★ Identifies and analyzes learning and performance problems
★ Design, plans, and develops instructional interventions using appropriate strategies and techniques
★ Develops an evaluation plan for a project based on stated goals and recognized standards
The first two sub-competencies of Competency 7 are demonstrated in the Abby Carlin case study I completed in EDCI 672. This course allowed us to analyze and synthesize instructional design practices through case studies, and apply those practices, concepts, and principles within authentic instructional design situations.
In the Carlin case study, I identified and analyzed learning and performance problems in the context of her first real ID job — for a client named Fritz David Manufacturing (FDM). This case study identified a lack of institutional knowledge as the primary barrier to learning and performance. Abby is tasked with creating a training for new employees, but the only resources she is given to work with are the current employees who show no desire to train the new employees. No guidebook or training manual exists at FDM either for Abby to work with. I analyzed the implications of this problem by suggesting a solution that would solve both Abby’s short-term goal (creating a training for new employees) and long-term goal (creating institutional knowledge).
Specifically, what I suggest Abby do is video record the current employees performing their job and attempt to create a guidebook or list of steps based on what she sees first. Then, convince, or get the plant manager to incentivize if he has to, the current employees to sit down with Abby to 1) Explain what they are doing in the video she recorded, and 2) Answer a few questions on camera about what they’ve learned over the years — “expert tips” or something like that. This way, Abby doesn’t have to convince the retiring operators to train new employees, rather just sit down in the break room and talk about their job for 30-60 minutes. If they’re being paid for their time all the same, it shouldn’t be seen as too onerous for the operators. Perhaps operators perceive this as a slight ego-boost as well — i.e. hearing “you’ve done great work here for 30 years, please tell us how you’ve been able to do such a great job” is something nice to hear. This intervention should help Abby accomplish her goals.
The third sub-competency was met with Project 3: The Evaluation Plan, from EDCI 577. This course, Strategic Assessment and Evaluation, explored principles and techniques that can be used to carry out evaluations within an organization and assessments of individual learners. This project allowed to create an Evaluation Report for a previous project mentioned in Competency 3: my OER101 course. I created an Evaluation Process and used Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick’s (2006) industry-standard 4-level evaluation model to provide tools and strategies on how to evaluate learners’ reaction to, and knowledge gained from, OER101. Being able to expand on this project was a really cool aspect of the LDT program for me. I hope to build it out even more moving forward.
References
Kirkpatrick, D. L., & Kirkpatrick, J. D. (2006). Evaluating Training Programs. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.