Result of converting file ftt_rpt.pdf *Pages 1--28 from Untitled* Report to the President Technology: Transforming Federal Training July 2000 1 2 PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE ON FEDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT Technology: Transforming Federal Training July 2000 3 Pre s i d e n t 's Ta s k F o r c e o n F e d e r a l Tr a i n i n g Te c h n o l o g y 4 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY Sarah Adams Director, Human Resource Development Office of Personnel Management Melissa J. Allen Assistant Secretary for Administration Department of Transportation Ken Bresnahan CFO Council Representative Chief Financial Officer Department of Labor Fernando Burbano Chief Information Officer Bureau of Information Resources Management Department of State John J. Callahan Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget Department of Health and Human Services Dolores Chacon President, DOI University Department of Interior Stephen R. Colgate Assistant Attorney General for Administration Department of Justice Romulo L. Diaz, Jr. Assistant Administrator for Administration and Resources Management Environmental Protection Agency Kay Frances Dolan Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources Department of Treasury Lisa Fairhall Program Examiner, Education Branch of Human Resources Office of Management and Budget Willie Gilmore Director, Office of Management Department of Education Ann Grandy Administrator, HUD Training Academy Department of Housing and Urban Development Katie Hirning Deputy Director National Partnership for Reinventing Government President's Task Force on Federal Training Technology List of Members Janice R. Lachance Task Force Chair Director Office of Personnel Management Emzell Blanton, Jr. Task Force Executive Director Senior Advisor Office of Personnel Management Patricia W. Lattimore Task Force Vice Chair Assistant Secretary, Administration and Management Department of Labor 5 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY Russ Kile Liaison, National Partnership for Reinventing Government Federal Emergency Management Agency David M. Klaus Director, Management and Administration Department of Energy Carole Lieber Training Officer Department of Treasury Paul Longanbach Human Resources Development Council Representative Program Director for Training Department of Transportation Thomas K. Longstreth Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Readiness) Department of Defense D. Elaine Lowry Program Manager General Services Administration Linda P. Massaro Director of Information and Resources Management and CIO National Science Foundation Joseph McElwee Manager, Distance Learning National Aeronautics and Space Administration Elizabeth Montoya Associate Deputy Administrator for Management and Administration Small Business Administration Gloria R. Parker CIO Council Representative Chief Information Officer Department of Housing and Urban Development Ellen Roderick, Ph. D. Small Agency Council Representative Training Director Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Stephen G. Sharro Acting Director, Training Division Federal Emergency Management Agency Manny Simantiras Office of Training and Education Central Intelligence Agency Stanley Sinclair Deputy for Financial Management Department of Veterans Affairs Felicita Sola-Carter Director, Office of Training Social Security Administration Tali Stepp Director of Human Services Department of Labor Sally Thompson CFO/ Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration Department of Agriculture Debra Tomchek Director for Human Resources Management Department of Commerce 6 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY Donna Beecher Director, Office of Human Resources Management Department of Agriculture Randy Bergquist Program Manager for Learning & Development Department of Transportation Ann Busby Program Manager, Technical/ Specialized Training Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Christine Cataldo Human Resources Development Council Representative Chief, Executive Personnel and Development Division National Science Foundation Steven Cohen Director, Workforce Relations Office of Personnel Management Susan Cooch Representing the CIO Council Special Assistant to the Chief Information Officer Department of Housing and Urban Development Dante Cornish Training Manager Office of Human Relations Small Business Administration Diane Disney, Ph. D. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Civilian Personnel Policy Department of Defense Alice Fierstein Acting Chief, Customer Support and Assessment Branch National Science Foundation Don Heffernan Deputy Chief Information Officer General Services Administration Barbara Hulick Leader, Human Resources Development Department of Veterans Affairs Mark Hunker Senior Advisor to the Director Office of Personnel Management Ingrid Kolb Director of Training and Development Department of Education Daniel LaPlaca Program Examiner Office of Management and Budget Bruce F. Morrison Dean, School of Technology Department of State Carl Morse Program Analyst Office of the Chief Information Officer Small Business Administration President's Task Force on Federal Training Technology List of Alternates 7 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY Lisa Nelson Reinvention Associate National Partnership for Reinventing Government Michael A. Parmentier Director, Readiness and Training Policy and Programs Department of Defense Zane Schauer Director, Office of Workforce Programs Department of Commerce Joanne Simms Director, Personnel Staff Department of Justice Thomas Sullivan Procurement Analyst Environmental Protection Agency Roy Tucker Director, Organization and Employee Development Department of Health and Human Services 8 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................................................................ 1 EXECUTIVE ORDER 13111 ...................................................................................................................................................... 1 TASK FORCE INTERIM ACCOMPLISHMENTS............................................................................................................................ 1 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 2 CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 REPORT OF FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS INTRODUCTION: TECHNOLOGY Ð TRANSFORMING FEDERAL LEARNING ............................................................................. 7 TASK FORCE FORMATION........................................................................................................................................................ 7 METHODS AND RESEARCH...................................................................................................................................................... 8 RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS ...................................................................................................................................... 8 EMERGING ISSUES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS...................................................................................................... 14 APPENDICES.......................................................................................................................................................................... 15 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................................................................................... 16 9 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY "America's competitiveness and the prosperity of our people in a changing economy depend increasingly on high-skill high-wage jobs. Realizing our potential will require investing in education and learning for all of our people throughout their lifetimes." Al Gore, Vice President of the United States Summit on 21 st Century Skills for 21 st Century Jobs January 12, 1999 10 EXECUTIVE S UMMARY 1 Executive Summary As we cross the threshold to the new millennium, the way we live, work, and conduct business is being radically changed by the e-society. Private sector companies are constantly being forced to redefine their business model to meet customer demand for products and services provided via the Internet and other forms of e-commerce. This has produced a continu-ous need for skills enhancement and retraining that can only be efficiently addressed by using technology-based training. Public expectations for services from government agencies are now higher. To meet this new level of expectation, we need to ensure that Federal employees take full advantage of these new learning technologies and that they acquire the skills and learning needed to succeed in a rapidly changing workplace. Access to training is the key to a competent and respon-sive workforce. The Federal government will need to evolve with the Internet age and move aggressively toward using learning technology to provide "anytime" and "anyplace" training opportunities to its workforce. Executive Order 13111 On January 12, 1999, President William J. Clinton moved to establish a coordinated effort to access and promote the use of technology to train the Federal workforce when he issued Executive Order 13111, Using Technology to Improve Training Opportunities for Federal Government Employees. This directive established the President's Task Force on Federal Training Technology with membership from a multidisciplined cadre of senior-level representatives of the Federal government. The cadre's principal charge was to develop a policy to "make effective use of technology to improve training opportuni-ties for Federal government employees." Task Force Interim Accomplishments During the course of its work, the Task Force achieved several interim accomplishments that included: Implementing 13 Agency Individual Learning Account (ILA) Pilot Programs Ñ These pilots will provide the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) with the empirical data necessary to determine the viability of establishing ILA programs government-wide. Establishing a Joint OPM and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Initiative to Help Agencies to Better Plan the Allocation of Training Resources Ñ This OPM and OMB alliance is working to produce a requirement in the FY-2002 OMB Budget Circular A-11 to direct agencies to annually develop specific training goals and measures aligned with mission requirements. In support of this initiative, OPM will publish guidance to help agencies strategically plan training. Developing Consensus Standards for e-learning Ñ As a result of extensive cooperative efforts across the public and private sectors, on January 31, 2000, the Department of Defense (DOD), in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, released the Sharable Courseware Reference Model (SCORM). This pivotal work provides spec-ifications and guidelines that will be the foundation for how organizations will use learning technologies to build and operate the e-learning systems of the future. DOD also established the Advanced Distributive Learning (ADL) Co-Laboratory to foster collaborative research, development, and assessment of the common tools, standards, content, and guidelines for the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative. 11 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY 2 Administering the First Government-wide Electronic Survey on Learning Technology Ñ The data gathered via a web-based survey from 349 respondents in 33 different agencies provided the most comprehensive benchmarking of Federal efforts to implement learning technology ever documented. Establishing the Training Technology Implementation Group (TTIG) Ñ This interagency group of more than 40 project leaders was formed to help promote collaborations and share information about agency learning technology implementations among agencies. These interim accomplishments, as impressive as they were, only highlighted the tremendous challenges the Task Force faced in finding ways to accelerate the acceptance and effective use of learning technology by Federal agencies. Findings and Recommendations The Task Force divided its work into six focus areas and established sub-groups to conduct research and provide recom-mendations to address the President's charge. Using a consensus approach, the full Task Force agreed that the President should be asked to support the following slate of recommendations: 1. Create a Steering Committee and One-Stop-Shop for Federal Training Technology Ñ Agencies have recognized the tremendous payoffs that come with providing technology-based training opportunities to their employees. The Task Force found isolated examples of successful learning technology implementations. However, the lack of a coordinated government-wide effort to promote interagency collaborations and information sharing inhibits the widespread adoption of effective learning technologies. A Federal Learning Technology Steering Committee charged with establishing government-wide strategies to accelerate these implementations is critically needed. This interagency body would be responsible for an annual report to the President on the status of the Federal government's efforts to use learning technology. It would also provide coordination for a Federal Learning Technology Resource Center that will serve as the "one-stop-shop" for agencies seeking assistance and information on implementing technology-based training. 2. Make Training a Strategic Planning Priority for All Agencies Ñ Several recent studies in both the private and public sectors have shown that integrating and aligning training needs with corporate strategic goals positively impact the bottom line. A review of Federal strategic plans revealed that training is usually not an integral part of agency plans. The Task Force, therefore, recommends that OPM and OMB issue a requirement and guidance for all agencies to establish specific training goals and measures as a part of their Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Annual Performance Plans. 3. Establish a Government-wide Fund for Learning Technology Innovation Grants Ñ Agencies identified a lack of funds for research and development (R& D) and start-up costs as a major barrier to implementing technology-based learning. The Task Force recommends that an OPM-managed Innovation fund be created to fund agency requests for assistance. The funds will offset the research and start-up costs associated with an effort to implement technology-based training. OPM would convene a blue-ribbon panel to review agency grant requests and give priority to proposals that involve interagency collaborations and external partnerships. 12 EXECUTIVE S UMMARY 3 4. Launch a Campaign to Educate Decision-Makers on the Advantages of Using Learning Technology Ñ Senior agency officials who have the authority to approve learning technology implementations often do not fully understand or appreciate the potential of learning technology. This predicament is exacerbated by a skills gap among human resource development professionals who are not prepared to make a compelling business case to support an investment in learning technology. The Task Force recommends that the deterrent effects of these problems be addressed via a multifaceted awareness and skills-building campaign. This effort should be initiated and coordinated by OPM and should be targeted at senior-level decision-makers and human resource development professionals charged with agency efforts to implement learning technology. 5. Develop a Program to Promote Existing Procurement Flexibilities for Agency Acquisitions of Learning Technology Ñ Research affirms that procurement mechanisms currently available are more than capable of supporting agencies' transition to technology-based learning systems. Many, however, perceive the procurement process as too inflex-ible to efficiently service their needs. The Task Force's analysis showed that these perceptions are fueled by a general lack of understanding of the current flexibilities in the Federal procurement system. It is, therefore, recommended that a coor-dinated 1 government-wide awareness campaign be initiated for decision-makers and other stakeholders involved with selecting various options and methods for buying and sharing learning technology. Conclusions The Federal government's ability to provide the services and products that the American public expects depends on the talents and skills of the Federal workforce. Federal workers cannot meet the complex challenges of the e-society without continuous learning and development. Using technology to fulfill a growing need for retraining and new skills is no longer an option; it is a necessity. The recommendations of the Task Force, if accepted by the President, will create the foundation needed to accelerate the use of learning technology in the Federal government and strengthen the growth of a world-class Federal workforce. 1 The General Services Administration (GSA), the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) should join forces with representatives of the Procurement Executive, Human Resources Development, Chief Information Officers, and Chief Financial Officers Councils. 13 14 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY Report of Final Recommendations July 2000 15 16 7 REPORT OF F INAL RECOMMENDATIONS Report of Final Recommendations Introduction: Technology Ñ Transforming Federal Learning The explosion of technological innovations and the Internet are positively affecting all sectors of our society. One con-crete example is the private sector's acceptance of technology-based learning as a viable method for delivering training. Private sector employers are using distributed learning systems to provide employees with "just-in-time" training to satisfy the rapidly changing demands of the marketplace. This transition has made them more competitive and improved their responsiveness to customers. The public's increasing desire to get services on-line is radically changing the way it wants to interact with its govern-ment. The flexibilities of the e-society bring with it a continuous need for employee retraining and skills upgrades. The Federal government must accelerate its use of technology to ensure the availability of readily accessible and high quality training to its workforce. A wide divergence exists in the training needs of Federal employees. These needs range from training in basic literacy and math skills, information technology, leadership, and management to complex defense training scenarios. To be responsive to these needs, training must be delivered using a combination of traditional and nontraditional means. Technology-based training affords employees access to training that fits their schedule, allows them to proceed at their own pace, and lets them decide when to proceed after having mastered a topic. Research also shows that when training is provided using a "just-in-time" model, the efficiency and value of the training are enhanced. Toward these ends, the Federal government is increasing its use of and investment in learning technology. A variety of independent initiatives, such as training delivered through CD-ROMs using computer-based training (CBT), satellite down-links, expert systems, Internet/ Intranet based systems, and sophisticated 3-D virtual simulations, represent a monu-mental attempt to integrate technology into the way training is delivered. However, more needs to be done to accelerate and coordinate learning technology integration so that new technology-based training opportunities are available more broadly to Federal employees. Two key elements will play a major role in facilitating this integration. First, common software and system standards need to be adopted across the public and private sectors to enable programs to be exchanged and reused on a large scale. Second, agencies must undergo a cultural change that encourages more interagency collaborations and private sector partnerships to aggressively promote e-learning systems. Task Force Formation To address this critical need for change, President William J. Clinton, on January 12, 1999, issued Executive Order (E. O.) 13111: Using Technology to Improve Training Opportunities for Federal Government Employees. This groundbreaking directive established the President's Task Force on Federal Training Technology, composed of senior-level representatives of the Federal government, and charged them with developing a policy to "make effective use of technology to improve training opportunities for Federal government employees." The E. O. specifies that the focus of the Task Force should go beyond training and should encompass the broader concept of learning: 17 8 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY "A coordinated Federal effort is needed to provide flexible training opportunities to employees and to explore how Federal training programs, initiatives, and policies can better support lifelong learning through the use of learning technology." OPM Director Janice Lachance serves as the Chair, and Assistant Secretary for the Office of Administration and Management at the Department of Labor, Patricia W. Lattimore, serves as Vice Chair of the Task Force. Emzell Blanton Jr., a senior advisor to the Director of OPM, serves as the Executive Director. The 63 Task Force members and alternates were appointed from a cadre of senior-level representatives from 25 Federal agencies and four interagency councils. Having representatives from the Human Resources Development (HRD), Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), Chief Information Officers (CIOs), and Human Resource/ Personnel (HR) councils makes this one of the most professionally diverse groups ever assembled to address training in the Federal government. The work of the Task Force and its sub-groups are highlighted in the following sections. Methods and Research Given the high number of deliverables in the Executive Order, the work of the Task Force was broken into six focus areas and sub-groups established for each. The focus areas were: Individual Learning Accounts Learning Technologies Financial Investments Training Technology Implementation Procurement Options Standards Each Task Force representative was assigned to one of the six sub-groups using a self-nomination process. After more than a year of conducting research using a variety of methods, which included focus groups, surveys, and personal interviews, each sub-group issued a comprehensive report of its findings with draft recommendations. The sub-group reports provide detailed information on the strategies and methods used to gather information and formulate recommendations. Each report is catalogued on the President's Task Force on Federal Training Technology web-site at www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html These reports will serve as historical benchmarks for the Federal government's efforts to implement learning technology at the beginning of the new millennium. They will also be an invaluable resource for agencies seeking information on strategies, resources, and pitfalls of initial ventures into implementing technology-based learning systems. Recommendations and Findings Together the Task Force reviewed all draft recommendations and consolidated them into five final recommendations, which are detailed in the next section. These recommendations are presented in the following manner: (1) the text of the recommendation 18 9 REPORT OF F INAL RECOMMENDATIONS with a short narrative explanation, (2) a suggested agency or group of agencies that should be tasked with implementing the rec-ommendation, and (3) a suggested timeframe for completing the actions required in the recommendation. The Individual Learning Account (ILA) Sub-Group submitted its report 2 on the feasibility of establishing ILAs for Federal employees to the Task Force in early June 1999. The report indicated that ILAs have great potential as tools for Federal agencies to allocate training resources and to ensure employee input, and they deserved further study. On July 12, 1999, the Task Force sent the President a recommendation calling for a series of OPM-coordinated agency ILA program pilots. These programs would provide the empirical data to access the value added by ILAs and give OPM the information it needs to establish government-wide guidance. In November 1999, after the President's approval of the ILA recommendations, OPM issued guidance for agencies to establish 17 ILA pilots among 13 agencies. Initial reports are due to OPM in October 2000. During the latter part of FY-2001, OPM will share "lessons learned" from the pilots and provide government-wide implementation guidelines. The Learning Technology Sub-Group was chartered to make recommendations on integrating the effective use of current and emerging training/ learning technologies into the Federal government's efforts to provide more accessible and cost-effective training opportunities for its employees. Its survey identified four primary types of technology in use by the Federal government: (1) computer-based training (CBT), (2) the Internet/ Intranet, (3) satellite television, and (4) videocassettes. Of these delivery venues, the majority of the technology-based training in use was noninteractive and considered low-tech by today's standards. This Sub-Group also recognized the value and potential of establishing external partnerships with the private sector, academia, and other nonfederal stakeholders in the e-learning community. The Sub-Group, in conducting a study to determine their use by Federal agencies, found very few external partnerships and concluded that the Federal govern-ment is bypassing a constructive opportunity as a result. Recommendation from the Individual Learning Account Report: Establish Pilots for Individual Learning Accounts Recommendation 1: Create a Steering Committee and One-Stop-Shop for Federal Training Technology 2 Individual Learning Accounts Focus Area Sub-Group Report Ñ www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html 19 10 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY The Sub-Group also was asked to review current agency on-line training information systems to determine whether a likely candidate exists for a government-wide training information repository. After reviewing scores of agency specific systems, the Sub-Group recommended the adoption of the Department of Labor's (DOL) on-line Federal Learning Exchange (FLX). This system met all of the evaluation criteria. DOL is now working with the Task Force and other interested stakeholders to continually update and refine the system. The Learning Technology Sub-Group Report 3 also indicates that agencies have recognized the tremendous payoffs that come with providing technology-based training opportunities to their employees. Several examples of successful learning tech-nology implementations were found. In general, however, the lack of a coordinated government-wide effort to promote interagency collaborations and information sharing inhibits the widespread adoption of effective learning technologies. A Federal Learning Technology Steering Committee charged with establishing government-wide policies and strategies to accelerate learning technology implementations is critically needed. This interagency body would be responsible for an annual report to the President on the status of the Federal government's efforts to use learning technology. It could also provide coor-dination for a Federal Learning Technology Resource Center. The Resource Center would serve as the "one-stop-shop" for agencies seeking assistance and information on implementing technology-based training in the Federal government. Tasking: OPM, in coordination with the Office of Science and Technology Policy, should prepare an Executive Order to: Establish the Steering Committee and outline its responsibilities, and Define the structure, funding, and staffing of the Resource Center. The Training Technology Steering Committee should have six standing member agencies and five rotating member agencies each serving two-year terms. The six standing agencies should be: Office of Personnel Management For its role as the agency responsible for establishing government-wide training policy; Department of Labor For its leadership in the creation and use of Internet-based training databases as a part of its America's Career Kit, which includes the America's Learning Exchange and the Federal Learning Exchange; Department of Defense For its leadership in the creation of a consensus-based standard for learning technology software and systems, and sponsors of the Advanced Learning Distributive (ALD) Co-Laboratory; Department of Commerce For its leadership in promoting more commercial and intellectual collaboration between the Federal government and the private sector to accelerate the use of technology in training; 3 Learning Technology Focus Area Sub-Group Report Ñ www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html 20 11 REPORT OF F INAL RECOMMENDATIONS General Services Administration For its role as the leading procurement source for agencies seeking hardware acquisitions, and off-the-shelf learning technology software and learning-management systems; and Office of Management and Budget For its ability to ensure that agency budget submissions reflect and support investments in training technology. The Steering Committee should determine the rotating agencies based on the value they add to the continuing effort to promote technology-based training solutions. Timeframe: Target Date for Issuance of Executive Order -October 16, 2000. The Financial Investments Sub-Group was chartered to provide guidance to agencies on integrating training goals and measures into annual planning and budget processes. The Sub-Group's research showed that leading private sector compa-nies view training as an investment that must be strategically and continually planned, budgeted, and evaluated. In contrast, its review 4 of the Federal process showed that training is usually not an integral part of agency strategic planning processes. To address this critical shortfall, a recently formed alliance among the Task Force, OPM, and representatives of the OMB needs to complete the work it has underway to get agencies to integrate specific training goals and measures into the FY-2002 Annual Agency Performance Plans. Once in place, these new goals and measures would be governed by the same strictures of content and timeframe currently required of Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Agency Performance Plans. Tasking: OMB should establish a requirement for integrated training goals and measures as a principal element of an agency's Annual Performance Plan. Appropriate language should be added to the FY-2002 Budget Circular A-11. OPM should publish guidelines for agencies seeking to strategically align training resources with mission requirements. Timeframe: OMB should complete revisions to its Budget Circular A-11 in time for agencies to include goals and measures in its FY-2002 Annual Performance Plans. OPM should publish its guidelines no later than October 1, 2000. Recommendation 2: Make Training a Strategic Planning Priority for All Agencies 4 Financial Investments Focus Area Sub-Group Report Ñ www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html 21 12 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY The Training Technology Implementation Group (TTIG) was established to facilitate more agency collaborations and information sharing. The Sub-Group has established four platform-specific focus areas, each having a lead agency, to pro-mote interagency exchanges of ideas centered on a common implementation strategy. The group holds frequent meetings, that are usually highlighted by agency demonstrations of efforts to implement learning technology. With support from OPM, this Sub-Group will continue as a principal interagency forum for information sharing and dialogue associated with the implementation of technology-based learning systems. A principal finding of this group was that a lack of funds for Research & Development and start-up costs is a major barri-er to implementing technology-based learning. The Task Force recommends that an OPM-managed, competition-based Innovation Fund be created to fund agency requests for assistance. Assistance may also offset the research and start-up costs associated with efforts to implement technology-based training. OPM would convene a blue-ribbon panel to review agency grant requests and give priority to proposals that promote interagency collaborations and external partnerships. Tasking: OPM, working with the OMB, should develop a budget proposal to establish a Training Technology Innovations Grant Fund. Timeframe: The proposal should be completed in time for the FY-2002 budget appropriation. Senior agency officials who have the authority to approve innovative uses of learning technology for training often do not fully understand or appreciate the potential of learning technology. This is exacerbated by a skills gap among human resources development professionals who subsequently fail to make the compelling business case that is needed to support an investment in learning technology. The Task Force recommends that the deterrent effects of these problems can best be addressed via a multifaceted awareness and skills-building campaign. Tasking: Under its responsibility for government-wide training policy, OPM will work in partnership with the Human Resources Development Council (HRDC). It should design specific curricula to increase management knowledge with respect to learning technology. Additionally, the curricula could address the skills gap that exists among HRD professionals, who could then make a compelling business case for the integration of learning technology into agency training programs. Recommendation 3: Establish a Government-Wide Fund for Learning Technology Recommendation 4: Launch a Campaign to Educate Decision-Makers on the Advantages of Using Learning Technology 22 13 REPORT OF F INAL RECOMMENDATIONS Successful programs would include information provided using a wide assortment of methods including the Internet, classroom, special forums, seminars, and written materials/ brochures. Timeframe: Initial interventions (courses, seminars, etc.) should be targeted for the first quarter of FY-2001. The Procurement Options Sub-Group was chartered to assess the viability and flexibility of the Federal procurement system as the principal means for acquiring technology-based training solutions. Its findings 5 showed that the current sys-tem can do the job; however, it seems that many users of the system lack a fundamental awareness of the flexibilities cur-rently available to them. This lack of awareness promotes a belief that the current system is a barrier to the efficient acquisition and implementation of learning technology. It is, therefore, recommended that GSA create an extensive awareness campaign for decision-makers and other stakeholders about the many procurement options and methods available for acquiring learning technology. Tasking: The General Services Administration (GSA), the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), and OPM should work with representatives of the Procurement Council, Human Resources Development Council, Chief Information Officer Council, and Chief Financial Officer Council, to develop an on-line, interdisciplinary training program on using the Federal procurement system to acquire learning technology. This program would be used to mount an aggressive awareness campaign for managers, human resource development professionals, budget professionals, and employees about the way the procurement system can be used to efficiently acquire technology-based training and learning-management systems. A successful program would use a broad spectrum of approaches, thereby, reaching as many stakeholders as possible. These approaches would include programs based on the Internet, formal course offerings, forums/ seminars, and specific literature/ brochures. Timeframe: Initial procurement interventions (courses, seminars, etc.) should be targeted for the 2nd quarter of FY-2001. Recommendation 5: Develop a Program to Promote Existing Procurement Flexibilities for the Acquisition of Learning Technology 5 Procurement Options Focus Area Sub-Group Report Ñ www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html 23 14 EMERGING I SSUES AND F UTURE DIRECTIONS Emerging Issues and Future Directions The overwhelming embrace of the e-society brings with it many new issues never faced by the Federal government. These issues include equity of access, privacy, and intellectual property rights. The Task Force believes that these issues will be the focus of many public policy debates over the next five years and that a serious dialogue needs to be started to address them. Two issues that need immediate attention are intellectual privacy rights and Federal employee access to the Internet. Agencies contracting for e-learning systems in the future will need special contract language to ensure that the products they acquire may operate and be shared across locations and agencies. Restrictive contract language that does not vest ownership and distribution rights of the final product to the government will defeat efforts to significantly reduce costs through inter-agency sharing of learning technology products. The Learning Technology Steering Committee, once it is established, should prioritize the development of a government-wide policy to address the issue of intellectual property rights with respect to learning technology software and related systems. Statistical survey information gathered on the Internet revealed the existence of an "Internet digital divide" in some Federal agencies. Specifically, several agencies still have in place very restrictive policies on who has access to the Internet. These policies, in many instances, contribute to the lack of acceptance of web-based training as a viable and more cost-effective alternative to traditional training methods. The "anytime" and "anyplace" advantage offered by web-based learn-ing technology will not be available to those employees whose agencies have decided that they have no need for access to the Internet. The President's Management Council supports making preparations for all Federal employees to be web-competent and to prepare them for the transition to an environment using more on-line services. Having a Federal workforce where all are proficient in the use of the Internet is in keeping with the President's goals to address the social and economic issues posed by the e-society. The Learning Technology Steering Committee should include this as a priority issue on its agenda once it is established. Conclusions: The recommendations in this report, supported by the research codified in the Focus Area Sub-Group Reports, form the basis for a coordinated government-wide approach to implementing e-learning for the Federal workforce. These recom-mendations should be considered as an integrated package of tools, all of which address specific weaknesses in the current Federal effort to use technology to enhance the skills of its workforce. If the initiatives in these recommendations are suc-cessfully implemented, the Administration will have put in place the foundation of an e-learning environment that will grow exponentially and provide the universal access to the knowledge resources needed to fuel a nation of highly skilled, competitive, and adaptive lifelong learners. The President charged the Task Force with finding ways to make training more accessible through the use of learning technology. The Task Force believes that having Innovation Grants, targeted awareness raising programs, and the Training Technology Steering Committee to serve as a centralized coordinating body, will accelerate the acceptance and use of learning technology in the Federal government. 24 15 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY Appendices Learning Technologies Focus Area Sub-Group Report - www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html Financial Investments Focus Area Sub-Group Report - www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html Training Technology Implementation Group Report - www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html Procurement Options Focus Area Sub-Group Report - www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html Standards Focus Area Sub-Group Report - www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html Individual Learning Account Focus Area Sub-Group Report - www. technology-taskforce. gov/ reports. html 25 16 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY Rashaan Dozier-Escalante Technical Advisor President's Task Force Presidential Management Intern Social Security Administration Jeff Gantt Executive Assistant President's Task Force Office of Personnel Management Ellen J. Goings Executive Assistant President's Task Force Office of Personnel Management Elijah Jenkins Procurement Specialist Office of Personnel Management Fred Lang, Ph. D. Transition Team Office of Personnel Management Tanya Luckett Technical Advisor President's Task Force Department of Energy Patrice Mendonca Procurement Specialist Office of Personnel Management Craig Moran Web Developer Department of Labor Faith Rodman Technical Advisor/ Web Developer President's Task Force Department of Labor Barbara Swanson Transition Team Office of Personnel Management Lee A. Wexel Senior Technical Advisor President's Task Force Department of Defense JoAnne Whitman Senior Technical Advisor President's Task Force Department of Energy Acknowledgments The Task Force would like to gratefully acknowledge the following people for their dedicated assistance and support in helping to achieve the mandate of the President. Special thanks and appreciation are also extended to the following members of the White House's Office of Science and Technical Policy: Henry Kelly Assistant Director for Technology Martha Livingston Assistant General Counsel Carson Eoyang, Ph. D. Technical Advisor 26 27 PRESIDENT' S TASK F ORCE ON F EDERAL TRAINING TECHNOLOGY JULY 2000 28