Computer Training Challenges with Video Conferencing

A large element of this particular class I teach is computer training on the system that we use for this particular affiliate. There are actually two systems for this one company. The first system is called V2 (v is for version) and the other is called V12. This affiliate is upgrading from V2 to V12 using a state-by state approach. This company writes insurance in the following states: Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Idaho, Washington and Arizona. Eight of the states have been upgraded to V12 and the other states should be on V12 by the end of 2010. It can be confusing as each system has significant differences, from the format of the Claim and Policy number to the basic process of confirming coverage, creating a claim, and making claim payments.
Although I felt very well prepared for the class, there was one problem I did not identify prior to the class. I am sure everyone has had some type of computer training in the past, so perhaps you can relate. Usually, if a student gets stuck somewhere in the system, the teacher is usually there and can look over your shoulder to see what problem you are encountering. Well, obviously I was not present in the classroom, and even if I zoomed the camera in close to the student’s computer screen, it was impossible to be able to clearly see the screen, never mind an error message of which the student may not be aware.
The first day went fine, as there was not a lot of system training. But by the second day, I had a couple of students who were stuck on one thing or another. I had to have them describe to me what was happening on their computer. Some students are more computer savvy than others, and some students almost freeze when they are having a computer problem, and cannot see beyond the fact that they cannot do something on the computer, and are nervous and embarrassed. Obviously, we want to avoid having students feeling this way in class. How could I avoid this from happening?
While the students were at lunch, I thought through my options. It was not resource efficient to have one of the training instructors in Arizona, come into the class when someone was having a problem. It would be a burden to have one of the students who were more comfortable on this system to be responsible for helping out others. And the system training is such an important element of this training, which it was not something that we could just skip over or just read about it on our intranet. Hands on training for systems are essential to a successful program. There is a quote by Confucius that I often use in class: “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”
This quote really hammers home the notion that reading text, or listening to a lecture is not as effective as the actual process of doing something.
In my next blog I will reveal the solution to my training issue.