Associate Member Viewpoint: Computer Based Training – Good Supplement, Bad Substitute

By: Robert Vetter, Director of Training, IVES Training Group

No other device in history has been integrated into so many facets of human endeavor as much as the computer. But is the computerized way always better than the way we had, particularly in the arena of powered industrial equipment operator training?

Here are some pros and cons of computer based training (CBT) to consider:

Pros:

Convenient – CBT programs are usually recorded onto a CD or are Web-based and available whenever the trainee is, so planning and coordinating training is easy.
Accessible – Trainees at different sites can take the training at their respective locations, further enhancing convenience.
Consistent – The information conveyed is uniform so variation between programs and/or trainers is eliminated.
Self-paced – Trainees move through the program as quickly as their abilities allow.
Cost effective –There are no travel costs and disruptions to work processes are minimized, meaning employers save money. There is no need to engage and pay an outside training provider.

Cons:

Initial investment required – The program and computer gear will need to be purchased.
Quality is variable – Not all products perform as advertised and this is true of CBT programs as well.
Effectiveness is questionable – CBT programs can be excellent at conveying information but not at ensuring understanding.
Inflexible –There are usually no options to customize and/or alter the content of CBT to suit site and equipment specific issues or to adjust the delivery method to suit any special needs of the trainees.
Technology can be unreliable – When the power goes out, computers go off but people carry on.

If you must use CBT for your operator training, consider the following tips:

Preview the program and assess the accuracy and suitability of the data to your application before buying.
Select a product that offers a reasonably challenging curriculum.
Involve supervisors and managers with the training program so that they can monitor things afterward.
Monitor the trainees and keep them on task during the testing phase of the program.
Review the main learning points with each trainee to assess their understanding.
Ensure that practical (hands-on) evaluations are conducted by a competent person to assess the competence of each trainee and to determine whether additional training is required.

Instructor-led training is still the best way to go because good trainers take the time to engage trainees and ensure they actually understand things, not merely memorize them. Training is not simply a matter of conveying information and documenting the results. It is an opportunity to motivate trainees toward positive safety behavior through participation and interaction that leads to clear understanding of what to do, how to do it, and why it is done.

Computers definitely have a place in modern training programs but they are most effectively utilized as a supplement. Only people can connect with people and barring some radical advancement in artificial intelligence, nothing will change that.

NBWA Associate Members may submit Associate Member Viewpoints. To learn more about writing a guest column or becoming an NBWA Associate Member, please write info@nbwa.org.