Continuing education or training after formal education is necessary for employees to maintain and add to their technological skills. Traditionally, much of this training has been provided in a classroom based environment conducted outside the workplace. However, there can be significant non-productive time associated with travel and missed work for purposes of training. With improvements in communications technology, alternative training approaches such as computer-based training, interactive video, multimedia based training and computer conferencing are being promoted. However, these "new" methods are not applicable to all types of training. The interaction with the instructor and the ability to conduct laboratory-style demonstrations is not something that can be effectively adapted to alternative teaching methods, as will be demonstrated by two case studies. Demonstrations are more difficult and costly to implement in a continuing education environment when the course is often presented in different cities by a traveling instructor team; however, case study results document the need to continue this type of training experience. (A)
Abstract