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Re: Software Training: Video only -v- Blended

Subject: Re: Software Training: Video only -v- Blended
From: "Peter Neilson" <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2016 05:49:36 -0400

Indeed. One day I was running pony rides at a flea market and a ten-year-old boy announced to me, "I know how to ride a horse. I saw it on television."

Sorry, Buster, that won't work any better than knowing long division because you watched your dad doing your homework.

Ginger's "person who is supposed to oversee training" is looking for an easy solution to a difficult problem. If stuck with having to provide video as the sole medium, the tech writer should push for testing that reveals the effectiveness of the training. What kind of tests? Well, how about multiple-choice, to be done as a whole-class team exercise? It's simple to administer, and will certainly provide the best scores, thus validating the use of video!

Cynicman strikes again!

On Sun, 20 Mar 2016 05:20:15 -0400, Erika Yanovich <ERIKA_y -at- rad -dot- com> wrote:

I agree that video only is not enough because each person learns differently and for all the good reasons already mentioned. If possible, throw some hands-on training into the blend, most people learn better by doing, after they grasped the concept by watching the video.
Erika

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+erika_y=rad -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+erika_y=rad -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Stuckey, Ginger
Sent: 17 March, 2016 16:52
To: TechWR-L (techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com)
Subject: Software Training: Video only -v- Blended

Hi all,

I'm back with another question. My company is switching some engineering software so they can get better metrics and make 3D and 2D models more intelligent. It is a major philosophy shift. Key team members from each engineering discipline are going through different types of training. Out of that, we need to train the rest of the employees.

The person who is supposed to oversee training thinks video only is the way to go. You can find all kinds of documentation to support that but not much specific to software training (so far).

My position, as an experienced writer, is that you need a blended approach. Video is fine but have some written documentation to go along with it so that users have something to refer to later if they don't want to find or watch a video. Documentation can be in any format so don't get hung up on that. I also think videos should be no longer than 5 to 7 minutes not 15 or longer. Users also need someone available to ask questions and that should be part of the mix.

Based on your experience in the real world, what works for software training.

Ginger Stuckey
Technical Publications - Design
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References:
Software Training: Video only -v- Blended: From: Stuckey, Ginger
RE: Software Training: Video only -v- Blended: From: Erika Yanovich

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