Margaret Ann's Thoughts on Design

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

September 26, 2010 at 4:18 pm (Uncategorized)

Example 3: Asynchronous Training
In an effort to improve its poor safety record, a biodiesel manufacturing plant needs a series of safety training modules. These stand-alone modules must illustrate best practices on how to safely operate the many pieces of heavy machinery on the plant floor. The modules should involve step-by-step processes and the method of delivery needs to be available to all shifts at the plant. As well, the shift supervisors want to be sure the employees are engaged and can demonstrate their learning from the modules.

As I begin to design this asynchronous training module, I would create a series of courses through a course management system (CMS), such as Blackboard (all following information is in reference to release 9.1). Within this system, a series of modules would be created that relate to each of the safety training topics. Each module would contain all of the documents and videos that have been created to assist the trainees in fully understanding the material and then set up using the Training Plans option. Students can access these materials at a time designated by the employers or at any time available to them, as was done by Bent at Newcastle University Library. Within Blackboard, students are expected to be participatory learners, as they are engaged in discussion questions, one-on-one chats, and wikis regarding the information learned in the module. Since the supervisors voiced a need to “be sure that the employees are engaged,” then they will need to be taught about Blackboard’s user statistics. Here, they will be able to monitor the trainees’ activity within each module.

A second distance learning technology that I would consider is a virtual world such as Second Life or Active Worlds. By using this type of program, trainees are able to experience “real-life applications of course content, for example, in problem-solving situations” (Simonson, 2009, p. 246). This would allow the supervisors to properly assess students’ ability to “demonstrate their learning” before having to implement the information at the plant. This is especially prudent in problem-solving situations as it would give the supervisors a chance to see how the trainees would respond to specific safety scenarios. According to Nebolsky, Yee, Petrushin, and Gershman, the use of virtual worlds creates an environment to “immerse learners in a realistic environment to practice skills” (2003). Second Life offers an asynchronous training option that would be most beneficial for this particular training situation.

Bent, M. (2002). Blackboard and staff development at Newcastle University Library. SCONUL Newsletter.

Nebolsky, C., Yee, N., Petrushin, V., Gershman, A., (2003). Using Virtual Worlds for Corporate Training, Third IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT’03).

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (4th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.