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eLearning
— is it anything more than a buzzword? You'd better
believe it!
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Online and CD-ROM training
— sometimes called eLearning or technology-based
training — let users take courses wherever and
whenever they have access to a computer and, for online
courses, the Internet. This “anywhere, anytime”
approach eliminates class scheduling, and minimizes
travel costs, workplace disruption, and unproductive
time. Which means lower total training costs. |
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DFB's technology-based courses are highly
interactive to keep employees engaged.
Some people even say they're fun! DFB's courses are built
with Macromedia
Flash, which excels at creating creating
visually appealing animations and interactions. Flash
also supports small file sizes for low
bandwidth access.
An intuitive
interface makes using the courses
a snap. And a linear
flow ensures that workers cover targeted
material with no wasted time. DFB can host and deliver
the online courses through a full-featured Learning
Management System (LMS) that tracks
and records course completions. Our online courses are
SCORM-compliant, so they can also
be delivered through any other SCORM-compliant LMS.
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| Highly
Interactive |
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DFB's technology-based courses are highly interactive.
Employees don't just view, they do! Through
multiple selections, hot spots, drag-and-drop
exercises, scenarios, animations and Q&A's,
with meaningful feedback for all responses.
This interactivity keeps employees engaged,
and improves learning.
DFB's online and CD-ROM courses come with a
concise tutorial that explains how to navigate
the training and use the interactive features
of the courses. Employees can access the tutorial
at any time, even during a course.
DFB's courses do not include audio narration,
where a narrator reads aloud the text on the
screen. Here's why. We emphasize interactivity
and minimize the amount of text on each screen,
so there's not as much to read. Our courses
aren't "page turners," or books on screen. And
we don't want our courses to be audio-dependent,
since many computers don't have speakers, and
many work settings are not conducive to an audio
"broadcast". |
| Intuitive
Interface |
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| DFB’s online courses are designed
for maximum usability. Employees will feel comfortable
with their clean look and feel. Navigation controls
are intuitive and consistent from course to
course.
Flash provides more control over the appearance
and display of the training on the user's computer
than does HTML. In addition, all courses come
with a brief tutorial that teaches employees
how to use the training. Employees can view
this tutorial at any time — even in the
middle of a course. |
| Linear Flow |
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Each training module has a linear
design. There are no optional paths or branches
for employees to "wander around".
Federal and state DFWP training requirements
are stated in hours. With their linear flow,
DFB’s courses take employees straight
through the training, making efficient use of
training time while meeting government requirements.
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| Low Bandwidth
Access |
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| Employees can access DFB’s online
courses over even low bandwidth, dial-up connections.
The courses, which are created in Macromedia
Flash, use vector graphics to minimize file
sizes.
Course media also support low bandwidth access,
as well as sound instruction. The courses combine
text, graphics, animations and audio. Audio
includes limited narration and sound effects
that keep employees engaged. The courses don't
use video, which increases file sizes and is
unnecessary for sound drug and alcohol instruction. |
| Macromedia Flash |
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| DFB's courses are created with
Macromedia Flash. Users view the training online
through Macromedia's Flash Player, a common
client plug-in application.
According to Macromedia, 97.8 percent of web
browsers already have Flash Player installed.
It comes preinstalled with many applications,
including Windows (XP, 98, 95), Internet Explorer
(4, 5.0 and 5.5), Netscape Navigator (4.06 and
above), and Macintosh (OS8 and above, OSX and
above). Flash Player is also a simple download
for users who need it. Estimated download time
via a 56K modem is less than 90 seconds.
Get more information about Flash and the Flash
Player at Macromedia's web site (www.macromedia.com).
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| Learning Management
System (LMS) |
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Employers can track
employees' progress in completing DFB’s
online courses through a full-featured learning
management system (LMS).
An LMS is a software application for delivering
online courses and tracking student performance.
When employees log on to an LMS, they enter
a "school." They can see course assignments
and select and take courses. Managers can review
employees' progress. |
| Learn more about
our full-featured LMS 
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| SCORM Compliance |
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| The Shareable Content Object
Reference Model — or SCORM — is
an established eLearning standard for delivering
and tracking online courses. The SCORM is developed
and maintained by the Advanced Distributed Learning
Initiative (www.adlnet.org), which is sponsored
by the U.S. Department of Defense.
DFB’s courses are SCORM compliant, which
means they will run on any SCORM-compliant learning
management system. And most major LMS's are
SCORM-compliant.
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