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So, you've come to terms with the fact that, like it or not, your role as trainer is changing. The infusion of technology in every aspect of what you do means you need to learn a whole new set of skills, including, how to author computerbased training.
Don't panic. The authoring tools on the market today are designed for people who have no intention of learning a programming language but must master the art of CBT design.
Does that mean it's easy? No. There's a steep learning curve and you will go through a lot of practice runs before producing usable, rich programs, says Minnesota-based multimedia consultant, Jeff Weinberg (612.888.9544). On a positive note, you already have the most important skills a potential CBT designer needs - understanding of instructional design.
"Design is everything in CBT, the technology is just a tool," says Weinberg. "It's better to have a greater understanding of instructional design and learn the technology than the other way around."
How You Can Learn the Technology
The resounding advice from experienced users is, take a training class on your authoring tool of choice. As trainers, you've doled this advice out hundreds of times, now it's time to take it for yourself. Most vendor-sponsored authoring classes may seem pricey ($1,000-$5,000 for three to five days) but if you are going to build effective CBT you need to learn the...