Activity based training methods and visual communication and collaboration services in the education of international welder

State of the art principles for learning design processes exploiting activity-based training by using the IIW Guideline for International Welder is discussed. Activity-based training is organized through the use of work packages, each containing a complete product documentation of specific industrial activities that must be mastered in order to handle the whole production process. Activity-based training utilize extended blended learning methodologies mixing on-site training with self-paced learning through e-learning methodologies, and inclusion of state of the art visual communication and collaboration solutions like high quality videoconferencing and industrial video streaming solutions. A training course is structured into a number of tasks that closely follows the production process. Theoretical training and practice follow each other closely by using a just-in-time on-the-job approach. The basic philosophy behind the on-the-job approach is that the end-users obtain their knowledge when they need it in the production process. Welders, welder instructors and welding organizations constitute model user groups. The activity-based training principles may be deployed to most training scenarios where theoretical training and practical skills upgrade close runs together.