| Flash Banners Software Survey Web-Based Training Links The Above Links Will Forward You To The Topics Discussed in Our Report
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January 15th, 2001 Learning, as we know it, is changing rapidly before our eyes. Classrooms at universities nationwide are slowly being replaced with computer-aided learning tools. John's Hopkins University was one of the first pioneers in this field with its DLP, Distance Learning Program. Its program experienced many trials and errors, which can provide knowledge to companies, such as yours, when they begin to train workers via the Internet. Their studies showed that the overall benefits of their DLP program did not last unless something was repeated frequently, and unless students would often times consult answers from other people instead of doing their own work. However, despite the few negative problems their program encountered, John's Hopkins University continues to proliferate the DLP program nationwide every year. Throughout this report our group will attempt to provide your company with ideas viable to improve yourself. We conducted a survey of adults in various industries asking them what type of educational aspects would be teachable to them over the Internet. Internet training provides impressive results when subjects such as mathematics, writing, science, and engineering are learned with computer software as a guide. However, the hands on experience that real-life situations provide are not replaceable by a machine. In science, hands on experience would be that of laboratory exercises. In other areas such as engineering, a computer could aid a human with the drawing of a structure or apparatus, but it cannot aid a human in the physical building of the device or provide the creator with the satisfaction of a completed work. Our team had to think of ways to draw the line between the hands on learning and the book learning aspects so that we could create ideas that would be beneficial to both ends of this information spectrum. Currently, thousands of businesses and colleges offer digital programs for their students/employees so that the persons can learn at whatever pace they choose. This is probably the greatest reason for having your employees/students use Internet learning. Another reason why people enjoy web-based learning is that of the multimedia applications that are designed in order to teach them. A beautifully done, graphically-rendered scene describing a calculus problem would leave a better impression on one's mind for the future than just a string of black and white text. A good example of a company that teaches in this way is Interactive Multimedia Corporation. It provides Internet training to employees of many companies including Motorola, Merck, and Hewlett-Packard. Interactive Multimedia Corporation entertains while teaching at the same time by the use of flashy graphics and sounds, which turns an ordinarily passive experience into an active experience that will be remembered by the user. Therefore, we can postulate that building a more robust teaching application will be beneficial to your company indefinitely. What to teach through the Internet is about as difficult to think of as how to teach it over the Internet. Monroe College, located in upper New York, offers its students the choice to do computer correspondence learning or classroom based learning in the following areas: mathematics, science, English, social studies, physical education, health, and driver education. Notice that these are all literary subjects and not subjects that require doing examples, and they are not courses that require visually pleasing hands-on experience in order to complete. Monroe does offer courses in computer science, engineering, arts, biology, et cetera, but those classes are to be taken at a college with a human teacher, not a machine. Ideas that we have been pondering are based on what would be the most efficient way to transfer data between the human mind and your company. A simple, yet easily dishonest, way would be via email, but a much more secure and more focused way would be in real-time. Of course, real-time teaching would consume a vast amount of Internet bandwidth and that would cost your company valuable spending dollars. For example, a T1 line (T1 meaning Twisted pair 1.544megabits upload/download speed) would cost around four hundred and fifty dollars per month, and in order for a real-time connection to be viable for use, your company would need at least three T1 lines in order to achieve optimal performance. Also, the student would need a relatively fast Internet connection to his or her house such as DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) or a cable modem in order to reply in real-time. If you are requiring your employees to take at least three courses a year at your McCarl Way University, why not make money from the Internet by using many different advertising medians on the Internet. Banners, for example, are a quick, effortless, and easy way to generate a small but profitable income. For instance, tucows.com makes $27,000 per 1,000,000 impressions or views a banner on its site receives. In the case of McCarls, the banners can be set on a rotating basis as the student is taking a class online. If this idea proved to be a high-income generator, then, rebates could even be offered to the students seeking employment. Along the same line of Internet banners is full screen or pop-up ad which are more successful to the company being advertised and more profitable for you. For our report we conducted a survey. This survey presented a person with an area he or she would be learning via the Internet, and whether or not the person would think that it would be something learnable over the Internet. We used the topics presented on your McCarl Way University website as the basis for this survey. The survey topics were the following: communication, job cost control, margin aggression, time management, presentation skills, piping systems, foreman training, safety, computer skills, leadership training, first aid, and CPR training. We believe we should have received some accurate responses because the survey was given mainly to adults in the business field. Eighty percent of those people surveyed had decided that job cost control, computer skills, and time management would all be viable concepts capable of being learned over the Internet. On the lower end of the scale, only twenty percent felt that communication skills, presentation skill, first aid, CPR, and safety could effectively be learned over the Internet. In the middle spectrum, sixty percent felt that margin aggression could be learned in this manner, and forty percent felt that foreman training, leadership training, and piping systems could be learned over the Internet. What this survey tells us, as a team, is that the visual skills required in some levels of profession cannot be rectified by the use of a computer and that humans are not going to become obsolete in the teaching profession. We have used the Internet to visit various different colleges and businesses that offered web-based training, and they told us that there are advantages and disadvantages to this type of training. The advantages are clear to whoever is involved in the training. It's an easy way to deliver the training to the users, and there is a quicker turnaround of the finished product. But, does a quicker product lose quality? History tells us no, but in the information aspect everything happens quickly. In any event, the training can really be applied to any person. There are many different platform capabilities, easy updating of the content, and materials, and less technical support. The other advantages are just as obvious. The access can be controlled very easily, and the billing becomes easier. You will have user id numbers, the number of times the user has accessed the server, the date/time of their access, and what courses they have completed. The security would not be a problem in the beginning because you have the option of installing private networks or of moving to a greater bandwidth, but once the size reaches an uncontrollable peak, more system administrators would need to be hired. Your company can even have the option of linking to other companies' training systems, which makes Internet training a vast, untapped, advantageous market for anyone. The disadvantages are not as obvious as the advantages but still pose a problem to the host. The current Internet browsers (Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla) greatly affect the formatting of the content that would be used. The limited bandwidths mean slower performance of sound and of video, making intense graphics or streaming movies unthinkable. The one disadvantage that gives the host the most problems was providing sufficient server access and controlling unauthorized usage to your server. Currently, most companies build their own tiers of serving their clients instead of forming deals with other successful companies. This is the territory that we feel would benefit your company. For the least amount of money, you can have the greatest amount of return. By negotiating with another company, you can easily pay them to write a software program tailored to your needs, instead of hiring the workers to do it for you. This personalized cluster of learning software could be manipulated to teach whatever task you needed. As far as we are concerned, the real problem lies not in whether to conduct the training, but in how to implement it. First, you need to consider the audience you are targeting. You will not want to direct your efforts to currently graduating students from high school. They may see such a program as one that would curtail their college experience. Rather, you'll want to direct your efforts at a more mature group; your current employees, specifically, more exclusively, the people already with work force experience. We suggest this because it is the latter of these two groups with the least time, and that would, hence, make your program more advantageous. Also, those already work-experienced personnel may be considering a second career but may not have the money available to do so. So, a more economic but equally as valuable education would be in their best interests. That is where your company becomes involved. You need to broadcast the message to all possible future McCarl's employees so that they could have the means in order to pursue this second chance. This is why we recommend target advertising. Sounds technical, right? Do not be fooled. Simply put, it would be more effective if you advertised in areas more prone to adult viewers. Newspapers and selected magazines are examples of such. Television commercials would be great but tend to be quite costly. Consequently, radio advertising may be a good idea, with its low cost and its ability to target a selected audience. However, all other advertising schemes pale in comparison with the advantages of Internet banner advertising, which we mentioned earlier. Thus, in this case, instead of people paying you for the advertisements, McCarl's would be paying other people to host their advertisement. Internet advertising is dirt-cheap, amazingly cost efficient, and is about as "target advertising" as you can achieve. What is required of you is to ensure that your banners are placed on the most influential pages. Job referral sites are great examples. Ok, now that your name has gotten their attention, it is time to reel in your catch. How to do so is entirely different. As stated before, you'll want to stress that your program is both cost efficient and valuable. Pointing the link directly to a more detailed version of your McCarl Way University website would be sufficient. The fact that people are free to work at their own pace is one of the main reasons why people choose online education over a campus based university program. Therefore, despite the evident flexibility, a loose schedule that the student could follow would be a more than welcome addition to the program. Their schedule would be similar to a campus-based student. With this, the independent student has the option to maintain pace with the students/workers attending your college on a daily basis, maybe giving them the satisfaction that they are receiving practically the same education. Access to a professor one-on-one or even via email would also be a good feature. You may even wish to provide each student with a list of other independently studying students in the same geographical area so that they may contact one another. Though this may be contradictory to the independent atmosphere for which the individual was looking, it certainly would not be unwelcome. The offered software would, of course, have to be quite user friendly. A meager student-teacher relationship dictates such. We suggest incorporating programs that the student already knows how to efficiently use and to which he has access. For example, highly incorporating programs with good reputations such as Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Office based applications would be advisable. A troubleshooting feature to your software is absolutely necessary. In this way, if users encountered any problems using your software, they would have constant access to a help feature with help topics included to aid them. This brings us to the conclusion of our report. We are confident that with the included ideas, a web-based training program is now more within you reach. However, before we conclude, let's take a quick overview of the topics we covered. First, we began with an introduction of the topic. Next, we moved toward areas of learning that are more likely to be taught via the Internet. We have included several companies that currently offer Internet training and their status. Our team has given you several possibilities of transferring the data from your training program to the hands of your trainees. We have even included a way to make money while advertising your program at the same time, namely, through the use of banners. Another highlight of our report is the included survey, which we have conducted among various working class adults. The survey proved to be quick, revealing, and informative. We revealed that an excellent way to complete the training would be through the creation of a software program. An overview of possible program platforms is also included in our paper. Finally, we have covered several methods of making your software and the entire program more "user friendly." Our team has also developed a web page illustrating some of the ideas presented in this report. The webpage can be found at http://happybox.org/~artlu/lgr/index.html. Once again, we are confident that with the ideas presented in this preceding report, your company's training program is well on its way to success. Thank you for your time, and we hope to hear from you, soon. AJ Klatch Ned Shalanski Teddy Ferdinand January 15, 2001 |
Links to Web-based Training Sites
This resource provides an extensive collection of links to Web-based training sites. The links are divided into three categories: Computer Skills Training; Technical Training; and Miscellaneous.Anslie
Group Inc. Anslie Group's EPSSystem concept is the education and
training industry’s first Web-based full learning environment. This
revolutionary concept, which includes a large courseware library and delivery,
registration, and tracking systems, enables any academic or business entity to
quickly create an online, interactive system of education using the Internet or
existing intranet.
However, we offer far more than courses. Our offering is a full learning
environment. Our approach to education is to provide you with the tools to
streamline its delivery and measure its effectiveness. To us that means giving
you the following:
Cadalyst
Cadalyst offers courses in Auto Cad to support 3D MAX Web pages. Must
sign up for a 7 day trail period to get any real explanation.
Catapult
One of the largest providers of classroom-based end user training, now
offering a web version of their courses called PBTSystem.
CyberState
University
CyberState University offers certification in Novell CNE/CNA and
Microsoft MCSE certifications.
DigitalThink
DigitalThink offers courses in Java, C++, Pagemaker, and more. There is
a free demo.
D.O.C.
Software Course
D.O.C. Software offers online preparation tests for the PowerBuilder CPD,
the SyBase CSP-DBA, the Oracle dba, and Microsoft certification exams. There is
a one free prep test, otherwise you must pay a fee to register.
DOLI
DeSai On Line Institute provides web-based training for the I.T.
professional. DOLI anytime provides Microsoft courses for $75. Free Word97 or
Excel97 course available to demo the technology. DOLI Live provides Microsoft
Certified Systems Engineer Track for 1/2 the price of instructor-lead course.
DPEC, Inc.
DPEC.com currently has 209 Web-based training courses available. They
are a Microsoft ICV, and have many Approved Study Guides available, as well as
End User and soft skills training. The courses require no downloading since they
are delivered interactively to your browser.
GeoLearning,
Inc.
GeoLearning, Inc.T, is a leading provider of Internet and intranet-based
training, computer-based training, and performance support systems for all
organizations.
We offer hundreds of courses in a variety of subjects - in several formats
including diskette, CD-ROM, Network versions, Internet/intranet delivery, video
and print-based.
Gymnasia
Virtuales
Gymnasia Virtuales offers courses in UNIX, C, C++, Networks, TCP/IP,
\par CGI/Perl, and more. There is a demo included.
InfoSourcenet
InfoSource offers courses in MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint, Access,
Windows 3.1, Windows 95, and Windows NT. They are available as networkable CBT,
Multimedia CD-ROM and WBT (you need the free Shockwave plug-in). Other tools
include networkable and Web Based Skill Analysis tools.
Learning
University
Computer Training and more...
NetG
One of the largest providers of end user and IT professional skills
training.
Niit
NetVarsity
Niit NetVarsity offers extensive courses in Internet technologies, Web
publishing, and open client-server. Students have access to a virtual library.
Oracle
Learning Architecture
Oracle offers courses in Oracle database, UNIX, Windows NT, and much
more. There is a fee to register. The site is worth the time it takes to sort
through all the information. Vendor demos are availble in the course catalog.
QuickStart
Technologies
eTrainingNow.com helps professionals prepare for and pass Microsoft
certification exams. Subscriptions include audio-narrated presentations, sample
exams, New Riders Press books online (where available), discussion forums, MCP
Knowledge Base, MCP Magazine back issue articles and daily email lesson plans.
Premium subscriptions also offer unlimited mentor support. Free Test Drives
available.
ReCor
Corporation
ReCor corporation offers a course in NBT for Lotus Notes. You need to
download the Neuron Plug-in available on the ReCor site.
Verilog
Hardware Description Language
Verilog Hardware Description Language offers a course on verilog
hardware description language. Like the title of the page, there is not a lot of
messing around. Students just dive right in.
Virtual
Classrooms Of America
Virtual Classrooms Of America provided interactive training for a wide
range of PC desktop applications both on CD ROM and through its On Line
University.
ByteK
Designs, Inc.
Cyber-Education for Systems & IC Design.
CyberSchool
CyberSchool offers high school level credit classes for students with
Internet Access. You can't get to the actual course material without being
registered, but you can get a lot of information from reading the page. This
page is not suitable for corporate use, but it is another example of how WBT can
be used.
Dantes
Distance Learning Programs
Dantes Distance Learning offers courses for people in the military.
Although this site is not applicable to corporate training, it is an example of
how WBT can be used. Courses in just about any subject are taught from high
school level through college l evel. In the past, instructors have primarily
taught through email, but they are now beginning to teach online.
Digital
University, Inc.
Digital University began operations in early 1998. It offers over 40
courses as well as links to additional courses and to regulatory, legal and
operational information sites. It is exclusively designed for financial
institutions including commercial banks, savings institutions, mortgage banks,
and credit unions.
Edge
Interactive
Edge Interactive delivers comprehensive training solutions that are designed to
effectively address our customer's needs. We have extensive experience in
developing training for technical systems installation and maintenance, business
applications such as Oracle and SAP, hardware products, software products, and
end user skills. Platform delivery includes the classroom, CD-ROM, and the
worldwide web.
ES&H
Training at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC)
This site offers online radiological training for SLAC employees and
visitors (of over 30 days).
Genentech:
Access Excellence
This page is not applicable to corporate training, but it is an excellent
example of WBT. Genentech, Inc., provides on-line learning environment for high
school biology students and teachers. Very unique.
IBT
Financial, Inc.
IBT currently offers 18 Internet Based training courses for the Financial
Services Industry. Courses are accredited by 16 state insurance boards for CE
hours, the Institute of Certified Bankers, and meet the standards of the
Certified Financial Planners Board of standards.
Intuition
Publishing
Intuition Publishing is a computer based training company which
specialises in financial training. Their financial training and reference
products are used by more than 150 banks and financial institutions in 52
countries worldwide - delivered via Internet, intranet and CD-Rom.
NASA's
Kennedy Space Center Training Project
NASA's Web training is a wonderful example of an interactive multimedia
training program. Modules use text, graphics, animation, video, simulations and
tests delivered through a Web browser.
Outbound
Train
Outbound Train offers specialized courses in the areas of: electrostatic
discharge control (ESD), ISO 9000, professional development, basic skills,
environmental control, and English as a second language. Outbound train is
primarily a CBT, but they will put their courses on the Web at client request.
Pantex
Facility Training
Pantex Facilities offers new employees at Pantex an overview of the
company, the services the company performs, and a basic safety procedures. You
can learn about things such as Environmental Impact Statements, Radiation, and
Environmental Restoration. There is no registration, you just click and go.
Salamander
Interactive
This page is not applicable to corporate training, but it is an example
of WBT worth looking at. Salamander Interactive offers a(some?) course(s) using
multimedia simulation tools. There is a demo available for a course called
ActivChem.
San
Diego State University
San Diego University offers online educational technology courses.
SMGnet
SMGnet provides online line learning, simulation and custom solutions in
financial management, marketing, project management, sales and leadership.
Web-based
Training Courses at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)
LLNL offers hazards control safety courses for their employees. There no
registration. You can begin learning as soon as the page loads. Courses end with
a test. Your scores are emailed to you.
AthenaOnline.com
This site contains 45 to 60 minute Management and career development programs.
The site also includes free management articles and streaming video lectures.
Pricing runs less than $15 per course.
Cytation
Corporation
Cytation Corporation develops and licenses online learning systems and
services to businesses and organizations. We offer complete solutions to meet
our customers' training objectives, from course creation and Web-enabling
through course delivery, administration, and assessment.
CyberWISE
We specialize in computer-based training, Web-based training, and online
training administration as well as consulting and customization services for all
your training needs.
Dr.
Fraser
This is a great example of what can be done on the Web, although it not
a great example of corporate training. This page offers an incredibly
interactive adventure with scientific information. Dr. Fraser has articles and
interactive quizzes. You need t o have a C compiler running on your web server.
Education
First Design Team Online
Education First Design Team Online offers tours through the Web to learn
about such things as the Donner party, art, and China. This site is not
applicable to corporate training, but it is a nice example of WBT, and it looks
like a lot of fun.
eMind.com
eMind.com’s Knowledge Hub is an online destination for continuing education.
Courses are offered to professionals in industries such as accounting,
securities and insurance.
Futuremedia
plc
Futuremedia plc, in a joint venture with British Telecom, have developed “Solstra”
— a complete net-based learning and knowledge management service. Solstra
offers people the means to create, publish, distribute, manage, assess and track
all online learning materials.
Interactive
Online Frog Dissection
Yes, you can dissect a frog online. This course material is not
applicable to corporate training, yet it is an excellent example of how WBT can
be used.
Internet
University
The Internet University offers over 700 college courses that can be
taken online. The courses offered could be utilized in the corporate world,
especially the 18 courses taught about computers. There isn't much information
on how to enroll, but there is a companion book. You must contact a real life
person to register. There is no demo.
Knowledge
Communication, Inc.
Knowledge Communication, Inc. creates simulation-based training
applications for professional development in which students learn by doing, by
exploring, and by applying their skills. The Knowledge Library currently
includes 25 programs, expanding to 250 courses by the end of 2001.
KnowledgeWire
Enterprise Solutions
This site delivers Safety and Environmental Compliance Management,
Organizational Development, and Human Resource courses utilizing Shockwave and
offers training record database functions, automatic email notification,
certificate delivery, and customized user interface with a personalized "to
do" list for each student to keep track of their training.
MacDel
Inc.
We develop our own Internet based training programs for the Hospitality Industry
as well as custom programs for clients.
NetSkills
NetSkills offers areas of study in areas such as Internet, engineering,
science, medicine, and more. You can download ready-made "kits," or
have a "kit" custom made. There is a demo.
The
New School
The New School offers over 100 courses to choose from. There are
sections describing, in detail, what it is like to take a course through New
School. Although most of the material would not be appropriate for corporate
training, the site is definitely worth looking at. There are some demos.
The Open
University
Although of no benefit to anyone living is the U.S., this is an
interesting way to look at WBT.
Synervision
-- Translating Knowledge into Performance
Synervision learning products and services are the fastest way a business can
translate knowledge into on-the-job performance. Synervision offers training and
performance improvement solutions in human resource development, learning
strategy planning, learning systems design, instructional design and learning
measurement.
TACTIX
- Training and Communications Technology in Context
This site provides tips and tools for trainers and other communicators,
including an online trainers' toolkit, intranet cost-benefit calculator,
training methods selector tool and various articles.
TBT
Consortium Japan
We established the "TBT Consortium" for the purposes of "Makes
nationwide technology based training (TBT) systems in Japan" and "Sets
guidelines of technical specifications to establish a common basis for
technological developments" in Japan. If you have any comments, please send
a mail to us.
Thomas
Pitre Associates
Thomas Pitre Associates offers a wide variety of online courses offered
primarily through email.
TRC
Five Miller Road
Harrisburg, PA 17109
(717) 652-3100
Providers of online and multimedia computer based training.