HR
Magazine,
April 1996 HR
Magazine,
April 1996Distance Learning
Work and Training Overlap
On a service call, an appliance repairman is asked to fix a broken refrigerator but discovers that he hasn't worked on this particular model before. No problem--he pulls out his laptop computer, accesses a phone line and within moment s downloads schematics and technical data on the appliance. The repairman can also reach immediate, interactive technical assistance that literally talks him through repair procedures.
Sixteen years ago, this scenario probably would've been considered science fiction. Nowadays, it doesn't seem that farfetched, and within five to 10 years, it will most likely be commonplace.
Distance learning
The type of training the repairman received is generally called distance training or distance learning--some training experts have taken to using the term, "just-in-time training." Whatever you choose to call it, the nature of corporate training is changi
ng rapidly.
The corporate trainer is quickly evolving into someone who facilitates, mentors and guides employers and employees to use the best and most timely training available. The goal of the corporate trainer should now be to find, interpret and assess a wide ran ge of information and technologically sophisticated products. "Intersector directors," is the term Karen Mantyla, president of Quiet Power Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based professional development consulting firm, uses to describe the new training role.
"Trainers must redirect their thinking in how to provide skill development training to seize corporate opportunities and maintain their status as a viable competitor within their industry," she says.
The U.S. Distance Learning Association in Livermore, Calif., has defined distance learning as: "The delivery of education or training through electronically mediated instruction including satellite, video, audio, audiogr aphic computer, multimedia technology and learning at a distance." This definition by necessity is fairly broad in scope and encompasses most training products currently on the market or under development.
"Employers now face such a wide range of choices," says Mantyla. "The number of products and the amount of information available is really mind-boggling. During a conference that I recently attended, an HR professional really put the frustrations most emp loyers face into perspective for me," she says. "We were participating in a session on trends in distance learning, and he asked, ‘Who knows where to start?' "
Mantyla says that employers must start with a thorough assessment of their training needs. "Technologies developed for distance learning are being introduced and addressed as not just ‘nice to have's' but as ‘must have's,' " Mantyla says. "The HR managers or corporate trainers who succeed will know where to find and how to access the best sources of information and use it to find ways to deliver training when and where the workforce needs it."
Trendsetters By virtue of their industry and size, some organizations have already seized opportunities, which have placed them on the leading edge of successfully integrating technology into workforce training programs. These companies include AT&T, Ford Motor Co., I ntel Corp. and Aetna Life & Casualty. Surprisingly, the U.S. Government is also considered a trendsetter when it comes to using high tech training techniques.
The government's development of local- and wide-area computer networks and electronic mail capabilities has given many federal agencies a distinct technological advantage over the private sector. A Department of Defense initiative was the origin of the In ternet.
Since the government has used technology for many years to share information, federal agencies have naturally gravitated to distance learning. The distance-learning programs that the agencies have created are cost-efficient and effective because the vario us agencies don't have to reinvent the wheel; agencies share resources and review analyses and studies through the Government Alliance for Training and Education (GATE). The developed coursework, material and programming is then made available to governme nt agencies through the Government Education and Training Network (GETN).
A good example of how GETN works is an ethics training course that will be offered to all government agencies this month via distance learning. All federal employees are required to have ethics training, and agencies can have the course downlinked to thei r office sites. The ethics training course was developed as a collaborative effort through GATE. The IRS has donated instructional designers to create the course curriculum, while another agency is providing the studio and office space for the course's or igination site.
Studies commissioned by the government have concluded that distance learning is an effective way to train. In fact, statistics show that students trained through distance learning consistently score higher than students who attend a traditional classroom/ lecturer session.
Training through distance learning can also translate into a significant cost savings, especially for travel. For example, the cost for a training session developed by the U.S. Army National Guard decreased nearly $1.6 million by using distance-learning t echniques.
"We would have officers from throughout the country come to Washington for the training course. By delivering the same training to several different sites through distance learning, we could realize a tremendous cost savings. When you transmit training se ssions to a variety of remote sites, expenses automatically decrease because travel is the number-one cost for a training program," says Major Rick Gividen, training and development officer for the U.S. Army National Guard.
"Creating a distance-learning network from scratch would be very expensive," Gividen says. "If I was the owner of a small- to medium-sized company, I would borrow someone else's infrastructure."
Giving examples of existing infrastructure, Gividen points to technical schools, community colleges and university networks. He says there are many examples of companies partnering with schools to develop training courses, then delivering the course throu gh distance-learning techniques. One of the leading universities in the field of distance learning is the University of Wisconsin. The university's extension program has actually formed a distance education clearinghouse in Madison, Wis.--one of the first such organizations in the country.
Available technology
Technologically sophisticated delivery systems are more accessible than most employers think. The Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) of Los Angeles recently showed how easy it is to use an existing infrastructure. PIHRA, the SHRM chapter
in Southern California, used Kinko's Copies locations throughout the Los Angeles area to conduct its board meetings. Last summer, PIHRA teleconferenced a board meeting to seven different Kinko's sites. Many Kinko's locations have teleconferencing servic
es, which include interactive video and audio feeds. For a PIHRA board meeting last August, directors went to the nearest Kinko's locations--the group sizes ranged from three to 11 people at the different sites. Through the teleconference, the chapter dir
ectors were able to see each other and discuss issues facing the board.
"As HR professionals, we should be aware of the potentials of videoconferencing," says Todd Lipka, executive director for PIHRA. "More emphasis has been placed on work/family issues over the past few years and videoconferencing can reduce commuting and bu siness travel, which allows people to spend more time with their families."
The technology available to teleconference PIHRA's board meeting can easily be adapted for training and education courses. One leader in developing teleconferencing and distance-learning technology is Westcott Communica tions of Carrollton, Texas. Wescott operates several industry-specific distance-training networks. Companies can subscribe to the services and pick up training programs, much like subscribing to cable televsion. Subscribing companies can either develo p their own training courses and place them on the network or use the established training courses.
Westcott actually began as a satellite communications and training network for automobile dealerships. The company has developed and operates the Interactive Distance Training Network (IDTN), which includes 44 training sites in 26 states and Canada--all l inked by satellite. The IDTN is one of the most sophisticated distance-learning networks available. Through IDTN, any employer can have its instructors in one location, then broadcast the training sessions to many widely scattered employees--the network's 44 different sites seat up to 1,250 people. By using calculator-like keypads, participants can interact with the trainers, who lead the training sessions from Westcott's Carrollton studios or from remote satellite uplinks.
In the fall of 1995, Westcott launched the Executive Education Network (EXEN). EXEN offers courses from the top business schools in the country. Through the network, organizations now have access to courses from business schools such as The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, The Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies and the Kenan-Flagler Business School of the University of North Carolina. The courses are held live and interactive via the EXEN satellite hookups.
Scott Taylor, director of sales for IDTN, envisions the day when network sites are totally interactive by using laptop computers rather than calculator-like keypads.
"It's not that far in the future when you go to a site for a training session, plug in your own laptop and make your interactive capabilities virtually limitless," Taylor says.
Taylor says that some employers have asked Westcott to develop distance-learning networks. The investment to create such a network is huge, and most companies tend to back away when they see an initial price tag of nearly $100,000. Some companies such as State Farm Insurance, however, have been willing to build their own network to train their sales agents.
"It's very expensive to build a network from scratch," Taylor said. "My advice to employers is to piggyback on the established networks (e.g. IDTN, community colleges and university networks). We at Westcott advise companies to take a good, hard look at t heir needs. Many times a sophisticated distance-learning network is just overkill and doesn't fit a company's training mission very well."
Seductive technology
An employer should be wary of vendors that only want to push their high tech wares. If your vendor isn't willing to explore options, then you should consider switching vendors, says John Caitlin, general manager of T
arragon Training International Ltd. in North Ryde, Australia.
"It's easy to be seduced by high tech, when actually there's a low tech solution," says Caitlin. "I have clients who are absolutely hell-bent on using the highest tech solution available. Sometimes, I must stand back and say ‘wait a minute, what's the bes t way we can deliver this training system?' "
Tarragon produces CD-ROM multimedia training courses for employers throughout the world. Caitlin advises employers to follow his maxim--"Keep It Simple." He says that often the simple solution is the best one.
"I have seen time and again an employer choose a very sophisticated system, and later be very disenchanted by it because in reality it isn't what they needed," Caitlin said.
Caitlin also believes that technology will not completely replace the traditional forms of training, such as live sessions with instructors. The one-on-one contact in live sessions is much too valuable and deeply ingrained into the way people learn. Train ing the future workforce means using a combination of high tech and low tech options, Caitlin says. He also predicts that no one particular technology, such as videoconferencing, interactive television, multimedia, CD-ROMs or the Internet, will dominate t he market.
"The Internet has been a bit overrated as a delivery system," Caitlin says. "People have been in such a rush to get their web sites up and running, so there hasn't been much thought as to the content. Frankly, there's a lot of garbage on the Internet, and it takes some effort to sift through and find useful material."
Some groups, such as University Online in Falls Church, Va., are attempting to improve the quality of training materials available through the Internet. University Online offers college and generic training courseware to e mployers that allow individual students to interact online with course instructors. Information and courses are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Caitlin says that the smart, competitive employer will use all the options available and devise a system that best suits its needs. He believes emerging economies such as Thailand, Singapore or Indonesia have an advantage over the western-based economies of the United States, the United Kingdom or Australia in adapting technology to train their workforces.
"These newer economies are very hungry and willing to try anything new," Caitlin said. "They are also just developing their infrastructures, so in many ways their workforce is much more technologically literate. The technology means these countries can re ach more people faster than they ever have before--coupled with the dynamic nature of their economies, that means global competition will become much more intense."
Competitive strategy
An employer must make a tremendous leap of faith when deciding to revamp all work and training processes by integrating digital and high tech options into the company's infrastructure.
Hunt Refining Co. in Tuscaloosa, Ala., is one employer that has chosen to make a tremendous major leap to high tech. Hunt is moving to implement a completely computerized system at its oil refinery by January 1998. The decision is based on the need to rem ain a competitive force in the oil industry.
The change to high tech means that the 240-plus refinery employees must completely rethink and retrain for their work processes. Ray Towle, SPHR, manager of training and human performance for Hunt and a member of the SHRM training and development committe e, has put together a training model that merges the new technology, training and work processes into a complete performance system.
"We have to look at this system for how to use the new technology to train and to work,"Towle said. He said the five goals of the performance system are to become:
 | Return to Current Issue of HR Magazine |