development process, and arranging for system support. Instructional developers have analyzed the tasks, designed the instructional system, and developed and validated the instruction. The point of training implementation has now been reached. During implementation, management continues to plan and manage the instructional system; instructional developers monitor and refine instruction as necessary; the instructional staff conducts and evaluates the instruction; instructional evaluators periodically conduct operational evaluation; and the support personnel continue to support and maintain the instructional system.
9.3.1 Preparations for conducting instruction. Preparing to conduct instruction starts with the initial planning for the instructional system and continues throughout the analysis, design, and development phases of the ISD/SAT process. Because of poor planning and lack of adequate preparation, the conduct of training has often been viewed as a difficult task. However, with proper planning and adequate preparations, there should be very few problems encountered while conducting the training. When preparing for implementation, ensure that everything is ready to support the training. Adequate preparation produces graduates who can meet their job
performance requirements. Inadequate planning and preparation can result in complete failure of an instructional system. For example, if the instructors have not been qualified in the subject matter, they may not be capable of providing the training necessary for the students to achieve the LOs. Thus, the instructional system produces students who can not do the job. These checks are also a quality assessment of the development process and an evaluation of the ISD/SAT process application to this point.
9.3.1.1 What should be checked? During final preparations to conduct training, each component of the instructional system should be checked "one last time" to ensure that everything is ready. Some components to be checked are:
a. Equipment:
(1) Training, support, and test equipment should be available in adequate numbers and in operational condition.
(2) Logistics support, including maintenance and spare parts, should be available for all training equipment, support equipment, and test equipment.
(3) A backup system is available if the primary system is unavailable or not usable. b. Facilities:
(1) Training and support facilities should be available.
(2) Modifications to facilities (i.e., electrical and air conditioning) should be complete. (3) Student support facilities should be available and adequate.
c. Human resources:
(1) Adequate personnel must be available including instructional developers, instructors, maintenance personnel, students, etc.
(2) Instructors and instructors' supervisors must know their importance and role in the training system.
(3) Instructors must be qualified and certified to teach the courses. (4) Instructors must be assigned to classes.
(5) Maintenance personnel should be properly trained. (6) Students must be scheduled for the classes.
d. Funding:
(1) Adequate funds should be available to meet implementation cost and the cost associated with daily operation of the course.
e. Time:
(1) Instructional developers should have had adequate time to develop effective and efficient training to meet the users' need date.
(2) Instructors should have enough lead time to get certification. f. Materials and supplies:
(1) Instructional and student materials should be available in adequate quantities to support training.
(2) Training and office supplies should be available in adequate quantities to support training implementation.
9.3.2 Conducting the training. Once the instructional system becomes operational, it will remain so until there is no longer a need for the training. When conducting training, make sure the system continues to operate effectively and cost-efficiently, producing graduates who can meet job performance requirements. During the operation of the instructional system, there are ongoing activities that ensure system integrity, they include:
a. Resource management is probably the single most critical issue for training managers as well as instructors. Manage resources by ensuring that:
(1) Instructors' supervisors schedule students for training in a timely manner to ensure that students do not remain in an ineffective status any longer than necessary. Instructors, when not in the classroom, should be scheduled to work on course-
related items such as developing test items for the test pool or posting changes to technical orders used in their units or blocks of instruction.
(2) Managers ensure that equipment is available, in adequate quantities, and in an operational condition. Unneeded equipment should be turned in to supply or returned to the lender if it was borrowed.
b. Staff development is an activity that goes on continually while training is being
conducted. There is always someone who needs to attend a staff development course. For example, instructors and supervisors must periodically attend courses such as "Test and Measurement", and "ISD/SAT". These courses, as well as others, continue to help the staff to develop professionally.
c. Conducting training is the centerpiece of system integrity. No matter what has been done to this point, the instructional system can fail or be rendered ineffective or inefficient if the training is not properly conducted. There are many items that will help with the conduct of training including:
(1) Training should always be student-centered. Never allow the training to be focused on the instructor.
(2) Instructors are not allowed to change the training. They must follow the plan of instruction.
(3) Instructors must always perform professionally in the teaching-learning
environment. For example, instructors should be willing to assist students when necessary and within limits.
(4) Instructors should always be qualified to instruct and be certified in the units/blocks they are assigned to teach.
d. Evaluation maintains the quality of the training system. During the conduct of training, operational evaluation is continually performed to ensure the quality of the training system.