A common language for testing
Mike Smith, managing director of Testing Solutions Group explains how Learntesting online training is helping to build a common language for testing.
Learntesting was established as a separately branded online training division of specialist IT consulting firm Testing Solutions Group (TSG) in 2003. TSG is one of the largest providers of bespoke and certificated software testing training in the UK, as well as providing consulting and project services to its large network of clients in the UK and Europe.
At Learntesting, we wanted to establish an online training and global distribution service for software testing and certification aimed at both corporate and individual users. With the rapid global expansion of the certification scheme, Learntesting could provide a highly accessible service and offer an opportunity for those looking to reduce costs and minimise time out of the office.
The certification schemes are widely recognised as setting a benchmark for the industry, providing a ‘common language for testing’ across the globe and demonstrating a level of competence to employers. Over 130,000 people are now certified in the ISEB/ISTQB schemes and there are 47 member boards in ISTQB.
Following the experience of two earlier implementations of online learning technology, the Learntesting Virtual Learning business model was developed to incorporate:
• An online warehouse of high quality content to support the testing certification schemes accredited by BCS and the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB). Due to the nature and scale of this online content warehouse, it needed to be supported by a robust and highly available learning management system;
• A franchise distribution model that would allow the content and online training to be localised and implemented by global training providers and resellers;
• e-commerce capability in order for corporate organisations and individuals to purchase Learntesting content as and when needed;
• A multi-channel delivery solution offering a range of content and delivery options to support all levels of learning objectives and to prepare students adequately to pass industry exams including: Online self-study tutorial videos, exercises, quizzes and other content; Live virtual classrooms (LVC) to support higher-level learning objectives, practical exercises, collaboration and exam preparation; Traditional classroom and blended learning options; eBooks.
• A 24/7 global support network, staffed by local accredited training providers.
Learntesting chose the CLIX learning management platform from IMC (UK) Learning Ltd to support the service. CLIX was chosen as a key element of the Learntesting platform due to its ‘industrial strength’ engineering track record. Its professional user interface, highly configurable functionality and scalable performance made it the perfect choice to support the Learntesting business model.
Learntesting worked in collaboration with IMC who took the Learntesting business model and matched CLIX, to work to this. From this point on, IMC became heavily involved in the project providing consultancy and expertise.
Learntesting forged other collaborative partnerships to build its Virtual Learning solution:
• HSBC global e-learning centre of excellence for training content development;
• Kwantlen University (Vancouver) for instructional design;
• Skillsoft for a private library of testing and related ebooks;
• iSQI and Pearson VUE for global exam service delivery.
There are many different ways that students can prepare for certificated exams. Study options range from simply reading the syllabus to sitting accredited courses, whether in the classroom or online. There are many books, sample questions and other support materials widely available at a range of costs.
From our experience, a student’s best option depends upon their previous experience, the level of certificate they are studying and their preferred learning style. Some experienced testers decide not to do any formal study, preferring to rely on their experience. While this works for some, others actually have real problems because their experience may be too narrow, or they have used a proprietary approach to testing not in line with the standards upon which the schemes are based.
Even with a prime objective of just passing the exam, choosing not to study can be a false economy leading to expensive exam re-sits.
With the above in mind, when providing online learning it is important to cater for a range of backgrounds. The most inexperienced students will need a lot of material available and ways of reinforcing the knowledge that they are acquiring. The more experienced students need ways of assessing their knowledge levels and easy access to the areas of learning in which they are weakest.
For all learners, it is important that courses provides an interesting learning experience. This is the most difficult challenge to anyone trying to build online training solutions. Although there is an increasing range of ‘rapid authoring’ tools available, it requires expert subject matter knowledge, online content design skills, a lot of time and a large budget to build successful online training materials.
Interactive quizzes and exam assessments are critical and in many respects, the most important feature for the success of online training. This involves a huge amount of development work, since setting good exam questions is hard enough – and providing the supporting information as to why each answer option is correct or not is an even bigger challenge!
With Learntesting, we have chosen to get our courses leading to certification accredited. This means we cannot take short cuts and need to cover all aspects of the syllabus as well as ensuring the online learning experience is good. Students of Learntesting are buying a guarantee that our courses properly prepare them for the exam. Individuals and organisations will soon be unhappy if the training fails to deliver this, and our pass rate at Foundation level of over 95 percent in the past five years is testament to the quality of the learning experience.
In April 2009 we market-tested our new service with limited distribution capability and gradually introduced more content, distributors and technical enhancements.
The Learntesting Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is now available to anyone in the world, with subscribers able to self-register on the system and gain immediate access to a range of free content in the form of ‘Testers Treasure Chests’. This includes:
• Sample online course extracts;
• Sample certificated exam style questions;
• Sample video extracts, high-quality papers and other value-added material;
A unique feature of Learntesting is that it is not just providing ‘one-off’ limited access to course materials and other content. It is designed to support corporations’ and individuals’ learning needs from start to finish. The Virtual Learning Environment built by Learntesting using the CLIX engine gives us full control over the content and service delivery, allowing us to offer the following:
1. Free evaluation, planning and support service to help testers self-assess their capability, define their goals and plan their learning objectives, with self-assessment exam style questions; self-assessment questionnaires; and personal consultation with experienced, accredited tutors.
2. Free content in the form of ‘Testers Treasure Chests’ to help all testers in their day-to-day work and also provide an insight into the type of content they can purchase.
3. Guaranteed on-going access to content – while we recommend optimum study periods for our courses, they are all extendable with no extra charge. If we agree testers’ learning objectives, our guarantee is to provide all content until these objectives are met.
4. Alumni programme – Learntesting will be introducing an alumni programme in May, featuring ‘lifetime’ access to content after gaining certificates
5. Private e-book library. Anyone purchasing any content from Learntesting automatically gets access for one year, 24/7, to the library of 50 testing and related titles. This incorporates many of the best known software testing books including some specifically written to support certification schemes.
6. 24/7 support provided by a global network of accredited training organisations, tutors and administrators, plus collaboration tools facilitating the creation of a Learntesting ‘family’.
7. A range of different content to suit learning styles, budgets and study availability, including courses fully accredited by BCS/ISEB and ISTQB.
8. Proven track record of pass rates – 95 percent at Foundation Level (compared with global pass rate of 75 percent).
9. ‘End-to-end’ service delivery.
• Self-register via a local Learntesting provider;
• Select content (immediate access provided to a range of free content);
• Subscribe for content using PayPal (or other methods);
• Gain immediate access to subscribed content;
• Self-register when ready, to Live Virtual Class (LVC) course components;
• Exam vouchers provided for use in 5,000 test centres around the world.
10. The confidence to offer all TEST Magazine readers a full money back guarantee if anyone is not satisfied with the courses that they purchase (Quoting reference MSBS01).
After only six months of operation, Learntesting was selected as a finalist for the prestigious ‘Learning Technologies Solution of the Year’ award from the Institute of IT Training and was presented with a finalist trophy at the awards ceremony held at the Dorchester Hotel in February.
Other key indicators of the early adoption and success of Learntesting include:
• Over 30 traditional classroom clients adopting the new service in the first six months with a high level of positive feedback;
• Acceptance and delivery within the independent contractor market via Testing Agency Portal Owners;
• Take up by large-scale global IT services providers;
• Adoption by eight local portal distributors in the UK, Europe, Far East and Australasia.
Courses and content now available includes:
• ISEB/ISTQB Foundation (English and German);
• ISEB Intermediate;
• ISTQB Advanced Level;
- Test Manager;
- Test Analyst
- Technical Test Analyst
• Other separately available
- Exam style questions;
- Test techniques packs;
- Agile testing seminar video;
- Testers templates and other value-added testing related content.
Crosshead: Into the future
Learntesting is continuing to invest in its testing and testing-related content, including:
• Multi-language courses (building on the German localisation of Foundation);
• Agile Development & Testing;
• User Acceptance Testing;
• Sample exam questions & answers;
• Papers & presentations;
• Enhanced interactive content.
