This is your opportunity to design a training session. You may choose any discrete set of tasks you are familiar with, either work-related or recreational. In the past, students have chosen diverse ta

How to develop training for Flat Screen TV Wall Installation

HRA-539-MBOL1

Instructor: Dr. Nicole Hawkins

November 12, 2017

ABSTRACT

Flat screen TVs have revolutionized the way contemporary humans spend their leisure time at home. The television set was introduced in the 1950s and until present day, it has remained a permanent fixture in our living rooms all across the America and the rest of the world. The introduction of the Flat screen TV in the 2000s took the evolution of the television set to new heights, once considered a bulky piece of electronic equipment, flat screen TVs have evolved in to larger and lightweight sophisticated pieces of equipments which are able to be placed on walls, ceilings, corners, as well as on top of our favorite furniture. This report, will provide detailed instructions on how to develop a training plan to teach store employees on how to properly install flat screen TVs on wall mounts, this will be achieved by determining and setting specific training objectives (TO), tailoring the training session to fit various strengths of different learning styles, how to maximize transfer of training, and how to incorporate different design theories to maximize learning.

DEVELOPING OBJECTIVES

The term training objectives as defined by Blanchard & Thacker (2012), is listed as "all the objectives that are developed for the training program". The authors also described that there are four types of training objectives and listed them as: reaction, learning, transfer of training, and organizational outcome. These are further explained as such:

• Reaction objectives- This type of training objective refers to the objective set for how trainees should feels about training.

• Learning objectives- This type of objective describes the knowledge, Skills, and abilities (KSA) that trainees are expected to acquire throughout the training program and the ways that the learning objectives will be demonstrated.

• Transfer of training- This type of objective describes the changes in job behavior that are expected to occur as a result of transferring the KSAs gained.

• Organizational outcome objective- Describes those outcomes that the organization can expect from the changes in the trainees' job behavior as a result of the learning (p 154).

As a training developer, we must keep in mind what we are trying to achieve through the training provided. In this case as mentioned, we are trying to teach store employees how to properly install a flat screen TV on a wall. While developing the training objectives we should also keep in mind that the employees' reaction objectives should encourage employees to feel better prepared to handle flat screen TV installation upon completion of training. The learning objectives should also motivate employees to listen, participate and learn as much as possible so they may be rewarded with unique skills that can be applied to future installation jobs. The transfer of training objectives will reassure the employees that with a new set of learned skills the organization expects the employee to have a solid foundation to become a professional flat TV installation technician. The organization outcome objective reassures the organization that employees who have been thorough the training program will be able to handle any type flat screen TV installation jobs the employee is assigned to.

TAILORING THE TRAINING SESSION

In order to successfully train store employees to install flat screen TVs, we must also understand and look into how these employees are able to learn the material we are trying to present to them. Blanchard & Thacker (2012) mentioned that people tend to be either sensing or intuitive learners. This means that, sensing learners don't like training that does not connect to practical application, they rather learn facts, and solve problems through well established methods. In the other hand, intuitive learners prefer to discover possibilities and relationships tend to be more innovated, and dislike repetition.

When developing training, we must keep in mind that in order to help sensing learners we must tailor our training material by providing specific examples of concepts and procedures, and how they apply to real world scenarios. In our particular flat screen TV training requirements, this can be solved by setting hands on training evolutions in which they not only listen how to install a flat screen TV, but they can actually manually perform the task as well. In the other spectrum, if we are faced with intuitor learners we should try to tailor our lesson plans to minimize memorization and plugging formulas. Instead, we may be able to provide interpretations or theories that link the facts, or just ask these types of learners what they would do if they were given a specific scenario.

Blanchard & Thacker (2012) also mentioned that there is a variation between visual and verbal learners. This means that a visual learner is able to learn better by associating pictures, diagrams, flowcharts, time lines, and demonstrations. In comparison, verbal learners are able to learn more from spoken words, and written or spoken explanations. In order to help these two opposite types of learners, a trainer must be able first recognize what type of learner they are. If faced with a visual learner, a trainer can add more visual material to the lesson such as videos, drawing lines with arrows, schematics, pictures, and flow charts. If faced with a verbal learner, the trainer can incorporate into the lesson plan: group sessions, writing summaries, and having trainees conduct verbal presentations.

In addition to the types of learners already mentioned, Blanchard & Thacker (2012) also mentioned that there are learners who can also be sequential or global learners. Sequential learners, tend to understand in linear steps in which additional steps follow logically from the previous one, and they seem to comprehend material even if they do not understand the bigger picture. In contrast, global learners are unable to learn the details before having a good understanding of the big picture, and need to have material presented in logical order. Trainers can help sequential learners by providing these types of learners with a copy of the lecture material with blank spaces in which they can add terms and definitions. Trainers are also able to help global learners by explaining how modules fit into the overall purpose of the training.

Last but not least, Blanchard & Thacker (2012) mentioned that there are also active and reflective learners. In this case, active learners tend to retain and understand information by doing something active with it such as discussing it, explaining it to others, or applying it. Reflective learners, in the other hand, tend to think about the new information before they apply it and tend to learn alone. In order for trainers to help these types of learners, the trainers must be able to create time for individual thinking and then follow that training with team discussions or team applications.

MAXIMIZING TRANSFER OF TRAINING

Transfer of training refers to how much of what is learned in training transfer to the job. Training can have three possible transfer outcomes; first we may have positive training. Positive training is when training results in a higher level of job performance. Second we have zero transfer, in this case, no change has taken place in job performance. Last, we have negative transfer, in this case, the training provided resulted in a lower level of job performance. In order to maximize the transfer of training between trainer and trainee, trainer designers must consider the three factors that influence the transfer of training, which are: conditions of practice, identical elements, and stimulus variability. In addition, other external factors such as nature of feedback, strategies used for retention, and goal setting can influence how the training is transferred back to the job (Blanchard & Thacker, 2012).

DESIGN THEORIES

In order to have a successfully designed flat screen TV installation training, trainers should explore the two theories described by Blanchard & Thacker (2012), which are listed as: elaboration macro theory of design, and Gagne and Briggs' micro theory of design.

The elaboration macro theory is based on a holistic alternative to the sequencing that is often used in training. This type of training is more motivational and meaningful for learners because they are able to practice from the beginning how to complete the task. However, in order to successfully use the elaboration theory, the curriculum must be able to use sequencing of events effectively. In order to achieve this, the design of training must include a spiral sequencing in which the learning of basic steps is required before moving on to more complex topics, or a topical sequence in which it is required to complete certain learning objectives before moving to another topic.

Gagne and Briggs' micro theory of design is applied to behavioral, cognitive and attitudinal learning. It is credited as providing a set of procedures in order to follow each instructional event in order to promote learning. Gagne and Briggs' theory employs nine events of instruction which are based on the social learning theory. These nine events are: gain attention, inform trainee of goals, stimulate recall of prior knowledge, present material, provide guidance for training, elicit performance, provide feedback, ass’s performance, and enhance retention and transfer.

CONCLUSION

As more and more flat screen TVs are sold throughout the United States, it generate the need for electronic department stores to meet the demand to have these TVs installed. However, as new model TVs are produced every year, it is necessary for department stores to have a standardized training that teaches their employees how to perform the job to satisfy the costumer's needs and increase the value of the organization. As a result, training designers as well as trainers have to deliver a product that can help these organizations deliver excellent customer service. This can be achieved by understanding what type of training is needed, what the specific training objectives are, how to tailor training sessions to fit various strengths of different learning styles, how to maximize transfer of training, and how to incorporate design theories to maximize training outcomes.

Reference:

Blanchard, P. B., & Thacker, J.W. (2012) Effective training: Systems, Strategies, and Practices (5th ed.). NY: Prentice Hall.