Computer Based Training
By Christian Euculano

• The 4 W’s of courseware
• Reasons for courseware
• Timeline of training
• Types of courseware

(continued)
• Types of courseware
• Courseware design
• Real world example
• Courseware exercise
• Available courseware sites

• What is courseware?
• Who uses it?
• Where is it used?
• When is it used?
? ? ?

• What is courseware?
Def: Courseware is the content and technique applied to instructional materials in electronic format
(Marshall University)
Generic Def: Courseware is employee training done using a computer

• Who uses courseware?
– Managers to train employees
• Where is it used?
– Any business or organization that feels the need to train their staff
• When is it used?
– When technology increases and employees need to update theirs skills

• Technology is one of the biggest reasons for courseware
– Train old employees “New Tricks”
• Employees must constantly refine and update their skills
– Even the brainy, nerdy people!!
– Train new employees “All the tricks”

• Technology is always increasing
– Ex:
AOL 4.0  AOL 6.0
Windows  Windows 95/98  Windows 2000

Standard
Class
Reading and text
Video
Computer
Based
Technology has lead to editing and visual advantages using the newest digital advances

• “Different strokes for different folks”
Visual – “hands on” type of person;
Need pictures, graphs, etc. to learn and apply material
Non-Visual - can apply learned material from just reading it

• On CD-ROMs – visual and customizable
• Books and Text – non-visual and very standardized
• On the internet – visual and accessible

• What makes a good courseware design?
3 Principles in courseware design
(according to PPI)
1. Sound Instructional Plan
- gives targets, learning objectives and goals
2. Adults learn best by doing
- Define, Show, Do, Review
3. Customization
- Learning experience is set up for the individual so there is maximum retention of the information to be learned

Good Design
Personnel
Courseware Design
Personnel
Expertise
Personnel
Computer programming
Personnel

• Good Design Personnel
– Make features easy to use; computer friendly design
• Expertise Personnel
– Understands the information perfectly and makes sure everything is correctly stated; helps create the lesson to be taught
• Computer Programming Personnel
– Combines the information and easy features into a computer based program

• How does a company implement a courseware program?
Ex: A manufacturing company wants to increase it’s productivity. They decide to purchase some state of the art equipment. This equipment is expected to double the output production of the company.
Problem  The employees to do not understand exactly how the new system works

• Solution  Train your employees to use the new system
• Train them by using a computer based program!!!

• Begin the Training Process
Who and What?
- Who needs to be trained?
- What do your employees already know?

“You have to make sure you don’t train the right people in the wrong areas and the wrong people in the right areas!” ~
Gloria Sumka
(Product marketing manager of training at Allen-Bradley)

• Gather data about your employee knowledge
– Design a suitable learning program for the right people in the right areas
– Depending on the size of the business, this could mean hiring an organization that specializes in courseware design
– Lastly, Implement your training program
• Lastly, Implement your training program

• The Before and After
Before
• Employees are not fully capable to meet the demands of their job
• New system causes confusion
• Employees become bored

After
• Higher Employee moral
• Employees are more knowledgeable
• Knowledge brings a freshness to the workplace
• Employees are excited to to back and apply their knowledge to their jobs
• Employees feel they have more power because they have the knowledge to make more decisions
• Productivity
• Employees know more, ask less questions
• Understand new system  runs more efficient

• Courseware can be as simple as the help software that comes implemented in your Windows operating system
Lets Take a look!
– For this example pretend you do not know how to make a shortcut for an icon on the desktop.
• Go to the start menu and select HELP
• Next, under the index, type in Creating shortcuts and then select: on the desktop

Type
Subject here
Follow
These steps

• Depends on what you buy!
$20  $5,000
• Big Business
– High Costs – hire someone to come in and set up a courseware program
• Medium Business
– Mild Costs – Pay a fixed fee and use software as much as desired
• Small Business
– Low Costs – Pay per person per use

• www.ezref.com/courseware
– EZ-REF courseware
• www.bluestarcorp.com
– Blue Star Training and Software
• www.computerconfidence.com
– Computer Confidence, Inc.
• www.complitpress.com
– Computer Literacy Press

• The 4 W’s of courseware
• Reasons for courseware
• Types of courseware
• Courseware design
• Making a courseware program
• Available courseware sites