What Do We Mean By Agile Scrum Training “Online”?
There are so many variations of “online training” I wanted to define a few to give you a sense of the different methods and get a better understanding of what our Agile Scrum Training “online” is.
- Web-based training (WBT) / eLearning: These are on-demand, stand alone courses that are typically built using flash, XML and HTML code. They can include activities like multiple choice quizzes, drag and drops to build diagrams and simulations that imitate the use of systems and tools. Examples of WBT platforms include Storyline, Adobe Captivate and Dream Weaver
- Asynchronous online: These are usually built on more of a collaboration type platform. Courses run over a specific period of time (e.g. Sept – January), but students may enter at any time, complete the work and submit as they finish it. The course includes a variety of modules that each contain activities for the students to complete. For example the activities would include things like specific books to read and questions to answer in response to the reading, putting together a presentation on a particular topic to post for the cohort, responding to others posts in discussions. An instructor is available and supports the course through its duration, adding comments to discussions, reviewing and providing feedback on assignments and answering questions.
- Virtual Classroom: These are live, instructor led courses that are attended virtually by the learners. Learners join the virtual classroom from their computer remotely and see the instructor via a web cam. Examples of virtual classroom platforms include Adobe Connect, Web Ex and Go To Training. Each of which include modules that provide the capabilities of various activities such as, break out rooms where the participants are divided into smaller groups to complete activities and then come back to the larger group to present, polls, sharing videos or documents etc. Chats etc.
What we have developed for our Agile Scrum Fundamentals online training is what is defined here as WBT.
Why did we decide to create an Agile Scrum Fundamentals WBT course?
To meet the needs of specific learners and organizations…to offer flexibility in the way that some of the content can be learned, to be scalable, accessible and affordable.
What do I mean by some content? How do we determine what content is “right” for online training? How do you decide what type of online delivery would be most effective for the content in question? Find out in the next blog in our Agile Scrum Training Online series.
Lynda Todd
Manager, Learning Services Scrum Masters Inc Inc.