IFS410 – End User Support

Chapter 11

Training Computer Users

Training is a teaching and learning process that aims to build skills that are immediately useful to the trainees Related to, but different from, education

Understanding of the goal

What Training have you participated in lately?

What Is Training?

Education aims to provide conceptual understanding and to build long-term thinking skills Provides basic vocabulary (concepts) Provides an understanding of general

principles Intended to have long lasting effects

Education

Focuses on performing activities and building expertise

Often tested by measuring a trainee’s ability to perform specific tasks

Can be short term

Training

Four Ps of End-user Training:

Step 1: Plan Gather information about training objectives

Step 2: Prepare Gather and develop materials Organize them into modules

Step 3: Present Deliver training modules

Step 4: Progress Evaluate and improve training

The Training Process

Step One: Plan the Training (Overview) Determine

Who the trainees are Background the trainees bring to the training What trainees need to know or be able to do

as a result of training Level of skills trainees need What the trainees already know Specific learning or performance objectives

Specify topics to cover Organize the topics Select training environment

Step Two: Prepare for the Training (Overview)

Possible sources of topics Trainer’s knowledge of what is important Training objectives (from Step 1 above) Topics covered by other trainers and writers Examples of successful training materials

Decide what not to cover Avoid

Copying training materials verbatim Covering too much information

Specify Topics to Cover

Progress from lower level skills to higher level skills Introduce concepts and terms first Then provide explanations to build

understanding Focus on building basic skills and abilities next Finally, build expertise

Organize the Topics

No one, single learning style works for every trainee

Each trainee has a preferred learning style Information retention and learning

performance improves with activity and repetition

How Learners Learn

Learning Styles

Visual learner is a trainee who learns most effectively by seeing new material

Reading Looking at picture or chart

Auditory learner is a trainees who learns most effectively by listening to someone talk through new material

Listening to lecture Experiential learner is a trainee who learns

most effectively by performing a task Also called kinesthetic learning

Learning Methods and Retention

Delivery Method

Delivery method is an instructional technology, media or approach to presenting information or training materials

Lectures and readings are popular delivery methods, but are they the most effective?

Select a Delivery Method

Design Training Evaluation Methods Training assessment focuses on

Trainee evaluation: How well did the trainees learn the material?

Test or quiz Hands-on activities and exercises

Trainer assessment: How well did the trainer prepare and present the material?

Trainee performance results Evaluation form or survey

Provide vehicle for trainees’ perspective on strengths and areas that need improvement in a training session

Sample questions Were training objectives clear? Were terms used in training defined? Was training well-organized? Were training aids useful?

Evaluation Forms

Tips on Presentations A beta test run is a practice training session to give a trainer

feedback on training materials on presentation on timing on transitions between topics

Do a dry run at the training facility Computer equipment Projection equipment Lights Sound Furniture

More Tips on Presentations Use notes

In outline form Don’t read an entire presentation

Cover too little rather than too much Avoid trainee questions than may get off track Cover the important skills Avoid features that are “bells and whistles” Focus on education instead of entertainment

More Tips on Presentations

Ask “quick check” questions of trainees Direct question Open-ended question Group discussion question

Read the “body language” of trainees to see if they are comfortable, interested, bored, or inattentive

Take frequent short breaks in a long session Get feedback from colleagues or a videotaped session

Step Four: Progress TowardQuality User Training Purpose: improve the quality of training

Review feedback Evaluate trainer performance Modify

Presentation Materials

Evaluation Resources for Trainer

Results of training beta tests Results of trainee performance tests Trainee feedback on training Observations of training colleagues Videotaped training sessions

Tips on Training Quality

Keep technical materials current Check materials against the latest versions of

hardware and software Join an online training group, such as

TechRepublic.com, and use their articles on training improvement

Learning Management System

Learning management system is a software tool to automate training tasks Authoring tools Training session management Libraries of instructional and reference

materials Trainee testing and exam management Progress tracking Record keeping

Skills database Certification database