A BRIEF RESEARCH POSITION PAPER:

Unfortunately, much of what employees know is self-taught and/or from on-the-job training, which is typically inconsistent and incomplete. This is particularly true of the hospitality industry where information is handed down from one employee to another in an unstructured, ad hoc manner. Due to the high turnover rate, most training happens on the job because a formal, in-house training program is too laborious and tedious (Collins and Malik (1997). As a result, more and more hospitality operations are using interactive multimedia training systems This position paper will look at multimedia training and some hospitality-related examples.

  The Rainbow Technology Group introduced the first compact disc-based, interactive hospitality training program when it unveiled its new CD-ROM prototype in 1989. It was designed to instruct a staff member in the use of a computerized office system. Until the Rainbow Technology Group had explored its potential, this technology had not been considered for the special training needs of the high-turnover hospitality industry.

Some of the key advantages of multimedia training include:

1. Enhancing learning by combining audiovisual elements into a presentation that captures the viewer's attention and is consistent with sound learning principles: Tell, Show, Do, Test, and Review. It is generally recognized that learning is made much easier if the material being taught is presented in different ways. This can include such things as listening to speech (e.g., an angry customer voices a complaint), watching a video clip (e.g., seeing the body language exhibited by an angry customer), and interacting with material (e.g., selecting the best way to interact with an angry customer). Many studies have shown that students who listen to information will recall 25% of the material, if they hear and see the material they will remember 50%. But, if the students hear, see, and interact with the material, their retention rates can be as high as 75%. Dennis (1997) points out that multimedia enhances interactive instruction because instructional messages can be sent simultaneously over visual and audio channels so the learner both sees and hears the message.

2. Reducing learning time by as much as 75% (Dennis, 1994) because it effectively responds to individual learning styles and removes learning barriers like peer pressure and fear of failure. Value Rent-A-Car, for example, reduced its training time from two weeks to four days by converting instructor-led classes for new counter clerks to multimedia training (Hall, 1997).

3. Consistency of learning where participants using interactive multimedia have improved the consistency of learning by 50% to 60% over classroom training (Steele, 1996). Furthermore, interactive multimedia training systems are available 24 hours a days, seven days a week. This allows the same information to be delivered to everyone in the organization, regardless of their schedules.

4. Stimulating further learning by creating learning environments that are enjoyable where learners take greater control of their own learning process and become seekers of knowledge and not just recipients of instruction (Miller, 1998).

5. Just-in-time training where you can let the employee tap into the interactive virtual classroom anytime they need knowledge. According to Burris (1993), rapid changes in the workforce will force businesses to focus on the retraining of their workforce, using multimedia as a vehicle for just-in-time training.

Many assume, however, that simply adding some multimedia elements to text significantly enhances learning (Behheshti, Breuleux, Large and Renaud, 1994). In fact, text alone may be all that is needed if memory recall is the only learning objective. In order to construct a meaningful multimedia training system, the instructional designer must determine the best way to present learning objectives. This requires a thorough understanding of the target audience and how "multimedia can extend the power of text by linking it to other media in new and exciting ways" (Boyle, 1997).

The following paragraphs will identify some of the technical requirements of multimedia training programs.

1. Level of sophistication. While the number of business establishments using multimedia interactive training is growing, some are using less sophisticated training tools (H & A Report, 1998). Dallas-based Motel 6, for example, is using CD-i for training on safety, guest services, and company policy because it less expensive than some other solutions and the quality of the rolling video is clearer on the full TV screen than a computer. Motel 6 is looking at using Internet-based training in the near future.

2. Customization. An off-the-shelf program may not provide the total training solution, requiring the purchase of a training program that enables an organization to combine the interactive program material with supplemental material.

3. Video image size. Some feel that video is only effective if it is full-screen. In my opinion, it depends on the subject matter and the level of detail required. To play back quality video, end systems must have Pentium 166 MHz or higher processors, video/sound cards, 16- or 24-bit color displays, and at least 32 MB of RAM.

4. Hardware. Although a Pentium is preferred, a 486 should work fine if the application does not employee large amounts of video or lengthy interactive animations. Most applications are developed today assuming that the user has at least 16 MB of RAM, although a more graphically complex program will require more RAM. The type CD-ROM drives (speed) and sound cards (8-bit vs. 16-bit) found in the computers of the targeted user group must also be considered.

5. Delivery method. Should the multimedia training program be optimized for CD-ROM, local hard disk installation, and/or local Internet or intranet?

6. Internet. If the training is Web-based, a high-power computer is needed. Bandwidth also becomes a critical consideration. Limited bandwidth means slower performance, which can adversely affect the learning process. The problem is more serious over a public Internet due to traffic jams, but less severe over a company's intranet, which usually has greater bandwidth. Video streaming, for example, can be transmitted over a 28.8K bps connection. However, 28.8 video is low quality at this point, although vendors such as RealNetworks are quickly advancing the industry. It is clear that multimedia compression and end-to-end communications performance must increase to support multimedia transfer. Hall (1997) points out that "the multimedia state-of-the-art level of Internet training is still at the level of sophistication that CD-ROM programs had more than seven years ago."

Another consideration with Web-based training is whether a preexisting CBT program can be converted for delivery over the Web. This depends on which authoring tool was used to create the CBT program. A Web-based training program will require the end user to have Web browser and perhaps plug-ins for audio and video.

7. Natural language processing. A natural language processing interface can be added to training applications enabling learners to speak to applications and receive information and feedback. For example, employees could talk with virtual customers, practicing the skills required for interacting with real, diverse customers and hearing feedback from a virtual coach. This type of application, if using the AVATalk product (www.rti.org/avatalk), would require at least a 200 MHz processor, 64 MB of RAM , a good sound card and microphone, and Windows95.

Beheshti, J., Breulex, A., Large, A., & Renaud, A. (1994). The influence of multimedia learning: a cognitive study. ACM.

Boyle, T. (1997). Design for multimedia learning. London:Prentice Hall.

Burris, D. (1993). Techno Trends. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Computer-based training - Motel 6 see results with CD-I. H & A Report.( August 1998).

Dennis, V. (1994). How interactive instruction saves time? Journal of instruction delivery systems, pp. 25-28.

Hall, B. (1997). Web-based training cookbook. New York, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Hall, B. (1997). Conversion adds to Value Rent-A-Car’s bottom line. Inside technology training.

Miller, R. (1998). 10 good reasons for multimedia training. Multimedia today.

Steele, D. (1996). Savings from interactive media. Trends in training (vol. 3). www.futuris.net/cms/pages/trndvol3.htm#savings.