Adult Learning and Technology Essay

Training needs analysis (TNA) refers to the assessment of an organizational gap between the knowledge and skills held by the employees and actual job description requirements (Trutkowski 2016). Through TNA an organization identifies the key areas in which its employees need training, the specific group of employees to be trained, and the method of training needed. After completing the TNA, the actual training process should begin with a focus on instilling knowledge and improving skills to the chosen employees in the most favorable environment. This includes evaluation of the success of TNA.

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The process begins with understanding the group of employees to be trained. This will help decide on the most effective instructional method to use, language and nature of the content. Examples of training methods I can apply include role-playing, on the job training and mentoring (Martin 2014). The choice of the method will be determined by the flexibility of the employee in terms of time and the desired outcome. Language and the content of the training rely on the skills to be taught and the experience of the employees. For instance, in the technical fields, employees with more years of experience are likely to understand field related jargon, unlike new ones.

The second step will be establishing a schedule and communicating the same to the group. This will enable them plan for their time and reduce time wastage. The schedule will also alert them on the training venue to ensure that they are there in time. For instance, in the case of role-playing, the employee may visit the place prior to my arrival to familiarize with any equipment or environment to have an understanding of what to expect. The third step will be delivering content based the skills to be improved and the method used. The last step would be to evaluate the employees understanding through questions and observation.

Business organizations require measures to maintain and improve the performance of their workforce. A course to maintain employee's performance would require first an understanding of the factors that are likely to affect them either positively or negatively. This includes; salaries, working hours, skills, and equipment among others. In order to develop a course aimed at helping organizations maintain their workforce performance I would apply the approaches explained by Kareh (2017) which involves conducting a research, gathering materials required, developing the course and finally carrying out tests and relevant adjustments.

Research will enable collection of data relevant to the adults to attend the course. In order for the course to be successful, teaching materials such as reference books should be available. The employees participating in the course have some expectations. This creates the need to develop the course to ensure the content meets the needs of the employees, the learning environment is conducive and the methods used are effective.

Growth in technology has simplified manual jobs, such as training and improved the quality of the outcomes. Some of the technologies to be used during the adult training to maintain performance are a personal computer and a projector (Czaja & Sharit 2016). This will allow the adults to view the course content, improve their attention and have an opportunity to seek clarification on ambiguous words or sentences. Technological advancement has also allowed provision of educational services through e-learning. They thus enable working employees to access course content without necessarily traveling all the way to the training venue. This may be effective, for example where a company has more than branches and intends to have all the employees participate.

References

Czaja, S. J., & Sharit, J. (2016). Designing training and instructional programs for older adults. CRC Press.

Martin, B. O., Kolomitro, K., & Lam, T. C. (2014). Training methods: A review and analysis. Human Resource Development Review, 13(1), 11-35.

Cezary Trutkowski (2016). Training Needs Analysis and National Training Strategies: How to Ensure the Right Training atthe Right Time tothe Right People? Retrieved from https://rm.coe.int/1680746e54

Kareh, A. (2017, August 7). A Simplified, Four-Step Approach To Instructional Design. FORBES. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/08/07/a-simplified-four-step-approach-to-instructional-design/2/#6372147726e0