Computer-based group training and prior achievement: effects on performance means and variances

As an organization is being transformed by the use of information technologies, life-long learning and on-the-job training have become a new working paradigm. This research is to investigate how group training impacts experienced workers in computer-based cognitive tasks. Fifty-four adults with production control related working experiences participated in this group training research using a computer-based simulator developed based on the training program for theory of constraints (TOC), a production control theory. Trainees were divided into higher achievers and lower achievers according to a prior achievement test and three training conditions, trainees participating individually, in groups of two, and in groups of three, were used for the experiment. The analysis suggests that lower achievers are benefited more from group training, and the performance variance for individuals is significantly larger than groups of two and three trainees. The results are discussed in terms of cognitive elaboration theory and compared with other studies. Relevance to industry The results of this study can be used for corporations in determining an efficient training protocol for computer-based training programs. The results also suggest how corporations may choose to use group or individual training protocols based on their preferences in performance variance among trainees. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.