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##  Web-Based Training. ERIC Digest No. 218.                                     

Education and training via the World Wide Web are growing rapidly.              Reduced training costs, world-wide accessibility, and improved                  technological capabilities have made electronic instructional                   delivery to adult learners a viable alternative to classroom                    instruction. This Digest examines the efficacy of Web-based (WBT)               training, including issues of market demand, learner participation,             training options, and program design. It also discusses learning                outcomes and gives suggestions for how these outcomes can be                    improved through implementation of appropriate instructional design             principles. MARKET DEMANDIt is estimated that                             technology-assisted training will represent half of all training                methods by the year 2002 (McGee 1999). Particularly appealing to                industry are the cost savings such training affords. PNC Bank Corp              in Pittsburgh, for example, recently installed a system for                     self-paced online training through which it expects to save as much             as 40 percent per user in training expenses (ibid.). MCI WorldCom               slashed approximately $3 million in travel, facility, and labor                 costs over a year by offering 20 percent of its classes over the                Web. The company expected to increase this to 50 percent in                     1999 (Greengard 1999). By switching from classroom to Web-based                 training, some companies have realized up to 75 percent savings in              their training budgets, making this mode of training especially                 appealing to companies that have large numbers of employees to                  train (Cole-Gomolski 1999). Travel expenses, instructor fees,                   facility costs, materials, and office equipment costs, in addition              to the cost of lost time on the job when employees are in training              represents some of the savings that are realized through Web-based              training. 
Efficiency of operation is another advantage Web-based              training offers to companies that must now compete in a global                  marketplace. Intranets help to eliminate delays in introducing new              products by offering companies the capability of training their                 entire sales staff simultaneously, even when they are located at                different sites across the globe. Additionally, as organizations                become increasing flat through restructuring, Web-based training                delivery is a welcome alternative to managers who have little time              to devote to the training of new employees and to administrators who            no longer need to find, schedule, and staff classes that will meet              the varied training and educational needs of diversely skilled                  employees (Driscoll 1999). LEARNER PARTICIPATIONThe                       flexibility of time, place, and programs offered via Web training is            appealing to learners who are trying to balance school with work and            home responsibilities. They can mix modes of instruction, even                  accumulating college credits and meeting residency requirements for             degrees. Employees who seek flexible work hours and telecommuting               work arrangements are being drawn to companies that offer similar               opportunities for them to upgrade their skills. Given the choice,               increasing numbers of learners are taking distance education                    courses, often congruently with their on-campus coursework.                     Community residents who wish to engage in lifelong learning are                 finding many options available to them via the Internet. Online                 learning communities such as Senior Net make it possible for                    learners of any age to connect with people in a variety of                      geographic locations who have the same interests and needs, thus                eliminating many of the barriers imposed by physical limitations and            age (Russell 1999). 
Most successful in using computer-based,                  online programs are people who are focused in their study habits,               engaged in learning tasks that require creative thinking and                    analysis, and task and detail oriented (Wonacott 2000). Grill (1999)            describes the typical American distance learner as one who is 25-50             years of age, taking courses to learn new subjects and skills or to             update old ones, and experienced in participating in                            education. TRAINING OPTIONSVirtual classrooms are of two                  types-asynchronous and synchronous. "Asynchronous classrooms allow              students and instructors to engage in collaborative learning                    activities without being online at the same time. They are well                 suited to develop skills that require analysis, synthesis, and                  evaluation" (Driscoll 1999, p. 23). Synchronous classrooms are more             reflective of the traditional classroom as they allow the instructor            and student to be online at the same time--brainstorming,                       questioning, discussing, and debating (ibid.). E-mail, online                   forums, bulletin boards, chat rooms, and listservs (discussion                  groups) are a few of the tools available to students in these                   classrooms (Wonacott 2000). 
In spite of its utility for a variety             of purposes, the Internet is not always the best training option.               Tasks that require use of interpersonal skills are better                       facilitated through classroom role playing and one-on-one                       interactions. Heckler (1999) contends that "WBT courses tend not to             be as interactive as instructor-led ones, and the absence of an                 instructor means that most students will not push themselves as                 hard" (p. 4). However, Clark and Lyons (1999) note that the type of             training offered on the Web is the determining factor in whether or             not learning occurs. For example, when multimedia instruction that              includes sound, animation, and/or video is used, the learner can                become actively involved in learning processes through online                   animation. When interactivity is added to the mix, the program's                capabilities are similar to those of CD-ROM programs and "can be                used to construct 'guided discovery' environments, e.g., courses                that teach physicians to diagnose patients by taking a medical                  history, conducting an examination, and running lab tests" (ibid.,              p. 54). PROGRAM DESIGNBecause "most WBT programs are little               more than self-paced learning, success in these programs hinges on              the learner's ability to engage in self-directed learning and to                develop metacognitive skills for the Web" (Driscoll 1999, p. 24).               However, a focus on the development of problem-solving and                      critical-thinking skills requires that Web-based training programs              be designed to accommodate the needs of the learner, giving him/her             the freedom to follow a unique path to learning in his/her own                  cognitive style. For example, to learn about ways to relieve the                symptoms of arthritis, one learner may search the ABI Inform                    database to find information on a drug to relieve arthritis pain by             using the drug's name, e.g., Celebrex; another learner may search               the Medline database to find information about the disease by using             the name of the disease itself, e.g., arthritis; yet another learner            may use a search engine to find information about companies that                manufacture arthritis drugs, e.g., Pfizer. In each of these                     searches, the learner accesses information in sequences that are                appropriate to his/her unique style of learning. 
Web-based                    learning tasks should require students to construct meaning rather              than repeat information they have read or heard. The instructor must            assume the role of facilitator or coach and develop activities with             advanced organizers, hyperlinks, and appropriate scaffolding to help            students in their knowledge construction. This constructivist                   approach to teaching and learning, when applied in Web-based                    learning environments connects "content (knowledge), form (documents            and activities), and thought processes (cognitive progressions and              assistance)" (Giroux, Hotte, and Dao 1997, p. 3). 
With more                   advanced program designs, the networking power of the Web must be               well integrated with the design elements. "Designers make use of                learning communities, foster communication between teacher and                  student, and use the computational power of the Web to provide rich             media that enhance the learning process" (Driscoll 1999, p. 25).                Recommendations for designers of Web-based instruction that are                 consistent with current research in Web design include the                      following (Mory, Gambill, and Browning 1998, p. 106): 
*  Give a               detailed timeline, but provide external cues and imposed deadlines              to help students stay on track. 
*  Obtain data and evaluate                   student reactions to the course throughout the semester to gain                 insight into the workload a student must handle at any given                    time. 
*  Provide adequate technical support. 
*  Offer a variety             of presentation forms to gain and maintain student attention and                continuing motivation. LEARNING OUTCOMESBall State University             conducted a study to compare students' impressions of classroom                 training and Web-based training when the same instructional method              was used in each program. One group of students engaged in learning             in the traditional classroom, and another group used Web-based                  electronic modules developed by nursing faculty. Comparison of the              traditional classroom methods (seminars) and electronic modules                 revealed the following (Ryan, Carlton, and Ali 1999, p. 275): 
In              the classroom setting, students perceived that the content was                  covered more adequately, there was more interaction and                         participation, and faculty preparation and expertise were more                  important to learning. Students expressed the need for better                   communication skills, self-discipline, and knowledge of computer                technology. In general, however, the WBT students felt that                     electronic instruction facilitated greater depth of learning and                afforded greater ability for them to participate in discussions as              no one student was able to monopolize the conversation. In                      discussing the difficulties with electronic instruction, students               mentioned that they felt disconnected from their class members,                 frustrated by a poor flow of communication and technical problems,              and confused by feedback that was not always clear. They missed                 having face-to-face contact with their instructor where they could              experience verbal as well as nonverbal communication. A significant             outcome of the study was that teachers came to recognize their need             for better preparation, time, and effort in delivering electronic               instruction. IMPLEMENTATION TIPSClark and Lyons (1999)                    emphasize the importance of good instructional methods that are                 based on the needs of the learner and on the job they are being                 trained to perform.  The effects of learning cannot be determined               until the principles of learning and instruction that have been                 successfully used in the classroom can be replicated in another form            for computer-based instruction. Some tips for doing this include the            following (Black 1998): 
*  Offer short classes. 
*  Make graphics            simple and easy to read. 
*  Foster collegiality by asking students            to contribute information about themselves and their interests. 
*             Vary the way you interact with learners. 
*  Avoid superfluous                 media; e.g., it might be important for a nurse to hear the sound of             a pulse beating, but unnecessary to hear the package ripping when               extracting a disposable needle. 
* Use a combination of synchronous            and asynchronous instruction to reinforce new material, make                    assignments, and improve learner retention. 
Web-based education               and training are here to stay. Companies can train thousands of                 employees in interactive sessions that allow for consistency of                 messages and facilitate the exchange of different insights and                  perspectives as well as sharing knowledge and asking questions.                 Teachers can use technological capabilities built into the Web to               advance their teaching and learning goals and foster construction of            meaning. All learners--business, college, and community--can engage             in collaboration with many people or groups as a means of enhancing             their learning. These advantages, however, can be realized only when            Web-based training is of the same quality as the best classroom                 instruction. REFERENCESBlack, D. "Live and Online: A WBT                  Primer." TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 52, no. 9 (September 1998):                   34-36. 
Clark, R. C., and Lyons, C. "Using Web-based Training                  Wisely." TRAINING 36, no. 7 (July 1999): 51-56. 
Cole-Gomolski,                B. "Web Training Requires Different Educational Approach."                      COMPUTERWORLD 33, no. 8 (February 22, 1999): 44. 
Driscoll,                    M. "Web-based Training in the Workplace." ADULT LEARNING 10, no.                4 (Summer 1999): 21-25. 
Giroux, S.; Hotte, R.; and Dao,                       K. "Adaptive and Agile Interactive Learning Environments on the                 WWW." In WEBNET 97 WORLD CONFERENCE OF THE WWW, INTERNET AND                    INTRANET PROCEEDINGS, edited by S. Lobodzinski and I. Tomek.                    Charlottesville, VA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in            Education, 1997. (ED 429 535) 
Greengard, S. "Web-based Training               Yields Maximum Returns." WORKFORCE 78, no. 2 (February 1999):                   95-96. 
Grill, J. "Access to Learning: Rethinking the Promise of               Distance Education." ADULT LEARNING 10, no. 4 (Summer 1999):                    32-33. 
Heckler, S. "Web-based Delusions." TRAINING 36, no. 6 (June            1999): 22-24. 
McGee, M. K. "Train on the Web." Informationweek no.            718 (January 25, 1999): 101-105. 
Mory, E. H.; Gambill, L. E.; and             Browning, J. B. "Instruction on the Web: The Online Student's                   Perspective." In SITE 98: SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY &                  TEACHER EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, edited by S. McNeil et              al. Charlottesville, VA: Association for the Advancement of                     Computing in Education, 1998. (ED 421 090) 
Parker, M. J. "Are                 Academic Behaviors Fostered in Web-Based Environments?" In SPOTLIGHT            ON THE FUTURE, NECC '99. Eugene, OR: National Educational Computing             Association; International Society for Technology in Education,                 1999. (ED 432 993) 
Russell, M. "Online Learning Communities:                  Implications for Adult Learning." ADULT LEARNING 10, no. 4 (Summer              1999): 28-31. 
Ryan, M.; Carlton, K. H.; and Ali, N. S. "Evaluation            of Traditional Classroom Teaching Methods versus Course Delivery on             the World Wide Web." JOURNAL OF NURSING EDUCATION 36, no.                       6 (September 1999): 272-277. 
Wonacott, M. E. WEB-BASED TRAINING               AND CONSTRUCTIVISM. IN BRIEF NO. 2. Columbus: National Dissemination            Center for Career and Technical  Education, the Ohio State                      University,                                                                     2000.                                                                           <nccte.com/publications/infosynthesis/in-brief/inbrief02-webtraining            .html> 
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This project has been funded at least in part with             Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education under Contract              No. ED-99-CO-0013. The content of this publication does not                     necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of             Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or              organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Digests may             be freely reproduced and are available at                                       http://ericacve.org/fulltext.asp.                                            **Title:** Web-Based Training. ERIC Digest No. 218.                                     **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** For full text: http://www.ericacve.org/fulltext.asp.                         **Descriptors:** Adult Education,  Adult Learning, Comparative Analysis,  Computer               Uses in Education, Delivery Systems, Distance Education, Educational            Demand, Educational Needs, Educational Technology,  Instructional               Effectiveness,  Internet, Learning Processes, Outcomes of Education,            Postsecondary Education,  Program Design, Program Effectiveness,                Program Implementation, Student Participation, Teacher Student                  Relationship, Training Methods,  World Wide Web                              **Identifiers:** ERIC Digests, Virtual Classrooms,  Web Based Instruction                     
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