“Then the real fun began,” said Kevin Britten, ECI Vice President of Sales and Training, and lead trainer for the project. The three-and-a-half day FBP curriculum that started every Tuesday morning was broken out into eight soluble modules covering all the key aspects of using the FBP. The first step in the learning process was the “show me how to do it” presentation by Britten.

“One of the coolest features of this classroom-style learning was our use of a software product called “EagleVision,” said Britten. “I was able to keep the students’ attention on my presentation of the material by allowing me to remotely control all 100+ computer screens. What they saw on the projector screens in front was the same thing they saw on their laptop screens without the ability to pull up other software programs or check email while I had the floor.”

EagleVision software allows you to control networked computers with a graphic console to monitor multiple computers simultaneously, share one computer screen with others, restrict students' access to the network connection, and log off, power off or wake up all the computers remotely from a single laptop.

“It was like something out of a sci-fi movie when you clicked on a button on the instructor’s laptop and all of a sudden this collective “whir” filled the room from the 100-some other laptops all powering up at the same time,” mused ECI IT Manager, Steve Jacobsen, who was responsible for setting up the infrastructure for the training site. “It was pretty slick.”

After Britten was finished showing the students how the process for a particular module worked, they would perform hands-on data entry exercises by accessing the ECI-hosted FBP training Web site from their laptop computers. After the data entry exercises were completed, the students would log onto the ECI-hosted LMS system to take a test on the material they just covered and also provide feedback on the material by filling out a “Class Rating” form.

“The ECI LMS was a very valuable segment of this training project,” said FSA Direct Loan Chief, Mike Hinton. “Not only could we instantly monitor and review student test results and feedback at the training site, but FSA management in D.C. and finance chiefs back at the state offices could go online and view the results whenever they wanted.”

The groups of 100 were formed into four teams of 25 with an FSA state coordinator for each group performing as a facilitator to each group. The facilitators carried wireless handheld microphones so that if a student had a question or comment worthy of the class’s attention, they could voice it through the sound system and everyone could hear it.

“We created a competitive atmosphere where the group with the highest test score average and highest individual test score would get prizes or awards,” said Rubin. “It was a very upbeat environment every week for 22 weeks straight.”

The FSA training project was not just about “show--do--test—repeat.” ECI knew this was a big change for FSA staff, many of who have been with the agency for many years and were used to the old ways of doing things.

“We decorated the training facility with motivational “Successories” type of posters and sayings,” said Britten. “We set up a great sound system with wireless microphones so we could be very mobile in a crowd of 100 plus. When it was time to round them back up for another module we would play upbeat popular music from the Stone’s “Start Me Up” or James Brown’s “I Feel Good” to tongue-in-cheek songs like the Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Go Now” and Jackson Browne’s “Running On Empty.” They really enjoyed it.”

The overall class rating for the FBP learning project was 89.26 percent. The class rating feedback forms also included a text field for more specific feedback. Through the weeks you would see everything from, “I really like these mouse pads we are using. Can I have one to take home?,” to “In 15 years of FSA employment, this was by far the best training I've ever received.” All the feedback gathered over 22 weeks pointed to a loud and clear affirmation that this blended learning approach was the best experience of their careers.

The FBP learning project post-learning support included providing each student with a CD containing recordings of each of the curriculum modules as reference material and creation and maintenance of the FBP Forum where FSA staff, management and ECI support staff continue to communicate and collaborate on the daily “best practices” use of FBP. Today the system is in full use in over 1,000 FSA offices and ag lenders that are on the same version of Web Equity Manager® can easily export customer data to the FSA office they are working with to help streamline the FSA loan programs process.

ECI built their LMS system in direct response to FSA’s need to enroll, test, track, record and report the results of their FBP learning project on a national level. Today, ECI uses that same system to provide instructor-led online learning courses for their commercial agriculture lending customers using Microsoft LiveMeeting as their collaborative environment. ECI offers online self-paced content for their customers by providing recorded modular sessions in the Windows Media Player format.

In January 2005, ECI began custom-development of client-provided training content for self-paced Macromedia Flash delivery that includes LMS, forum and mentoring support as needed. ECI is currently working on a self-paced eLearning project featuring Dr. David Kohl. Dr. Kohl covers a variety of lending subject matter with such titles as “Mega Forces In Agriculture,” “Strategic Prospecting,” and “Problem Loan Workout Strategies.” You can learn more about these premier ag lending programs at www.prolearnuniversity.com.

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About ECI

ECI is a market-leading provider of financial analysis and decisioning software for agriculture, small business and consumer lenders of credit, with over 12,500 users in over 5,000 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Here is a quick-list or “recipe for success” of the features ECI used for this successful implementation and training project for FSA.

• Strong management support for the implementation/training
• Change management workshop
• Blended Learning
• Instructor-led classroom format
• Networked computer control (EagleVision)
• Modular “Show Me How” presentations (Chunk Learning)
• Data entry exercise after each module presentation
• Test after each module with instant results
• Class rating feedback after each module with instant results
• Real-time monitoring of tests/feedback
• Facilitator support for large class (100 students)
• Post-learning support
• Module recordings for reference
• Active User Forum
• Upbeat/Motivational Environment
• Posters/Artwork
• Quality audio/visual support
• Music during breaks
• Competition oriented approach
• Instant use of learned content upon return to work
  

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