Perceptions of machine trades apprenticeship instructors towards online instruction

Abstract

"On the other hand, the new methods are stimulants. However, these new methods of education will gradually find their place, and the outgrown methods will slip out" (Ford, 1929 p.23). These words from My Philosophy of Industry by Henry Ford, written in 1929 are his views concerning the use of still and motion pictures to reinforce how to read a micrometer. Seventy-four years later, technical education still struggles with new and emerging methods of delivery. The delivery of technical instruction is changing at a rapid pace. The four walls of a classroom with a teacher at the podium, coupled with hands-on shop activities have been the standards for many years. Technology has been changing this paradigm. This study will focus on the perceptions of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) machine trades apprenticeship instructors towards online instruction. The review of literature revealed numerous instances of technical instruction being delivered in non-traditional ways. The literature review also reinforced how traditional delivery and assessment methods can easily be adapted, and sometimes enhanced, for online courses. A written survey sent to machine trades apprenticeship instructors in the state of Wisconsin. The survey consisted of questions regarding current delivery methods, personal online learning experiences, and perceptions of potential online delivery methods. A total of 29 instructors were surveyed with a response rate of 75.8 percent. The results indicated that the most frequently used traditional delivery methods (class discussion and lecture) were perceived as being easy or somewhat easy to deliver online by 72.7 percent and 59.1 percent of the respondents, respectively. Potential results of this study include recommendations to move theory-based instruction for machine trades apprentices to an online format.