It's hard work to change attitudes towards online/distance learning in technical professional associations - but it's not impossible!
Distance learning has been part of the educational arena since Sir Issac Pittman taught his first shorthand course using postcards through the mail system in the 1700s (Anderson, 2007). Despite this fact, skepticism about the effectiveness of online learning continues to exist today. This skepticism is especially prevalent in technical training environments where performance is the focus, and hands-on learning is a critical component of learning transfer. To date, several studies have explored the use of gamification, simulations and virtual environments as methods to deliver training that is both highly technical and performance-based in nature (Aggarwal & Darzi, 2006; Seymour, Gallagher & Roman, 2002, Tendick, et al. 2000). However, because these methods can be costly and require specialized skills for development, they are not always practical for smaller training organizations with budget constraints. Professional associations often fall into this category because of their limited staff members and non-profit status.
Professional organizations are usually a nonprofit organizations designed to further a particular profession and the interests of individuals engaged in that profession. Although global in nature, most professional organizations are located in the United States as the U.S has led the transformation of occupations into professions (Harvey, 2004). A key benefit of these organizations is the education and skills that are provided to its members. In some instances, the education and skills are highly technical, specialized, and lead to industry credentials and certifications. For organizations in this category, training is often conducted face to face because of the hands-on nature of the industry. Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) is one such organization.
BICSI is a professional association supporting the advancement of the information and communications technology (ICT) community. Since the official break-up of AT&T in 1984, BICSI has been the leading global professional association providing development for design and installation consultants in the information communication and technology industry. More than 80% of courses taught at BICSI are instructor-led and conducted in face-to-face settings. In 2013, the need to reach a broader audience led to the decision to move test preparation courses designed to prepare learners for credentialing exams from face-to-face instructor-led settings to asynchronous, self-paced courses offered online through the association's learning management system (LMS). The curriculum development department at BICSI was tasked with the development of a strategy to convert these courses and prepare the large membership base of over 23000 global members for the new format.
This session is designed as a case study that will detail the structured process used by the curriculum development team at BICSI to take on this monumental task. A practical design framework for the conversion of ILT to online education will be shared during the session along with the change management process that was used during this strategic effort. The change management process is based on Kotter's Change Management Model. Participants will have the opportunity to practice the use of both the model and the design framework on a real-world scenario designed specifically for the session. Finally, outcomes based on feedback, credential exam pass rates and revenue earned will be shared, This educational session is useful for instructional designers, technologists, educators and anyone who has faced the challenge of being told "you can't teach that online".