Abstract:

Training in the life sciences sector, such as pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device manufacturing companies, tends to be paper based and delivered in a passive, rather than active learning manner. The focus is predominately on ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. However, it has been shown that when training is passive and focuses on compliance, the trainee experiences less long term benefit, which can lead to reduction in quality and ultimately a loss in revenue. Our research investigates the potential of emerging educational technologies to address this deficit by developing a novel training system which could be deployed within production processes in the sector. The aim of such a system is to increase training efficiency and employee competence while also ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

The principle conclusion from a review of technology based training systems is that they tend to fall into one of four categories: electronic documents, video tutorials, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) and that these can be positioned on a spectrum from low complexity (e-documents) to high complexity (AR).

Exploratory semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior personnel with responsibility for training across 12 different life sciences companies, to ascertain the nature and effectiveness of their current training systems. The trend among these companies is to store all manufacturing process instructions (in the life sciences sector these are referred to as Standard Operating Procedures, or SOPs) in some type of database or central repository. Currently, employee training in SOPs tends to involve reading through the SOP on the database and ticking a box at the end to indicate that the trainee understood the SOP. It was acknowledged by interviewees that the process was quite passive and that a greater level of active learning was desirable. However, it was indicated that any alternative system must be cost effective, be easy to update in the event of an SOP being revised and demonstrate compliance during audits by regulatory bodies.

Based on these findings, a proof of concept for an alternative training system was developed for a sample SOP which included an interactive video tutorial. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was then used to demonstrate the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of this proof of concept.

Keywords:

Technology Based Training, Active Learning, Life Sciences.