Web-based training has become a billion dollar industry in the United States. Electronically aided learning is viewed by many companies as a cost-effective way to deliver the up-to-date, up-gradable job-related training that the industry is demanding. This study sought to examine the relationship between learners’ satisfaction with online training as it relates to learner readiness, online features, and course relevance. The population for this study was adults seeking non-credit workforce training, specifically library professionals who were involved in web-based training through the Lifelong Education @ Desktop (LE@D) program at the University of North Texas, Denton. Online methods of training are used most extensively in the area of mandatory or compliance training, in which 35 % of training is conducted mostly or completely online. The total potential library population using LE@D product to date is approximately 4,000 unique enrollments nationwide. Participants were selected from a complete list of unique LE@D users over a 90-day period. A survey instrument was sent via e-mail to 514 enrollees who had completed a recent LE@D online training course. In total, 254 participants responded to the survey. Bivariate analysis of the variables using the Pearson product-moment correlation was used to determine the occurrence and strength of a relationship between each of the three independent variables and the dependent variable in order to test the three research hypotheses. A regression model was used to explain how significantly the three independent variables, that is, online features, learner readiness, and course relevance, would have an impact on learner satisfaction. Results suggest that learner awareness of issues surrounding online features, learner readiness, and course relevance have a statistically significant impact on the overall satisfaction of the Web-based training event. As companies continue to adopt eLearning as a training investment, attention should be given to the end-users experiences. Employee responses to Web-based training are important because employee satisfaction is an indicator that a company’s training investment will result in positive outcomes.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

A comparative evaluation framework of instructional interventions for implementation of online training for public library staff would enable a better understanding of how to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and efficacy of training in certain training environments. This dissertation describes a quasi-experimental study of a two-week, asynchronous online training course that was provided at four levels of instructional intervention to public library staff in the United States. The course content addressed the complex issues of difficult patron policy development and situational coping techniques. The objective of the study was to develop and demonstrate a theoretically grounded, evidence-based impact evaluation framework. The framework was used to assess the relative impact of an online course for public librarians at four levels of instructional intervention. The researcher investigated the relationships between the type of e-Training instructional interventions and the short- and long-term impacts on participants' knowledge, self-efficacy, and workplace performance. The study used a longitudinal, quasi-experimental design that included a pretest, posttest and three-month delayed posttest with follow-up survey. 194 participants completed all three phases of the study. The evaluation tools measured course content related knowledge and self-efficacy at all three phases (pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest) and assessed workplace application of training at 3-month follow-up. The results of this study contributed to evaluation theory and learning theory literature applied to the online learning environment and informed public library staff online training practices and evaluation methodologies.

Research suggests that recently graduated librarians are failing to find work in the traditional library context and consequently are seeking employment in related fields; also that internships are recognized as a valuable component of professional training, that students find them useful in developing skills, with demand outstripping supply. This study consisted of setting up, running, and analyzing an experimental intern training programme for MLS students outside the traditional library context. Its aims were to : i) Develop and manage an intern training programme (ITP) specifically focused on mentoring recent graduates and students in the application of their library skills in a non-library work context; ii) Use this model to facilitate students and recent graduates in transferring their library skills to a non-library work context; iii) Gauge whether participants found the ITP effective in preparing them for finding work – either in a traditional library or outside the traditional library setting. Through setting up this programme and running it since 2013, this study has made a primarily applied contribution to the discipline. In this written component of the study the researcher offers the documentation of the programme as a live case study analysed using a combination of tools including surveys, interviews and both qualitative and quantitative methods. Findings show that interns expect to use internships in the job searching process; that they expect to acquire new skills not developed on their MLS programmes; that they would still prefer traditional library jobs but that they expect their careers to involve non-traditional work contexts. Related to this, participants believe the internship has raised awareness of a wider range of suitable jobs. This indicates that they see the nature of librarianship changing – something reinforced by the way they believe librarianship is evolving through, for example, integrating social media into the role of the librarian. This study and its findings contributes to raising awareness in the library sector of the changing nature of the world of work for the next generation of librarians and, in turn, contribute to MLS programmes by indicating how they may adapt as the 21st century workplace continues to evolve. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)