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.
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.
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).
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