The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine which of the three training-delivery systems is the most frequently selected by training professionals in Virginia and which training methods are selected to support the chosen delivery systems. The study also examined the extent to which internal and external factors contributed to the selection of the delivery systems and the training methods. Qualitative research methodology was employed in analyzing the results of 12 in-depth interviews with purposively selected training professionals in Virginia in order to answer the research questions. This study found that (a) the training professionals chose instructor-led classroom for 46% of their programs, the blended method for 32%, and online for 22%; (b) they used a wide variety of training methods to support the program objectives and meet the audience’s needs; and (c) external factors more frequently impacted selection decisions than did internal factors, but one internal factor that impacted selection decisions was the training professionals’ understanding of instructional systems design. The external factors that had the greatest impact on the training system chosen were workplace constraints such as immediacy and scalability and the size and geographical dispersion of the audience. That is, for large and/or dispersed audiences coupled with time constraints, the online delivery system was chosen most often. Likewise, mandatory programs were most likely to be offered online. The following conclusions were drawn: (a) a shift is taking place from instructor-led-classroom delivery to blended delivery, (b) instructor-led classroom incorporates methodologies that extend beyond the lecture format, (c) companies are using emerging technologies in training and development, and (d) training and development continues to add value to the workforce, which is a powerful competitive advantage. / Ph. D.

Professional development is a lifelong learning process and technology has provided and will continue to provide new and different delivery methods. Regardless of the delivery method, the intention of professional development is to increase teacher knowledge, which in turn, increases student achievement. At a southeastern community college, meaningful professional development and technology training became a service requested by faculty and staff. The college identified the need to provide in-service training that could fit within their employees’ schedules and incorporate the college’s existing infrastructure. This need grew into the creation of virtual training sessions hosted by the eLearning department of the college. The virtual training sessions were conducted initially as a synchronous live web conference and recorded for later use as an asynchronous recorded webcast. Specifically, 7 research questions were developed determine if live web conference or recorded webcast training sessions were an effective delivery method of training, if the sessions were having an impact on professional learning, and if there were factors that were affecting participation in the sessions. The primary mode of data collection was though a survey instrument designed by the researcher. Results of the statistical analysis showed that faculty are participating in the sessions beyond minimum requirements, with the highest participation in recorded webcasts. The training program studied was very effective as indicated by high session attendance, high levels of information usage and moderate to high ability of participants being able to utilize the information gained from the sessions. Participants valued the elements of the live sessions including interaction and the ability to clarify information without delay. Several barriers raised for attending the live sessions included the following: lack of time, presentation speed, and lack of topic detail. Participants indicated the appreciated elements of a recorded webcast included the following: convenience, ease of use, and flexibility. Participants did not raise many barriers for attendance in recorded webcasts, although lack of time and repetitive topics were mentioned. The valued characteristics of both live web conference and recorded webcast mirrored the valued elements of the both individual delivery methods. The study concludes with implications and recommendations for further research.