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Designing Web-based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything Anywhere Anytime
William K. Horton. 2000. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. [ISBN 0-47135614-X. 607 pages, including index. $44.99 (softcover).]
Anyone faced with the challenge and it definitely is a challenge) of developing Web-based training (WBT) will be relieved to know that help is available. William Horton has added to his list of pioneering books on how to use technology to convey information with Designing Webbased training. This book contains a wealth of information to help guide developers through the complexities of WBT development. Recognizing the urgent need for a guidebook on WBT, Horton states that his book is "for practitioners who cannot wait for all the research to be done and need advice now" (p. vi). The book summarizes some of the best thinking in WBT development. As he's proven many times before, Horton is able to make sense of the complexities of a challenging subject and present it so that readers can understand and use the information.
Designing Web-based training contains so much information that it's hard to figure out where to start describing its contents. But I guess the best place to start is with some basic facts about the book. It is organized into 14 chapters that "draw together related design issues." In many ways, the book is very much like a WBT course, but on paper. For example, it begins with an FAQ section that explains who should use the book and how it should be used. Subsequent chapters provide information in easily managed chunks. In addition, important concepts are summarized in tables, so readers can view the information at a glance.
The book is loaded with exampies, and there are summaries as well as exercises at the end of each chapter to encourage readers to do further exploration of WBT topics. The book also contains an index and an excellent list of 145 books and articles on designing WBT. And if that's not enough, readers can visit the companion Web site (www.wiley.com/compbooks/horton/) to view live versions of examples illustrated in the book and to download forms to use in planning and designing WBT.
Chapters 1 and 2 provide background information about WBT, defining what it is, how it evolved, and...