School Evaluation Summary
As posted in my Learning Log December 9, 2013
When I started this exercise, I knew that there were issues with our training department's use of technology. Very little time is spent training the trainers to use technology. Continuing training for instructors tends to focus on the process of creating content rather than presenting it. As mentioned in my previous Power Point presentation, the population in our training department is fairly homogeneous. Instructors tend to be chosen from the most technically gifted at the plant, and while they are experts in their respective fields, i.e. maintenance and operations, they are not particularly trained teachers. There is a rudimentary instructor course offered by the Institute of Nuclear Power Operators, but again this course focuses on the process rather then the presentation.
I started recognizing how far we needed to progress while viewing the responses of my classmates. The class, by and large, is made up of educators from a world completely different from ours. It occurs to me that public school systems devote many more resources to technological training than we do. It's ironic that an organization devoted to training those who will use technology in their daily jobs is less willing to invest in technology for its instructors. In my investigation, I found that Millstone provided some initial investment in technology, Smart Boards in a few classrooms, and then declared victory. We have made some of the same mistakes that traditional education systems have made, that is to provide the hardware and ignore the software and skills portions of the program.
Having completed my investigation, I've come to the conclusion that we're falling behind not only our educational, but our industry peers. Other plants are working to incorporate tablet technology in their day to day work process. Millstone is still locked in the paper age. As with everything in our industry, if we are not moving forward, we are retreating. I would grade our technological maturity at a C- at best. We need to meet with our corporate peers and develop a plan to introduce and utilize new and emerging technologies.
