The Power of CD-ROM

Let’s talk digitized CD-ROMs today. This is important to the e-learning community as it allows full motion video to be accessed through a training-dedicated LAN, along with full record keeping. It is a proven alternate to the typical e-learning courseware so prevalent today. The full motion power of this digitized medium is markedly superior to other choices and its only limitation lies in that exclusively behind-your-firewall requirement.

Knowledgeably designed digitized CD-ROM courseware is not simply an audio-visual system to supplant learning from reading a workbook. It is a true, individualized interactive learning system. The learning takes place almost entirely through interaction and involvement with the AV presentation.

It is difficult for people to learn to perform a skill by reading about it or even seeing still photographs of the skill being performed. Heavily book-based training systems, however, rely on these as the primary teaching methods. With knowledgeably designed digitized CD-ROM courseware the student first learns by seeing, in real time, the skill being performed, then practices the skill via interactive simulations to fortify what they have learned. Finally, their knowledge is tested, again via interactive simulations of the real world activity.

The goal of teaching a skill to an employee is to improve the employee’s on-the-job performance. Therefore, knowledgeably designed digitized CD-ROM programs focus on teaching the performance of a skill, rather than theoretical knowledge related to the skill. The theoretical knowledge needed to properly perform a task is included, but the focus is always on the task, not the knowledge.

Knowledgeably designed digitized CD-ROM courseware allows you to monitor the performance of each person enrolled in a program. Scores on the pretests, integrated simulations and exercises (review questions), and final evaluations for each lesson of a program are recorded as the user goes through the training. Then, these scores are transferred to master record files from which they may be viewed and printed. This, of course, frees you from much of the tedious and time-consuming record-keeping and documentation tasks associated with training. Proof that a student has taken a program or lesson, together with his/her test scores is only a few keystrokes away.

A well designed pre-test allows the training needs of each group or individual to be met by recommending only those lessons needed. Your trainees need not waste time covering material they already know in order to get to what they need to learn. Combined with a fully functional Skills Assessment Test you have a powerful set of tools — truly the most effective learning option available for you today.

Users of knowledgeably designed digitized CD-ROMs control their own path through each lesson. They are free at any time to skip over material they already understand, or repeat any portions they want for better comprehension. Well designed digitized CD-ROMs will follow a “default” sequence unless the user chooses otherwise, but alternates are always available. This control over their progress contributes greatly to the users’ sense of comfort with the medium, especially those having no prior experience with computers.

When compared with other methods of instruction, knowledgeably designed digitized CD-ROM training has proven itself in training personnel faster, thereby reducing trainees’ off-the-job time and making more efficient use of training facilities.

It’s a good choice.

– Bill Walton, Founder of ITC Learning
bwalton@itclearning.com

“AMERICA WILL CONTINUE TO BE BUILT BY THE HANDS OF ITS MEN AND WOMEN”