Diagnosis
Multimedia training options are dazzling – and dizzying.
Prescription
Blend media for a sensational training session.
Training options have expanded to include a dizzying array of technology and multimedia options. To name just a few, we have
podcasts, Webcasts, e-learning, video, print, audio CDs, blogs, live training, synchronous workshops and asynchronous workshops.
With all of these choices, how do you know which medium will produce the best results?
A delicious blend
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You may be tempted to first choose a medium, then proceed from there when devising your next training initiative; however,
you may find yourself with a square-peg-round-hole situation. A better approach is to identify the training need and match
it with the most appropriate platform.
Each training component should satisfy a number of basic criteria – first, each should be designed to meet specified learning
objectives. Each component must also be designed to be consistent with the other components of the curriculum. Finally, each
should be developed in the most appropriate medium.
E-learning: When does it make sense?
Since the early days of computer-based training, e-learning has evolved into a dynamic set of training tools that offers a
true multimedia experience in which the user can be virtually immersed in the learning environment. The most effective initiatives
combine a graphics-rich presentation with opportunities for interaction and content application.
E-learning allows for self-pacing and appeals to an array of learning styles. It's particularly well suited for topics that
are visual in nature, such as the pathophysiology of a disease or the inner workings of a complex medical device. E-learning
also offers you a way to create virtual preceptorships, thus avoiding patient privacy issues and other barriers to experiential
learning in clinical settings. And last but not least, e-learning can enable you to electronically track the progress of your
learners.
Much of what you've heard about e-learning is likely true in some respect – both the good and the not so good. While it offers
a dynamic method in which to deliver training, development can require a significant investment of time and money. Updateability
has improved, but that, too, can be a concern. In certain instances, however, it might be best to deliver content in a more
tried-and-true format: print.
Print: Dinosaur or valid training medium?
While print may not seem like a media "choice," it's still viable for one simple reason: when it's designed well, it works.
Today's print training is light-years beyond four-inch binders stuffed with badly photocopied resources. A well-designed component
contains defined learning objectives, custom content, medical illustrations, graphics, an assessment strategy, and an architecture
that allows for self-paced learning and retention of complex topics. In addition to binders, print-based training can include
three-fold laminated job aids, customer profiling tools, clinical paper analysis worksheets and study guides.
Print modules remain the core components of many training curricula, and can be excellent for teaching new concepts and enhancing
preexisting knowledge. But print can be less effective at teaching application skills. For that, a live training setting is
usually best.
Workshops and classroom training: Making them count
Without careful design, workshops and classroom training can lapse into "death by PowerPoint," non-learning experiences. Save
the conventional for print and other home-based components. Instead, infuse your live training with engaging activities that
get people interacting with their peers and exercising their competitive spirit.
