Online training is beneficial for many reasons. First, it can cater to organizations that provide a 24/7 service with varying shift schedules. Second, it can reduce the time and the cost associated with training. Third, online training can be done remotely, without the need to travel for instructors and trainees. In some cases, trainees can take courses during their downtime at work, reducing the need to dedicate specific time to train. Online training also allows organizations to use their instructor-led time for important topics (such as the use of force and defensive tactics) that are difficult to train virtually.

Over the years we have thoroughly appreciated the helpful feedback received from the trainees of our online courses. Because of your suggestions, we have made a variety of updates to our two most popular eight-hour online programs: Threat Assessment for Security Professionals and Threat Assessment for Law Enforcement Professionals.

Both of these online programs include a mix of lectures, videos, and video-based exercises. For more information on the content covered in each of these programs, see the course descriptions for law enforcement and security professionals.

I took these courses back in August 2021 and recently took them again, and I noted several major improvements. This post will describe the major changes, which were added around the time we received IADLEST recertification earlier this year.

What it Means for You

In both programs, trainees learn about our active threat assessment methodology and have an opportunity to practice these skills. But we know if trainees don’t find content helpful or relevant, they will be less likely to retain it or implement it in the real world.

Therefore, we consistently ask trainees to report on application and utility of the techniques, including whether they had problems navigating the system, what they found the most useful, what they might add, and what they might remove. Trainees are asked to complete a critique after each major section.

We have implemented several changes to improve the delivery and quality of the content, which are outlined in this post. While some of these changes might seem small, they can greatly enhance your user experience and make it easier to complete the training. We want you to focus on learning active threat assessment skills, not trying to figure out how to use our online platform. 

Thankfully, the feedback from our trainees has been instrumental in helping us make helpful revisions and improve our programs.

Updated Delivery Methods

An online course can feel tedious if poorly delivered, and technological glitches can be frustrating. Thus, it is not surprising that the delivery method can critically affect student engagement and performance. To improve our delivery methods, we have made the following changes:

• Updated the interactive player design to make it more user-friendly. This will help you navigate the course better with fewer technical frustrations.

• Made the overall interface bigger and videos larger. Now, videos are easier to see and the course itself is easier to navigate.

• Improved the quality of the audio for all videos and video-based exercises. This included replacing the original automated (and robotic-sounding) audio with higher-quality, natural audio.

• Added several videos throughout the course to enhance visual appeal and reduce the amount of time spent reading. Now, each section has an introductory video, and there are course recap videos in each section.

• On all interactive exercises, we added a menu on the left-hand side player to gauge your course progress. This will help you better manage your time, specifically for those of you taking these programs during downtime at work.

The new audio and videos were recorded by the course developers and Second Sight founders (Nathan Meehan and Peter Forth). This not only gives the course a more personalized feel, but it gives you a chance to “meet” your Second Sight instructors!

Quality of Content

The organization and quality of the course content can affect learning outcomes and impact your ability to retain information. Additionally, people tend to have different learning styles, so incorporating different types of learning activities can make the content more accessible. To improve the quality of our content, we have implemented the following changes:

• Each course now has an introductory video that details objectives and expectations. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from the program at the outset.

• Some of the lecture-based (written) content was converted into video format via course recap videos in sections 2, 3, and 4 in each course.

• Course recap videos help reinforce the material you have already learned and help you retain the information later. Recap videos can be especially helpful to refresh your memory if you choose to take the program across multiple sittings.

• We also added detailed explanations for right and wrong answers to each theory exam question to provide you better feedback while taking the program.

Coming Soon

We are always working on developing new content and improving our existing content (based on your feedback). Right now, we are working on:

• Adding narrations to complement some of the lecture-based content.

• Breaking our 8-hour program into shorter, 4-hour versions. Eight hours might be a long time for an online course, especially if someone already works long hours and has limited availability.

• Developing micro-training courses focused on allowing you monthly practice in active threat assessment skills.

Thank You!

We strive to regularly update and improve our programs, and your feedback is critical to this process. We are in this for the long haul, and we know you are too. Thank you for being a part of the Second Sight community and for giving us a better understanding of your needs – we really appreciate it!

For more information on these programs, or to provide additional feedback, don’t hesitate to contact us or sign up for our mailing list.