• Home
• Commercial
• Training and Development

Training is about change. It is about transformation. It is all about learning. Training is a process designed to assist an individual to learn new skills, knowledge or attitudes. As a result, these individuals make a change or transformation that improves or enhances their performance. These improvements ensure that people and organizations are able to do things better, faster, easier, and with higher quality and a better return on investment.[Elaine Biech] 

As members of the American Society for Training and Development, PBSI has spent a lot of time researching the best methods for training adult learners.  Our research has led us to the ASTD Competency Model which defines standards of excellence for training and our courses.

PBSI stands ready to provide training to your organization and is available to provide training

• On-Site - PBSI’s panel of experts are available world-wide to provide technical assistance and conduct training in a variety of laboratory disciplines. This training is custom designed for your specific laboratory protocols and the length of training is dependent on the needs of the organization and level of experience of staff.
• On-Line - Our on-demand and self paced courses include comprehensive tests and interactive exercises. Proficiency tests, where applicable are available and certificates of completion are awarded upon successful completion of the program's requirements.

   

  PBSI's Instructional Methodology

  At PBSI, we utilize the Instructional System Design (ISD) for course development.  Why ISD? Simply stated, this process provides a means for sound decision making to determine the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a learning program. The concept of a system approach is based on obtaining an overall view of the learning process. It is characterized by an orderly process for gathering and analyzing collective and individual performance requirements, and by the ability to respond to identified training needs. The application of a systems approach insures that learning programs and the required support materials are continually developed in an effective and efficient manner to match the variety of needs in a rapidly changing environment.

  Note that ISD is sometimes referred to as SAT (System Approach to Training) or ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implement, Evaluate). Although there are minor difference among the various ISD models, most learning design models follow an approach similar to the ADDIE model:

  The ISD model was designed to solve human performance problems (U.S. Department of Defense, 1975). It was first established by Florida State University in conjunction with the Department of Defense, but can now be found in almost any type of organization (Watson, 1981). It grew out of the ‘systems analysis’ concepts that became popular after World War II and is probably the most extensively used instructional design model in use today.

  

  Analysis

  • Determine business outcome or linkage.
  • Analyze system (department, job, etc.) to gain an understanding of it.
  • Compile a task inventory of all tasks associated with each job (if needed).
  • Select tasks that people need to learn to become performers (needs analysis).
  • Build performance measures for the tasks to be learned.
  • Choose instructional setting for the tasks to be learned, e.g. classroom, elearning, on-the-job, self study, blended, etc.
  • Estimate cost and compare to benefits gained.

  Design

  • Develop the learning objectives, to include both terminal and enabling objectives.
  • Identify and list the learning steps required to perform the task.
  • Develop performance tests to show mastery of the tasks.
  • List the entry behaviors that the learner must demonstrate prior to entering the learning program.
  • Sequence and structure the learning objectives.

  Develop

  • List activities that will help the students learn the task.
  • Select the delivery methods (media).
  • Review existing material so that you do not reinvent the wheel.
  • Develop the instructional courseware.
  • Synthesize the courseware into a viable learning program.
  • Validate the instruction to ensure it accomplishes all goals and objectives.

  Implement

  • Create a management plan for conducting the training.
  • Conduct the training.

  Evaluate

  • Review and evaluate each phase (analyze, design, develop, implement) to ensure it is accomplishing what it is supposed to.
  • Perform external evaluations, e.g. observe that the tasks that were trained can actually be performed by the learners in their working environment.
  • Revise training system to make it better and to meet future challenges.