKLIST Selecting a Total Computer-Based Training Package Instructions: 1. Place the names of the CBT product/providers you are reviewing at the top of the four right-hand columns. 2. Insert the check mark totals from the earlier checklists. 3. Add together the check mark totals from the product and provider checklists. 4. Insert the costs of the CBT product/providers. 5. Compare the totals, grand totals, and costs of the items you are reviewing. Do not rely solely on these summary figures. Where the numbers are close, look back at which traits the CBT product/providers did or did not include. Some of these may be more important to you than others. Computer-Based Training Characteristics Your Firm Training Product Total Training Provider Total GRAND TOTAL COST IMPLEMENTING TRAINING INTRODUCTION In many computer-based training projects, most of the attention and funding goes to the acquisition of hardware and software; little goes to implementing the computer-based training. Implementation will proceed smoothly if you plan ahead for it. Implementation issues vary depending on whether you are having people train independently or in a classroom on site, or you are sending them to off-site classes. INDEPENDENT STUDY AND ON-SITE CLASSES There are a number of basic logistical and administrative tasks, as well as technical tasks, you will need to handle if you will be operating either independent study programs or on-site classes: øWarranties. The warranties for the computer-based training, as well as the hardware and any support software, must be adequate, and the warranty forms completed and returned to manufacturers. øMaintenance Agreements. If you plan on using the hardware and/or software for a period of time beyond the time limit of the warranty, you may want to have extended maintenance agreements for the hardware, the computer-based training, and any support software you are using. The maintenance agreements should cover failures, bug fixes, and updates. Maintenance agreements are usually cost-effective only if you are dealing with relatively large numbers of computers, or with very expensive products. øInstallation. All the hardware, computer-based training, and support software should be installed and running properly. The people responsible for maintaining the system should be well-versed in its operation and able to verify that there are no bugs or glitches when the system is used. øMaterials. Any support materials (e.g., handouts, workbooks) should be ready to use and in adequate supply. øTechnical Staff. The technical staff must be able to adequately deal with emergency situations and keep the CBT system operating. They should have skill in trouble-shooting and solving technical problems quickly. Technical support staff also do not have to be full-time company employees. Small and mid-sized companies may want to hire consultants and engage them on an as-needed basis. øAdministrative Staff. The administrative staff must have a system in place for keeping records of the training, and ensuring the training fits within the organization's overall policies and procedures. øHardware and Software Maintenance. If you do not have a long-term maintenance agreement, an adequate budget for hardware and software fixes must be maintained. You should have extra equipment available to temporarily replace broken hardware. You also should plan for hardware and software upgrades, and build the costs of these into existing and future budgets. Another important part of implementing computer-based training is documenting your program. All computer-based training systems should have a standard description with the following information: 1. Topic of the program. 2. Description of the intended audience. 3. Description of the objectives and program content. 4. Support materials required. 5. Availability and listing of other supporting documentation. 6. Status and usage of the program to date. 7. Availability and conditions for use, including prerequisites. 8. Time for completion (average and range). 9. Address and contact information of the program authors or distributors. 10. Version information. 11. Hardware and software requirements. 12. Evaluation data. 13. Date of the documentation. All personnel responsible for implementing the computer-based training program should maintain documentation of their activities associated with the program. Good documentation will minimize the disruptive aspects of staff turnover, allowing new people to come up to speed quickly. It will also enable the organization to provide smooth operation and maintenance, and further the development and revision of the computer-based training. ON-SITE CLASSES There are additional issues that must be addressed for on-site classes. øClassrooms. You need to make sure that your classroom has enough space and appropriate doors, windows, lighting, ventilation, heating, air conditioning, telephone outlets, network connections, and electrical outlets. You can refer back to the discussion on space capacity in the chapter "Selecting the Type of Computer-Based Training" for details on these issues. øInstructional Staff. The instructional staff must have considerable expertise in the course's subject in order to provide content assistance to trainees. They also should be well-versed in the computer-based training operation and prepared to answer all trainees' questions. Instructional personnel should have access to materials to facilitate implementation of the computer-based training, such as training manuals and outside expertise available via phone/e-mail. Instructors do not have to be full-time company employees. Small and mid-sized companies may want to hire consultants and engage them for a limited number of hours each week. øMonitoring and Evaluation. The trainer should assess trainees' progress periodically, so he or she can fill in and flesh out concepts not grasped by the trainees. An evaluation form should be available to the trainees so they can evaluate the trainer, the course content, supporting materials, the computer-based training itself, and the training environment. This evaluation should be used to revise and improve subsequent training sessions. Getting training sessions up and running is a complicated process. Companies need to consider a number of issues: øScheduling of Facilities. Handling such logistics as location, media, and equipment. øNetworking. Making sure the network (if it's used) is available when needed. If you are delivering CBT over the Internet and it is not available at a certain time, you cannot deliver the CBT during that time. øRemote Access. Allowing trainees to access the CBT stored at one location from another location, via modem, Internet, etc. øSecurity. Making sure the electronic records of trainees cannot be accessed by unauthorized individuals. øTime Shifting. Moving personnel around to provide coverage for trainees when they are not at their job. øOn-the-Job and/or Off-the-Job Availability. Deciding whether trainee will have access to the CBT during working hours, "off the clock," or both. øTeam Access vs. Individual Access. Planning the physical setup, as well as how individual progress will be tracked, if the CBT is to be used by two or more trainees per station. Most CBT is set to record one trainee's progress per station, but there may be valid reasons for grouping trainees together at one station. øDuration of Lessons, Tests, and Sessions. Handling the logistical elements needed for scheduling and calculating training times. The training schedule should provide adequate breaks to allow for reflection and absorption. OFF-SITE CLASSES If you are using an off-site service provider, many of the implementation issues are the responsibility of that provider. You are responsible for making sure your trainees have easy access to the off-site facility. You should schedule trainees' training times according to your organization's needs and policies, and the trainees' own preferences. You may want to make travel arrangements for your trainees as well. You need to decide whether you are going to provide release time for trainees, have them train on their own time, pay them for the time they are in training, or some combination of these options. You may want to look into ways to provide employees with incentives to attend training, anything from small, inexpensive awards (like free pizzas), to substantial bonuses or raises. CONCLUSION Computer-based training can be an effective and efficient method for upgrading employees' skills -- but it isn't always. Before committing to a program of computer-based training, you must first decide whether computer-based training is the best instructional method for your needs. If it is, you then can determine what type of computer-based training can best suit your needs: a performance support system or an instructional program; off-the-shelf, customizable, or customized training; and independent study, on-site classroom, or off-site classroom training. Selecting the best product and provider requires additional work, and depends critically on what computer-based training features are most important to you. The information and checklists contained in this guide should help walk you through all of these decision steps. Small and mid-sized companies may find their computer-based training options more limited than those of larger firms. Off-the-shelf computer-based training programs might be among the most effective and affordable training these companies can access. They might also be able to find appropriate customizable computer-based training programs, but customized programs would almost certainly be out of their reach. Training through independent study or at off-site classrooms could also prove effective for these smaller firms, though setting up and operating on-site classrooms might well require more resources -- both time and materials -- than these companies could afford. In theory, small and mid-sized companies should have no more trouble accessing performance support systems than instructional programs; the relevant distinction would be whether these were off-the-shelf, customizable, or customized products. Performance support systems, though, are still in their infancy. They tend to be customized, rather than off-the-shelf or customizable products, so they may well be unaffordable for smaller firms. Small and mid-sized companies can expand their access to a wider range of computer-based training options by joining with other companies that have similar training needs. By forming into "learning consortia," these companies could more easily afford to purchase customizable or customized training or establish their own on-site computer-based training classrooms. Staff at local community colleges or community development organizations might be willing to help the companies organize and operate their learning consortia.10 Small and mid-sized companies should not rule out any training strategies that might meet their needs until they explore all of the alternatives available to them. There's a wealth of computer-based training options on the market, many of which could provide effective and efficient solutions to smaller companies' training problems. The resources listed in the appendix should provide these companies with a starting point for beginning their search for computer-based training products and providers. APPENDICES The resources listed in this appendix are just a few of the many available to those searching for computer-based training assistance. They were compiled from information gathered at conferences the authors attended, books and magazines they read, and sites they found while "surfing the Net," as well as from the reviewers who assisted with the development of this publication. The authors did not have the opportunity to review all of the resources listed in this publication; therefore, inclusion does not represent an endorsement. None-the-less, the resources here should provide readers with a good start as they begin to research computer-based training. Training Vendors 63 Books and Magazines 70 Electronic Resources 73 Associations 79 Conferences 82 Glossary of Computer Terms 83 National Workforce Assistance Collaborative Advisory Groups 92 National Workforce Assistance Collaborative Products and Services 93 TRAINING VENDORS It may require some research to find the computer-based training vendor that can best meet your needs. One place to start might be SoftBank Institute (10 Presidents Landing, Medford, MA 02155, telephone 800/34-TRAIN), which provides vendor reference information. Another would be one of the vendor reference books listed in the "Books and Magazines" section of the appendix. Vendors' sales representatives can also be valuable sources of information about what computer-based training programs can and cannot do for you. However, you need to recognize that many of their answers may be biased; their number one job is to sell their training packages to you. Ainsworth & Partners, Inc. 4504 N. Highway H Ridgeway, WI 53582 Telephone: 608/924-9234 Ainsworth & Partners offers a teacher's keyboard guide: keyboarding in the classroom, touch entry keypad training, automatic number entry, teacher's questions, and personal hands on demonstration. American Management Association 135 West 50th Street New York, NY 10020 Telephone: 800/262-9699 Fax: 518/891-0368 Product lines include: 1) a planning and schedul