Re: CBT vs. Stand up (long, but different)

[Barb Ostapina <Barb -dot- Ostapina -at- METROMAIL -dot- COM>]

Elna Tymes wrote:

<SNIP>
The only thing that's between where CBT is now and
where it could be is the blinders that course developers are wearing,
and the willingness of the people paying them to allow for different
learning styles.
<END SNIP>

++++++++++++

I disagree. The only thing between the now and then of CBT is money. Most
of the CBT developers I've met chomp at the bit to do more, better,
different. What drew them to the profession in the first place was
out-of-the-box thinking. Were it not for that, they'd be developing
instructor-led training. But they are constrained by the same thing we are
as tech writers/communicators -- what the "customer" is willing to pay for.
I've lost track of how many independents have told me they buy the new
tools when the customer needs/is willing to pay for them. And as was noted
in another note on this list about a presentation at an STC conference in
New York -- the customer's investment typically goes where the return is
likely. I remember many discussions at the CBT development company I worked
many years for about focusing our efforts (development, support, etc.) on
the 20% that was going to return the 80%. That does not leave a lot of room
for doing the exciting and wonderful things Elna described elsewhere in her
note.

--Barb
barb -dot- ostapina -at- metromail -dot- com
...speaking only for myself.