Years ago, when I did my PhD (oh boy, I'm getting old), performance support systems were "in". In my research, I tested my model through a performance support system (or an EPSS, electronic performance support system). After that, I hardly ever thought of these systems again, leaving the educational area for a more business-oriented, knowledge management, interest. Besides, in the educational field, everybody seemed to have moved to e-learning, web-based training.
So, I never really wondered what happened with this area of performance support, but reading the posting of George Siemens, I thought: "Yeh, I haven't heard about this for a long time". Siemens refers to an interesting overview of Jay Cross about performance support systems: its birth in the 1990s (with Gloria Gery's book as our guide) and apparently a rebirth has taken place, under the label of web2.0. PS is not dead, it's alive, as Cross states:
Performance support is stronger than ever; it simply hiding in plain sight, having taken on a new form.
Remember the original premise of PS, making information available to workers instead of forcing them to memorize it? That’s how we use Google and corporate wikis and instant messenger.
Old wine in new bottles?
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