professional development

The Virtual Classroom

By Stephen Thompson, Moldflow Corporation

In this era of budget cuts and restricted air travel, plastics professionals must continue to receive training without sacrificing their business objectives. By embracing alternatives to traditional classroom training and extending the boundaries of learning to the Internet, today's professionals receive knowledge that is compelling, compact, and consistent.

E-learning classes or seminars delivered via Web conferences are virtual classes that use Web-based collaboration programs, including phone lines for audio, to link a group of geographically dispersed participants. These virtual classrooms are best at knowledge-based learning in which participants primarily get information, rather than hands-on skill development and practice.

In practical terms, e-learning has given us the ability to learn outside a physical classroom. New Internet technology has provided the means for an advanced and wide-ranging infrastructure that provides a distributed learning environment. E-learning allows students to receive effective, specifically targeted training in a cost-effective way. Companies that supply the training content can deliver training on a global basis, while tailoring content to suit the needs of individuals.

The need for a more competent workforce has never been greater. Globalization, intense competition, and the increasing complexity of software systems drive the need for training that is not only targeted but also cost-effective. Constant retraining and assessment of skills, therefore, is a critical element that successful companies cannot afford to overlook.

For employers, the immediate benefits of e-learning are obvious. It is considerably cheaper than the traditional forms of training, both in terms of the direct cost of paying for individual courses and transporting staff to remote training facilities. It also eliminates the time employees traditionally spent at week-long or more off-site training courses.

Last year, the Moldflow Center for Professional Development began to test the e-learning waters by launching an exciting new education program designed for plastics professionals, which is referred to as "Moldflow Lunchtime Luminaries." Key Moldflow application developers, training instructors, and support engineers deliver these free, ninety-minute online seminars, which consist of topics requested by Moldflow customers. The seminars are also developed based upon the most common issues being addressed by the Moldflow technical support group each month. Topics have included understanding Moldflow design principles, analysis results interpretation, cooling analysis tips, and the theory behind the solvers, just to name a few.

Each of these live seminars is also recorded and archived so that other Moldflow customers can benefit from this information at their convenience, just two days after the actual seminar is delivered. The archived seminars include all of the audio and slide presentations used during the live event. Moldflow maintenance customers may download them from the Moldflow Community Center within the Get Trained > Training Resources section.

As instructional technology becomes more transparent, trainers will be able to direct their efforts toward promoting active learning and learner productivity. Newer more flexible technologies are enhancing the once missing interaction between students and students with instructors. The traditional classroom utilized to educate our customers will always have its place, but the virtual classroom — in its many forms — is the future of corporate education. The use of Web-based classrooms has grown significantly and continues to be cost-effective, scalable, and perfectly suited to workers with limited budgets and time constraints. Companies that recognize this benefit and encourage workers to attend online training will have a significant advantage in the marketplace.

For more information about all of Moldflow's comprehensive education options, including e-learning opportunities, visit www.plasticszone.com. Access the Moldflow Community Center from www.moldflow.com.