In an effort to improve its poor safety record, a biodiesel manufacturing plant needs a series of safety training modules. These stand-alone modules must illustrate best practices on how to safely operate the many pieces of heavy machinery on the plant floor. The modules should involve step-by-step processes and the method of delivery needs to be available to all shifts at the plant. As well, the shift supervisors want to be sure the employees are engaged and can demonstrate their learning from the modules.
There are several distance learning technologies that would work for this situation. What instantly comes to mind is a LMS that utilizes a Prezi slide show with embedded questioning and a quiz on the end of the presentation. Another, piece of technology that comes to mind is an online CMS, with safety videos and quizzes. Once you take the quiz, your boss will be emailed what you made on the quiz. The two main pieces of technology that I will focus on are the prezi slide show and the CMS online course.
An LMS would make sense because, “they first emerged in government and corporate world and are educations versions of CMSs” (Simonson et. al. 2012). I will use Prezi and give it a Constructivist view by using scaffolding to take the employees step-by step through use of heavy machinery on the plant floor. Once they are finished with the presentation they would have to take an assessment and pass. Once they passed their supervisor would be able to track the employees achievement from the LMS. LMSs are commonly used to track individual achievement (Simonson et. al. 2012)
The second piece of technology is an online CMS that allows you to watch safety videos that take you step-by-step through the safety training modules. I would also embed formative assessments along the way to check for understanding. Once complete I would give them a summative assessment to be reported to their supervisor. If the learner does not pass they have to retake the module until they pass the formative assessment for each safety training module.
URLs:
http://www.slideshare.net/Prezi22/safety-and-quality-in-dermatology
http://www.scsi-inc.com/safety-management-systems-complete.php
References:
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
smacjackson 