HOME  /  White Papers  /  A New Approach to Online Learning

A New Approach to Online Learning

Case Study: In 2007, TRAX was given a request to develop a software-based training application for the Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy. The application's purpose would be to track the mandated training requirements for police personnel as stipulated by the Department of Criminal Justice Services. The final product would weave together the state requirements with a robust set of back-end features in a user-friendly system for adminstrators, instructors, and end-users at an affordable cost.

 

"I needed an internet based learning system for my training academy.  I met with [TRAX] and provided the general requirements that I was looking for in a system that tracked an officers time and sequence throughout his/her on line course.  Furthermore, I needed a system that I could afford and one that produced the reports I needed to track the mandated training requirements as stipulated by the Department of Criminal Justice Services."

-Ronald J. Staton, Director
-Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy

In the fall of 2007, TRAX’s Software Engineering group received a request to aid in the development of a Learning Management System for the Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (CVCJA).  During a series of meetings with the Academy's administrators, instructors, and students, TRAX identified a series of core requirements that the application would have to meet.   Essentially, the software would function in both a standalone and classroom environment to educate police officers statewide as to the proper procedures in all aspects of police work as defined by the State of Virginia.  Each participant would take a course that would be authored and uploaded by an accredited instructor.  The course would have both a series of educational slides combining text, images, sounds, animations, etc. and a testing component which was entirely instructor created and administered.

Using Agile software development methodologies, TRAX began work immediately.  The Agile approach is relatively new concept in the software development community.  It encourages a non-denominational approach to the software tools used, frequent and collaborative interactions with the customer, a responsiveness to change, and frequent delivery of useable software iterations.

Using a combination of JAVA, MySQL, and other open-source technologies, the developers created incremental mini-releases that were released every 2 weeks to the customer.  Each release enabled the customer to evaluate the newly added features and provide feedback as to the overall direction of the product and direction for the next release.  This close collaboration was the core of TRAX’s software development approach because it avoids the scenario in which a client sees an end-product for the first time at the end of the development process and being blind-sided by a product they did not expect.

Along the way, TRAX and CVCJA incorporated several additional features that further enhanced the product.  Instructors could manage and edit their individual courses via the web browser, define passing scores on a test-by-test basis, review their individual  student’s progress thru the educational material, and more.  Printable PDF certificates were provided to students upon course completion.  The administration console was enhanced to track course statistics.  Collaboration between client and developer was instrumental to producing fully-featured and successful application.

In spring of 2009, the Learning Content Management System (LCMS) was initially rolled out to the instructors at CVCJA who began adding new courses.  A few weeks later, the first student took a course and in the time since, over 10,000 certificates have been awarded.  Feedback from the course instructors and students has been overwhelmingly positive and additional instances of LCMS have been sold to other training academies.  

"TRAX... created a very user-friendly online learning system.  Whether it’s taking courses, creating courses, or generating course reports, each process requires little more than a few clicks of the mouse.  Their technical support has been readily available and extremely accommodating.  TRAX continually strives to meet customer needs in an effort to make a great online system even better!!"

-Matt Marsteller, Training Coordinator
-Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy

Some of the departments that have used the LCMS:

Abingdon Police Department
Accomack County Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA
Alberta Police Department
Altavista Police Department
Amherst County Public Safety
Amherst County Sheriffs Office
Amherst Police Department
Appalachia Police Department
Appomattox County Sheriffs Office
Appomattox E-911
B & W Police Department
Bedford County 9-11
Bedford County Sheriffs Office
Big Stone Gap Police Department
Blackstone Police Department
Bland County Sheriffs Office
Blue Ridge Regional Jail
Bluefield Police Department
Boydton Police Department
Breaks Interstate Park Police Department
Bristol Police Department
Bristol Sheriff s Office
Brodnax Police Department
Brookneal Police Department
Brunswick County 9-11
Brunswick County Sheriffs Office
Buchanan County Sheriffs Office
Buckingham County Sheriffs Office
Buena Vista Police Department
Burkeville Police Department
Campbell County Public Safety
Campbell County Sheriffs Office
Cape Charles Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Carilion Health Systems Police Department
Carroll County Sheriffs Office
CBN/Regent University Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Cedar Bluff Police Department
Central Virginia Community College Police Department
Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy
Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (other)
Central Virginia Training Center Police Department
Charlotte County Sheriffs Office
Chase City Police Department
Chatham Police Department & Piedmont CJTA
Chilhowie Police Department
Chincotegue Police Department & Hampon Roads CJTA
Christopher Newport University Police Dept. & Hampton Roads CJTA
Clarksville Police Department
Clinchco Police Department
Clintwood Police Department
Coeburn Police Department
Crewe Police Department
Cumberland County Sheriffs Office
Damascus Police Department
Danville Adult Detention
Danville Emergency Services & Piedmont CJTA
Danville Police Department & Piedmont CJTA
Danville Sheriffs Office & Piedmont CJTA
Dickenson County E-911
Dickenson County Sheriffs Office
Dickenson County Special Police
Dillwyn Police
Drakes Branch Police Department
Dublin Police Department
Eastern State Hospital Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Emory & Henry College Police Department
Exmore Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy
Fairfax County Sheriffs Office
Farmville Emergency Communications Center
Farmville Police Department
Floyd County Sheriffs Office
Franklin Police Department and Hampton Roads CJTA
Fries Police Department
Galax Police Department
Gate City Police Department
Giles County Sheriffs Office
Glade Spring Police Department
Glen Lyn Police Department
Gloucester County Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA

Grayson County Sheriffs Office
Gretna Police Department & Piedmont CJTA
Grundy Police Department
Halifax County 911
Halifax County Sheriffs Office
Halifax Police Department
Hampden-Sydney College Police Department
Hampton Police Division & Hampton Roads CJTA
Hampton Roads Criminal Justice Academy
Hampton Roads Regional Jail & Hampton Roads CJTA
Hampton Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA
Hampton University Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Haysi Police Department
Henry County Sheriffs Office & Piedmont CJTA
Hillsville Police Department
Honaker Police Department
Hurt Police Department
Independence Police Department
Isle of Wight Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA
Isle of Wight Telecommunications & Hampton Roads CJTA
James City County Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Jonesville Police Department
Kenbridge Police Department
Kingsmill Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
LaCrosse Police Department
Lawrenceville Police Department
Lebanon Police Department
Lee County Sheriffs Office
Liberty University Police Department
Longwood University Police Department
Lunenburg County Sheriffs Office
Lyn Com
Lynchburg City Sheriffs Office
Lynchburg Police Department
Lynchburg Regional Airport
Marion Police Department
Martinsville Henry County 911 Center & Piedmont CJTA
Martinsville Police Department & Piedmont CJTA
Martinsville Sheriffs Office & Piedmont CJTA
Mathews County Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA
Mecklenburg County 9-11
Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office
Middle Peninsula Regional Jail & Hampton Roads CJTA
Middlesex County Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA
Montgomery County Sheriffs Office
Nelson County Emergency
Nelson County Sheriffs Office
New River Criminal Justice Academy
New River Valley Regional Jail
Newport News City Farm & Hampton Roads CJTA
Newport News Parks & Recreation Police & Hampton Roads CJTA
Newport News Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Newport News Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA
NN/Wmbgs International Airport Police & Hampton Roads CJTA
Norfolk International Airport Police & Hampton Roads CJTA
Norfolk State University Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Northampton County Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA
Norton City Sheriffs Office
Norton Police Department
Nottoway County Sheriffs Office
Old Dominion University Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Onancock Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Onley Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Patrick County Sheriffs Office & Piedmont CJTA
Pearisburg Police Department
Pembroke Police Department
Pennington Gap Police Department
Piedmont Criminal Justice Academy
Piedmont Geriatric Hospital Police
Piedmont Regional Jail
Pittsylvania County Emergency Services & Piedmont CJTA
Pittsylvania County Sheriffs Office & Piedmont CJTA
Pocahontas Police Department
Poquoson Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Portsmouth Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Pound Police Department
Prince Edward County Sheriffs Office
Prince William County
Pulaski County Sheriffs Office
Radford University Police Department

Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy
Rich Creek Police Department
Richlands Police Department
Rural Retreat Police Department
Russell County Sheriffs Office
Saltville Police Department
Scott County Sheriffs Office
Smithfield Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Smyth County Animal Control
Smyth County Sheriffs Office
South Boston Police Department
South Hill Police Department
Southwest Mental Health Inst. Police Department
Southwest VA Regional Jail Association
Southwest Virginia Criminal Justice Academy
St. Paul Police Department
Suffolk Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
SVCC Campus Police Department
Tangier Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Tazewell County Sheriffs Office
Tazewell Police Department
Thomas Nelson Community College Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
UVA at Wise Campus Police Department
VA Highlands College Campus Police Department
Victoria Police Department
Virginia ABC Board
Virginia Beach Sheriffs Office
Virginia Marine Resources Commission & Hampton Roads CJTA
Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail & Hampton Roads CJTA
Virginia Port Authority Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Virginia State Police
Washington County Animal Control
Washington County Sheriffs Off.
Weber City Police Department
West Point Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
William & Mary College Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Williamsburg Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Williamsburg/James City County Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA
Windsor Police Department & Hampton Roads CJTA
Wintergreen Police Department
Wise County Sheriffs Office 
Wise Police Department
Wythe County Sheriffs Office
Wytheville Police Department
York County Sheriffs Office & Hampton Roads CJTA