Can you teach data base with a felt board?...or, how to improve training using a systems approach

ABSTRACT

International Data Base Systems has just spent more than a staff-year developing a new course for users of its SEED data base management system. The Customer Education department is made up of programmers turned teachers. Although we've all spent years sitting in classrooms, we have no formal training in education. What we've discovered is that technical concepts, even subjects as complex as data base management systems, can be taught better using some of the techniques used by educators. We've learned that a systematic development model works as well for course design and implementation as it does for system design. We've come up with an approach to developing training that could be used in any technical area. And most important, we've found that the synthesis of technical expertise and curriculum development expertise works. When we set out to develop the new course, we hired a curriculum development specialist. He knew as much about data base management systems as we knew about curricula. Now he knows a lot more about DBMS, and we've learned a lot about curricula!

IDBS has always considered training of its customers essential. A DBMS is a complex set of tools, and we found that the customer support burden was reduced if users were given an introductory seminar about the product they had just purchased.

Index Terms

• Information systems

  • Data management systems

• Social and professional topics

  • Professional topics

    • Management of computing and information systems

      • Project and people management

        • Computer and information systems training