Elements of Quality Online Education cation

Implementing Curricula Using a Variety of Learning Modalities at Liberty Mutual GroupB. Commercial Market Entry Level Curriculum Results Mapped Against theSloan-C PillarsInitial pilots have been promising and development work continues.1. Learning EffectivenessAssessments are built into each one of the curriculum components to ensure that the core concepts andterminology have been assimilated by the learner. The self-paced web and instructor–led web-basedcomponents include assignment and activities to help learners test their decision-making, simulating theunderwriting decisions they will make on the job. Pilot results indicate that learners feel the newprograms are effective at meeting the objectives.2. Cost EffectivenessIn this case Liberty was able to add new curriculum components without incurring significant travelexpenses, and the associated drop in productivity.3. AccessThe new curriculum model provides greater consistency of key messages about the context andimportance of the underwriter’s role. Since new underwriters come online a different start dates, the selfpacedweb approach provides them with timely access to the relevant training. The Virtual Classroomsessions provide learners with a greater degree of structure to their learning, while reducing time andexpense involved with travel to a central training location.4. Faculty SatisfactionThe new curriculum model continues to involve line managers in the development of the newunderwriter.5. Student SatisfactionInitial pilot results of all elements have been positive to date, with positive learner reaction for the newweb-based and classroom components. As the new curriculum components are implemented throughoutthis year, additional changes will be made to further enhance the various programs to increase studentsatisfaction.VI. CONCLUSIONSLiberty plans to examine other methods for delivering instruction. Members of Sloan-C might ask, “Whydoesn’t Liberty Mutual Group use ALNs to deliver its programs?”Early experiments with ALNs failed. Liberty’s Business and National Markets both tried to deployBlackboard to support its sales training for several years. This modality failed to take hold. Trainingmanagers reported that both trainers and sales staff liked the idea of continuing their learning usingBlackboard. However, the sales staff found it difficult to stay engaged in the moderated on-linediscussions given their busy schedules.147