Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2016 62 O nline technical training for appliance repair technicians is gaining in popularity, but how effective is it? Is it really advantageous compared to older methods of training? The answer is yes! Online training offers many advantages to both tech-students and employers. Compared to more traditional styles of training (either in-person or correspondence courses using books or DVDs), online training is: affordable, convenient, flexible, easy to update, and, most important of all, effective. Online training courses are usually on-demand, meaning you can work on them whenever it is convenient for you. A tech can take online courses while still working out in the field. However, it is good to study at a specific, concentrated time, say at the beginning or end of the work day, than to work at little bits of it throughout the day. Courses that are self-paced are an excellent way to accommodate different learning styles, speeds, and educational backgrounds. You can work at the pace you need to, unlike most other training methods where you are tied to the pacing of the teacher and the rest of the class. The online format gives a lot of flexibility when it comes to interactivity and teaching methods. Using things like student forums, webinars, and interactive exams or quizzes, the students can engage with their online instructor. That's what they're there for, and some back-and-forth Q & A or attending a live webinar can lead to that "Aha!" moment that will help the student rise to the next level of achievement in their training. Interactive features also help strengthen a student's connection with the course and can help keep their interest. What about dealing with different learning styles? Online training courses usually use multimedia to teach their subjects. For example, students can look at pictures of actual tech sheets and watch videos on specific troubleshooting techniques. Then there will be some text to read. The use of different media allows for students who are either textual, auditory, or visual learners to best grasp the material. Besides the time flexibility, as mentioned above, online learning also offers location flexibility. Students can work on their devices, so they don't need to be in an office or tied to a desktop. And of course there's no travel expenses to go to a training location! Because there are few–if any–hard copies of books, DVDs, or other instructional material that need to be purchased, online learning is much more affordable compared to other styles of training. Plus, you aren't paying for an instructor's time the same way you are with in-person classes. No training program can be effective without one critical component, however: a positive attitude. Even though a quality online training program should give you access to the instructor who can help and guide you through your studies, your actual success is up to you. No matter how good the course may be, it is the student who ultimately decides how much they learn from it. Techs thinking of enrolling in an online course should have self- motivation—a strong desire to master the subject matter--which may mean going back and retaking difficult tests or material. Or they should have a supervisor to whom they are accountable and who keeps track of their progress. If you are convinced that an online training program may be right for yourself or your employees, here are some key features that you should look for in a quality program: • Does the course cover the topics that are relevant for your field of work? • Does it offer the flexibility you want? (on-demand, self-paced) • Is it kept up-to-date with the latest technologies and needs of the industry? • Are there interactive features to allow for individual help? • Are there quizzes and other means of accountability? • Is there a way for a supervisor to keep track of their employee's progress in the course? • Are there rigorous criteria for certification of successful completion of the course? Scott M. Brown provides cutting-edge appliance repair training courses at the Master Samurai Tech Academy. www.MasterSamuraiTech.com S E R V I C E D E P A R T M E N T RO HOW ONLINE COURSES CAN FILL YOUR TECHNICAL TRAINING NEEDS

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