A Computer-Based Employee Training System for Resource-Limited Small Businesses

A Project Presented to the Faculty of California State University, Fullerton

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science
in
Instructional Design and Technology

William J. Schools

May, 2004

Abstract

Well-trained employees are as critical as ever if a company wishes to succeed in the competitive business markets of today. Yet, under the financial pressures due to increasing competition, corporate training is frequently an area that is subject to resource cutbacks. These cutbacks are especially hard on Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMB’s), whose resources cannot match those of the Fortune 500 corporations. A small business with less than 30 employees cannot afford the luxury of a training department, or even a dedicated training person.

This project will illustrate an example of limited-budget educational media production that is developed according to principles of andragogy (adult learning), learning theories, and instructional design. The use of an authoring tool to supplement PowerPoint presentations will provide expanded capabilities in the form of learner control and interactivity and learner assessment. Formative assessments will be developed to improve each student’s learning progress. The overall goal of the project is to show an example of an effective and professional training course that can be used asynchronously and at a distance; and that is developed with the latest principles of instructional design by a one-person staff with limited budget expenditure.

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