General Info – Page 2 – Straightline Careers

Technology based training has a wide variety of uses and depending on the purpose of their use can be considered a valuable addition to a training course. It has been touted as a cost effective method of training students, employees and a means of self-education. Like any other training method it has benefits and drawbacks which vary depending on the subject, method of technology used and quality of the training materials/delivery system. Technology based training has a positive effect on students' learning outcomes. Students have more control, higher interest levels and access to training methods suitable to their learning modality. This increases their ability to develop and retain required skills. Technology based training has been used for many decades in a variety of ways to cut down on training costs, provide consistent training material and enable laypeople to deliver the content. It varies from recorded content, simulated environments, interactive delivery and hybrid methods. It has been used to train soldiers, pilots, medical and rescue personnel without risking the loss or injury of the student or subject during the training process. Recently it has been expanded to include almost every subject of interest through many different platforms including video content, audio content and interactive methodologies. Today students with access to an internet connection have unlimited access to knowledge on almost any topic or course of study. Through platforms like Youtube, Coursera and spotify content can be accessed in video, written and audio form. In addition content is deliverable through simulation based technology such as flight, driving and patient simulators. Providing students with access to lessons without placing anyone at risk. Different types of technology based training There are many different types of technology based training which can be used in a variety of ways. They all have benefits and drawbacks which need to be taken into account before they are implemented. Not all technology based training has benefits to the employee and employer. Instructor led virtual training Instructor led virtual training provides a way for companies to train employees as a group without having to have all employees in the same location. This method provides access to a virtual classroom where students can log in to the platform and take part in the lesson which is delivered in a different location. The students need ont be in the same location so long as they have an internet connection and access to the platform which is being used to deliver the content. The instructor can deliver a lecture, answer questions and get feedback from students during the presentation. Benefits of using instructor led virtual training It is familiar This is the closest form of training to the traditional school format so it is familiar. The students “attend” class by signing in to the platform which gives access to the live lecture or discussion. It is inexpensive Currently there are many virtual meeting platforms which are available online. Most of which are free for limited use or for a small fee. This enables people to be anywhere in the connected world. This saves on travel expenses, loss of productivity during travel and conference room space. It can be quickly updated and changed Since this type of content is being delivered live the instructor can make changes to the program on the fly to tailor the lecture to those in attendance. They can also make changes to the program with limited expense for each subsequent presentation. It is easy to organize Teaching sessions can be organized quickly and without the typical considerations most in person lectures have. The space needed is ont a consideration as the attendees are virtual, the time can be chosen to best suit the organizer without consideration to the availability of space and it can be as simple as broadcasting an invite through whatever communication channels the organization uses. Drawbacks of using instructor led virtual training Attendees place a low value on content Content which is easy to access has a lower value placed upon it. Since low effort was used to access the information the attendee may not pay attention, reserve time specifically for the meeting or make the effort to learn the information presented. Platform quality out of lecturers control Virtual delivery systems are dependent on many variables such as the band width of the participants, network congestion and platform usage. Since these variables are not in the control of the users this can cause poor quality audio/video which distracts or prevents participants from attendance. Inconsistent information As the lecture is being done in real time there may be inconsistencies depending on the presenter. The information may vary because: The presenter makes conscious or unconscious alterations to the content The identity of the presenter changesThe attendees questions change Simulation based training Simulation based training is used in pilot training, military applications, transportation and health care to name a few industries. This is due to its ability to lower costs, reduce risk of injury and to improve the confidence of the participants. The concept is to place students in a simulated environment which closely replicates that which they may find themselves in and provide instruction, practice and skill learning in a safe environment. Pilots use flight simulators, new drivers use car simulators and surgeons can be trained on surgical simulators. Benefits of simulation based training Less risk to students, trainers and subjects In highly risky or skill based health courses simulation provides an opportunity for the student to practice the skill without the risk. This is applicable in many fields such as pilot training, medical procedures and military operations. A pilot first learning how to land on an aircraft carrier has a high risk of failure. If this maneuver is performed without simulation the loss of the pilot and the equipment has a high cost whereas when a simulator is used the student and trainer have a more subjective vantage to evaluate mistakes and improve performance. Cheaper long run cost Maintaining and replacing losses in a large training fleet is expensive and depending on the degree of risk replacement of damaged equipment can be formidably expensive. Simulators become cheap methods of training once the equipment is purchased and optimized for the use. Faster skill acquisition Due to the lower risk of performing the required skills, performance pressure is lower. This enables the student to learn more rapidly and be able to obtain a wider perspective. It has been shown that skills learned under high pressure are learned quickly but are difficult to alter. When learning is done in lower stress environments the student is able to consider alternatives and develop better skills. Confidence building By being able to practice a skill repetitively the students' confidence will improve. By avoiding the trauma of failure and being able to analyze performance and gain experience through trainers' experience and suggestions the student will be able to incrementally improve their performance. Drawbacks of simulation based training High short term cost Simulators are expensive to purchase and set up. They require a dedicated space which often cannot be used for other purposes. This may require additional space and renovation costs. If the simulation required is unique it will also need development of software which can be a large investment in both time and money. Lower student interest Due to the lack of risk the student may not be able to maintain a high concentration level. This affects their retention of knowledge when under high stress situations. Students may not feel the simulation is realistic enough to provide any real value (in some cases this is true) so they will not take the simulation seriously and fail to acquire the knowledge needed to perform the required tasks. Simulators need to be as realistic as possible for them to be effective at skill training which is difficult to maintain and improve. Requires trained personnel to maintain Dedicated personnel need to be trained, available and knowledgeable in both the skill or knowledge needed by the student and the simulator itself. They must be able to operate the simulator, solve technical problems and provide the most realistic environment possible. Such personnel demand high salaries and can be hard to find and keep. Limited simulated experiences available Simulators are dedicated to specific skills and industries. A simulator for pilot training can be used for basic pilot knowledge but cannot be interchangeably used for the various planes on the market. Medical simulators are also specific to the medical emergency the student is training for. To provide simulations for all contingencies is not possible and can therefore provide value only for those skills most often used in the industry. They also cannot be used for purely knowledge based learning. Theoretical information is of high value in the development of highly technical goods and services but simulators cannot be used to acquire such knowledge and there is inherently no trainable skill required to learn. Static content delivery This makes up most of the technology based training content. It represents video content from platforms like Youtube, Vimeo and others, audio content through podcasts. The information is recorded ahead of time and presented to the student on demand. The information can be reviewed at any time during the study time without concern for disturbing other students and the delivery can be slowed or increased depending on the students needs. Benefits of static technology based training Consistent content Each student will get the same information delivered in a consistent way. The content can be used indefinitely with predictable results. This makes it easy for instructors to augment the content as needed to provide the student with the knowledge they need to succeed. Inexpensive to develop and deliver This type of training material can be developed simply by recording lectures which are already performed or can be professionally produced if required. The content can be delivered in many formats from teaching video formats or audio content. Once the content is produced it can be delivered through web based platforms for little or no cost. Available 24/7 worldwide Online content is available anytime the student requires them. The student can be anywhere where there is internet connection and the platform is available in the state they reside. This provides the student with the ability to access the information when they are best suited to learning. Vast amount of pre-existing content When developing a training program the curriculum requires access to training materials which cover the subject. To develop a program from scratch is expensive and time consuming. Fortunately much of any program has already been developed by others and that content is free to access. Drawbacks of static technology based training Can become outdated quickly Static content is immutable, it cannot change, whereas the knowledge of the subject changes. This means that the content can become outdated as the world changes around it and at some point the content can become unusable. Attributed a low value by students Currently there is more information available online than anyone can learn in many lifetimes. The content is available on demand and covers every subject possible but few access this resuvwire of information without a driving demand. Since it is always available and easy to access little value is attributed to it and therefore not used effectively. No interaction with presenter and student Static content is a one way communication pathway. The student listens or watches the content without being able to ask questions to clarify the subject. Hard to maintain and update There are two aspects of this: When it gets outdated it needs to be destroyed and developed again. It must be reviewed regularly to ascertain its value Game based technology training Game theory is a big industry which has been applied to many different markets. Entertainment has been changed through the adaptation of what makes a game interesting and addictive. This is used in the gambling, marketing and movie/television industries. Recently it has been adapted for use in education. Game based training is not a new addition to education, it has been used by teachers of all levels to reinforce skills and learning by adding an element of competition to a learning program. They have taken the form of spelling bees, athletic competitions and math competitions but with the addition of computer based technology the opportunity has exploded. By marrying game theory with educational goals, game based technology training strives to engage students for longer periods, improve knowledge retention and develop needed skills. To do this game developers need to understand the goals of the training course and what skills knowledge the trainee needs. Benefits of game technology training Students are highly engaged Games are designed to be engaging and stimulating which facilitates the students ability to learn a subject. When a student becomes invested in the game they spend more time and cognitive energy “playing” the game. Wide variety of training opportunities available Gameplay can include solo and well as multi-player environments which can provide a wide variety of situations for students to learn from. This can include programmed solutions, creative thinking and group cooperation tasks. By preparing the environment interactively the game rules can provide the skeleton which is filled in with the actions and skills of each player. Less discipline needed to engage in the program Games are considered recreation activities, avoiding the stigma of it being a class or course needed to be memorized. Although the skills and knowledge which the student needs to progress in the game requires study and practice, the student will find the learning easier when motivated by the possibility of immediate improvement in the game. Habits are developed with greater efficiency When the game is designed correctly it will provide the student with immediate feedback when correct or incorrect actions are taken. This immediate feedback helps them to form habits quicker. Learning is a process of trying, failing and adjusting until the skill is learned. Once it is learned, performing it with regularity produces a habit. Since to progress in a game such habits need to be developed and refined students are motivated to repeat the process until a habit is developed. Drawbacks of game technology training High implementation cost Game development is a highly technical industry which requires skilled software developers, theorists and computation power. All these lead to a high cost of implementation of any game. When the game is designed to provide skills and knowledge usable quickly while still accessing the benefits of game theory the cost gets extremely high. Connection to high speed internet required For a game to command a student's attention today it needs to be of high quality. This includes graphics, motion and real time reactions to commands. Without a high speed connection this is impossible. With limited bandwidth the student may experience lag, lowering the interest level of the game. Training opportunities are limited No matter how sophisticated the program is, a game cannot foresee all the training situations a student requires. Opportunities are limited to skills which can be performed or theoretical knowledge which can be used in a tangible way within the game play. High degree of maintenance required Software needs to be maintained and improved constantly. It is said that in every 1000 lines of code there are 15-50 bugs. Some of these bugs do not appear until very specific circumstances arrive. This means that once a game has been developed it needs maintenance and upgrading. This not only costs money but also requires knowledgeable staff. Hybrid training methods This type of training involves a combination of two or more technology based training methods. Such training could include virtual seminars delivered live through instructors in real time with simulated training experiences related to the topic of the lecture or static content prior to real time lectures. Combining technology based training methods improves the retention of the students, provides a wider experience base for students and helps students to retain information better due to the varying modalities the information is delivered.