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3.3 LEARNER POPULATION AND WHO CHOOSES THEM


The following categorisation of learners constitutes a convenient way of considering learners. It does not however take into account their prior knowledge or experience in learning, both of which can have enormous impact on the form and the outcome of training. In the case of MIGROS, for example, most employees are foreigners. Their mother tongue is not spoken in the area where they work and they are generally unaccustomed to learning in a traditional school-type context.

3.3.1 Newcomers to the firm, to the job or to a product
Learning technologies are frequently used for newcomers to the firm - in particular, apprentices - to provide structured knowledge about the firm, its corporate culture, its ways of working and technologies used on the job. (MIGROS, Federal Personnel Office, UBS, Global Teach/PTT,.). Silicon Graphics, for example, is about to introduce a Web tutorial about the company for newcomers. Learning in this context is obligatory and dictated by management with the help of the training department when there is one.
3.3.2 A category of employees

Learning technologies aimed at a particular category of employee were not so common. A couple of companies use technology extensively to keep their customer-support team up-to-date with the latest technological developments (Hewlett Packard, Silicon Graphics). Learning is considered an integral part of the job and as such obligatory, although the choice of when and what to learn is left to employees' judgement.

Another company uses computer-based business simulation to provide on-going training for management and specialists (Nestl). Candidates for training sign up for a course, but it is up to the training centre and the head office to decide who takes part.

3.3.3 All employees

When the learning population includes all employees, training is generally concentrated on supplying up-to-date information, reinforcing corporate culture or providing answers to sporadic questions (Digital, UBS, Oracle, Hewlett Packard). In this case it is the learner himself or herself who chooses when and what to learn.

In addition learning technologies are used to introduce new technologies or new procedures (MIGROS, Digital,.). It is interesting to note that with the MIGROS, although the choice of who learns is a management question, Andreas Kisch mentioned that management would like individuals to take the initiative of asking for training rather than being told to do so. He pointed out that computer assisted learning had been found to encourage an autonomous approach on the part of the learner, including the ability to define problems, discover failings and improve them. Such autonomous behaviour in thought, in work and in learning were encouraged by superiors.

Silicon Graphics are currently using the Web to provide information to all employees about the merger under way between Silicon Graphics and Cray Research.

3.3.4 Clients

Learning technologies are used to train clients by those companies selling technological solutions (Oracle, Hewlett Packard, Silicon Graphics). They are also used by companies selling learning infrastructures or courses in non-technological areas to other companies or individuals (Global Teach, JITOL).

3.3.4 The general public

A couple of companies questioned provide courses or plan to provide them for the general public as an extension of their current in-house or client use of learning technologies. (Global Teach, Federal Personnel Office).

4. CONTENT, MEDIA AND METHODS


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