Antje Mays

Head, Monograph and AV Acquisitions

Ida Jane Dacus Library

Winthrop University

824 Oakland Avenue

Rock Hill, SC 29733

Hunt and Peck, Train Thyself

All of us are faced with a wide variety of training scenarios. Are you completely new to Millennium? Are you new to the job and faced with training co-workers whose system knowledge is still unfamiliar to you? Do you supervise people with vastly differing learning styles, interest levels, and knowledge? Are you upgrading and incorporating new system functions? Are you adding new modules? Do you feel alone in learning it all? Don't! The first step is to assess your situation. Take a look at environments and learning styles. Next, consider some of the informal training methods listed below.

What are you learning?

• upgrades to existing system
• new modules with completely new functions
• cold turkey! totally new to Millennium:
  • new job, new system
  • migration from a different system

Learners’ circumstances

• new person without iii experience coming into a mature iii library
  • everyone knows iii and its intricacies, except the new person
• member of a library switching to iii from something else
• everyone is learning from scratch at the same time; some colleagues may bring iii experience from elsewhere

Environment

• is there a formal trainer among the staff?
  • is funding available for training, either in-house or sending designated people to training programs (e.g. ASAA etc)?
• in-house training methods without a formal trainer:
  • training in groups, by department and task groupings (e.g. all Acq people learn new features of financial functions)
  • independent self-teaching, “hunt-and-peck train thyself” with manual & tutorial based on specific knowledge needs

Learning styles

• independent explorer: read manual and try the steps outlined
• learn by watching demo
• learn by being “shown the way” by someone else

Levels of learning motivation

• love to learn new things and try new aspects
• love to learn independently and spearhead, need minimum guidance
• interested in new knowledge, more comfortable with guidance from someone else spearheading
• dragged into new knowledge area "kicking & screaming"

Available ready-made training tools

• formal training
• online tutorials
• iii manual
• new release notes, known issues lists
• IUG list & conference, great for “how do I...” idea exchange

Ideas for home-grown training tools & methods

• in-house training & procedures manuals
• occasional or regular training sessions (depending on the intensity of newness or the need to cross-train)
• training blogs
• individual experimentation with system function
• group learning of financial and other sensitive functions, with help of tutorials and manual

Assessment tools: how should we "test" "Millennium aptitude"?

Some environments desire a more formal approach and prefer aptitude testing. Such testing can be beneficial in very large organization with specialized functions, as well as consortia and multi-branch libraries sharing one system.

Can we "test Millennium aptitude"? With Millennium being such an integral part of library operations, understanding the system -- or aptitude to learn it -- is crucial. Especially if a candidate has a software background other than Millennium, it may be wise to assess the person's skills with more "software neutral" assessment tools. There are some instruments that can test aptitude in a software-neutral way.

What needs to be assessed?

The goal is to get at the candidate's skill in abstract reasoning, remembering keystrokes and task sequencing, and similar traits beneficial to the job function.

Whether opting for a commercial testing package or devising in-house measurement tool to measure an applicant’s potential to pick up software, there are several layers of “comprehension” to test for. One thing to consider is the “level” of Millennium work to be done -- for example, taking into account the distinction between very specific data input or more varied mix of system use and data analysis. Any tests used should be appropriate to the different levels of abstract reasoning required of the position.

Such a test would aim at measuring:

• abstract thinking,
• ability to “translate” the layers of “data housing” into the workflow,
• ability to remember sequences of steps for the various functions (one example of many is the importance of sequencing in financial functions),
• understanding serials patterns and how they’re set up,
• ability to remember keystrokes, macro keys, what menus the needed functions are in, and other crucial elements of system-function/job-function interface.

Some commercial testing tools

• Computer Aptitude Test: designed to test for IP aptitude and as such this test is best for advanced levels. However, it is a good example of an abstract problem-solving test.
• Walden Tests: not this commercial solution offers thorough mix of tests for a wide variety of computer-related skills.
• Wonderlic Employment, recruiting, testing: a variety of skill and trait assessments -- there are several tests on this product list that measure data input and analysis skills, typing, accuracy, and similiar traits that would mean success in learning Millennium.
• Talent assessments: a vast variety of tests for a very broad range of jobs and work scenarios.