Learn About PCT's New Online Label Training Program at PestWorld Booth #531

Stop by the PCT booth (#531) for hands-on demonstrations of the new PCT Distance Learning Center label training program and interactive courses designed by Board Certified Entomologist and consultant Stoy Hedges. The courses use photographs, video clips and reference materials to challenge users’ knowledge, experience and problem-solving skills for a wide range of products and pest problems.

“Our goal is to deliver a different kind of learning experience — an interactive experience,” explains Hedges, who is working closely with leading manufacturers to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the label training courses. “The user is asked to answer questions related to the included reference materials augmented by use of photographs and video clips. Instead of reading pages of text or listening to narration before answering questions, the user has the benefit of searching for the needed information in the reference materials to decide on the correct answer or answers. The format can be completed alone or as part of an instructor-led class, if desired.”

Accessible by PC, tablet or smartphone, Distance Learning Center training will be presented in modules designed to take a half-hour to an hour to complete. This brevity gives individuals the opportunity to fit this education in whenever their schedules allow — even during breaks or lunchtime. And if a user needs to stop while taking a course, no problem: He or she can close the program and pick it up (at that same point) at a later date.

At the end of each module or course, users will be asked 10 to 20 content-related questions. Correct answers will then be revealed, along with explanations and additional information and insights, where appropriate. The user will be given the opportunity to review any incorrect answers; however, scoring (pass or fail) will be based on first responses. The centerpiece of the PCT Distance Learning Center, accessible at http://training.pctonline.com, focuses on label training, an area where knowledge is critical yet specific product training is lacking. “We all know that the label is the law,” says Hedges, “so to us, this was the logical place to start.”

Each label course is designed around reading and interpreting a specific pesticide product label, covering all aspects of the label — from trade name, target pests, hazards and first aid to areas for treatment and directions for use. As the user takes the course, he or she will be required to identify pests or treatment sites by photograph and determine whether such pests or sites are included on the label and/or interpret how that product may be used to treat the pest according to label directions.

Training is divided into sections with three to seven related questions, and upon selecting the correct answer(s), an explanation of the correct answer is provided, sometimes with a tip on where the pest professional can find the answer in the reference materials. These explanations help to improve the user’s understanding of the topic materials.

This is a free service available to all pest management professionals. Additional labels will be added on a regular basis. Stop by PCT's booth (#531) or visit http://training.pctonline.com.