Describes the Cost and Training Effectiveness Analysis (CTEA), a model adapted from military training development that facilitates the systematic definition and evaluation of alternative training approaches. The relationship of CTEA to front-end analysis is discussed and the four phases of CTEA, which lead to selecting the best training solution,…

Discussion of summative evaluation focuses on eight steps involved in the planning process. Topics discussed include client commitment to evaluation; evaluating the training organization; evaluating management training, including appropriate evaluation strategy; institutionalizing the evaluation process so it becomes normal operating procedure;…

Presents methods to help family therapy trainees and clinicians articulate how to address gender in families. Describes four experiential exercises (including gender survival messages, gender framed circular questions, and process observation sheets) for training and use with clients. Can examine learnings about gender from families of origin,…

A literature review and survey of 127 (26 percent response) businesses produced suggestions for improving on-the-job training (OJT): establish policy and accountability, review precedents, design and conduct structured training, provide specialized support for trainers, avoid turf battles, and consider literacy skills. (SK)

Implementation of recommendations of a position paper on training Orientation Mobility (OM) assistants is considered with suggestions concerning the roles of the OM specialist and OM assistant, specific skill areas for training, the role of the agency or school, and a preparation program for the mobility assistant leading to certification. (DB)

Discusses the need to reengineer performance development in light of new technologies, concepts, and tools. Topics addressed include current performance development strategies; new models; learning strategies versus training strategies; electronic performance support and software; and the role of the instructional developer. (LRW)

Background information about a firm or department should be gathered before designing a training course. Questions to ask include the number of trainees, age, gender, educational and experience levels, and workplace climate. (JOW)

Discusses a cognitive approach to instructional design (ID) and how practitioners can design training differently using this approach; explains how the behavioral approach is different from the cognitive approach; describes how learning occurs and various categories of knowledge; and presents a model for a well-designed lesson based on cognitive…

Describes two exploratory studies of undergraduate and postgraduate students concerning the difficulties of learning to perform HTA (hierarchical task analysis) and how those difficulties might be overcome through proper training. Errors occurred with respect to all HTA criteria, suggesting that carrying out HTR itself is a complex cognitive task.…

Discussion of online help systems in online public access catalogs (OPACs) focuses on a study that evaluated the online help system for the NOTIS (Northwestern Online Total Integrated System) OPAC. Features of the system reviewed include online functions; training features; general interface features; access points; and message content and display…

Thanks to a collegial training program conducted in their school's computer labs, teachers at a Sussex County, New Jersey, high school have grown comfortable with using computers for everything from lesson planning and recording grades to designing graphics and manipulating databases. A teacher-led committee developed the program, appointed…

The industry report of employer-provided training includes charts depicting training budgets, who's learning what and how, trends (including work teams and social issues), and technologies for training. (SK)

Discusses training success and describes the inquiry process that provides an opportunity for developing problem-solving skills by learning to structure problems through effective questioning. Considers beneficial outcomes, including gathering and organizing information as part of an active social process; and provides an example of the inquiry…

Presents a framework for the development of Web-based learning environments that is focused on shared hypermedia, a new form of computer-mediated communication. Highlights include how communication and interaction are changed by computers; changes in training as a result of the Internet; situated action theory; and creating communities of…

Describes electronic performance support systems (EPSSs) that can enhance performance and reduce training times and costs. Provides examples of EPSSs; explains why instructional designers and trainers should be interested in EPSSs; and discusses design considerations, including part task/whole task support, embedded versus linked, and user…