organisational case study
Case Study One
An Australian public company with 20,000 employees purchased a custom-built LMS operating externally on the web via an ASP. The 12 custom-built courses they developed in the first two years were trying to replace existing face to face training method, which covers a range of soft skills subjects. Learner self-nominated for this course, as there was already an incumbent culture of training in place. And the LMS allowed for the approval of the manager and billing back to the employee’s cost center. Before this online solution took place, there was limited internet access within the organization. That’s why when learners were given access through an international ISP, which required employees to install and configure PC’s, most employees had only used terminal-type computers in their jobs before this change, and were in the most part unfamiliar with a GUI interface like windows, while very few had previously used a we browser. This course had limited tutor involvement either through assessment or basic discussion forums.
After 2 years’ implementation of OLT solution, less than 100 learners commenced the course and many did not complete it. Later years with effort, the course has improved slightly, with higher number of completions and a broader range of course offered.
Case study taken from canopi.com
Case Study Two
An Australian government department rolled out an online training solution. The content included IT and soft skills subjects and was purchased under a retail model primarily from SmartForce. Learners are able to access the coursed from their desktops, since the courseware was loaded onto an internal server. The project manager described the staff as having a high level of desire for new skills. Training was included in the employees’ Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBA), which had been facilitated by the executive management of the organisation. Most employees had access to a Pentium II class computer with 100Mbps LAN access. Likewise, most employees were familiar with the Microsoft Office suite of products and had been using a web browser for accessing the organisation’s intranet. The OLT solution was supported by executive management, and was instrumental in getting training into the EBA agreement, which means if employees finished the online course they would receive an 11% pay increase. Online training in 12 months achieved 4000 completions at an average cost of AUD$ 40 per learner.
Case study taken from canopi.com
Discussion
Comparing the 2 case studies, it seems there are similarities however more significant differences which has led to the inherent success and failure of each case study.
Analysing the first case study, it was evidence that participants had limited experience with technology and showed resistance towards this technology. Having said this many users had very little experience with internet access, and were literally asked to apply advance computing knowledge to install and configure PC’s.
Employee were benefited by the LMS allowed for the approval of the manager and billing back to the employee’s cost centre, while there was incumbent culture of training already in place that was primarily based on time spent away from the workplace. This shows that purposes of employee self-nominated for online training might not because of desire for new skills.
Alternatively, the 2nd case study, learners had primary experience on technology. Employees were familiar with the process of technology. This makes up one of the major reason of this successful OLT solution.
The learners were described as having a high level of desire of new skills, and plus appropriate motivation of 11% pay increase. As a result the program was successful after 12 month. It is evident here the company ready its learner to use the software, while they had the motivation, foundation skills were necessary to successfully complete this online course.
Conclusively, the first case study had resistance to learning as well as inexperience with software; the second case study learners have ability to access provided technology to allow the successful completetion of the program.
As a result it is essential to not only ready the learner in motivational term, but also technologically. The way to achieve this seems to manipulate appropriate level of skills or provide a simple structure, which will not only draw the learners to the program but help them in successfully completing the program.
Reference list:
accessed on 10/05/06 http://www.canopi.com.au/27opine/cold%20facts.doc; “ONLINE TRAINING: SOME COLD HARD FACTS” by Greg McLoughlin-Wilden.
