Network-based Multimedia Technology for Continuous Training in Enterprises
by Paola Forcheri, Maria Teresa Molfino, Alfonso Quarati and Francesco
Riccio
The Qualification 2000 project focuses on the design
and experimentation of a continuous training model, based on multimedia
and networked technology, that integrates different approaches to learning:
self-learning, collaborative and distance learning.
Qualification 2000 is partially supported by the EC initiative Adapt
and by the Italian Ministry of Labour. Like all Adapt projects, Qualification
2000 is divided into two levels of activity: an international level, in
which European partners working towards the same objective share or exchange
know-how, experience, design methods, etc; a national level, in which national
partners work on the common objective focusing on an application field
and proposing solutions, tailored to their own country. Here, we will briefly
describe the Italian part of Qualification 2000.
The rapid evolution in all technological fields means that workers in
business and industry are obliged to keep up to date with the most recent
developments, ie to carry out a continuous learning process. Network-based
training systems can offer an efficient solution to this problem. The European
Community has launched a series of initiatives to support projects aimed
at exploring the possibility of helping small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs), which constitute the core of our economy, to adopt such training
models.
Our work is framed in this context. We are participating in Qualification
2000, a project partially funded by the European Community under the Adapt
initiative and aimed at analysing, from an operative point of view, the
potential of new technologies for providing effective continuous training
in SMEs. The target of the project are SME staff members who are to be
trained with respect to the changes that the new information and communication
technologies have introduced in the office. The result of our activity
is a training model which has two main characteristics:
- the guidelines of the model have been based on a preliminary analysis
of training needs in order to respond effectively to well-defined requirements
- two different implementations have been developed so that the model
can be adapted for different technological conditions.
The needs analysis, carried out through a series of interviews of both
employers and employees, resulted in the training model being based on
two main principles: the integration of different teaching/learning strategies
so that various kinds of training needs can be satisfied; the adoption
of a design and problem-solving approach in order to make staff aware of
the potential of technological innovation in their particular work situation.
The model consists of two parts: a set of multimedia courses; a communication
environment. These parts are integrated in a distance learning environment.
The set of courses aims at helping trainees acquire information management
knowledge and skills for the office. The communication environment aims
at providing trainees with the possibility of contacting each other and
the (distant) trainer in synchronous or asynchronous mode. By integrating
these two parts, the distance learning environment allows trainees to develop,
with respect to a given content, different learning paths in a single context:
self-learning, collaborative learning, or distance learning with the guide
of a trainer. Two different implementations were developed so that the
model could be employed in different technological situations: the first
was designed mainly for local use; the second is intended for a distributed
training context.
The first implementation consists of four multimedia packages, which
can be used on a PC in stand-alone mode for self-learning activities (see
Figure), or on a local PC network, in the distance learning environment.
This local application responds to a need mainly expressed by SMEs with
a limited level of technological resources and which do not have Internet
access: their staff needs to acquire office automation skills typical of
a PC/Windows environment.
The second implementation consists of a web-based conference framework
which supports the delivery of courses via Internet aimed for use on a
heterogeneous network. This implementation has been designed for educational
topics which are intrinsically general with respect to the hardware/software
platform, and are presumed to be of interest for SMEs oriented towards
a network reality. The proposal is now being experimented with a number
of Italian enterprises.
The European partners of Qualification 2000 are IMA-CNR (Italy), Mittweida
University (Germany), Gemme SARL (France); the national partners are IMA-CNR
(Italian Promotor), ISOMAR, Porto di Savona, Vado e Imperia; Enaip Liguria;
Società Funiviaria Alto Tirreno, Savona; Geo-Consult, Manocalzati;
LPMconsulting, Genoa; Nuova Magrini Galileo, Savona; Unione Industriali
della Provincia di Savona, The Ligurian Agency for Employment.
More information on IMA-CNR and on Qualification 2000 can be found at
http://www.ima.ge.cnr.it/
Please contact:
Paola Forcheri, Maria Teresa Molfino, Alfonso Quarati and Francesco
Riccio - IMA-CNR
Tel: +39 10 6475 673/675/692
E-mail: {forcheri,
molfino, quarati, fraric}@ima.ge.cnr.it
