GCP: Instructional Design Innovation

Online training is all we do at GCP. So we do it really, really well.

Providing the best possible online workforce training is our number one focus. In fact, it's our only focus. Because when it comes to safety and compliance for your company, there's really no room for error.

To be effective, training must be credible, persuasive, and easily understood within the context of the daily work environment. Design is our greatest — and favorite — challenge. But we've met the challenge head on, using a disciplined application of proven instructional design innovations geared specifically toward adult learners.

Don't just take it from us, though. Hear what others have to say, or see for yourself right now.

Our course design includes:

Clear Learning Objectives. Effective learning (and therefore, effective course design) begins with clear goals and objectives. Our courses open with a list of very specific learning objectives based on assessments of the audience's needs and the performance objectives for the learner. These learning objectives form the foundation for the course. Content is designed to accomplish the objectives, testing is designed to assess how well the objectives have been met, and remediation is provided to ensure the objectives are achieved.

Interactivity. We understand that employees learn by doing. And our clients know that interactivity substantially improves the effectiveness of training because they have the results to prove it. So every course we offer uses a wide range (and quite a lot) of interactivity throughout our training … from basic knowledge checks to more complex process simulations. And it all ties back to the stated learning objectives.

Lesson Quizzes. The "all-or-nothing" challenge model (where an entire course is followed by a single test) has been shown again and again to create apprehension and diminish the ability of the testing process to truly assess and reinforce learning. Instead of giving a “final exam,” we place learning objective-based lesson quizzes throughout the material to verify mastery of the learning objectives of each lesson. To receive credit for course completion, learners must successfully complete all lesson quizzes. Learners are less intimidated by this testing process, and therefore more receptive to the material. The lesson quiz assessment model also does a better job of confirming that learners have indeed mastered the learning objectives, and provides better assurance that they will function more safely and competently on the job.

Realism. Training is more effective — and retention is greater — when lessons are relevant to the job and easy for learners to relate to their own situations. While many training products rely on drawings and animation, Global Collaboration Partners only uses real-world photos of actual job situations. Over the years we have carefully photographed and cataloged more than 25,000 workplace images, and our expertise for realism is widely recognized in the industry. Extensive use of the “case study” approach further enhances relevance and interest to the learner.

Contextual Learning. Our courses are designed to engage learners' emotional involvement. At GPC, we humanize our lessons with examples of real people and real scenarios. This way, learners can connect with the context of the instruction being delivered and internalize the message. They don't just think about the regulations, but come to terms with the consequences of safe and unsafe behaviors.

User-Controlled Narration. Adult learners come to training with a variety of educational levels, life experiences, and language abilities. So being able to choose the learning style that works best for them makes a big difference in their success. With user-controlled narration, users can see and/or hear the course in whatever way works best for them. With our full text display option, there's more room in the frame for instructive graphics and interactivity. Similarly, since the learners can also control the audio narration, they can turn it up, turn it down, or turn it off to best suit their learning styles and personal preference. These key features also make our courses accessible to sight- and hearing-impaired learners and those who don't have or want to use audio features on their computers.

Knowledge Laboratories. Knowledge laboratories take e-learning effectiveness to the next level by allowing learners to apply what they've learned in a simulated environment. Knowledge Laboratories provide virtual hands-on experience, allowing learners to manipulate "physical" objects on the screen and thus feel that much more immersed in the situation. Such simulations – while expensive to develop – are a cornerstone of GCP's design. They strongly engage learners, even making the learning fun, and go the extra mile to ensure retention of our course material.

Consistent Design and Interface. At GCP, we designed our courses to be universally accepted, and we've tested our interface on a global scale. When tens of thousands of learners from over 90 countries, many whose first language is not English, are able to successfully interact with our course content, we can confidently say that our consistent design works. Learners the world over are able to get right to the learning quickly and efficiently, without wasting anxiety and time figuring out the controls.

Completion Certificates Upon successful completion of a course, GCP learners can print a Certificate of Completion that includes their name, completion date, and the title of the course. Training managers can determine (and modify) the pass threshold for each quiz, allowing them to tailor the completion requirements to exactly what they need. They can also quickly and easily add a company logo and an authorized signature to the certificate, without any assistance from GCP or anyone else (and without any added expense).

Company-specific content, policies, and procedures. GCP courses come ready for you to customize for your organization using standard off-the-shelf tools. Inserting company-specific photos, diagrams, maps, and other images into the course is quick and easy. So is adding links to company-specific policies, procedures, checklists and more. Putting these tools in your hands chisels thousands of dollars off the cost of custom e-learning content and saves countless headaches in a dynamic learning environment where circumstances and needs change on a continual basis.

Content Accuracy Assurance. To ensure that every course we offer is up-to-date with all regulations and industry best practices, we're in constant collaboration with our team of regulatory and subject matter experts to systematically review and update our training materials.