Faculty members and staff supervisors now have a convenient and valuable tool enabling them to create customized information technology curricula for groups or individuals. The Program Management Tool (PMT), a newly developed Web site serving as a gateway to the more than 750 existing Web-Based Training courses available at Penn State, was launched in September by the Center for Education Technology Services (CETS).
Primarily an organizational and communication vehicle, the PMT allows instructors or supervisors to choose the software or technology topics for which their students or staff need the most training, receive feedback from the users on their progress and scores, and compare pre- and post-assessment scores.
According to developers from the CETS Technology Training Group, a need emerged in the past few years for faculty members and staff supervisors to be able to cost-effectively assign technology training of their own choosing to specific groups of students or employees. These individuals needed a way to point people to the right course--in the right version--for their needs, and to maintain control over the training process.
The Training Group perceived that if it were left to each individual to randomly choose from the extensive list of Web-based tutorials offered, each of which takes about eight hours to complete, he or she might select a course not as pertinent as another, thus wasting time and energy.
In response to this need, CETS developed the PMT, a single entry point to the wider scope of Web-Based Training. The new tool is a means for faculty members and supervisors to provide direction for technology training, and receive feedback on the performance of their students or staff members. No special training is necessary to use the PMT, according to the Web-Based Training team.
There are numerous ways the tool can be used, commented Marilynne Stout, director of Education Technology Services (ETS). "For example, an instructor teaching a communications course might decide that the most useful training for the students would be for everyone to know Microsoft PowerPoint, in order to work in groups and make class presentations. Assigning the training of this specific Web-based course would guarantee that all the students would be 'on the same page' and direct their energy toward learning skills immediately applicable in a course and common to all fellow students," she said.
If a supervisor required a staff member to be trained toward certification as a technical specialist in a certain area, such as networking, the PMT has already grouped bundles of the courses necessary for various certifications. "These packaged offerings can be selected from a convenient drop-down list," Stout added.
Another important feature of the PMT is that it provides feedback to the faculty member or supervisor acting as "program manager." After completing some or all of a course, tutorial users may e-mail their training status and scores to the program manager to demonstrate their progress. The program manager can also request that users take a pre-assessment to compare to the post-assessment score.
Linda Spangler, administrative assistant in the Political Science Department, recently utilized the PMT to assign training to her staff. "This is an excellent tool for managers and supervisors," said Spangler, who especially noted how simple it is to use. "I take the mentoring of my staff very seriously," she said, "and I have implemented this type of training for my new hires for the areas in which I feel they need more training to do their job effectively. It worked great. My staff have become more efficient at their jobs." Spangler feels that a unit needs to have the support of a supervisor for Web-Based Training to work. Spangler also felt that assigning group training through the PMT resulted in the unit working as a team. Staff who did not require particular training backed up their teammates when needed, she observed.
The main selling point of the PMT, according to developers, is that it does not detract from the existing Web-based course offerings. What it does is provide organization, control, and feedback so faculty members and supervisors can get the appropriate people trained in the appropriate areas of information technology without having to be an information technology expert.
"We are excited about launching the Program Management Tool," said John Harwood, senior director of CETS. "Faculty will be able to track the training progress of their students; supervisors can track the training of their staff. The PMT will be a great asset."
Those interested in learning more about the PMT may call (814) 863-7768 or visit http://wbt.cac.psu.edu.