Sunday, March 18, 2007

Constraints/Enablers CD ROM

Please add comments to this posting that identify constraints and enablers of the option of CBT given our learners and content.

5 comments:

Su-Tuan Lulee said...

Constrains:
1. Require computer hardware, including audio devices.
2. Require basic computer skills.
3. A remarkable percentage of learners will quit in the middle of hours of solo learning. (I remember I read a related study somewhere.)
4. All content must be developed by contract team. Cost will be higher than web-based training.

Enablers:
1. Do not need the Internet connection.
2. Easy to be distributed to any place.
3. Easy to include fancy multimedia in the product. User interface could be more attractive.
4. Better portability. Learners can play CD-ROM in various places even in the car with DVD player.

Su-Tuan Lulee said...

Suggestion:

Considering using a blended delivery system, e.g., CD-ROM plus web-based, instructor-led plus CD-ROm, and etc.

jeff said...

Enablers (I think Susan got most of the good ones):
1. No instructor required, although it may be necessary to have a monitor available to help with hardware/software/computer operation questions. If we are assuming this is taking place at a company office this should not be a big problem
2. Scheduling is flexible
3. Could use 'real' paper maps as part of quiz or exercise. (Would have to make sure they are with the CDs.)

Constraints:
1. Lack of ability to provide customized evaluation and feedback.
2. Expanding on Susan's #3. No real ability to track who finished it and who did not.
3. As described above might require a monitor who would need to be available as required.
4. No convenient way to ask a question that might be slightly off-topic or about something the designers didn't anticipate.

Joe said...

comment on Jeff's constraints: you can track user progress and perform reporting, but it must be performed locally. For instance, I was a developer on a project where we created cashier training for grocery stores, like Kroger and Shoprite. They wanted CD-ROM training with locally-tracked reporting. So there are some clients who want this option, even if it's less than ideal.

I do agree that both web-based and CD-ROM training lack the instructor as a component, which can be challenging for the learner--especially learners with little technical expertise. On the other hand, asynchronous learning can allow users to move at their own pace and is typically cheaper and easier to distribute.

I'm not sure about the blended CD-ROM and web-based training suggestion, Susan. This seems to compound the costs. Could you say more about what you have in mind? What do you see as the advantages of such an approach?

Katie O. said...

Additional Constraint (or maybe this is an Enabler for WBT?) :

There is less opportunity to make the CBT specific to learner's geographic needs than there is with the WBT version. In WBT, user info can be solicited, and training material that is specific to that user's geography are utilized.