HRMN 406: Training Program

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Chapter11_DesigningOnlineTrainingPrograms.pdf

Chapter 11

Designing Online Training Programs

You can lead a horse to water but can you make the horse drink?

Chapter Eleven Learning Objectives

Readers will achieve the following learning objectives after reading Chapter Eleven.

1 Identify and discuss the major benefits of online training programs. 2 Identify and describe the important factors that contribute to a suc-

cessful online training program experience. 3 Identify, describe, and explain the major challenges in creating suc-

cessful online training programs. 4 Identify and discuss the reasons to focus on designing a training

program that motivates trainees. 5 Identify, discuss, and explain, with examples, effective types of

synchronous and asynchronous instructional methods to use in an online training program.

6 Identify, discuss, and explain, with examples, formative assessment methods to use in an online training program.

7 Identify and describe effective communication methods to use in an online training program.

8 Identify and describe the important personal attributes of an online training program trainer.

9 Identify, describe, and explain the methods to use to overcome trainee resistance to learning through an online training program.

10 Discuss the application of the RISD and the RISDP models in designing trainee-centered online training programs.

C o p y r i g h t 2 0 1 9 . R o u t l e d g e .

A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . M a y n o t b e r e p r o d u c e d i n a n y f o r m w i t h o u t p e r m i s s i o n f r o m t h e p u b l i s h e r , e x c e p t f a i r u s e s p e r m i t t e d u n d e r U . S . o r a p p l i c a b l e c o p y r i g h t l a w .

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Book: Stanley C. Ross. (2019). Training and Development in Organizations: An Essential Guide For Trainers. Routledge.

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Designing Online Training Programs 159

Designing Online Training Programs

Learning Objective #1: Identify and Discuss the Major Benefits of Online Training Programs

Online training programs offer a number of benefits that make designing and implementing online training programs advantageous for an organiza- tion to consider under the right circumstances. These circumstances include the following.

• Cost-effective: there are the initial costs in developing an online training program, But after the initial cost, the cost of repeating the same training program is inconsequential. Trainees work at their personal work stations or at a community work station.

• Standardized format: designing a uniform training program means that the program offers a consistency that ensures covering all the important issues in the way the training program designers want the issues covered. This includes the use of particular instructional methods and assessment meth- ods along with instructions to accompany each method other than lectures.

• Technology: the use of technology and a course management system (CMS) offers the organization the chance to reach large numbers of peo- ple efficiently and enables trainees to pursue the training in their own time if the training is largely asynchronous.

• Live: if training is live the trainer is at a central location able to reach a large number of trainees. Alternatively, the training program’s trainer utilizes video for instructional purposes. In either instance, a limited number of trainers is sufficient.

• Two-plus rule: online training programs can easily implement the two- plus rule of being able to utilize two or more instructional methods. Online training can leverage a wider variety of instructional methods that are both synchronous and asynchronous.

• CMS: the use of CMS enables the trainers to monitor individual par- ticipation by activity and aggregate participation rates for all the trainees. This enables trainers to track trainee participation efforts and helps train- ers evaluate various aspects of the training program.

• Asynchronous instructional methods: online training programs enable designers to incorporate the use of asynchronous instructional meth- ods more easily into the training program. This is advantageous to the trainees as trainees have the flexibility to respond when and how they prefer within the guidelines of the program. This approach is practi- cal and supported by the learning theory of andragogy. Andragogy (or constructionism) posits that adult learners prefer to be in control of their learning experiences.

• Emails: a log of email exchanges between the trainer and individual trainees provides a useful historical record that trainers, administrators, and trainees can reference as needed.

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160 Designing Online Training Programs

• Reference material: online training enables trainers to more easily post reference material and links to outside sources of information that trainees can access electronically. Trainers have access to a wide vari- ety of instructional material and can select relevant items to download and print.

• Instructional planning: online training programs include instructional plans that serve as a learning process guide for trainees to follow.

Learning Objective #2: Identify and Describe the Important Factors that Contribute to a Successful Online Training Program Experience

A successful training program is determined to be a success when trainees achieve the learning objectives, which means the program has achieved the training goals. Identifying the important factors contributing to the program success is important to ensure that these factors remain on the checklist of what to do when designing and implementing new training programs.

One factor is that the trainer of an online training program needs to have experience in online training. An experienced online trainer possesses the knowledge and skills that can only come from participating in an online training program. There are the features of the program to know and a pro- cess to follow that is unique for online training, but it is the subtleties associ- ated with conducting an online training program that are important to know and which can make the difference between a successful program and an unsuccessful program.

Another factor is knowing how to engage a learner. Engaging the learner (or trainee) is always a trainer’s goal because an engaged learner is motivated to learn and learning leads to achieving the learning objectives. There are factors that are essential to perform in fostering the development of an engaged trainee.

• Frequent communication from the trainer to trainees demonstrates an interest in the subject and the trainee’s learning about the subject. A trainer’s interest in the trainees’ learning is shown through proactive communication efforts that demonstrate an interest in a trainee’s success in learning the training program subject matter.

• Brief learning modules make learning the subject of each module easier for the trainees. More learning modules with less to learn enables the trainee to cognitively process the subject matter more easily and also work within the trainee’s cognitive limitations.

• The choice of instructional methods and the order of presentation of the instructional methods can impact a trainee’s engagement to learning. Training program designers need to know when instructional methods work best in an online training program and vary the order of the instruc- tional methods used to maintain the interest level of trainees. Using the

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Designing Online Training Programs 161

same instructional method continuously leads to a familiarity that can lead to a diminished interest in learning.

• Asynchronous types of instructional methods are important to include in an online training program because these methods engage the trainees in ongoing learning without them needing to be actually online. Think of this as homework assignments that a trainee can do when under preferred learning conditions. Trainees will perform the assignments when ready to give their best effort.

• Objective-based grading rubrics are very important to the online trainee because of limited communication time. Objective criteria reduce the chance of confusion in performing the assigned work successfully. Also, objective criteria enable the trainer to provide concise and relevant feedback to trainees who want to succeed and need to know that their efforts are not at variance with the criteria. For example, if the rubric asks for two or more correct tables, the trainees need to know how “correct” is defined in objective terms; two or more is an obvious objective measure.

• Online training programs enable trainers to use technology to track the participation rates of all the trainees (and establish baseline measures). This simultaneously enables monitoring of individual trainee rates (and any participation rate below the baseline) so that the trainer can reach out to trainees with low attendance in an effort to engage these trainees in the learning process.

• An organized, process-oriented training program provides consistency and familiarity to a trainee who wants to work within their comfort zone. A trainee’s comfort zone refers to the need for a trainee to reduce or eliminate all the unknowns that can create learner stress. Though research indicates some level of stress promotes active learning, a trainee’s comfort zone is programmed to eliminate all forms of stress. Also, research tells us that too much stress leads to diminished learning. Feelings of stress affect the trainee’s comfort zone and engage the trainee to initiate actions to eliminate the stress.

Learning Objective #3: Identify, Describe, and Explain the Major Challenges in Creating Successful Online Training Programs

For trainees, a successful online training program is one where the train- ees achieve the learning objectives. To achieve the learning objectives the trainees need to learn the subject matter or demonstrate the skills required. For learning to occur, the training program designers need to design a program that engages the trainees in the learning process. To ensure an engaged learner, there are several challenges that designers need to overcome.

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162 Designing Online Training Programs

• Designers need to know the learning styles of the trainees and design the program that appeals to the trainees’ learning styles.

• An engaged learner is an active learner and to engage the trainees the program needs to appeal to the trainees’ cognitive abilities and feelings of self-worth (e.g., the program needs to be meaningful).

• Designers need to provide examples of subjects that are useful to the trainee sufficient for trainees to gain value from the examples.

• A trainer’s communication skills are essential throughout the training program, but of particular importance when providing feedback to the trainees. The trainer needs to provide clear, concise, and useful feedback.

• Trainers need to leverage the strengths of the course management system (CMS) and offset the limitations associated with the use of CMS technology.

• Designers need to include instructional methods most likely to lead to an engaged learner.

• Customizing the ability to assist individual trainees is a major challenge because trainees are all different and with different needs. Therefore, the greater the number of trainees, the greater the challenge in meeting the needs of each trainee.

• Training by definition involves teaching subject matter that trainees do not know. There is always some degree of resistance to learning some- thing new unless the trainees’ motivation to learn exceeds their resistance to being pushed outside of their comfort zone.

• Time management skills vary among trainees and designers need to account for this when designing the training program.

• Working with self-motivated trainees is easier than working with train- ees who need to be motivated. Designers need to account for these two types of trainees in designing a training program.

• A heterogeneous group of trainees requires that both program designers and the trainer accommodate the disparate abilities of trainees in design- ing and implementing the training program.

Learning Objective #4: Identify and Discuss the Reasons to Focus on Designing a Training Program that Motivates Trainees

An engaged learner (i.e., trainee) is an individual primed to learn the subject of a training program. However, designers and trainers cannot always count on a self-motivated trainee. Designers and trainers need to assume responsi- bility for motivating trainees. Designers motivate trainees through the design of the training program. A trainer motivates trainees by their method of delivering the training program.

A motivated trainee demonstrates three important characteristics. First, a motivated trainee is engaged intellectually. Cognitive involvement means that the trainee is intellectually primed to learn. An intellectually committed

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trainee means that the trainee has already made an emotional commitment to the training. Emotions or feelings are always the first step in triggering a motivated trainee. After gaining an emotional commitment, the intellectual or cognitive commitment follows as the trainee begins to consider how to commence the learning process and succeed at learning. Finally, the adult trainee prefers learning within a social context that can include peers. This insight comes directly from the learning theory of andragogy.

The challenge for both designers and trainers when designing an online training program and implementing the online training program is knowing how to engage trainees emotionally, cognitively, and socially.

The starting point in creating an online training program that motivates is the needs assessment. Knowing the trainee is critical in finding the best approach to design a motivating online training program. There are several important issues to consider in this process.

• Trainees’ views on training: the trainees’ views on training are important because a positive bias means trainees are going to be receptive to train- ing; a negative bias challenges designers to overcome this perception.

• Subject interest: it is important to know the subject interest of the trainee. Subjects that trainees show little interest in learning about means design- ers need to approach covering the subject in a way that encourages the trainees to want to learn the subject matter.

• Diversity: it is important to learn about the diversity of the trainee group as a more diverse group of trainees requires designers to develop a pro- gram that responds to the broader interests of the trainee group. For example, age is an indicator of potential motivation; the older the trainee the more self-motivated to want to learn.

• Learning style preferences: it is important to gain insights about the learn- ing style preferences of trainees. Designers need to consider the optimal ways trainees prefer learning to ensure that the program appeals to the learning styles of trainees.

• Readiness to learn: learner readiness to learn the subject is important. A subject which is too advanced or too simplistic discourages the learner from actively participating in the training program.

There are three tactics that designers can use to have a positive impact on the motivation of trainees: learning modules, instructional methods, and assess- ment methods. Online learning is often impersonal and a trainee’s oppor- tunity for seeking clarification is limited. The subject of a training program is divided into parts just as in a textbook with chapter subjects. For online training purposes, the learning modules (each equivalent to a chapter) are further divided into learning modules that have a narrower focus. This makes learning easier because there is less to learn in each module and the coverage of the information is not as detailed.

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164 Designing Online Training Programs

Instructional methods are the means for facilitating learning. Instructional methods need to engage the learner to want to learn. Games, contests, goal- oriented activities, asynchronous activities, extra credit assignments; these examples represent some of the more engaging forms of instructional meth- ods. One important concern is to avoid having winners and losers, as the potential for losing can discourage trainees. Any competitive instructional method should ensure that everyone has the potential to win. Also, the rewards must be relevant to the trainee to encourage active participation. Instructional methods need to be clear and easy to perform successfully.

Finally, assessment is the third important issue the designers need to consider. Evaluation exercises motivate trainees by creating some degree of stress associated with being evaluated. Frequent assessments – one per learn- ing module – mean trainees do not need to learn as much to demonstrate learning. Also, offering different forms of assessments gives all trainees the opportunity to excel using a preferred assessment method.

Frequent email exchanges with trainees fills the void where peer interac- tion is non-existent or limited. Trainers can anticipate trainee needs, respond to trainee concerns, and answer trainee questions proactively. A proactive communication approach by trainers aims to provide the social contact train- ees prefer when participating in a training program.

Learning Objective #5: Identify, Discuss and, Explain, with Examples, Effective Types of Instructional Methods to Use in an Online Training Program

With approximately 150 different types of instructional methods available, the designers of online training programs have a wide range of instructional methods to choose from. However, there are actually fewer choices because online training is a different medium from face-to-face types of training pro- grams. Limited choices and a goal of engaging the trainee makes designing an online training program more challenging. Designers need to be careful in the selection of instructional methods.

There are three criteria designers can use in selecting instructional methods.

• Easy to use for both the online trainer and the online trainee. • Easy to understand because the online trainer needs to be judicious in the

detail involved in explaining a method, as online trainees often speed-read instructions and frequently do not ask questions before starting an exercise.

• Trainee involvement. The instructional methods must require the trainee to do something because this pushes the trainee’s motivation button, and in the process of doing the trainee becomes an engaged learner.

Instructional methods fall into two broad types: synchronous and asynchro- nous methods. Synchronous methods involve the trainees in doing something

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in real time. The most common method is a discussion board where all train- ees are on at the same time. The trainer can lead a discussion of subjects that includes asking trainees questions and responding to trainee questions. Trainers can prompt trainee involvement by requiring each trainee to ask one or more questions about a subject. To ensure a trainee is at the discus- sion, trainers can record attendance, and to ensure some level of participa- tion, trainers can assess trainee responses. Frequent use of real time methods is optimal to engage the trainee but challenging because of finding ideal times for everyone to meet.

The use of asynchronous instructional methods is more common in online training and actually represents the preferred type of methods to use because trainees can decide the best time and circumstances to participate. Within the limits of the training program’s time constraints, trainees prefer this type of flexibility. There are three criteria to use in selecting asynchronous instruc- tional methods.

• Select simple to use instructional methods to encourage the trainee to participate on a regular basis and not at particular moments during the training process.

• Use applied types of instructional methods to involve a trainee’s cogni- tive information processing faculties because trainees need to know how to apply a subject. A trainee’s emotions get tapped because of the need to avoid abstract thinking in applying a subject.

• Give trainees a choice of instructional methods and/or subjects if possible so trainees can select the preferred instructional methods and subjects of interest (the emotional element applies here).

Varying the types of instructional methods used keeps the trainee interested, involved, and learning because of the need to meet the program’s expecta- tions. Variety reduces the use of methods that might be of less interest to trainees, because chance dictates that some methods will interest the learner more than others. Varying the methods can also minimize but not eliminate cheating. Cheating is going to be an issue but should not be a major concern for training designers. Trainees should want to learn.

Below is a list of examples of asynchronous instructional methods that work well in an online training program.

• Trainees provide chapter summaries written in their own words to dem- onstrate understanding of the subject.

• Games tap into a trainee’s competitive spirit, but the games should be designed to avoid winners and losers. All should be able to win.

• Simulations are an excellent example of modeling an action. • Extra credit assignments that trainees need to respond to within a day,

where all who respond correctly earn points.

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• Contests where everyone can be a winner, which tap into a trainee’s competitive nature.

• Applied projects where trainees select from a list of topics and choose a topic to write about in an applied way (e.g., select the topic “customer theft” and design a training program to teach employees company poli- cies about dealing with customer theft).

• Assessment methods are often just as useful as instructional methods in engaging trainees, as long as the assessment method involves learning too. For example, writing a report describing a training program dealing with customer theft means the trainee needs to learn about company policies covering customer theft, how to design a training program, and how to write a report describing the training program.

Learning Objective #6: Discuss and Explain, with Examples, Formative Assessment Methods to Use in an Online Training Program

Formative assessments have already been discussed under learning objec- tive #4 in regard to identifying and describing methods to motivate trainees. Formative assessments provide evaluative feedback concurrent with the train- ing program. The purpose of formative assessment is to generate evaluative information for the trainee to gain insight into how well learning is occurring and for the trainers to learn if trainees are grasping the subject at a rate that meets the expectations of the training program designers.

The trainers learn if trainees are “active learners” by assessing the extent to which trainees are achieving the learning objectives or moving towards achieving the objectives. The issues associated with the use of formative assessments in online training programs are similar to face-to-face training programs. However, because online training basically involves limited direct contact (if it is a hybrid program then there is some face-to-face contact) between the trainer and the trainee, and infrequent direct email exchanges, the trainer needs to use different types of assessment methods and vary the methods used to avoid complacency. In addition, it is necessary to use short but frequent assessments to ensure trainees are successful learners, and if not, to utilize intervention strategies to rectify the situation.

Communication between the trainer and the trainee is always important, and clear communication is the best but always a challenge. In online training programs clear communication is a greater challenge because often there is insufficient feedback between the trainer and trainees. There are two impor- tant strategies designers can apply to facilitate communication associated with assessment. Designers can design a structured, objective scoring rubric that outlines the assessment method and the process for using the assess- ment method. The second strategy is to design a structured, objective grading rubric that provides guidance to the trainee on the type of output expected when using the assessment method. For example, in the use of case analysis, a

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checklist can be used to identify if the trainee has identified two problems, has conducted a complete SWOT analysis, and has identified five or more solu- tions. These represent examples of objective evaluative criteria.

Examples of assessment methods to use during training include the following.

• Open-ended, focused questions requiring trainees to demonstrate in their own words their understanding of the subject of the question.

• Case analyses, which have no right or wrong answers but can show high levels of cognitive processing to demonstrate understanding of the sub- ject of training.

• Applied types of reports represent another means for demonstrating cognitive information processing abilities that cover a specific subject and adhere to a structured, objective reporting process.

• Using a physical model or prototypes represents the ability to demon- strate learning in a 3-D manner. • Team-oriented assessment can involve requiring trainees to coordi-

nate their efforts in a structured, objective way to demonstrate group learning and the individual contributions of team members.

• A trainee can create a formal video presentation that conforms to a checklist of objective criteria (e.g., facing forward, no use of note cards, voice audible, use of PowerPoint slides, etc.).

• A trainer can create a formal instructional video presentation that demonstrates what the trainees need to understand about the subject and for the evaluation use a checklist approach to have the trainees assess the presentation for content-specific issues.

Learning Objective #7: Identify and Describe Effective Communication Methods to Use in an Online Training Program

Communication between the trainer and the trainee in a face-to-face train- ing program is a challenge for a variety of reasons. Limited time, shy trainees, trainees not wanting to sound dumb, and trainees not paying attention are among the major reasons. Communication in an online training program is even more challenging because the trainer is not present and the trainee must expend additional effort to reach out to a trainer who is not likely to respond immediately, and trainees often seek immediate responses.

There are several methods a trainer can use to facilitate the trainer-trainee communication process short of generating a 100% response rate. Any com- munication method needs to meet certain criteria.

• Brevity: trainee attention spans vary between trainees but there is always a limit, especially online.

• PowerPoint bulleted responses: these help increase readability as brief bullets are easier to follow.

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168 Designing Online Training Programs

• Brevity: short presentations are preferable to encourage reading and lis- tening if using a video.

• PowerPoint headings: bullet presentations should always use large font headings with each grouping of bullets so the trainees know the subject for each group.

• Large font: large font size print is more readable and less intimidating to the reader.

• Non-technical: written communication must be written using non- technical terms or use technical terms accompanied by brief explanations.

• Frequent: regular contact between the trainer and the trainee is optimal, acting as a reminder to the trainee and to keep trainees focused and involved in the training program.

• Interactive: communication is effective if it requires trainees to respond, but it should use positive reinforcers to encourage responsiveness, such as bonus points if there is a contest.

• Clear feedback: feedback to trainees needs to be clear, concise, and detailed, and it should be organized by following a systematic approach that is easy for a trainee to follow.

There are several types of communication methods to use within a course management system (CMS).

• Announcements under the Announcement section. These should follow the recommended communication criteria.

• CMS programs offer email capabilities. Emails need to adhere to the communication criteria for optimal results.

• Program handouts provide additional information to supplement infor- mation embedded in the CMS program. Handouts are easy to copy and used frequently as reference material.

• Short videos offer another medium to engage the learner. Brief videos are preferable in order to minimize a trainee’s loss of interest.

• Submitting questions frequently and requiring a trainee response can help assess trainee involvement and trainee understanding of the subject matter. Responding to trainees with questions immediately demonstrates interest in the trainee and reinforces the importance of a quick response in either direction. Trainers should consider sending the response to one trainee’s question to other trainees who might have a similar question but hesitate to ask.

Learning Objective #8: Identify and Describe the Important Personal Attributes of an Online Training Program Trainer

The personal attributes of a trainer can often represent the difference between a successful training program and training that minimally impacts trainees and

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leaves trainees dissatisfied. Trainers can have the training and experience from conducting prior training programs, but a trainer’s personal abilities are the differentiators that can make a trainer valuable to an organization. Below are the more important types of trainer abilities.

• Comfortable using course management systems (CMS) in conducting online training.

• Organizational skills are essential to keep the flow of the training pro- gram moving forward and on track.

• Excellent written communication skills, as this represents the primary method of communication with trainees; the ability to be clear, concise, and detailed is essential to aid in facilitating trainee learning.

• Self-discipline because it is important to keep focused and ensure that trainees stay focused on the training.

• Socially oriented is an important quality because the trainer needs to be comfortable working with people without the benefit of person-to- person contact.

• Trainees benefit from examples that the designers can include in the pro- gram. However, these may be insufficient and so the trainer needs to be able to offer other types of examples to help trainees understand the issue(s).

• Trainers need to be comfortable working with diverse trainee learner types without the benefit of face-to-face interaction.

• A trainer needs a goal-orientation because training is all about achiev- ing training goals and learning objectives. The online impersonal form requires a strong commitment to achieving.

• Learning requires trainees to push outside of their comfort zone. This often leads to some form of resistance among trainees. A trainer needs to recognize the signs of resistance and demonstrate the ability to utilize strategies for overcoming trainee resistance.

• Problems are inevitable, even with the best designed training program. A trainer needs to be an active problem-solver and adept at responding to technology and non-technology types of problems successfully.

• A positive attitude is essential for a trainer to fuel trainees with enthusi- asm for learning.

• A self-motivated trainer is proactive in anticipating the needs of trainees and provides solutions to meet trainee concerns and training program problems.

Learning Objective #9: Identify, Describe, and Explain the Methods to Use to Overcome Trainee Resistance to Learning in an Online Training Program

The preferred way to dealing with resistance in an online training program is to begin by anticipating that resistance will occur. Training program designers

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can expect resistance because learning something new always results in some form of resistance. This is because learning requires a trainee to move outside of their comfort zone. What the designers must know is the reason for the resistance, as the cause(s) can differ under different circumstances. The poten- tial severity of the problem can vary as well.

By anticipating that resistance will occur, the designers can draft a needs assessment that includes questions which can provide clues to the potential causes. Designers need to know the reason(s) for resistance, the severity of the potential problem without intervention, and possible solutions that trainees and other stakeholders might provide.

Online training will only exacerbate the feelings of a trainee who perceives themselves to be a weak self-learner because of the impersonal nature of online training. Possible solutions include the following.

• Matching a self-doubter with a trainee who views themselves as a strong self-learner.

• Varying the range of content of the program with a minimum and maximum amount of information to learn, to match each trainee’s per- ceived capabilities.

• Design the training program to allow for greater potential but without the need for contact between the trainer and trainees.

Unfortunately, with the use of CMS, any personal dislike of technology being used for learning, and the impersonal nature of online learning, can contribute to resistance to learning. Possible strategies to reduce this include the following.

• Provide a brief tutorial on the use of the CMS program. • Use instructional methods that minimize the use of technology as part of

the learning process.

Adult trainees dislike learning independently. Andragogy refers to the impor- tance of learning with others for adult learners. Designers can consider the following strategies to overcome this cause of resistance to learning.

• Design the training program so that trainees work together at a computer work station.

• Design the training program to facilitate trainees working together on projects that they can coordinate among themselves.

• Select instructional methods that require trainees to interact with other individuals though not necessarily other trainees (e.g., conduct inter- views, activities that involve contact with people, etc.).

Trainees’ fear of the unknown often results in some resistance to learning and this feeling becomes exacerbated by participating in an online learning

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Designing Online Training Programs 171

program. Strategies to consider in overcoming extreme cautiousness include the following.

• Send out a brief letter of introduction to the training to introduce the trainer and training program along with describing the training pro- gram goals.

• Begin training with a simple to perform warm-up exercise. • Start the training program with a short video with the trainer explain-

ing the purpose of the training program and providing an explanation of what the trainees can expect during the training process.

A trainee’s learning style may challenge the trainee’s ability to achieve the training program’s learning objectives. Designers can consider the following strategies to optimize learning and overcome this type of resistance.

• During the needs assessment process attempt to learn the dominating learning styles in order to then select a variety of instructional methods that emphasize the use of these learning styles.

• Select a group of instructional methods and allow the trainees to choose which method(s) to use to learn the subject matter.

Trainee resistance can sometimes occur because the trainees do not under- stand the subject matter’s relevance. Strategies to consider include the following.

• Provide the trainee with a brief overview explaining the relevance of the subject to the trainee prior to the start of the training program.

• Anticipate in advance possible questions trainees can have about the sub- ject matter and provide responses to these questions.

• Ask the trainees to offer ideas on why the organization selected the sub- ject matter for trainees to learn.

• Provide examples that show the relevance of the subject matter to the trainee.

Resistance to learning can occur if trainees consider the subject matter too challenging for the trainee to learn or the material too easy. If trainees per- ceive the subject matter to be too difficult, possible strategies to use to over- come this type of resistance include the following.

• Trainees’ perceptions are often based on false impressions about the sub- ject matter. Educate the trainees about the subject matter prior to train- ing to change their perceptions.

• Simplify the training process by creating fewer, less complex learning modules for each stage of the training process.

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172 Designing Online Training Programs

• Sub-divide the original training program into more learning modules, covering less material in each learning module.

• Design the training program so the trainee has more control over the pace of the learning process.

If trainees perceive that the subject matter is too simplistic, designers can consider the following strategies to modify this perception.

• Design the training program so the trainee can accelerate the training process to complete the training program more quickly.

• Offer supplemental learning modules associated with the subject matter to allow trainees to access more information associated with the subject matter.

• Design the training program to incorporate the use of sophisticated forms of instructional methods that require the trainee to demonstrate a greater understanding of the subject matter.

Learning Objective #10: Discuss the Application of the RISD and the RISDP Models in Designing Trainee-Centered Online Training Programs

The goal in designing an online training program is to create a program that engages the trainee, leading to successful learning. Success occurs when trainees achieve the learning objective, which means success in achieving the training program goals.

The design of any training program originates from the influence of learning theory, motivation theory, instruction theory, systems theory, and pragmatism. Theory is insufficient alone because theory requires guidance in the selection of a theory and knowing how to apply theoretical concepts in designing a train- ing program. This is important in designing a face-to-face training program. Designing an online training programs offers a unique design challenge because of the unusual aspects of online training and the challenges that confront the trainee in an online training program.

The Ross Instructional Systems Design model (RISD model) and the Ross Instructional Systems Design Process model (RISDP model) were developed specifically to guide training program designers, first in identifying the critical components of a training program, then in how the components fit together (using the RISD model), and finally the process to follow (using the RISDP model) in actually designing the online training program (this process can be followed for face-to-face training programs too). Both models exemplify the application of the Quality Matters Rubric, which highlights the important components to include in the design of any training program. Both the RISD and RISDP models were described in a previous section.

Here we look at the benefits in applying the RISD and RISDP models in designing an online training program.

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Designing Online Training Programs 173

• Creates a learning process that is easily followed by trainees. • The guidance ensures that the design of the training program meets

trainee needs and the expectations of decision-makers. • The program benefits from the influence of theory and experience in

the design. • The program offers a diversity of instructional methods that leverage

trainee learning styles. • The models assume an organized approach in designing the training

program. • All the important components of a training program are included in

the training program and linked together to ensure a comprehensive approach in facilitating trainee learning.

• The designers use the models to ensure the engagement of the trainees’ cognitive processes.

• Because adult learners can profit from asynchronous instructional meth- ods, designers can easily incorporate these methods within an online training program.

• Online training programs benefit from using different types of asyn- chronous instructional methods sequenced in ways to ensure that certain types of trainee responses follow.

Questions

1 Identify and briefly describe the major benefits of online training programs. 2 Identify and briefly describe three factors that contribute to the success of

online training programs. 3 Identify and briefly describe the major challenges that can lead to an

unsuccessful online training program. 4 What are synchronous and asynchronous instructional methods? Which

type is best to use in online training? Explain. 5 Identify and describe three personal attributes of a trainer of online

training programs. What makes these important to the success of online training?

6 Discuss the use of RISD and RISDP models in creating online train- ing programs.

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