Moving Beyond “Shadowing” – Supercharging OJT Continued from page 29 to monitor their own performance and make correc- tions when they inadvertently deviate. Waiting too long to intervene, however, can increase the risk of equip- ment damage and other safety hazards. Instructors must monitor their own performance, continually evaluate their responses to learners’ actions, and ensure they are taking appropriate actions that facilitate learner growth. As learners approach proficiency, instructors will be more like observers than a direct participant in the task. Debriefing Throughout guided and independent practice, instruc- tors should be regularly debriefing learners to assess comprehension, provide opportunities for questions, and help plan future practice. Unfortunately, debriefing is all-too-often reduced to simple questions like: “Do you have any questions?” Basic ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions like this are very ineffective at providing insight into a learner’s actual level of comfort with a task. Most individuals do not like to admit when they are struggling and may simply say: “No, I don’t have any questions” because they fear appearing incompetent. Instructors can get around learner fear through the use of open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no response. Examples of open-ended questions include: • “Can you summarize what you learned during this lesson?” • “Could you tell me about the specific safety con- cerns during this task?” • “What do you find most challenging about this procedure?” Open-ended questions start a dialogue. As learners reply, it becomes much easier for instructors to gauge knowledge, confidence, and proficiency. Assess The final step in the structured training model is assessment. This is when the instructors or other manag- ers/supervisors make a judgement on proficiency. To be effective, assessments must be as objective as pos- sible, though it is okay to have some subjective elements. Examples of key elements for assessment include: • Adherence to standard procedures • Proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use • Following all safety guidelines Some subjective elements may include evaluating whether learners feel comfortable and confident in their own abilities. Assessments will be specific to each functional task that learners must complete and may even require multiple parts for situations where different makes/models of equipment are available. OJT in the Safety 1st Training Center NATA recognizes the importance of OJT as an inte- grated component of learning. Most courses within the new Safety 1st Training Center (SFTC) include an OJT component that must be marked as complete for the course to be considered as such. Each course that has an OJT component also includes an OJT guide that provides instructors with learning objectives, safety consider- ations, and notes for implementing each of the steps of the structured training model with that course. Organizations that recognize OJT is more than just “shadowing” will show benefits in learner retention, motivation, and training efficiency. Implementing that recognition requires investing in new and existing super- visors, trainers, and managers. The structured training model provides an easy-to-learn-and-implement method for getting the most out of On-the-Job Training. For more information on implementing the structured training model, contact us at [email protected]. Aviation Business Journal | Spring 2020 31
