Whether designing fully customized Web-based instruction or purchasing it off the shelf, many challenging questions are raised by corporate training personnel, says consultant Frank Troha. For instance: What is the optimal mix of self-study and live, instructor-led study? Should the instructor's role be primarily directive or facilitative? To what extent does learner-to-learner collaboration enhance learning?
"Too often, such questions are answered intuitively, without the benefit of research findings that can take a lot of time to locate and sift through," said Troha.
To help answer these questions, Troha reviewed numerous educational studies conducted from 1995 to the present, distilling their conclusions into a list of 18 concisely worded findings. As an aid to effective decision-making, Troha offers his 18-point summary of research free of charge to other designers and purchasers of Web-based learning. Included are such topics as effective orientation, benefits of asynchronous learning and student controlled learning. To obtain Troha's report, write to: frank@franktroha.com