Too often, haul truck operator trainees don't retain enough of the knowledge they learn during training. That can lead to longer on-boarding cycles, lower productivity and potential safety problems in the mine. Blended learning - providing training via multiple modalities using a highly structured, building-block approach - shows a lot of promise in addressing this challenge. Last week, VISTA Training presented a new technical paper on this subject at the 2013 Haulage & Loading Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, which is operated by Mining Media (publisher of Engineering & Mining Journal and Coal Age magazines). During this presentation, VISTA marketing manager Chuck Frey covered: - The training challenges many mines face today - How inadequate training tends to lead to operational challenges - The unique needs of adult learners - An overview of blended learning - How "knowledge chunks" and "building blocks" improve learning - A deeper analysis of the impact of blended learning at Suncor Energy - The next frontier of blended learning - Advice for implementing blended learning in your mine Please note: This presentation contains a video at slide 20 that doesn't play properly on SlideShare. It is a video clip of VISTA's new Task Model Video technology, used to provide a "virtual ride-along" in heavy equipment that only has one seat in the cab. To view this video, please visit this link: http://www.vista-training.com/website/assets/email/tmv.mov

1. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Blended Learning: A More EffectiveBlended Learning: A More Effective
Model for Haul Truck Operator TrainingModel for Haul Truck Operator Training
By Chuck Frey – Marketing Manager, VISTA Training Inc.

2. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Training Challenges Facing Mines
• Experienced operators
retiring
• New hires: No previous
equipment experience
• Opportunity to build safety
culture is being missed
• “Brain dump” CBTs alone
aren’t effective
• Unstructured field training
– another missed
opportunity

3. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Training Inadequacies & Operational Challenges

4. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
A Potential Solution: Blended Learning
DEFINITION:
A training curriculum
that utilizes a variety
of modalities to
deliver training,
typically to adult
learners.

5. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Elements of Blended Learning Curricula

6. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Characteristics of Adult Learners
Consider these factors:
• Pragmatic – “Why do I have to learn this?”
• “How will I be able to apply this knowledge?”
• Problem solvers – “What happens if I do this?”
• Prefer hands-on activities to classroom learning

7. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Chunks & Building Blocks

8. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Suncor Haul Truck Training: Before & After
• Based on analysis of pilot
program data, interviews
with participants
• Based on experience with
several other mines
• Deeper observations on
the advantages of blended
learning

9. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Suncor Before & After – Approach to CBTs

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Suncor Before & After: OJT Activities

11. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Suncor Before & After: Checklists

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Suncor Before & After: Narrative Coaching

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Suncor Before & After: Train the Trainer

14. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Culture Change Means Roles Change
• Coaches
– Needed to learn narrative coaching
– Expected to answer numerous
questions from trainees
– More extensive evaluation forms
• Dispatchers
– Routing trucks to different shovels and
dumps
– Allow time for coach, trainee to switch
seats
• Expect some “push back”

15. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Empowering Trainers at Suncor

16. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
The Next Frontier in Blended Learning
• Shovel and haul truck: 2 seats
– Coaching during OJT is easy
• Other mining equipment: 1 seat
– Coach and trainee can’t see each
other
– Talk out loud performance isn’t
possible
– How to share best practices for
rarely-performed tasks?

17. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
The Solution: Task Model Videos
• Multiple video captures
• Show what the operator is doing
• Show how the machine is reacting
• Next best thing to being in the cab
• Excellent way to share best practices

18. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.

19. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Advice for Implementing Blended Learning
• What are the needs of your
learners?
• What’s the best delivery
platform?
• What are the building
blocks
• What is the knowledge
progression?
• Experiment and adapt
• Remember: This is change
management

20. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
The Bottom Line
• New hire training doesn’t
get as much attention as
it should
• Opportunity: Get them
started out on the right
foot
• Build a mindset of safety
• Use blended learning to
accomplish this

21. © 2013 VISTA Training Inc.
Questions?
VISTA Training Inc.
www.vista-training.com
800-942-2886
cfrey@vista-training.com