Training Item Type Overview

Frontline offers various training item types to ensure learners are receiving training efficiently. Many Training Items in Frontline allow learners to complete training online but there are other Training Items that allow you to manage offline training, such as classroom training or external certification events where training content is not online.

Below are the guidelines for Training Items

A training item is used to assign training and keep a record for any kind of training. It is the most basic of curriculum items.
You must have the Training Item created to assign training and keep a record of that training.
A Training Item represents title of the training (example "Cyber security awareness") being managed and has different functionality depending on the Training Item type (discussed below) selected.
When creating new Training Items, you should name or title them such that they are easily identifiable.
Learners are notified and shown titles of the assigned Training Items on their Frontline Desktops. You should also be able to easily recognize them when you carry out your curriculum administration tasks.
In general, when you assign an online Training Item to a learner, the training completion record is automatically kept. In contrast, for an offline training, a completion record must be manually entered.
Any Training Item, whether online or offline, can be attached to a test to ensure that the learning is effective. Such attached tests are always online, and completion record is automatically entered

About Training Item types that are designed for online training are:

WBT: Web-based training course. This is a very common Training Item type whose learning content is delivered via an attached lesson. Frontline includes an authoring module that allows you to create lessons for WBT Training Items. Authoring module also allows you to convert any PowerPoint presentation to a lesson. A majority of Public Library courses are of WBT type.
- When a learner takes a WBT Training Item and no test is attached to the item, a training record with "Taken" as the result is automatically entered. A "Pass" or "Fail" record is kept if a test is attached. A "Taken" record is kept following the completion of any attached assessment. A WBT can also be attached to a survey created using survey feature of the authoring module.
DOC: Document. A DOC type Training Item points to learning content stored on a network share or Frontline server. Content can be Microsoft Office Word or PowerPoint file, a PDF file, a HTML file or a graphic (picture or drawing) file. Use this Training Item type if you already have online electronic documents that can be readily used for training.
- A training record containing "View" as the result is automatically entered following launching of a DOC type Training Item, if a test is not attached. A "Pass/Fail" record is kept if a test is attached. A "Taken" record is kept following the completion of any attached assessment.
ILT: Instructor-led or classroom training. When you attach an ILT Training Item to a Frontline class, you can manage class registration online, with seamless record keeping. Complete class management functionality is available that includes offering learners class pre-work and link to an online class, self-enrollment with choice of class dates, enrollment Approval by learner's supervisor, resolving learner, instructor and class location conflicts, managing enrollment and waiting list for filled classes, creating class sign-up sheet, choice of methods for entering attendance records, and issuing class attendance certificates. An ILT Training Item can also be attached to an online survey that can be used to measure effectiveness of the class.
- A training record containing "Attended" as the result is kept following record entry. Records can be entered manually, or automatically by learners using credit key. A "Pass/Fail" record is kept if a test is attached.
CBT: Computer-based training. This online Training Item can be used to assign a 3rd party course running on a network share. The CBT Training Item should point to the course's own course player, usually indicated by an .exe file extension.
- A training record containing "View" as the result is automatically entered following the launching of a CBT, if no test is attached. A "Pass/Fail" record is kept if a test is attached. A "Taken" record is kept following the completion of any attached assessment.
PTE: Performance test element. This Training Item is designed to assign only a test or an assessment, created with Frontline authoring module. This Training Item can be used for hands-on or experience-based learning, where a learner is asked to demonstrate knowledge through an online test, or an assessment observed and graded by an assessor.
- A "Pass/Fail" record is automatically entered following the completion of the test. A "Taken" record is entered following the completion of the assessment.
PRC: Procedure. Similar to a DOC Training Item, this can also point to a Microsoft Office Word or PowerPoint, or a PDF file. The launching characteristics of both DOC and PRC Training Items are identical. The PRC has been specially created to allow you to distinguish operating procedures (PRC) from other learning documents (DOC).
- A training record containing "View" as the result is automatically entered following launching of a PRC type Training Item, if a test is not attached. A "Pass/Fail" record is kept if a test is attached.
AICC-WBT: AICC (Aviation Industry CBT Committee) web-based training course. AICC is an international association of technology-based training professionals who have created standards for WBT courses that can communicate with an AICC compliant LMS (Learning Management System). Frontline complies with these standards, allowing you to use any 3rd party AICC-conformant courses via the Training Item type AICC-WBT. The 3rd party courses can reside on vendor's servers, allowing the vendor to update the courses when necessary. The AICC communication files reside on Frontline servers.
- Once set up and tested, you can assign AICC Training Items from Frontline and learners can launch them just like Frontline's WBT courses. Upon course completion, results are transmitted automatically from the course to Frontline.
SCORM: SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model), was initiated in 1999 as a way to facilitate the integration and interoperability of web-based learning content with an LMS. Similar to AICC-WBT discussed above, a SCORM-conformant training module can be designated as Training Item type SCORM. It can then be assigned to learners just like any other Training Item and be launched by learners, seamlessly exchanging data such as learner result, score and bookmark with Frontline.
- Many 3rd party content providers create content in SCORM format and provide it as a compressed .zip package. Frontline allows you to upload such package via SCORM Training Item type. Many 3rd party authoring tools also produce content as a SCORM package. The SCORM is the newer, interactive format of many Public Library courses.
HTML-WBT: HTML (HyperText Markup Language) web-based training course. HTML is the main markup language for creating web pages and other information that can be displayed in a web browser. These are typically custom courses created using HTML authoring tools, and unlike AICC-WBT, these use non-standard method of communication with an LMS. All communication with the course (typically hosted on vendor's servers) has to be custom-programmed.
- Once set up and tested, you can assign HTML-WBT Training Items from Frontline and learners can launch these courses just like Frontline's WBT courses. Upon course completion, results are transmitted automatically from the course to Frontline.
MOC: Management of Change (MOC) notification training. This item type is created automatically to notify selected learners about a change managed via the integrated MOC application. The content for this training is created automatically by linking this Training Item type to a comprehensive MOC summary page generated by the MOC application.
- A training record containing "View" as the result is automatically entered when the assigned learner clicks "Sign-off" at the bottom of the MOC summary page.
ACT: Action Tracking (ACT) notification training. This item type is created automatically to notify selected learners about an action tracking event (such as an incident, near-miss or results from an audit or an Inspection) from the integrated ACT application. The content for this training is also created automatically by linking this Training Item type to a comprehensive ACT summary page generated by the ACT application.
- A training record containing "View" as the result is automatically entered when the assigned learner clicks "Sign-off" at the bottom of the ACT summary page.

About Training Item types that are designed for offline training are:

For such Training Items, you should use the Special Instructions field of the Training Item to communicate to learners source of the learning content (e.g. an off-site training seminar), and how to sign-up for the seminar.

A/V: Audio/Visual training. You can use this Training Item to refer to content on audio/video/DVD media.
CERT: Certification. You can use this Training Item for any curriculums (jobs) that require a certificate, a degree or a diploma as qualification.
EVT: Event. You can use this Training Item to designate an off-site training event, such as a seminar or classroom training where class is not managed within Frontline.
MED: Medical Record. This Training Item can be used for requirements such as a hearing test or physical examination.

You also have to manually enter completion records for any of these Training Item types after learners provide evidence of training completion, such as a certificate from the training provider. Alternately, you can attach such Training Items to a one-question test that verifies training completion. This automates record keeping via the test's "Pass/Fail" record.

Training Item Characteristics

Any Training Item discussed above, whether online or offline, has following characteristics built-in:

Can be assigned to learners via their curriculums
Depending on the due date in curriculum, it shows up on learners' Frontline Desktops
E-mail notifications remind learners about overdue, currently due, or due in future Training Items
You can designate the recurring frequency at which learners will train on any Training Item
Any Training Item can be designated as mandatory or optional in a learner's curriculum
Any Training Item can be attached to a test
Any Training Item can be attached to competencies
Any Training Item can be placed in libraries
You can manually enter records for any Training Item, even if it is online with automatic record keeping
Any Training Item can be set up with another Training Item as its prerequisite or an alternate
You can create revisions for any Training Item; this information is carried over to the training records

Training Item Type Overview

Managing comprehensive training in an organization where people have different roles and hazard exposures can become very complex.