E-Learning 1.0

Blended Training: Prerequisites and Purple Monkeys
By Sean Brooks

Thinking of offering a blended training solution that includes an online prerequisite for a more technical instructor-led course? Why not? The concept of blending online and instructor-led training is very much in vogue. Do it right, and you can save time, resources, and money. Do it wrong, and you're flirting with disaster.

Your learners are up in arms. They have a better chance of seeing purple monkeys than finding time at work to complete the online training you've developed. Isn't that what the instructor-led class is for?

The learners' manager is going to commit murder. You have a better chance of seeing purple monkeys than persuading her to schedule more time off for workers to take an online class. What's all this talk about prerequisites anyway? It's not her problem that learners aren't prepared for the instructor-led training.

The instructors are contemplating learnercide. They have a better chance of seeing purple monkeys than seeing their families at dinner time. They're teaching 12 hours a day now--half of the time catching students up on the prerequisite material, and the rest teaching the concepts they're supposed to cover.

The registrar is contemplating hari-kari. He has a better chance of seeing purple monkeys than pleasing everyone. He's been chewed out by managers for excluding learners who haven't finished the online prerequisites from training, and he's been chewed out by instructors for letting learners in at managers' insistence.

Everyone's angry, and everyone's right. It's not the online training that's gone bad, nor is the instructor-led training at fault. It's not even the concept of an online prerequisite that's causing the headaches. The problem is an oversimplified solution. Somewhere between an online training prerequisite and instructor-led training, there exist a lot of details to be considered.

I've been a learner trained with online prerequisites, a manager trying to implement blended solutions, and an instructor struggling with less time to teach more. Below are some insights gained from past failures and current successes.

Purple monkey number one. What's the primary purpose of the prerequisite? Many of us imagine that the goal of a prerequisite course is to get everyone on the same page. What page? If it's page one, can the advanced learners skip it? Consider providing a test-out option for people who already know the material. What happens when the prerequisite material is new for everyone? Is that really the point of a prerequisite, or is it a way to cram more material into less time by cutting down on instructor-led training? If so, expect some issues to arise. Be prepared to provide

• Captivating online training. It's tempting for learners to skip or skim portions of online training that gives learners the capability to hit the Next button with no trainer peeking over their shoulders. With in-depth online prerequisite, encouraging learner interaction and attentiveness becomes critical. Keep in mind that adding interaction to online training involves careful development (and money and time). For some tips, see "Interact! With Online Learning," "Zero Cost E-Learning," and "A Field Guide to Educational Simulations" (ASTD members only).
  
  
• Time to take the online training prerequisite. Otherwise, you'll suffer the consequences of expecting learners to complete the Web-based training in their spare time--particularly if you're using the online prerequisite to cover advanced topics and reduce overall instructor-led training time. Requiring learners to use their spare time invites skimming, which defeats the purpose of an in-depth prerequisite. Also, workers trying to cram learning time into their day with all their other work may focus less on each priority and make mistakes. They may also become frustrated and bring negative feelings into the classroom. Instead, include time to complete the prerequisite in your project plan and be sure to get manager buy in. For help, see "Tips to Make E-Learning Stick."
  
  Also consider providing separate space for learners working on the prerequisite course, where they will not be distracted by the phone, email, or other interruptions. Most workplaces have an unused cubicle or computer that can be designated for this purpose. I once worked at a company that implemented a "sheet day," a rotating day when each person on the team would string a sheet across the entrance to their cubicle to discourage distractions. During that day the learner forwarded calls and email to a backup person and then focused on completing online training.
  
  
• Support for the online training. The more information you put into the prerequisite course, and the more technically complex you make it, the more you're going to need support for questions, both technical and content-based. Be prepared for queries ranging from "How does this online training thing work again?" to "How would this concept work in my world?" Determine where your learners can get answers. Will you have a hotline? Support desk? Assistant?

Purple monkey number two. In your online prerequisite course, are you testing? Documenting? Who writes the test? How do you deal with cheating? Answering these questions is a whole 'nother can of, well, monkeys. If you're planning to include testing in your prerequisite course, you'll need to think about consulting someone well versed in metrics--particularly if certification is involved. Also, plan a process for revising your test over time as answers are passed around or results show that questions are too hard or easy.

Purple monkey number three. Who's accountable for the course? In the scenario at the beginning, everyone was responsible, but no one was directly accountable. That creates complaints but not solutions. Spend some time thinking through the roles and responsibilities of each interested party. Map them out on paper if you need to, following up to make sure the plans are being implemented as agreed. Adjust the initial plans and roles as needed and communicate any changes to all involved.

How will you make sure that each person takes responsibility for his or her part of this prerequisite course? What are the consequences for the manager, instructor, registrar, or technical support person if the student doesn't complete the online prerequisite? (Hint: try paperwork.) For example,

• Ask for a written report from the manager if data indicates that a low number of his reports are completing the online prerequisite.
• Ask for a written report from the registrar if data shows a high ratio of incomplete prerequisite courses to instructor-led training registrations.
• Ask for a written report from the instructor if there's a trend of low test scores at the end of the instructor-led training.

A colleague of mine once said, "You control what you measure." When you analyze data on the relationship between the number of prerequisite courses completed and the number of ILT registrations, or the relationship between the online prerequisite test score and ILT post-test score, and make this information available to all stakeholders (instructors, managers, learners, registrars, and so forth), these numbers tend to improve all by themselves.

In some programs, managers are rewarded for learners in their department completing the prerequisite courses in a certain timeframe or with certain scores. Rewards, which can range from a t-shirt to a performance bonus, often encourage managers to allow their employees time to complete the prerequisites. Be careful, though, as this approach may also lead managers to fudge details or find creative ways to get their employees through the online training.

Purple monkey number four. How are you going to inform all of the stakeholders about the new prerequisites? After assessing your needs and determining that you want to launch an online prerequisite, be sure to communicate with all the people within your company who will be affected by the decision. Your up-front communication and collaboration with stakeholders will set expectations about the importance of the online training and ensure that managers and learners see the course as more than just review material. Doing so will help ensure that managers set aside time for learners to take the course and that learners read carefully and don't just skim the material. As with any good training plan, it's absolutely critical to evaluate the learning that took place and communicate changes in the plan to any and all players.

Solutions in action

Here are some of the solutions we've applied to cope with purple monkeys.

• Get everybody to take the WBT. I don't mean just the learners; I mean the instructors, the registrar, the manager, and the support technician. That way, they have the chance to see and relate to potential learning challenges. For example, a manager taking the online training might be better motivated to provide time and a distraction-free environment for workers to take the training if she's experienced it herself. Sometimes just being forced to participate is enough to raise everyone's commitment levels. If not, fall back on the consequences and rewards I discussed earlier.
  
  
• Hold meetings, meetings, meetings. Yes, they take time, but they're a must for heading off issues before they become problems. Include as many stakeholders as possible and make action plans to tackle each issue. Keep everyone updated on the success of the project as a whole--once again, it helps reinforce accountability. Recognize all those who meet or exceed the expectations in their area of responsibility.
  
  
• Use paperwork to your advantage. Sound crazy? Managers will think twice about waiving a prerequisite for a student if there is a form required. Likewise, a paper trail helps with accountability.
  
  
• Share the work with a prerequisite assistant. This is a person who can answer learner questions about the online prerequisite, both content-related and technical. Does that increase your costs? Not necessarily. I'm talking about one person, for short periods of time. As with office hours offered by professors, the assistant could also use this time for other tasks--developing test questions, for example--when there are no learners needing help. An assistantship can also be used to ramp up new instructors or test people who have aspirations of becoming instructors--or even to give instructors a needed break from training face to face. Employing someone to assist with the online prerequisite course is a low-cost solution with spin off benefits. (For more on using an online assistant, see "Synchronous Team Teaching.")

As we in the training business perpetually look to do more with less in a shorter timeframe, it becomes critical that we employ every tool we have to get the job done. Blending online and instructor-led training by using prerequisites is a great step in that direction. It puts learners on an even playing field in a short amount of time. But it's not a simple answer: It requires careful thought and collaboration between all involved. Good luck, and keep an eye out for those purple furry buggers.

Published: June 2002