Training tools work plan |Tools mini-survey|  |  |  |

 

 

Background Results Recommendations Next Steps Suggestions from Team Members

 

 

survey_responses.pdf 

 

Background

 

Answers to Review your Survey Questions - Bold and Italics

 

 

 

1) To gather additional information about what specifically AT PP members are looking for when moving/enhancing training in an online environment. 

• What materials do their current trainings comprise of? 
• Do they have any ideas as to how they would like to see a F2F training in an online format?
• What software tools do they currently use to supplement/deliver training?
• What software tools would they like to use?
• Decided to conduct a "mini-survey" of ten questions with AT PP members over a two week period. 

 

Results

 

2) AT Priority Project is the group we are sampling from.  The AT Priority Project is also our sampling frame and we are using purposeful sampling.

 

 

Ten out of 12 PP members and 1 T/TAC Online representative responded to the survey (77% completion rate)

 

What format of trainings do you currently deliver?

 

Histogram:

• Currently, all respondents conduct F2F trainings
• Majority provide software demonstrations and simulations (n=7)
• Others create webshops (n=4), or tutorials (n=3)

 

What format of training would you like to deliver in the future?

 

Histogram:

• Majority want to deliver online training (n=6)
  • Need to identify how they are defining online training
• Others indicated the desire to have blended training (n=3)
• While podcasting, webinars, and webshops also generated some interest (n=2 for each)
• Tutorials and simulations/software demonstrations, and F2F training options were also indicated by respondents (n=1 for each)
• Comment from one AT PP member: "Not sure what [training format] would work best."

 

What materials do you use during your trainings?

 

Histogram:

• All respondents use Handouts and PowerPoint during training delivery.
• Majority use video (n=8), audio (n=7), and whiteboard (n=6)
• Half use worksheets and flipcharts (n=5 for each)
• Other comments included: The use of Blackboard and Smartboard, incorporating "manipulatives, sensory items", using a CD instead of handouts, and using materials for hands-on training, "make it, take it" materials, computer trunks, tablets and ipods.

 

Define dynamic and interactive.

 

Narrative:

A wide range of definitions were used to describe interactive and dynamic, including:

• Feedback (n=2)
• Interaction between presenter and attendee (n=2)
• Interaction with materials presented (n=2)
• Interaction through dynamic content such as graphics, hotlinks to video and websites, flash-based content (n=2)
• Real-time chat (n=1)
• Information sharing (n=1)
• Scenarios with branching (n=1)
• Real-time interaction with application sharing (n=1)
• Assessment (n=1)

 

What types of assessment do you want to incorporate, if any?

 

Pie chart:

• All respondents that answered question would like to use surveys (n=9)
• Majority would like to incorporate quizzes (n=5)
• Others would like to use portfolios in training assessment (n=4)

 

Do you collaborate with other PP members in preparing training materials?  If so, please describe.

 

Narrative:

Majority of respondents do collaborate on training preparation/development (n=9).  Ranges from:

• Planning trainings together to co-presenting with other PP members, to "borrowing technology" and using other's resources and PowerPoints
• Collaboration occurs F2F and via email.  Some are using Blackboard, wikis and google docs, but one remarks that the usage of the Web 2.0 tools (wikis and google docs) is not consistent.
• Other comments: "I'm not sure what you mean by types of software.  We use PowerPoint, camtasia, audacity, wikis, and blogs."

 

Do you use any of the following software (Lectora, Captivate, Camtasia, Adobe Presenter, Podcasting)?  If you do, how do you use them?

 

Histogram and Narrative:

• Majority that responded to this question (n=5) use Camtasia (n=4) and Captivate (n=3)
• Others use Adobe Presenter (n=2) and Podcasting (n=1)

Usage of software tools include:

• Camtasia to demonstrate software, or to convert PowerPoint books and Photo Story projects to make them iPod compatible
• Captivate for demonstrations
• Embedding podcasts into a blog and sometimes into training

 

Briefly describe a training that you deliver F2F that you would like to see in an online format, or describe an online training that you would like to improve upon.

 

Narrative:

• Three respondents mentioned demonstrating software or software training.  One respondent would like to deliver software training using Camtasia in a webinar

• Adobe Connect for webshop developers
• Video modeling scripting out scenes and responding in a wiki, viewing videos for input on revisions
• Smartboard training, improve upon Speech to Text webshop
• Use of AT devices in classroom, create DVD with small chunks
• Interactive whiteboards
• Communication DVD

 

Recommendations

 

4) We thought that survey data would provide more direction on the specific training tools the AT PP members would like to use and how we could support usage of those tools, Instead:

 

Based on responses, there is a wide range of experience and usage of different software tools to deliver training.  Most repondents indicate a desire to explore new tools to enhance current training or enable delivery of training through online means.  In light of these results and other information found from the survey, we recommend exploring the following:

• Establish a community of practice with AT PP that will allow members to share their expertise with development of online training, explore the collective knowledge on training development topics, and try new modes of training delivery
• Using the wealth of knowledge already contained in the AT PP by creating cognitive apprenticeships around specific tools
• Create an area for showcasing AT PP best practices
• Develop a resource area for Captivate, Camtasia, Podcasting, and Adobe Presenter (links to pre-existing tutorials, job aids)
• Create just-in-time support/job aids to make Captivate, Camtasia, Podcasting, and Adobe Presenter products accessible
• Create training assessment tool that will respond training developer input and provide recommendations for enhancing training content or moving F2F training to an online format
• Identify and create mini-training modules around key issues to consider when moving F2F training online
  • Considering multi-media principles
  • Incorporating collaboration into training
  • Creating webinars
  • ???

 

 

Next Steps

 

4) Our additional questions as a result of this data are listed below:

 

Need to clarify the following survey reponses:

 

• Brian Dye - Need to know what software he uses and what does he do when he delivers software demos, simulations, and tutorials.  Are these all F2F?  In Question 3 (What format of training would you like to deliver in the future?), please describe what you mean by online.  Can we get a sample of a current online training/training component, or a F2F training that you would like to move to an online environment?  Ask to rank suggestions below.
• Teresa Lyons - Need to know what software she is currently using (if any) for software demonstrations and simultions.  Ask her to explain what Video Modeling is.  In Question 3 (What format of training would you like to deliver in the future?), please describe what you mean by online.  Can we get a sample of a current online training/training component, or a F2F training that you would like to move to an online environment?  Ask to rank suggestions below.
• Estela Landeros - Need to know does she actually use software (Question 8 - Said she used Captivate, Camtasia, and Presenter) or does she want to use them?  In Question 3 (What format of training would you like to deliver in the future?), please describe what you mean by online.  Can we get a sample of a current online training/training component, or a F2F training that you would like to move to an online environment?  Ask to rank suggestions below.
• Sharon Jones - In Question 7 (Do you collaborate with other staff or PP members in preparing training materials?  What types of software do you use when you collaborate?) she indicates that she uses PowerPoints, Camtasia, wikis, and blogs.  Specifically, are these tools being used to deliver training, or to develop training?  Can we view the wikis and blogs to get an idea as to how they are using these Web 2.0 tools?  Who specifically uses these tools?  Can we get a sample of a current online training/training component, or a F2F training that you would like to move to an online environment?  Ask to rank suggestions below.
• Brenda Lucas - Can we get a sample of a current online training/training component, or a F2F training that you would like to move to an online environment?  Ask to rank suggestions below. 

 

Ask these same respondents the following questions:

You have a F2F training that you conduct regularly that you believe would be perfect for delivering in an online format.  What would you find most useful as you develop your training?

 

Rank top three that you would like to see available to help you with online training development.

1. Receiving recommendations as to the types of software tools I could use for my training
2. Have an area of resources that I can explore on my own related to the training development software I want to use
3. Have information about everything I need to do to make my online training accessible
4. Have an area where I can share my questions and find support from the "in-house" (AT PP) experts
5. Identifying a software tool that I do not know how to use and then work one-on-one with an AT PP expert
6. Look at examples of best practices from my fellow AT PP members
7. Review information about the instructional aspects I need to consider when moving my training to an online environment

 

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Recommendation responses

 

Sharon: I think my choices would be 1, 2 and 4.    I do have a question about who the AT PP "experts" are?  I like the idea of having someone to go to help problem solve too.

 

Brenda: Here are my top 3!

 

I have a few face to face trainings that I would like to see made into online. One is a webshop that I created for Microsoft Office XP-speech recognition. I was only able to give directions and then let them complete it on their own. It is currently a webshop on TTACONLINE.ORG.  I recently conducted a training using the notebook software of Smart Tech, Inc., I would love to see how to put it together online! I 'll pull it together and send it to you, too!

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Suggestions from Team Members

 

After reading through, i have the following reccommendations:

 

Since there is a wide range with regards to the survey responses, I think we should create an environment that would address all levels of expertees. Go on with the tools we want to include in the VCC and

1. Provide our own support for them for the novice, intermediate and the expert learner.

2. provide other already existing resources for support for the tools that would address all levels of expertees.

3. For each of these tools also, provide detailed demonstrations that would be easily understood by the most basic learner.

4. Pursue the idea of a CoP so that all levels of expertees can share knowledge f the tool usage, examples etc.

 

-Afua (I would add/adjust my suggestions as the ideas come)

 

After looking through the results of the survey and the follow up questions, I think that we should focus on support for Captivate and Camtasia that include how to address accessibility issues.  While the n on the "Do you use any of the following" was 5, that still means that only half of the responsents report using those tools, so there is potential for the other half of the AT pp to be brought up to speed.   I also think that we should identify experts within the AT pp for these tools and have them kick off the CoP with some tips and examples of why they might want to use that tool.

 

Kim A. 

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After reviewing the survey results again and spending some time looking at accessibility resources on the Web, I think focusing on Captivate and Camtasia seems like a useful direction to go in, in part because there is already some use of these tools. At the same time, I think there is great value in pursuing the development of online training about how to enhance PowerPoint presentations and how to make them accessible. I think this has great value, because PowerPoint is a ubiquitous tool, and we know that our audience uses it from the needs analysis. Furthermore, this direction has been explicitly suggested by the client on more than one occasion, and it was also suggested by John Eisenberg.

 

If someone who responded to the mini-survey actually provides materials used in a face to face training that included the use of a PowerPoint presentation, we could enhance the PowerPoint presentation by adding video and or audio components and make it accessible for online delivery. Or we could choose a Webshop done with one of the standard templates and completely redesign it as a multimedia-enhanced PowerPoint. Then, we could demonstrate and explain how we did all this, recording the steps and providing audio narration using Captivate. From what I read this morning, it seems that two major issues are important in making PowerPoint presentations accessible: ensuring correct reading order of text and providing alt text for all images used. In addition, if audio/video components are included in a PowerPoint then all of the issues relating to the use of these multimedia must also be addressed.

 

I read that there are some practices that can be used in the creation of a PowerPoint presentation that make it more accessible to a screen reader. There are also products and techniques of converting a PowerPoint presentation into something else to make it accessible, like html or pdf. An advantage of pdf is that it can preserve the exact appearance of the original PowerPoint and can incorporate audio and video. Version 8 of Acrobat also has accessiblity tools that can be used to adjust document tags and reading order and assign alt text to images and make tables accessible. However, this would require availability of Acrobat and some instruction/demonstration on how to make accessibility-related adjustments to PowerPoint presentations converted to pdf. Alternatively, we could just focus on making the enhanced PowerPoint as accessible as possible in PowerPoint and forget about any type of conversion.

Matthew

 

 

 

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