Static online courses are plagued with low completion rates.
-learning,
the use of electronic tools like computers and the Internet to deliver content, has
emerged as the fastest-growing segment in the field of training and development. And
one of the hottest tickets in e-learning is computer-aided simulation.
The military pioneered computer simulation for its pilot and
weapons training. Now simulation has invaded the corporate world and is being used to
create workplace mockups that test and help enhance an employee’s performance.
At Enspire Learning of Austin, Texas, CEO Bjorn Billhardt
believes that the more engaging the simulation, the better. So he adds an element of
fun to learning programs.
His company’s 50 employees include a group of film and
electronic game specialists who work on custom-designed training programs that can
include animation, film clips and game-like experiences for the "players." He says
the creative team works "at the intersection of online entertainment, film
entertainment and education."
Billhardt was a trainer for a software vendor before enrolling
in the MBA program at Harvard Business School in 1999, where he says he was inspired
by his professors and courses. He moved to Austin in 2001 to launch his company.
Revenue was less than $1 million the first year but has soared by 80 percent. Enspire
now has a list of clients from Fortune 500 companies and from the military and
universities.
As Billhardt sees it, successful training programs
traditionally relied on charismatic teachers who might use humor and anecdotes to
make course work come alive. When e-learning came along, early offerings consisted of
converting slide presentations to computer files that students could access.
"People thought that all we have to do is put a PowerPoint
presentation online and that it would be as effective as a skilled trainer who knows
how to use humor, how to wake up an audience," Billhardt says.
Static online training courses are plagued with low completion
rates and poor retention. Yet people who can’t make it through a simple online slide
presentation will sit for hours watching a movie or playing an electronic game,
Billhardt says.
His notion of a way to liven up electronic learning was to
borrow ideas from the entertainment industry. "We really are trying to create a very
engaging, fun experience," Billhardt says. "We want to make sure that when people
watch these online courses that they really are entertained and motivated to learn
more."
For one, Enspire created a leadership training program called
Executive Challenge. Groups of corporate executives are divided into teams of eight
to 15 players. Each team is given a virtual company with information and scenarios
tailored to different positions within the company. A sales manager sees one series,
a production manager another.
Players work on computers through tasks that are presented in
story fashion with colorful images. A player might start as CEO, make some bad
choices and be demoted back to midlevel manager. As they work their way through the
game, players are tested on leadership skills, teamwork and the ability to make their
virtual companies successful.
Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Connecticut, recently used the
system for its managers.
With engaging programs, retention is higher, Billhardt says.
Players tend to talk about their experiences for months afterward. Whether game
simulation actually produces better managers is much harder to measure, but that’s
the case with just about any management training program, he notes. wƒm
= Member Only
