The Texas technology industry is the target for EnterTech's product: an increased supply of reliable entry-level workers, but the Texas technology industry is also an excellent source of information and advice for the EnterTech project itself. Obviously, EnterTech is consulting with industry regarding what the content of the training should be. In addition to this however, the Texas technology industry can inform many of the choices to be made in production and delivery technologies for EnterTech

For this reason we conducted many in-person and telephone interviews with key individuals in a number of technology and communication companies operating in Texas. Many of these companies are EnterTech partners. The individuals interviewed are as follows::

Allemann, Gregory L. – Vice President, Advanced Communication Systems, SBC Technology Resources, Inc.

Ball, Steve – Dell University, Dell Computer Corporation

Brey, Ron – Associate Vice President, Austin Community College

Cone, John – Dell University, Dell Computer Corporation

Dean, Mark, Ph.D. – Director and IBM Fellow, IBM

Fairbourne, Dr. E. LeGrand – Client Rep/Solution Integrator, IBM

Farabee, Steve – Director of Digital On-Line Services, Time Warner

Ferrio, Tom – Vice President, Educational & Productivity Solutions, Texas Instruments Incorporated

Freeman, Andrew – Technical Director, Top Drawer Productions

Geisler, Erich – DAO Technical and Production Training Manager, Dell Computer Corporation

Hartley, Darin – Dell University, Dell Computer Corporation

Korman, Eric – Director, Monitors, Dell Computer Corporation

Goodart, Joe – Senior Display Engineer, Dell Computer Corporation

Harslem, Eric – Senior Vice President, Product & Technology Strategy, Dell Computer Corporation

Liwen, Andrew B. – Network Information Architectures, SBC Technology Resources, Inc.

Lunsford, David – Director, Advanced Technology, Dell Computer Corporation

Roesslein, Charles – President and CEO, SBC Technology Resources, Inc.

Walker, Richard S. – Vice President, Technology Program Management, SBC Technology Resources, Inc.

Wilson, C. B. - Vice President, Product Development, Educational & Productivity Solutions
Texas Instruments Incorporated

Topics

The persons interviewed vary considerably in their job descriptions and responsibilities. They included managers, marketers, trainers, researchers, and creatives. We focused more questions on the individual's areas of expertise, but overall, everyone was asked questions like the following:

• If you were in charge of the EnterTech project, how would you do it?
• Which, if any, media do you think would be beneficial to include in EnterTech?
• Do you see any dramatic changes in software, hardware, or communication technology occurring in the next five years?
• What will the typical PC be like 18 months from now? five years from now?

Consensus

Multimedia

Multimedia, or perhaps more accurately digital integrated media, are appropriate and effective for training. Many mentioned the advantages of multiple modes of presentation, especially in terms of increased retention and viewer involvement. In particular, the utility of computer-based delivery of drill and practice type materials was generally accepted.

Web

This was unanimous. The web (that is, an Internet connection plus a web browser) is the delivery medium of choice. Although from the student's point of view the web has no inherent advantages in terms of its "interactiveness" over other forms of interactive media, the web can be the equal of these other media, and it clearly has advantages in several other areas. The most important advantage is the web's ubiquity. Second, web-based materials are inexpensive to distribute, revise, and administer. Finally, the web's ability to track users is obviously valuable in training.

Bandwidth

Interviewees also agreed that the determinant of the web's viability for the EnterTech Project is the bandwidth at the user's end. That is, how much the web can be used, and in particular whether or not the interactive audio and video portions of the training can be web-delivered, is determined by the sustainable download data rate on the user's computer. The consensus was, that in order to support 10-15 users, one must have at least a T1 (1.5Mbps) connection to the Internet in order to maintain a satisfactory interactive learning experience for the user.

CD-ROM

For those delivery sites with bandwidth inadequate to support interactive audio and video, CD-ROM distribution was seen as a satisfactory fallback position. Most saw this as a hybrid solution -- that is, the audio and video material on the CD-ROM is delivered in the web browser in conjunction with lower bandwidth material brought in over the Internet.

More of the Same

In a summary sort of consensus, there was the general feeling that in the next two to five years we will primarily see more of the same, meaning more of the same kind of progression or advancement in products. More Windows in more places, faster processors, more memory, larger hard drives, larger displays, and a continuing drop in prices. The overall user interface will likely stay the same -- keyboard, mouse or trackpad, CRT or LCD. Voice recognition is possible in five years, but not likely to be widespread in two years.

Differing Views

Totally Web (or, Lowest Common Denominator Bandwidth)

Eighteen months from now, will there be enough bandwidth in enough of the potential delivery sites to allow the entire EnterTech curriculum to be web-delivered? Although all agreed that web delivery is the ideal scenario for EnterTech, opinions varied from optimistic to pessimistic on the issue of available bandwidth. Some thought that cable modems and ADSL will dramatically increase the bandwidth available to users, especially schools, by the year 2000. They see a rapid rollout for these technologies, supplemented with ISDN and perhaps satellite delivery in more remote areas. If this happens, then EnterTech's curriculum could be entirely web delivered.

On the other hand, some think that 28.8kbps modems will still be the lowest common denominator Internet connection in 2000, and that many schools' connections will be dial-up. In this case, some EnterTech delivery sites will require hybrid web/CD-ROM delivery.

Simulations

Interviewees also differed in their views about the usefulness of simulations in training. Some saw little incremental advantage in using simulations versus classroom presentation or traditional drill and practice. Others emphasized the intangible benefits of simulations over drill and practice alone. All acknowledged the benefit of problem solving activities, but some questioned whether simulations were necessary to deliver these.