An electronic information letter by BNH Expert Software.
"The brighter you are, the more you have to learn."
-Don Herold
We are pleased to share an article from Bill Ellet, Editor of Training
Media
Review on "Selecting Media for Training". Training Media
Review provides
independent commentary and hands-on reviews of business training content,
technology, and tools for live and online training (
)
Selecting Media for Training
by Bill Ellet
How do you select the best delivery method for training?
In the past, this question did not require a great deal of thought. The
classroom was the platform, and other delivery methods supported it.
That simple model is gone forever. The hard part is realizing that fact and
understanding the implications, one of which is knowing how to match
delivery
with training. Left to intuition, experienced trainers can make defensible
choices. But rational individuals do not choose a 30-year fixed mortgage on
intuition alone. They run some numbers to compare the options in terms of
monthly payments.
A failing of many media evaluation and selection methods is that they are
too
complicated and time consuming for people to actually use. They have too
many
categories and fail to provide users with a sense of the big picture. Jay
Bahlis
has been working on this problem for nearly 15 years and has developed a
method
used by his company's software product, Advisor Online.
His experience can shed light on the analytic categories necessary for
making
optimal training delivery decisions. Decision makers need a reliable
approach to
training delivery that complements and assists intuition. This article
describes
the initial steps of media selection that the Bahlis Advisor model uses.
Identifying instructional goals
The first step is to identify the instructional
goals of a training task and classify them according to a simplified version
of
Bloom's taxonomy.
* Knowledge, Comprehension, and Application: ability to recall and recognize
information; understand, translate, and interpret information; and apply
learned
content in relevant instances.
* Problem Solving (Analysis): ability to compare, contrast, and break down a
problem in order to arrive at a solution
* Psychomotor Skills: learned capabilities whose outcomes are demonstrated
through speed, accuracy, and quality of a physically performed task.
* Affective-Attitude: personal beliefs and preferences towards an object,
situation, or person.
(For examples of these levels and more detail about the Advisor methodology,
download the white paper "Selecting the Right Blend of Delivery
Options." The
file is a pdf requiring Adobe Acrobat Reader.)
Training will often have multiple goals that fall at different levels of the
taxonomy. Harassment training is an example. Employees need to know the
rules
and procedures and understand when their behavior or that of someone else
crosses the line into harassment (Knowledge, Comprehension, and
Application). If
they encounter harassment, they need to know how to deal with it (Problem
Solving/Analytical). Ideally, the training also changes attitudes in those
who
have a different understanding of the behavioral boundaries in the workplace
(Affective/Attitude).
In the case of harassment training, we already know a great deal about
delivery.
We know that the training has informational, analytical, and, possibly,
attitudinal goals. We also know that each of the goals will rule out some
delivery methods. The attitudinal goal, for instance, is not likely to be
achieved by self-study.
The next step is to chunk the training into units or modules and identify
the
instructional goal of each. Bahlis recommends that in the case of multiple
learning objectives, the dominant goal should be selected. When goals are of
equal importance, the higher order one should be chosen.
Weighing delivery options
Now you are ready to consider factors related to
delivery of each module. The first rule is to consider all delivery options
except those not supported by the organization. This simple imperative could
be
difficult to follow. We all have our pet methods, and it is hard not to
start by
saying, "Why shouldn't I use the usual mix"?
Assuming the fortitude of an open mind, you now need to think about critical
requirements. These can be categorized into three: content-learning
objective,
audience, and environment. The following questions illustrate some of the
questions the Advisor software asks.
As you make your way through the questions, remember that media selection is
guided by the answers to all the relevant questions. And that may lead to a
mix
or blend of methods, as the sexual harassment example suggests.
Content
* Are you trying to change attitudes? If yes, you need methods that
allow exchange and sharing of views such as guided discussion.
* Are you trying to teach something based on psychomotor skills? Then you
need a
method that involves an actual or simulated work environment.
* Does the content change often? If so, you need a method that can be
readily
updated.
* Do you need to provide a realistic representation of events or behavior?
If
so, you need a method such as full motion video or classroom role-playing.
Audience
* What is the range of reading abilities in your audience? If they are
at the low end of the scale, you will need a method that does not depend
heavily
on print.
* Can the audience travel easily? If they cannot and they are widely
dispersed,
the classroom may not be feasible.
* What technology do they have? If your audience has limited access to
computers, you are going to have to use other methods.
Environment
* What is the development time? A long lead-time allows a large set
of possible methods, and a short lead-time substantially reduces the set.
For
example, a CD-ROM is a possible delivery method when the lead-time is long
but
not when it is short.
* Is the delivery date critical? When a missed deadline will have harsh
consequences, a reliable and tested method probably makes sense.
* What are the testing requirements? If objective tests are adequate to
demonstrate the learning goal has been achieved, a range of methods
possible,
e.g., workbook, CBT, web.
* Do you need to use real or virtual teams for training? If you do, then
methods
that simulate a teamwork environment should be considered.
* What's the availability of subject matter experts or qualified
instructors? If
you have few experts or instructors and many students, the classroom may
have to
be ruled out.
Using the method
Here is a quick demonstration of the thinking encouraged by
this approach. Let's assume the following:
* A realistic representation of the basic sales process is important.
* The audience is widely dispersed, and the various direct and indirect
costs of
bringing them together are very high.
* They generally have good access to PC's.
* The delivery date is critical because the audience is new hires without
sales
experience.
* The number of in-house sales experts is small.
Subject matter experts using virtual classroom software are an option, but
that
wouldn't meet the first need. A second approach would be to have new hires
view
a sales training video with their supervisor and then participate in a
virtual
class led by the expert. Or the entire training could be delivered through
video
conferencing. The choice would depend on the cost difference and a judgment
about the comparative effectiveness of the approaches.
In our next article, we'll describe how to prioritize the requirements.
For information, comments and questions please contact (Jay) Bahlis at
(800) 747-4010 x 21 or ,
Bill Ellet at ,
or visit the ADVISOR site at .
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About BNH
Established 1987, BNH helped hundreds of
organizations align learning strategies with business goals. We are result oriented. We offer
a wide range of products, services and workshops to assist HR, training and
business professionals in managing training budgets, measuring impact on the
bottom line as well as identifying ways of reducing costs and improving
productivity. Our
products include ADVISOR Enterprise – Manage and Optimize Training Budgets
and Resources, ADVISOR Online – Media Selection and Return on Investment
Tool, ADVISOR P.I. – Needs Assessment Tool to Improve Performance, and
Answer Me THIS…! – Create Educational Games. BNH can be reached at (800)
747-4010, (514) 745-4010 and found on the web site at
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Copyright © 2001 BNH Expert Software Inc. All rights reserved.
Last updated on April 06, 2007.
bahlis@bnhexpertsoft.com