Training Industry Quarterly - Fall 2013 - (Page 20)

Typically, the more complex the subject matter, the better the case for simulation, but each situation should be evaluated based on its own unique requirements. Where life or public safety is concerned, choosing simulation is easy. For everything else, a thorough examination of all factors is advised. TIME AND COST Time and cost are the two main constants in every training project. Budget will always be an overarching factor and time as a new business currency is often at a premium. Without enough of either of these, having a clear-cut business case and instructional design rationale won’t save the day. Complexity of a simulation component in your training design will have a definitive impact on both budget and schedule. Alternative approaches to design and development, such as rapid instructional design techniques, can play a role in condensing the production cycle. A counterbalance to the budget outlay consideration is the cost of sub-optimization or failure. The failed action of an employee who lacks adequate skill in a detailed technical process can be disastrous. A human-to-human interaction that is not carried out properly can result in the loss of a life-long customer. The CRITICAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS • Complexity: How complex does the branching strategy need to be in order to allow for proper practice without reinforcing unintended behavior? • Application: What opportunities will there be to apply what was learned in the simulation? • Authenticity: What is the need for a high-quality simulation, and how is it justified? • Judgment: Can outcome paths be created within the scope of the project? • Integration: If part of a blended learning program, how will the simulation ensure that key concepts learned in another part of the instruction are reinforced and that there are opportunities to apply previously acquired knowledge? • Collaboration: Is it critical and how is that accounted for in the design? • Audience: High-quality simulation for a small audience is among the most expensive ways to train, although it is often the only way to train for certain job tasks. Consider audience size when evaluating simulation complexity for all but the most critical tasks. 20 key is to look beyond hard development costs and consider the opportunity costs and cost avoidance as well. TYPE OF SIMULATION While simulation often implies a specific connotation based on one’s experience with it, evaluating its potential use should start at the conceptual level. Simulation shouldn’t be viewed as an end-all be-all solution. It may not even be the right solution. Complexity, design and technology as well as the use of offline simulation components need to be considered based on the unique business and training requirements of the situation. LESSONS LEARNED Has the organization utilized training simulations in the past and were they considered successful? What was it that made them work well or conversely not so well? Gleaning this from both the project sponsor as well as the learner is important. Listen to what they say and prepare for some candid and perhaps negative feedback. Sponsors and learners will often have a different depth of knowledge about simulations in learning. They may have inaccurate perceptions of the costs or complexity of the simulation. Be sure to probe to determine if it is a cost or perception issue, as the range of simulations can be inexpensive or very expensive depending on what needs to be simulated. AUDIENCE ATTRIBUTES A larger audience allows an organization to leverage its investment in a simulation over more employees, reducing cost per learner. But what if the audience is mission critical (e.g., security/public safety personnel), or represents a specialty technical discipline? With the entry of Millennials into the workforce, consider the ubiquity of high-quality simulation in their life through gaming. Also consider the high-fidelity and immediate access expectations to varying media types (e.g., Instagram) and their reactions to the “good enough” training modalities of the past and present. ASSESSMENT In deciding if a simulation is appropriate in your design, consider the dynamic assessment possibilities of simulation. Effective simulation is essentially a self-correcting assessment, one that rewards assimilation of process and execution steps without a “testing” interruption. Timely completion of a task can also be used as a measurement for learning. For online simulations, branching depth and reinforcement play a key role in the assessment strategy as well. Simulation offers multiple avenues for assessment, no matter what the complexity. Some of the most effective learning in simple simulations (role plays) also involves emotional intelligence considerations used in a post-simulation debrief. USE OF SIMULATION IN LEARNING While each situation needs to be evaluated individually, the table to the right presents examples of how different levels and types of simulation may be used to solve various learning challenges. Training Industry Quarterly, Fall 2013 / A Training Industry, Inc. magazine / www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ http://www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Quarterly - Fall 2013

From Where I Sit: The Sustainability of MOOCs
Table of Contents
Ad Index
Guest Editor: Top Five Learning Technologies to Watch
We Need to Support Learning, Not Manage It
Supercharge Your Next Leadership Initiative
Boomers & the Technology Gap
Technologies to Manage Information Overload
It's Time to Invest in the 'Performance Zone'
Inroducing Simulation into Learning Technologies: Examining the Key Considerations
The Evolution of the LMS
Bringing Your Mojo to the Virtual Classroom
Merging Social Learning and Technology to Achieve Business Outcomes
Optimizing Workforce Learning and Performance
Badges: Bridging the Higher Education and Workforce Gap
Integrating Video into Training
Tools for Supporting Sales Coaching
Tweet Suite
Company News

Training Industry Quarterly - Fall 2013