The Trouble With Computer Training

Part of the new methods of training is to give computer based pre-course study material. The only problem is, there is no dialogue. You can't ask questions and some times you don't even learn enough to know what to ask. Are we really ready to accept the errors that come from several layers of communication?

I should be clear by stating that I am learning about an aircraft that I have never flown. I am learning the technical aspects of the aircraft prior to class.

The problem, as I see it, is that the pilots that understand the aircraft aren't generally proficient as technical writers and the technical writers generally aren't proficient in aviation. The course I am currently taking was clearly written by a pilot. I estimate that, due to poor communication, 5% of the information is lost or inaccurate. That means the best I can do is to understand 95% of the aircraft if I have 100% retention.

I am not retaining the information at 100%. At best, I'm probably retaining 95% of the vital information and 75% of the minute details. What does that mean? Your pilot, because of the wonder of the computer, knows about 85 to 90% of his airplane.

Now, if I was in a class room, talking to an instructor, I could have a conversation with the instructor and work out the details that are lost with poor writing. My contention is that computer based training is not as proficient as a traditional classroom.

 

[Ockham]

My company provides primarily computer based training... everyone, from the VP's down to the lowly new hire cheats it. That is to say, you go through the training, pick the answers at random, write down the correct answers and retake. It takes about 1/2 the time of actually going through it. The reason they do this is to cut costs - but as you identified, the problem is not only interaction, but the loss of having someone actually MAKE the material interesting. I dread CBT's ---

 

[ksu_aviator]

I predicted 85-90%. I got an 80% on the test and that was primarily because there were about 5 questions that I don't think the course covered. Go figure.