Premium
USING COMPUTERS TO DELIVER TRAINING: WHICH EMPLOYEES LEARN AND WHY?
Author(s) -
BROWN KENNETH G.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
personnel psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.076
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1744-6570
pISSN - 0031-5826
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-6570.2001.tb00093.x
Subject(s) - psychology , task (project management) , intranet , training (meteorology) , goal orientation , control (management) , orientation (vector space) , computer assisted instruction , applied psychology , medical education , mathematics education , social psychology , computer science , the internet , artificial intelligence , medicine , physics , geometry , management , mathematics , world wide web , meteorology , economics
Compared to traditional instructor‐led training, computer‐delivered training typically offers learners more control over their instruction. In learner‐controlled environments, learner choices regarding practice level, time on task, and attention are expected to be critical determinants of training effectiveness. To examine the effect of learner choices in computer‐based training, a study was conducted with 78 employees taking an Intranet‐delivered training course. Learner choices were assessed and predicted with goal orientation (mastery and performance) and learning self‐efficacy, as well as age, education, and computer experience. Results indicate considerable variability among trainees in practice level and time on task, which both predict knowledge gain. Performance orientation interacted with learning self‐efficacy to determine practice level, and mastery orientation had an unexpected negative effect. Implications for the use of computers to deliver training and for future research are discussed.