A survey conducted by the Management Department of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University showed good support for the new training medium, especially from the government and public bodies who have taken it on board.

Half of the survey's respondents say they will use WBT within the next five years.

But the initial high cost of setting up the system is believed to be one reason why the private sector, has not adopted the system as readily as the public sector.

WBT is defined as the channel through which teaching can be conducted, with the help of the Web, Internet, Intranet and Extranet.

Simon Chan, a researcher at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in charge of the project, says systems like WBT require teachers to be computer-literate, and to be willing to work closely with their IT colleagues in other departments or with external training service providers.

At present, companies that want to conduct training through the Web often need to commission eTraining firms to do it for them. As a result, more eTraining centres are being set up.

Limited scope

Although WBT is getting popular, its usage is not widespread. The lack of IT skills is also to blame for the bearish situation. Hence, the early movers will probably be those companies which already have sophisticated IT technology and people who know how to use it.

WBT is therefore, expected to continue playing a supplementary role in training programmes in the foreseeable future. It has also been pointed out that WBT is not suitable for all training programmes, particularly those that involve direct contact and people interaction.

Mr Chan says WBT needs to be examined further. It can also be made more exciting.

Anytime, anywhere

A chief advantage of WBT is its accessibility. It can be carried out anytime, anywhere, with teachers having better control of what they are teaching.

In addition, WBT can reduce training time and is more cost-effective over a long period.

Pros and cons of WBT

Advantages £» Training at anytime, anywhere £» Trainees have more control, and can teach in their own pace £» More cost-effective £» Reduce training time £» Content can be constantly updated £» Uninterrupted delivery of content Disadvantages £» Hardware & software support required £» High initial costs £» Takes more time & effort to develop £» Not suitable for all types of training such as people-related skills and organization philosophy £» Limited interaction between trainers & trainees £» Lack of social interaction among trainees

Taken from Career Times 2002/04/05