Analyzing Scope Creep: A professional personal experience

A professional project that I played a role in and that experienced issues related to scope creep occurred last year. I was contracted to deliver a Self-Evaluation-Report (SER) for a private post-secondary school experiencing difficulty with meeting a scheduled deadline established by a national school accreditor. The accreditor granted a 6-month extension for submitting the SER.

I was hired on to help with the SER 3 months before the final deadline. The project team consisted of four individuals including myself as the project manager. One team member was assigned administrative tasks such as gathering data, maintaining files and preparing reports. A second team member was to screen written narratives and edit as necessary for grammar, punctuation, and text presentation. The third member of the team was an experienced accreditation evaluator who advised the team on SER content and format. All team members had full-time jobs with different employers.

I was the only one working on this project full-time.
The school provided the project team access to facilities and computer equipment including printers, internet, telephones, desks, and office space. My point of contact was the school Director who was under pressure from the corporate CEO to get the SER delivered on time. The corporate CEO, who was 1200 miles away, was updated every Friday of the week via email, telephone, and copies of SER sections completed as per schedule. Two weeks into the project the team started experiencing scope creep.

One major finding addressed during the SER was a programmatic standard that calls for a formal program effectiveness plan. The school had no such plan in place and risked losing its accreditation. This meant that Title IV funding could be cancelled depriving the school of its main source of income, Pell Grants. This resulted in the client requesting that I provide guidance with implementing a formal program effectiveness plan in less than three weeks in addition to the services originally agreed upon.

Looking back at this experience, I can now see certain problem indicators that I chose to ignore at the time. The school had not been able to meet the initial deadline set by the accreditors and had therefore requested a 6-month extension. Three months into its extended timeline, the school had made no significant progress in completed the SER and had therefore hired an outside source (yours truly) for this purpose. I have since learned that school employees were not willing to work on the SER because it was something unfamiliar to them. All school employees familiar with its accreditation process had moved on, leaving inexperienced administrators and staff in charge. The findings resulting from the SER became a source of concern and near panic among the school administrators who looked to me for answers.

Moving forward with another project will require considerations for reducing the negative impact from unexpected scope creep possibilities. Project management principles and techniques will be the normal protocols from now on. Binding agreements in the form of written documentation outlining the purpose, objectives, constraints, and assumptions for each project will be agreed upon by all stakeholders (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, & Sutton, 2008, Page 43). In addition to a written Statement of Work, an agreed upon project scope statement, project strategy that includes a list of described deliverables, work to be performed, project team assignments, lines of communication, structured organizational hierarchies, budgetary allocations, schedules/timelines, and scope change protocols will be provided in writing to help this aspiring PM guide, direct and control my next project (Portny et al, 2008).

Greer writes that scope changes “can be beneficial when they allow the project team to respond sensibly to changing conditions that exist outside the project”. He explains that “Change of scope is normal-it’s not necessarily a problem” (Greer, M., 2010). From my perspective, I can't help but think how fortunate I was to have been the only accreditation SME in a building full of professional administrators and gauged the potential career opportunities being presented. This perspective allowed me to think outside the box with a calm and resolute clarity of thought that helped me to remain focused on the original deliverables. The project team met the original deadline for submitting a quality SER and went on to develop the client’s first program effectiveness plan. However, I had to work overtime without pay for several days to get it done. Today I enjoy a rewarding and fulfilling instructorship with this same school.

Ref:

Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc.

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Differences in Effective Communication

The following describes an experience in interpreting a message delivered in three formats. Although the exact same message is provided, the difference in the type of format used for communicating the message has a significant impact upon its interpretation from the receiver.

Text E-mail

I perceive there to be a missing report that I have failed to submit on time. This has apparently created a moderate degree of anxiety with Jane, the sender of the message. My falling behind schedule will impact Jane’s performance because she cannot finish her report on time without the necessary information. The message has a tone of urgency but respectful. She is asking for my help in this matter.

Voicemail

Voicemail is respectful but with reserved urgency. Hearing her voice adds to the substance of the message. I perceive a slight degree of anger and even disappointment with her audio voice. I get the feeling that this may have happened before and or may be an ongoing problem she faces with me getting my work done on time.

Face-to-face

The face-to-face message is friendlier and clearer. There is less urgency and her body language, eye contact, genuine smile and “to the point” wording is very friendly. Jane appears and sounds to share a very positive working relationship with me. I’m less anxious from this message and her face-to-face message motivates me to get this report to her right away. My defensive feelings are absent. The message is friendly and I detect no sense of animosity or disappointment in her voice, body language, facial expressions and eye to eye contact.

References:

Laureate Education Inc. (Producer), (2011). “Communicating with Stakeholders”, http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5089754&Survey=1&47=6435139&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

"The Art of Effective Communication" , http://mym.cdn.laureatemedia.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6145/03/mm/aoc/index.html

Learning from a Project "Post-Mortem"

Learning from a Project, “Post-Mortem”
Ruben H. Ramos
May 12, 2011

I have learned, from past experience, that the best laid plans with the best of intentions for developing a needed project can turn into a big mistake without the use of project management principles.
Several years ago I attempted to implement an in-service training program for medical department faculty at a private post-secondary school. My goal was to develop a comprehensive program that would assist program instructors with improved delivery of course content. I was certain that this initiative would result in improved student learning experiences as well as a stronger and more attractive allied health program.
I had been developing training curricula in medical assisting for over 10 years and felt that the next logical step was to “train the trainers”. Sessions for administering a series of comprehensive exams were scheduled over a period of four weeks. The exam scores would be used to provide the data necessary for developing subsequent lessons. What resulted was a flood of complaints from instructors to the school administrators. The school of “hard knocks” in project management change leadership had begun and I was its only pupil.
The primary stakeholders (instructors) had not been consulted from the very beginning. The needs assessment had not included input and cooperation from faculty. When they first learned about this new initiative, the decision to implement had already been made. This must have contributed to misperceptions about the intent and goal of the project. Determining the need and feasibility for instructional improvements had excluded the instructors’ perspectives and inputs. No conversations or brainstorming sessions were conducted with stakeholders.
The project goals and deliverables had not been shared. Some of the instructors felt that they were being targeted for termination of employment. This created a great deal of anxiety among the faculty. To make matters worse, there was no written plan, defined goals, timeline, or budget. The project was halted and resumed a year later with the cooperation of the instructors and administrators. The lessons learned from these first mistakes proved invaluable in the subsequent project successes which followed. Today, this school is one of the top providers of quality training in allied health.
Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc.

Welcome to Project Management

The multi-disciplinary function for the Instructional Design professional includes Project Management. I look forward to exploring this challenging dimension to an already fulfilling career in adult education.

Instructor Resources for Online Training

Resources for Success

This module will introduce you to five online resources that will help you to become familiar with the distance education environment. Resources are listed below and a brief explanation for each resource is also included. Your transition from experienced instructors in face-to-face settings to knowledgeable facilitators of distance education modules brings new challenges. For example, you’ll probably find that more discussion is used with online settings. Your distance learners may participate at varying times with these discussions. Another challenge may be that you may have to devote more time to preparing for each course module with less opportunity for last minute changes. These five online resources are but a sample of the rich and diverse resources available to distance teachers, facilitators, and learners via the internet.

A comparison of face-to-face and online courses is provided by Dr. Curt Bonk from Indiana University. “Dr. Bonk covers pedagogical and operational differences between on-site and online courses, strategies for adapting a current course to an online version, guidelines for creating, planning and designing a course and content. Please view the following short presentation available at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3H7PbkndOk .






CONNEXIONS

URL: http://cnx.org/
Description: The content in Connexions comes in two formats: modules, which are like small "knowledge chunks," and collections or groups of modules structured into books or course notes. This resource operates under an open license which allows for free use and reuse of all site content. Connexions houses one of the largest repositories of open educational resources (OER) in the world. This enables the user to create, share, and modify content accessible to anyone via the World Wide Web. Content is accessible online and can be downloaded using PDF and EPUB formats. Print on demand is also available to its users.





Open Educational Resources (OER Commons)

URL: http://www.oercommons.org/
Description: OER Commons provides open educational resources to build general skills with software programs like MS Word and Excel. It allows learners to plan a career as well as to develop marketable skills. Classroom management software can be used for setting the tone and rules for you classroom as well as intentionally designing classroom life connected to student learning, social skills and behaviors. Science can be taught and learned by doing active exploration and problem posing. An “Arts as Inquiry” feature allows the learner to delve into visualization, creative thinking and more artistic habits of the mind for arts-integrated learning across disciplines.
National Repository of Online Courses
URL: http://www.montereyinstitute.org/nroc/
Description: The National Repository of Online Courses (NROC) is a growing library of high quality online course content for students and faculty in higher education, high school and advanced placement. The main page for this resource is displayed in Figure 1 of this page. Check out this introductory video for this website: http://www.montereyinstitute.org/media/demo.html.
Teaching and Learning Technologies Centers

URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~tltc/index.html
Description: This web site provides support for effective, quality teaching and learning through the appropriate use of instructional technology at Indiana University Bloomington. It supports instructors and students, at no cost, who are using technology to enhance their teaching and learning. Different services include consultation, outreach and workshops, technology application, media conversion, and workspaces.

References:

Bonk, Curt Video Presentation: Planning an Online Course, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3H7PbkndOk

CONNEXIONS, http://cnx.org/

National Repository of Online Courses, http://www.montereyinstitute.org/nroc/

Open Educational Resources, OER Commons, http://www.oercommons.org/

Teaching and Learning Technologies Center, http://www.indiana.edu/~tltc/index.html

Reflection on the Future of Distance Learning

The availability of learning resources made possible by modern telecommunication technologies has transformed the educational landscape in the past several years. One impact is the growing acceptance of distance education throughout the world. Online learning and teaching resources have made it possible to provide effective instruction to populations once limited by time, distance, and economics. Today, anyone with access to a computer can gather information on any topic of interest from almost any data base around the world. In addition to information acquisition, is the availability of free online social and academic networking resources such as Facebook and MySpace for communicating with others worldwide at any time, day or night.

Today’s communication technologies are more compact, lightweight, and powerful digital tools capable of storing vast amounts of information retrievable in seconds. These technologies are well known to the younger generations who, as Peter Drucker expressed, have become computer literate before they have learned to read and write. With this new reality comes an increasing challenge for the current education profession to incorporate these technologies into the classroom setting. The growing acceptance of distance learning throughout higher education may mean that we in the adult education community need to prepare for these demands.

In the next 5 to 10 years we may see the hardcopy textbook replaced with the E-book, interactive learning software that uses entertainment as a means of educating. This one change can have a domino effect on the education industry worldwide. For example, all students could be provided with hand-held computers containing electronic versions of any book ever published. In essence, students could carry an entire library of information available to them at any time. This would mean that school libraries would become obsolete thus putting entire education communities out of work. The transportation, paper, ink, and other industries would also be affected as the education institutions move toward a totally virtual environment.

In 10 to 20 years the entire education system will probably be restructured with virtual schools being the norm and brick and mortar institutions reserved for those able to afford them. Open courses may evolve into open programs, schools and universities offering low cost quality education online or even education at no cost. This would result in an educated populace worldwide and possibly an unprecedented “new age of enlightenment”.

With these changes in the horizon, we must prepare ourselves and others in the education professions. Teachers must be technically competent to communicate with their students as well as share online resources with them and one another. Experienced educators at all levels must be encouraged to accept, learn, adopt, and incorporate new and emerging technologies into their classrooms, conventional and distant. Instructional Designers can act as proponents of distance education technologies by accepting this as a social responsibility.

Being a positive force for continued improvement in distance education may start with each individual educator. Incorporating online technologies into the classroom will only motivate students to learn using these resources. Measuring the impact of online learning technologies on student success will provide the evidence-based information necessary for moving distance education in the right direction.

Distance Education, Converting to a Distance Learning Format

Consider the case of a training manager frustrated with the quality of communication among trainees during face-to-face training sessions. A possible solution may be to convert current training modules to a blended learning format that would add a new dimension to the learning process by introducing an online or distance learning experience for all concerned. Making training materials available on a server will provide trainees with access to resources and assignments at all times. Blending face-to-face instructional settings with distance education resources may improve interaction between trainees and trainers.

Converting face-to-face training modules to a blended learning format by adding online resources requires consideration of several factors. These factors include pre-planning strategies, recognizing aspects of original training program that may be enhanced in a distance learning environment, necessary changes to the role of the trainer, and steps to encourage trainees to communicate online.

Technical considerations such as availability of computer and internet, learner computer and internet literacy, and learner preparedness for success in a distance learning environment. Preparing for the possibility that technical problems may occur is another pre-planning consideration. Students should have assignments and projects that are not dependent on technologies for their completion. With transferring aspects of the original training program to an online setting, Simonson suggests that “courses previously taught in traditional classroom may need to be retooled” and that instructors should avoid “dumping” the course materials onto the online course. He recommends that classroom materials be revised with illustrations that provide a visual representation of key concepts (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Svacek, 2009).

The role of the trainer is another significant change to be considered when adopting online formats of instruction. Distance learning shifts the teacher-centered approach to a learner-centered format. This means that the instructor must shift his/her instructional methods from lecturing to coaching because students will change from passive to active learners involved in collaboration with one another as well as the instructor. Therefore, consideration must also be given to interactions that encourage trainees to communicate online.

Ref:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson

Midwife Training and Distance Education

Certified Professional Midwife

Midwives are not required to be nurses. They help to identify physical, social, and emotional needs of women during pregnancy. A Midwife is defined as “a trained professional with special expertise in supporting women to maintain a healthy pregnancy birth, offering expert individualized care, education, counseling and support to a woman and her newborn throughout the childbearing cycle” (Citizens for Midwifery, 2010).

The Midwives’ Model of Care is described as a woman-centered model of care. Their responsibilities include monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle. They provide the mother with individualized education, counseling, prenatal care, and continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery as well as postpartum support. Midwifery is expected to minimize technological intervention and to identify and refer women who require obstetrical attention. This model of care is said to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section (Citizens for Midwifery, 2010).

The institution that develops and administers the Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) exam is the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). NARM requires applicants for certification to have graduated from an education and training program accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC). MEAC creates standards and criteria for the education of midwives. (MEAC accredited programs are listed and described in the attached spreadsheet). These programs range from 1 year to 5 years in length and are all non-nursing in scope (Midwifery Education Accreditation Council, 2010). According to the MEAC, two institutions offer distance education curricula: the Midwives College of Utah (http://www.midwifery.edu/) and the National Midwifery Institute.

The content for most of the didactic courses in the distance midwifery programs is delivered online. However, the clinical portion of the program is scheduled for onsite training with an approved proctor in a local setting. This tells me that a midwifery program, although advertised as an online program, is actually a blended program with both distance and local or face-to-face modules. MEAC and NARM both require that applicants for the CPM exam complete a hands-on practicum consisting of the following:

• Must attend a minimum of 20 births.
• Functioning in the role of primary midwife* under supervision, you must attend a minimum of an additional 20 births:
• A minimum of 10 of the 20 births attended as primary under supervision must be in homes or other out-of-hospital settings; and
• A minimum of 3 of the 20 births attended as primary under supervision must be with women for whom you have provided primary care during at least 4 prenatal visits, birth, newborn exam and 1 postpartum exam.
• At least 10 of the 20 primary births must have occurred within three years of application submission.
• Functioning in the role of primary midwife* under supervision, you must document:
• 75 prenatal exams, including 20 initial exams;
• 20 newborn exams; and
• 40 postpartum exams.

These requirements cannot be simulated or virtual. However, the didactic courses should include virtual experiences as part of preparing the learner for these real-world experiences.

Learner progress can be assessed by utilizing those “assessment strategies” as described in the required text (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Svacek, 2009). Assessment strategies include quizzes and tests, asynchronous and synchronous communication, portfolios papers and essays, presentations and problem-based activities as well as journal writing (Simonson et al., 2009).
In terms of evaluating program effectiveness, focus should be directed on gathering qualitative and quantitative data. These measures include measures of activity, efficiency, outcomes, program aims, policy, and organization(Simonson et al., 2009, pages 350 to 351).

Simonson mentions the evaluation process used by the Open University of Great Britain (page 350) as an example of “the systematic investigation of the merit of a particular distance education program, curriculum, or teaching method.” This includes the collection of data relating to carefully selected variables before, during, and after the instructional intervention. I interpret this to include such variables as student retention and graduation rates, placement rates, and course passing / failing rates.

Program assessment can also be carried out using the AEIOU approach whose six areas of focus include institutional and programmatic accountability, effectiveness, impact, organizational context, and unanticipated consequences. The AEIOU approach can be used for performing an assessment of a midwifery certification program.

Accountability information can be gathered from administrative records to determine if project goals, objectives and activities have been completed. Assessment for program accountability would gather information on the appropriateness of the size and number of class sessions as well as the provision of required resources such as textbooks, software, internet access, and handouts.

Program effectiveness could be determined by measuring student and faculty perceptions and attitudes relating to project activities, levels of newly acquired skill and knowledge. Simonson mentions the use of survey questionnaires, grades, and achievement tests for gathering qualitative and quantitative data on program effectiveness.

The impact of the program determines what changes take place as a result of the learning intervention. Simonson suggests the collection of longitudinal data using learner’s progress in subsequent courses or the workplace “to determine if what was learned ….was useful”. Standardized tests, follow-up surveys, focus groups and direct observation can be used to determine the impact of a program.

Organizational context evaluation focuses on “structures, policies, or events in the organization or environment” (Simonson et al, 2009, pg. 354) that increase or decrease program success with accomplishment of goals. This type of evaluation may require closer involvement with the program on the part of the evaluator. Simonson suggests that the evaluator may have to go as far as actually enrolling in program distance education courses.

Determining unanticipated consequences or changes of importance that occur as a result of the project is also evaluated. These unanticipated changes could include unexpected changes in relationships between stakeholders, development of complimentary projects, linkages, and unexpected impact on student learning.



Ref:

Citizens for Midwifery, (2010) http://cfmidwifery.org/midwifery/faq.aspx

North American Registry of Midwives, (2010) http://www.narm.org/htb.htm

Midwives College of Utah, http://www.midwifery.edu/

Midwifery Education Accreditation Council, (2010). http://meacschools.org/accredited_schools.php

Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Svacek, (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of Distance Education, Allyn & Bacon.

Open Course MIT

Open courses offered online by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) appear to be carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance learning environment. Courses follow recommendations for online instruction with course activities that maximize active learning for the students.
This Website provides a list of disciplines from which the students may select a course of interest. I selected course 16.346, Astrodynamics. The web page provided a course description, course feature, and technical requirements for the course. A visual representation of the movement of stars was provided on the first page. This kept my interest focused on this page.
A section on the left side of the page provided tabs for selecting course information such as course syllabus, lecture notes assignments, and video lecture presentations. A list of lecture notes provided information on 33 separate modules by “figure, problem, and page numbers in the lecture notes, all referring to sections of the course textbook with relevant content.” Lecture notes were in PDF format and could be easily downloaded for printing or saving in separate storage device. No external resources or links were included with the course information and documents. All course content appeared to be contained within the MIT open course website. The list of course lectures appeared well defined and notes on PDF documents are succinct. However, module learning objectives are unclear or not defined. This may be a problem with distance learners.
The components of the CMS for this open course includes reading assignments, and content presentations using videotaped lectures. However, I did not see information relating to course communications between student and learner. The only communication feature seemed to be a tab for providing feedback on the course. No digital dropbox for submitting required work was provided. Teacher-learner interaction mediums were not provided. Tabs for active discussion of course content or question and answer sessions were also not provided.


Reference:
Battin, Richard. 16.346 Astrodynamics, Fall 2008. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare), http://ocw.mit.edu(Accessed 06 Dec, 2010). License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA

National Education Technology Plan | U.S. Department of Education

National Education Technology Plan | U.S. Department of Education

Evaluating Online Learning: Challenges and Strategies for Success-- Pg 29

Evaluating Online Learning: Challenges and Strategies for Success-- Pg 29

Selecting Distance Learning Technologies: The Collaborative Training Environment

Implementation of a new automated staff information system requires more than simply purchasing and installing new software. This is especially true when faced with technologically uniting or linking regional offices that may be located throughout the country or even in different countries around the world. Providing staff training workshops for such a scenario requires that the Instructional Designer(ID) employ distance education tools and technologies, taking into consideration such factors as scheduling conflicts due to differences in time zone, information exchange, and document sharing between staff members. The ID must also consider training in the use of technologies that facilitate and encourage ongoing participation and collaboration between regional offices and staff members. Consideration must be given to the level of learner proficiency in the use of distance education technologies, which, according to experts, “are tools that must be mastered to be effective” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Svacek, 2009).

Simonson suggests that successful distance education is “learner-centered instruction” and depends on “collective knowledge” as well as what information is communicated using appropriate technologies. Four steps are prescribed for selecting appropriate technologies: 1) assessing available technologies; 2) determining learning outcomes; 3)identifying learning experiences and matching each experience to the most appropriate available technology; and 4) preparing the learning experiences for online delivery (Simonson et al. 2009, pages 115 to 119).

Available technologies can be found in such CMS resources as Web2.0 which provides online capability for blogging, wikis, and podcasting(Simonson et al., page 244). Staff members are able to share visual, audio, and textual information across spatial, geographical, and time differences asynchronously. Encouraging staff members to participate in ongoing collaboration via these technologies as well as mastering the use of these technologies is considered essential. Nash suggests that “Best practices that take into consideration learning theory and behavioral psychology, including motivation, have a higher likelihood of success”(Nash, 2005).

Social networking online seems to have become commonplace at work and at home. Simonson cites a 2005 study by the Pew Internet and American Life project that reports web sites such as Yahoo.com, Google.com, Facebook and MySpace are used extensively for social networking purposes(page 246. These online resources should be considered as motivational tools for encouraging participation and ongoing collaboration. These online resources (including CMSs) provide the virtual environment for “technologically based training” that is "available on demand"(Simonson et al., page 26).

References:

Nash, S., (2005). Learning objects, learning object repositories, and learning theory: Preliminary best practices for online courses, Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects Volume 1, (page 11).

Laureate Education, Inc., ( 2004), “The Technology of Distance Education” http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=4603379&Survey=1&47=6435139&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Distance Education

A Personal Definition of Distance Education


Mention the term “Distance Education” and my mind begins to process information and experiences that have evolved with newly acquired knowledge. My previous definitions included one online resource for classroom discussions, turning in coursework, and looking up related literature. Producing a link to any other site was new to me one year ago. Today, I copy and paste URLs onto MS word documents, blogsites, online classrooms, and emails. Today, I relearned to apply a skill I learned less than a year ago and, namely, to post mind maps onto a blog site. Technical know-how seems to define the limits and possibilities for my online learning opportunities as I continue forward along this path to becoming a skilled Instructional Designer.

My definition of distance education prior to beginning this course (EDUC-6135-2 Distance Learning) was never really well defined. In retrospect, I had not considered the components used in today’s definitions, or at least those components expressed in the references for this writing. But, if I had to define distance education prior to beginning this course, I would define it as “Teaching and learning via online resources using a structured course plan”. As you can tell, I overlooked or took for granted, the institutional, administrative, and supportive components that are needed for conducting online education. Four components, however, are reported as necessary for defining modern day distance education. First, the program must be institutionally based. The second component is separation of the teacher and student, both geographically and in time (asynchronous). The third and fourth components are interactive telecommunications and the sharing of data, voice and video learning experiences (Simonson et al, 2009, page 32). It appears to me that our present course provides all four components and thus qualifies as distance education. As an aspiring Instructional Designer, I feel very fortunate to be challenged with learning to use current and future online resources for developing training modules. Distance education has evolved over the past 160 years , growing from a postal service dependent method to one that is hi-tech dependent, especially with internet resources without which a distance learning program would be impossible, in my opinion (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2009). The definition for “Distance Education” seems to have evolved with the technological advances in space age electronics and telecommunications.

E-learning or online courses present even more challenges to the Instructional Design (ID) profession. Moller, Foshet, and Huett mention that “The challenge for the ID profession is not only to evolve the field, but also to assure that the products of sound professional design practice lead the e-learning enterprise”(2008). I interpret this to mean that the fundamental principles of effective instructional design are essential to the instructional design process, no matter what new or future technological innovations or delivery systems are used. M. David Merrill (2009) makes a similar argument. He mentions that online technologies for instruction must provide an effective learning experience, efficiently, and by engaging the learner with application of newly acquired skills. He coins the phrase “shovel ware” in reference to the shoveling of information onto the internet and passing it off as instruction (Merrill, 2009).

Merrill’s warning on “shovel ware” seems applicable to what may be seen with “corporate e-learning implementations” where “effectiveness is either naively assumed or not particularly valued” (Moller et al, 2008, page 70). This attitude on the part of corporate management could have “five potentially profound impacts” on the ID profession. These include quality, needs assessment, return on investment measurements of outcomes, knowledge management, instructional design system methodologies, and the revision of learning models (Moller et al, 2008, page 71). These opportunities exist today within the post-secondary adult education industry in El Paso, Texas, where instructors are recruited more on the basis of professional experience in a respective field than on the ability to provide instruction. Developing online instruction for such topics as learning theories, events of instruction, and student assessment models could have a positive impact on effectiveness of adult training programs in this region.

Moller, Foshet, & Huett (2008 ) suggest that the ID profession may not be recruited for developing e-learning initiatives by private schools. They mention the "case"method where a private school might require faculty to develop online courses using “what has worked in the classroom environment”. I agree with them that this method will not provide the quality learning experiences that distance education should deliver. I’ve been an instructor teaching adult level courses in post-secondary schools the last 14 years. Utilizing online resources is not a common practice within the industry. My observation is that utilization of online resources is the exception, with most instructors resistant to the idea. My goal is to establish a well structured and effective online in-service training program for vocational school instructors. My first attempt at this was during my employment with a local school whose instructors I had helped train with course content delivery. I employed a Wiki (pbworks) and started with a discussion on leadership as the first of a planned list of topics leading to classroom management. The resistance was what surprised me the most. Holding asynchronous in-service sessions did not go over too well. I didn't take the time to present convincing rationale for promoting participation. One reason for the resistance that I encountered is that the training was being conducted "off the clock",without pay. This may very well be one of the main reasons why seasoned instructors will resist changing to an online setting.

References:

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.

Merrill, M., D. (2009) Video, Merrill on instructional design. http://leelearning.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/merrill-on-instructional-design/

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1: Training and development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2: Higher education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66–70.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson. Chapter 2, "Definitions, History, and Theories of Distance Education" (pp. 31–40

My Mental Map Revisited

Laboratory Training

One learning experience that was most effective for me as a student was a clinical laboratory course that I attended. One particular module comes to mind. We had received prerequisite training in the use of the microscope and blood staining techniques as well as microscope glass slide preparation The objective was to perform a white blood cell differential (WBC w/ diff) using the appropriate equipment, methods, stains etc… In order to perform this procedure the learner must first know how to visually differentiate between the different types of white blood cells according to various physical features and staining characteristics. We’ll refer to this as the sub-objective.

We had already received instruction on cell characteristics using color photographs in our textbooks but the cells looked much different when viewed through the microscope.
Our instructor was aware of this so he used a slide projector to display large images or pictures of each type WBC noting cell size, staining characteristic, presence or absence of granules within the cytoplasm, and cell nucleus characteristics. He repeated this process using several dozen images. We then took turns going up to the screen and identifying the cell characteristics in front of the class. Afterwards, we were tasked with using the microscope for cell identification. This lesson took place in 1973. Today I teach this same module at a private college in Texas.

This was a great learning experience for me. The instructor remained focused on the main sub-objective throughout the lesson. He maintained consistency by using visual and auditory sensory input for delivering relevant information without the use of text information that may have added to the cognitive load already processing the visual and auditory data.
The sequence of each part of the lesson was progressive starting with an overview of the lesson objective as well as the rationale for his instructional method. (He had asked us to close all books, not to write down notes, and to pay full attention to his instruction). He used appropriate pacing by making very specific observations to each visual display as well as using cues that guided the learner to the next step. He reduced the extraneous cognitive load by using the same criteria for identifying each cell presented on the screen. The intrinsic cognitive load for learning each type cell remained consistent.

Ref: Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., & Kemp, J. E. (2007). Designing effective instruction (5th ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Rapid Prototype and Change Leadership

Ruben Ramos 11 Mar 10 8:47 PM MST
Mike,
I remember the topic of 'change leadership" during the Organizations course with Dr. Hazari. I am sure that implementing a Rapid Prototype (RP) intervention for improving the situations that I have described would meet with resistance to change.
Convincing the lab instructors to help with implementing the change is the biggest leadership challenge. We have the time and the resources with which to move forward.

Time is not an issue because students attend 60 contact hours for practical skills training. Resources are not the problrm because the lab is equipped with state of the art equipment, both manual and automated. The school administration allows for instructor overtime as needed.

I substituted for one of my top instructors last week. According to the course schedule for Anatomy & Physiology II, the topic was the "Blood System". Over the years I have noted that students in the advanced lab courses have had problems with this same topic. Instead of lecturing for the entire hour, I turned on the computer and projector to google image "Blood Smear". The hundreds of slides provided with visual images of blood cells in normal and various pathological states. To my surprise this simple intervention resulted in a very positive learning experience for the students. If this is a rough example of the RP intervention at work, then I guess I've used it to some degree.

Response From Dr. Burke

Michael Burke 11 Mar 10 2:23 PM MST
Ruben, your comparison is very good. I especially appreciated the personal examples to illustrate your points. What barriers do you see in the use of the rapid prototype model?

Instructional Design Models; A Brief Comparison

This writing provides a description and comparison of the ADDIE and Rapid Prototyping Instructional Design models.

The ADDIE model consists of five phases: analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. This model provides for a systematic instructional design procedure that can be used for the creation and maintenance of course content and delivery. Each phase provides the building blocks or foundation upon which to build each succeeding phase.

The analysis phase is used to identify the learning problem, goals and objectives, student or audience needs, existing knowledge and other relevant factors. These factors may include the learning environment, constraints, delivery options and the project timeline. During this phase the designer develops a clear understanding of the “gaps” between competencies or desired outcomes and the student’s existing knowledge.

The design phase of the ADDIE model specifies learning objectives and content for the course or presentation. The design phase may include the development of prototypes, graphic design, and user-interface.

The development phase is used to create the actual content and learning materials based on the design phase.

The implementation phase is where the plan is tried and procedures for training are developed. Training materials are used for delivering course content and competencies based upon the course objectives. Training materials are evaluated for effectiveness.

The evaluation phase consists of formative and summative evaluation. Each stage of the ADDIE process is evaluated and the overall training effectiveness is evaluated as well by tests designed for criterion-related reference items and user feedback. Necessary revisions are made during this phase.

In contrast to the ADDIE model, the Rapid Prototyping Design Model is a four level process that is used for creating instruction for specific lessons. These four levels include a needs analysis, constructing a prototype, utilizing the prototype to perform research and installation of the final system. Wilson, Honassen & Cole define Rapid Prototyping as the “early development of a small –scale prototype used to test out certain key features of the design”. (Wilson, et al.).

Both models provide for a systematic approach to instruction development. The ADDIE model seems more extensive or elaborate and may require more time and expense than does the Rapid Prototype model.

In terms of flexibility, the Rapid Prototype model appears to provide more than ADDIE. The Rapid Prototype is described as allowing for “greater flexibility in defining the goals and form of instruction at early stages” thus being the preferred model when “time, budget, and environmental restraints” are factors to consider.
As a student in the IDT program, I find guidance, reasoning, logic, and rationale in the ADDIE and Rapid Prototype models. Both have flexibility but the ADDIE builds phases one atop the next from analysis to evaluation.
The Analysis phase for the ADDIE model prepares the stage for decisions made during all five phases. The ADDIE model may not provide necessary feedback because of this characteristic of phase dependency. Reciprocity or feedback of information between the designer and the target audience will probably be delayed until the final phase of the ADDIE model. This delay in time may make the ADDIE model less attractive to designers who need to implement something in a short period of time.
I am interested in the ADDIE model because I see its relevance to program development initiatives taking place at my workplace. It could serve to guide the process of developing such educational opportunities as college degrees in applied health science. Allied health programs in Health Information and Orthopedics technology are in the analysis phase at Southwest Career College. These associates’ degree- two-year curricula have been put on paper and are ready to be designed and developed, implemented and evaluated.
The structured processes prescribed by the ADDIE design would match the six to twelve month process needed to finish a new associates degree program. The analysis phase would consider such facts as community needs and other factors relating to the potential for employment of graduating students. In El Paso, this would be of extreme importance for any college starting a new program because the state of Texas requires that private schools provide employment or placement for at least 72% of all graduates. Employment opportunities for graduating students are essential for the success of any new program.
A group of students were prescribed remedial training in clinical skills. They reported to the clinical laboratory as scheduled and practiced practical skills in medication administration. Students were given the opportunity to practice intradermal, subcutaneous, and intramuscular injection techniques. Four instructors were made available to assist the 16 students in the group. The session lasted 30 minutes and I personally witnessed several students qualify in all three techniques. I think this would be the right context for using the Rapid Prototype model. The students have the necessary competencies already. Developing proficiency in carrying out these injection procedures would be a valid goal. Lesson objectives such as using aseptic technique and the rights of medication administration could be used to design instruction using the Rapid Prototype model.


References:

Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., & Kemp, J. E. (2007). Designing effective instruction (5th ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Wilson, et al., in http://www.cudenver.edu/bwilson/training/html, accessed March 8, 2010

Instructional Design Interactive Media, Instructional Technology / Instructional Design / Rapid Prototyping, http://mym.cdn.laureatemedia.com/Walden/EIDT/6100/CH/mm/eidt6100_instructional_design.html

On Learning Theories; A personal perspective

One recurring thought throughout this course in learning theories was the factor of the amount of time required for learning. Some people require more time then others to learn similar content. I have discovered that I am not a slow learner but simply require a little bit more time to process certain types of information. Or perhaps by not considering the factor of relevance to associating course content with real world application, I have short changed myself with the opportunity to understand these theories. If anything, I think that I may have at one time attempted to establish a “one method fits all” style of learning for all lessons in the past. I may have not given enough consideration to the issue of situation and context. I may have failed to consider the situational and contextual nuances that influence learning styles and approaches to learning specific information or skill. For example, when learning a practical skill such as a clinical laboratory procedure, manual or tactile learning provides the stimulation for cognitive understanding of prescribed competencies. With regard to the more cognitive or information processing types of abstract learning, I would learn best in a secluded area with minimal distractions and maximum resources to stimulate thinking as well as visual resources of relevant information for approaching a topic from various perspectives.

I have found that with time, motivation and resources, I am able to gain a more comprehensive understanding of constructs or concepts or theories. With respect to relevance, what has helped me out the most is total transfer of learning to application in a professional setting. This course has been of tremendous relevance to my professional work. I am convinced that my attempts to apply this knowledge have benefited the school, faculty, and student body of Southwest Career College. I consider myself most fortunate to be able to apply these concepts to real world settings. Finally, I have come to a realization that the learning process is a continuous process because what may be relevant today may not be relevant tomorrow. This may be why life long learning is so important for personal and professional growth.

Student Motivation

Factors that are most likely to motivate someone in an online classroom setting include intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors. These factors can be both physiological and psychological. Maszlow’s Heirarchy of needs, as described in the course text (Ch. 7), proposes five different sets of needs. Extrinsic factors or needs include physiological needs, safety needs, and love and belongingness needs. Intrinsic factors include esteem needs and needs for self-actualization. (Ormrod, et al. 2009).

Esteem needs and self-actualization needs are most relevant to the need for individual self-determination. These intrinsic factors are relevant to student motivation for online studies because they involve the achievement and mastery of specific skills, knowledge as well as fulfilling the need to learn and grow intellectually. ( Ormrod et al., 2009).

Students in all learning environments must find the subject matter interesting because it captures and keeps their attention. Student interest in the course topics has “a strong cognitive component” especially if presented in a “way that is not expected” by students. Supportive learning environments can provide the motivation students need for success.
Presentation of course content in an interesting format provides mental stimulation.

Interesting course content has meaning or association and tends to enhance cognition or information processing thus increasing student competence. Learners who have success at learning new competencies are more motivated to learn even further. This fulfills the need for self-determination or autonomy (Ormrod, Video, 2009).

Fulfilling the need for relatedness or the “need to interact with other human beings” is another strong motivating factor. Ormrod mentions that the classroom environment must “convey a sense of enthusiasm” and a “sense of belonging”. She recommends a positive learning environment where the student is encouraged to become involved in the learning process and interacting with other students and the instructor as well as getting immediate feedback.

John M. Keller describes methods for improving student motivation using the “ARCS Motivational Process”. A plan to boost the motivational level in online classes experiencing high student attrition rates requires consideration, evaluation, planning and implementation of various factors.

An instructional design intervention must evaluate such design factors as learner characteristics, learner’s attitudes towards learning tasks, the instruction medium such as computers and software, and motivational tactics for the lesson.

Let us assume that we are faced with a challenge to improve the motivation level of a particular online course experiencing high student attrition rates. We would begin with determining the student attitudes toward distance learning as well as the factors that make the course attractive to the student such as relevance to his/her professional goals.

Another factor to consider would be the course design in terms of degree of complexity or simplicity. Is the course structured in such a way that the student can accomplish progressively challenging objectives or is it so vague or confusing in its structure that it undermines the chances for student success thus decreasing student motivation and client satisfaction?

If we find that course design and instructional delivery is not meeting student expectations, then we need to create a plan to boost motivational levels of these online learners. Using Keller’s ARCS model, I would improve student motivation by implementing the following plan (Keller, 1999).




Instructional Design Plan for Improving Online Learner Motivation Using the ARCS Model

Phase I: Course Information

Attention: Provide description of course objectives by degree of complexity from simple to more challenging.

Relevance: Overview of course objectives provides student with the opportunity to relate them to professional goals. This will help student decide if course meets career aspirations.

Confidence: Student attains satisfactory level of knowledge about course objectives, relevance to professional goals and confidence with own ability to succeed with completing objectives.

Satisfaction: Student has clear understanding, expectations of what knowledge, skill, and competence course is expected to provide as well as expectations of instructor.

Phase II: Course introduction

Attention: Course content overview is presented with context, as it will apply to new profession, setting competencies and student career goals.

Relevance: Student perceives course overview in connection to real world applications of the profession.

Confidence: Student succeeds with understanding introduction to concepts, principles, and applications relative to career goals.

Satisfaction: Student acquires a “sense of success” by passing introductory course content application of concepts and principles to real world context. Sees career benefits of continuing with course.

Phase III: Course intermediate level content

Attention: Intermediate level content is a continuation of introductory level content. Student interest is high because previous level content provided solid foundation upon which to build intermediate level content.

Relevance: Professional career context is seen in real-world terms. Application, skill, objectives, fit into grand scheme of career goals. New knowledge and skills are relevant to chosen profession. Student motivated to move to next level.

Confidence: Newly acquired skill, competence, knowledge, progressively challenging but successfully acquired. Student can apply competencies in real world or simulated settings

Satisfaction: Student feels fulfillment with newly acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies. Can demonstrate proficiency in professional setting. Has ability to move forward with next level challenges. Looks forward to advanced level.


Phase IV Course advanced level content.

Attention: Advanced level content is continuation of intermediate level content.

Relevance: Student sees course content is high because successfully completing course objectives is assured. Application to career, professional goals are clear. : Acquired proficiency with competencies, skills, knowledge arms student with necessary tools for success.

Confidence: Student is able to discuss and apply concepts, principles, and knowledge within a professional setting as well as instruct others.

Satisfaction: Student has successfully completed course objectives, which are perceived as providing him/her with the tools necessary to continue professional/ career goals

. .
References:
Keller, J. M. (1999). Using the ARCS motivational process in computer-based instruction and distance education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning

Ormrod, J., Schunk, D., & Gredler, M. (2009). Learning theories and instruction

Ormrod, J. Video Program: “Motivation in Le