What is an incentive system?

Performance Technologists have come a long way—from producing zebra-striped books to implementing innovative interventions. It is about time we applied our technology to where the money is: compensation packages and incentive systems. This new series will feature articles on different aspects of developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving incentive systems.     

Interactive Multimedia Instruction Versus Traditional Training Programmes: Analysis of their Effectiveness and Perception

Abstract

In this article, the practicability of introduction of computer multimedia as an educational tool was compared with the traditional approach for training sugarcane growers in ratoon management practices in three villages of Tamil Nadu state, India using pre-test, post-test control group experimental design.

A CD-ROM was developed as a multimedia resource to support the training process using Macromedia Flash as the authorware. Three modes of message delivery—traditional lecture alone, lecture followed by multimedia and multimedia alone were analyzed for their effectiveness in terms of knowledge gain, learning index and extent of adoption. The group which was exposed to lecture followed by multimedia had better knowledge gain and learning index. Farmers perceived that the use of different multimedia building blocks made it an interesting and educative tool. The message, when given through lecture alone was perceived as boring and monotonous with limited attention span. The extent of adoption of ratoon management practices was almost on par; however the group which had received instructions through lecture followed by computer multimedia had a better adoption rate. Such a comparative analysis is an opportunity for a better understanding of the role that multimedia could play in technology transfer to farmers.     

Instructional product verification and revision: 20 questions and 200 speculations

Conclusion For some time now we have suspected that the significant differences due to formative evaluation in many doctoral dissertations is the result of beginning with an intentionally sloppy prototype product. The field of IPVR is full of mystique and myth — even from the initial assumption that IPVR does improve instructional products. I have contributed to the folklore of formative evaluation in this article and have probably confirmed some unjustifiable and unvalidated procedures. However, as Baker and Alkin (1973) point out, research on evaluation is not easy to undertake. We cannot afford to wait for the empirical testing of every aspect of our technology. Fortunately, the philosophy of IPVR suggests that we begin with our best guesses and verify and revise them on the basis of feedback from the field.