Distance education courses from a Brazillian financial company:Distance education courses from a Brazillian financial company:a qualitative analysys of the instructional materiala qualitative analysys of the instructional material

1 - ABSTRACT1 - ABSTRACT

2 - INTRODUCTION2 - INTRODUCTION

4 - RESULTS 4 - RESULTS

InstrumentInstrument

The Analysis of the Didactic Material Checklist (38 items).

Such tool guides researchers' examination of adequacy of

instructional objectives, instructional strategies, evaluation

strategies, planning, sequence of content, and information sources. Abbad, G.S. & Borges-Andrade, J.E. (2004). Aprendizagem Humana em Organizações e

Trabalho. In: Zanelli, Borges-Andrade & Bastos (Orgs) Psicologia, Organizações e

Trabalho no Brasil, p. 237-275. Artmed: Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Gagné, R. M. (1988). Essencials of learning for instrucion. 2 ed. Englewood Cliffs:

Prentice Hall.

Gagné, R. M. (1985). The conditions of learning and theory of instrucion. 4ed. Nova

Iorque: Rinehart and Wiston.

This study aims to report the evaluation process of two distance

education courses, offered on the intranet by the corporative university

of a big Brazillian financial company. Both courses were related to

corporative security procedures that employees must follow at the

company. The strongest aspect of both courses was the use of

adequate, well-designed animation resources. The company received

feedback based on the previous results, and was willing to consider

them in order to improve the courses. Such study points to the

importance of a systematic evaluation of instructional materials, as well

as interest from the organizational environment to improve

development programs like the ones described here.

ProceduresProcedures

Didactic Material Reading;

Going through all the lessons and exercises;

Taking notes on ascpects that should be improved

(storyboard);

Following the Analysis of the Didactic Material Checklist.

7 – REFERENCES7 – REFERENCES

Presenter:

Vanessa Brixi

University of Brasília - Brazil

Institute of Psychology

Impacto: Research on Training and Organizatons of

Work

Authors:

Rafaella Andrade

Raquel Vilas Boas

Isabela Velasques

Renata Noleto

Gardênia Abbad

3 - METHOD3 - METHOD

Alternative sources of information about the topics are displayed to the learners (web sites, internal manuals, and so on).

Pictures were adequately used, presenting proper correspondence with the content (text).

The use of adequate, well-designed animation resources.

Strong aspects

There was no use of the strategies employed to stimulate interaction (chats, discussion forums).

In regards to navigability, the graphic interface was unfavorable to learning, since learners had difficulties in shifting from one section to another.

Feedback was not informative; it only showed the correct answer, without guidance about where to find more information about the topic.

Exercises were considered incompatible in complexity to the learning goals of the courses.

Both courses presented written objectives, most of which were inadequate: they described non-observable behaviors, and presented imprecise verbs that did not focus on the learners' needs.

Aspects that need improvement

Results have shown that the graphic

interface from both courses should be

improved, as well as interaction strategies

and instructional objectives;

Learning evaluation should be re-thought,

once it is necessary to establish criteria for

failure, come up with more informative

feedback and integrate more adequate

exercises;

The company received feedback based on

the previous results, and was willing to

consider them in order to improve the

courses.

5 – DISCUSSION5 – DISCUSSION 6 – RECOMMENDATIONS6 – RECOMMENDATIONS

The present study indicates that a

systematic evaluation of instructional

materials is a key to improve development

programs like the ones described here.

Such type of evaluation my also

provide researchers with information about

why results like the ones described here are

found. Therefore, it is clear that systematic

evaluation procedures should be applied to

other levels of evaluation (impact, for

example).

The rapid and constant technological, economical and social

changing has influenced the stuff training area, which has become an

important instrument to guarantee organizations of work with

acquiring new abilities, knowledge and attitude.

Given the vigorous requirement for constant learning, evaluating

training programs efficiently justifies the effort spent from researchers

to understand better the evaluation of training programs adapted to

the Brazilian reality. Evaluating instructional design it important

because a well-planned course tends to allow higher degrees of

retention and transfer of training at work (Pozo, 2001; In: Abbad,

2004).

In order to evaluate the adequacy of the instructional design of

two courses, researchers based their analyses on Bloom’s Taxonomy of

Educational Objectives (In: Abbad & Borges-Andrade, 2004) and on

Gagné’s Instructional Approach (1985 e 1988).

What was studied?What was studied?

Courses: Basic Security Procedures and Advanced Security

Procedures;

Modality: both courses were completely at distance; self-

instructional;

Amount of hours estimated to complete: 10 hours;

Participants: every single employee in the company.

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