Application - Constructing Quality Questions for Discussions

Software tools that promote collaboration and community building

There are many tools out and available on the web to promote a sense of an online community.  These tools are available via CMS (Course Management Systems) and LMS (Learning Management Systems).  Schoology is a “learning management system to make online education a collective effort between everyone involved in a student's education.  With an easy-to-use collaborative interface, Schoology empowers engaging instruction and system-wide collaboration to enhance the overall impact of everyone involved.”  (Friedman, Hwang, Trinidad, Kindler.  2009)

“Asynchronous e-learning, commonly facilitated by media such as e-mail and discussion boards, supports work relations among learners and with teachers, even when participants cannot be online at the same time.  Asynchronous e-learning makes it possible for learners to log on to an e-learning environment at any time and download documents or send messages to teachers or peers.”  (Hrastinski.  2008)

Schoology offers personalized homepages for teachers & students, course profiles, calendar, online HW drop boxes, assignments & events page, test & quizzes page, grade book & attendance page, student tracking tool, email, messaging, and announcements, discussions and group workspaces.  It’s used in the K-12 environments, Higher Education, and Corporate.  It has teacher tools, “curriculum management (utilizing standards-compatible content creation, sharing, and tracking)”  (Friedman, Hwang, Trinidad, Kindler.  2009), and “advanced analytics which provides teachers and administrators with critical information for optimizing educational strategies.”  (Friedman, Hwang, Trinidad, Kindler.  2009)

For this discussion, please research either a CMS or LMS tool that can be used for online student / instructor collaboration and community building.  Please post your initial response by Thursday and respond to two of your classmates posting by Sunday.  If a student or instructor has posted to your initial discussion post, please try and respond back.


Required Reading:

Course Text: Assessing Learners Online

Chapter 13, "Interaction and Collaboration Online"

Chapter 14, "Managing Assessment of Interaction and Collaboration"

I have attached / linked the scoring rubric for you to download and follow.
Discussion Board Scoring Rubric

References:

Oosterhof, A., Conrad, R.-M., & Ely, D. P. (2008). Assessing learners online. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Schoology, Jeremy Friedman, Ryan Hwang, Tim Trinidad, and Bill Kindler.  2009 https://www.schoology.com/learning-management-system.php

http://www.go2web20.net/app/?a=schoology

EDUCAUSE Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 4 (October–December 2008).  Asynchronous and Synchronous E-Learning - A study of asynchronous and synchronous e-learning methods discovered that each supports different purposes.  By Stefan Hrastinski

http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/asynchronous-and-synchronous-e-learning

 

Blog Assignment: Plagiarism Detection and Prevention

Plagiarism is using someone else’s words exactly as they said it or wrote it.  To avoid it, you must either use your own words – paraphrasing – or use quotes around those people’s words and then cite it at the end and after the quotes.

 

According to Purdue’s website, “There are some actions that can almost unquestionably be labeled plagiarism.  Some of these include buying, stealing, or borrowing a paper (including, of course, copying an entire paper or article from the Web); hiring someone to write your paper for you; and copying large sections of text from a source without quotation marks or proper citation.”  (The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 2010. Web. April 10, 2014).

So, if you want to use someone else’s exact words, you have to use quotes and cite it.  If you want to use a picture that is someone else’s, you have to cite it.  You can use free sources that are free to use, share, and modify.  You could use Google and just put on those advance search filters.

 

You can paraphrase stuff.  If you do paraphrase, just make sure all the words you use are not what it is in that person’s sentence.  Change the words, use your own.

You can take your own notes by looking at something that is written or as someone is talking.  Write down what you think they are saying in your own words.  If you’re interviewing someone, same thing, use your own words.  But, if you want to use that person’s exact word, use quotes, and get their permission and then cite it.  You could use direct quotes but just have to cite it and quote it in quotation marks.  You could use other people’s work but it just has to be quoted and cited so they get the credit.

A lot of universities use plagiarism software to check if students are or have plagiarized.  A “facilitator’s role is to educate learners about copyright, fair use, plagiarism, and cheating.”  (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d., "Plagiarism and Cheating") 

References:

The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 2010. Web. April 10, 2014, http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/1/

"Plagiarism and Cheating".  Dr. Palloff and Dr. Pratt.  Laureate Education, Inc.  (n.d.)

Blog Assignment: Impact of Technology and Multimedia

What impact does technology and multimedia have on online learning environments?

          “Multimedia learning occurs when students build mental representations from words and pictures that are presented to them (e.g., printed text and illustrations or narration and animation). The promise of multimedia learning is that students can learn more deeply from well-designed multimedia messages consisting of words and pictures than from more traditional modes of communication involving words alone.”  (Mayer 2003)  Students sometimes need to see information and how something works instead of just looking at words in a book.
 
          “Computer-based multimedia learning environments - consisting of pictures (such as animation) and words (such as narration) - offer a potentially powerful venue for improving student understanding.”  (Mayer & Moreno 2002)  This is so true.  Like they say, “pictures are worth a thousand words.”  Students do not always understand or grasp things by reading or a teacher standing in the front of the class talking.  Students need to actually see what is being taught. 

          As stated by Tay Vaughan, “Sound is perhaps the most sensuous element of multimedia.  It is meaningful “speech” in any language, from a whisper to a scream”, (Vaughan, 96).  Sound comes in a variety of tones from music to special effects.  Sound can set the tone for a great learning experience or not. 

          As stated by Tay Vaughan, “Video is the element of multimedia that can draw gasps from a crowd at a trade show or firmly hold a student’s interest in a computer-based learning project”, (Vaughan, 192).  Choosing video for a multimedia project depends on the computer system.


What are the most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology?

          The most important considerations an online instructor should make before implementing technology would be that the instructional environment should be viewed as a system, a relationship among all the components of that system – the instructor, the learners, the material, and the technology.”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 151. 2012)   

          “The scope of the content for a course needs to be sufficient to ensure the entire learning experience will lead to the desired outcomes.”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 157. 2012)  Also, “the instructor needs to focus on selecting instructional strategies that engage all the learners in active learning”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 157. 2012) by “de-emphasizing the “informative” part of the instruction for more “discovery” of information.” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 159. 2012)  The instructor will need to incorporate media into the training program.  Also, visual information will need to be created.  “Visuals also help learners by simplifying information.”   (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 160. 2012)  The use of charts and diagrams are great for understanding course content and the use of technology, equipment use and resources available to / for students available at a distance also aide in learning.


What implications do usability and accessibility of technology tools have for online teaching?

          Implications for usability and accessibility of technology tools for online teaching / technology considerations – when to use and when not to use and finally, choosing a delivery method which can be classroom based, instructor-led synchronous course, instructor-led asynchronous course, learner-led synchronous course or learner-led asynchronous course.  Dr. Piskurich states “activities should provide ample opportunities for online learners to explore on their own.”  (Laureate Education, Inc. "Planning and Designing Online Courses")  Technology considerations, “ensure that the learners and facilitators have access to the technology selected and ensure that the learners will know how to use whatever technology is selected”  (Laureate Education, Inc. "Planning and Designing Online Courses") story board (maps out flow of course into weeks / days & by assignments) (Laureate Education, Inc. " Developing Online Courses") & sitemaps (shows how students will move through the course).  (Laureate Education, Inc. “Developing Online Courses”)


What technology tools are most appealing to you for online teaching as you move forward in your career in instructional design?

          The technology tools that are most appealing to me for online teaching as I move forward in my career in instructional design are:
                    •    Social media
                    •    Audio
                    •    Comics
                    •    Wikispaces
                    •    iAdventures / WebQuests
                    •    MindMaps
                    •    Storyboards




References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.) "Developing Online Courses".  [Multimedia Webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3467850_1%26url%3D

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.) "Planning and Designing Online Courses". [Video Webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3467850_1%26url%3D

Richard E. Mayer .  The promise of multimedia learning: using the same instructional design methods across different media.  Learning and Instruction, Volume 13, Issue 2, April 2003, Pages 125-139.

Richard E. Mayer & Roxana Moreno.  Aids to computer-based multimedia learning.  Learning and Instruction, Volume 12, Issue 1, February 2002, Pages 107-119

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Vaughan, T. (2008). Multimedia: Making It Work (7th ed., pp. 96—131 & 192-225). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Blog Assignment: Setting Up An Online Learning Experience

What is the significance of knowing the technology available to you?

The significance of knowing the technology available to you is huge.  “The primary tool that you will need to become familiar with is the course management system (CMS) that your institution uses.”  (Boettcher & Conrad.  2010.  P.  57)  There is a wide variety of tools and applications available for an online learning experience.  “The best approach for teaching a first online course is to keep it simple.  Focus on the essential tools, and build your first course around those tools.  You can branch out later as you teach the course around those tools.”  (Boettcher & Conrad.  2010.  P.  57)   The instructional environment should be viewed as a system, a relationship among all the components of that system – the instructor, the learners, the material, and the technology.”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 151. 2012)    

“The scope of the content for a course needs to be sufficient to ensure the entire learning experience will lead to the desired outcomes.”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 157. 2012)  Also, “the instructor needs to focus on selecting instructional strategies that engage all the learners in active learning”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 157. 2012) by “de-emphasizing the “informative” part of the instruction for more “discovery” of information.” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 159. 2012)  The instructor will need to incorporate media into the training program.  Also, visual information will need to be created.  “Visuals also help learners by simplifying information.”   (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p. 160. 2012)  The use of charts and diagrams are great for understanding course content.  The use of technology, equipment use and resources available to / for students available at a distance. 

Also, technology considerations – when to use and when not to use and finally, choosing a delivery method which can be classroom based, instructor-led synchronous course, instructor-led asynchronous course, learner-led synchronous course or learner-led asynchronous course.  Dr. Piskurich states “activities should provide ample opportunities for online learners to explore on their own.”  (Laureate Education, Inc. "Planning and Designing Online Courses")  Technology considerations, “ensure that the learners and facilitators have access to the technology selected and ensure that the learners will know how to use whatever technology is selected”  (Laureate Education, Inc. "Planning and Designing Online Courses") story board (maps out flow of course into weeks / days & by assignments) (Laureate Education, Inc. " Developing Online Courses") & sitemaps (shows how students will move through the course).  (Laureate Education, Inc. “Developing Online Courses”)  

Why is it essential to communicate clear expectations to learners?

It is essential to communicate clear expectations to learners through “clear and unambiguous guidelines about what is expected of learners and what they should expect from an instructor make a significant contribution to ensuring understanding and satisfaction in an online course.”  (Boettcher & Conrad.  2010.  P.  55)  In order for the students to be successful in their online environment and courses, the instructor needs to set out a clear outline of the course and what is expected.  “The online syllabus sets out the overall course plan with performance goals, learning outcomes, and requirements.”  (Boettcher & Conrad.  2010.  P.  64)  Also, teaching guidelines are also helpful.  They are “a set of introductions and guides for each of the course topics and modules and setting out the requirements and specifications for student action and learning.”  (Boettcher & Conrad.  2010.  P.  68)     

What additional considerations should the instructor take into account when setting up an online learning experience?

Additional considerations the instructor should take into account when setting up an online learning experience is regardless of the size of the program, he / she needs to create a clear framework outlining the goals, delivery, and structure of the e-learning program with clear benchmarks for success.  (Moller, Foshay, & Huett. 2008)  Instructional designers will play a key role in the transition of instructional delivery.  The designers will not only assist in the design of courses but also provide much needed leadership.  If learning outcomes in any distance education course are to be maximized, transactional distance needs to be minimized or shortened.  There are components that have to work together to shorten the transactional distance and provide for a meaningful learning experience:  dialog, or interaction between learners and teachers, structure of the instructional programs, and autonomy, or the degree of self-directedness of the learner.  

Many times, instructional designers must work to accommodate a variety of learner and contextual characteristics.  The group to be trained may vary greatly in age, experience and level of interest.  This variety can cause an additional challenge however if they characteristics are considered in advance, accommodations can be made.  As instructional designers we have to decide the best method to design the objective based on the needs assessment of the target audience.  We can reach into our “toolbox and determine the best tool or tools” (Morrison, Ross, Kalman, and Kemp, 2011) to identify the need for instructions, define problems, conduct the learner and contextual analysis, conduct a task analysis and define the instructional objectives.  These tools could be the performance-content models created by Mager and Beach, Gronlund, Merrill, and Bloom.  Each instructional designer should choose the tool that best suits their needs.   An instructional designer should understand the types of objectives and the reason for having objectives during training.  “Objectives are based on the results of the task analysis and provide a refinement and implementation of the needs of and / or goals for a project” (Morrison, Ross, Kalman, and Kemp, 2011).

 

 

References:

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.) "Developing Online Courses".  [Multimedia Webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3467850_1%26url%3D

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.) "Planning and Designing Online Courses". [Video Webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3467850_1%26url%3D

Moller, L., Foshay, W. R., & Huett, J. (2008). The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web. Part 2: Higher Education.  Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 52(4), 66-70. doi:10.1007/s11528-008-0179-0

Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kalman, H. K., & Kemp, J. E. (2011). Designing effective instruction (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

EIDT-6510 - Blog Assignment: Online Learning Communities

How do online learning communities significantly impact both student learning and satisfaction   within online courses?

Attitude Factors apply to the distance learning setting.  This pertains to classroom culture at a distance and etiquette.  “It is essential to take the time to create opportunities for social interaction.”   (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek.  p. 222. 2012)  Not only do students need to have interaction among their classmates; they also need to know how to act properly online when communicating.  Since there is “a more diverse population, students must become sensitive to all members of the class.  It is the responsibility of the instructor to establish the protocols for communication within the course.”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek.  p. 223. 2012)  Experience with distance learning whether it is adult learners or K-12 learners is essential for a successful distance learning situation.  Not everyone has had experience with distant learning.  Some may be experiencing this for the first time.  There are elements for success that need to be considered.  They are general ability (cognitive), prior knowledge (background), and learning styles (unique characteristics).  The instructor must “become familiar with the students in the class and to address their needs as they have identified them.”   (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek.  p. 227. 2012)  Not only do the instructors have to show responsibility, but the learners must also take part in their own responsibilities.  Students will need to know what is required of them and what they need to do in order for their distant learning to be a success.

What are the essential elements of online community building?

Dr. Palloff in Laureate Education (2010) states, “a community of students and faculty who explore content together to construct meaning and knowledge about that content.”  A statement that sticks out is “the most essential characteristic of the successful learner in a distance education teaching and learning environment is that the learner must be willing and able to be self-directing.” (Levine 2005)  Shearer (2003) supports this concept of psychological distance and the dynamic relationship between teacher and the autonomous learner.   While adult learners are more likely to achieve a level of autonomy so as to function within this dynamic relationship, the same may not be true of the learner in K-12 and must be a consideration in the development of successful distance learning experiences for this student population.  We can still build the 'relationships' necessary to successful distance learning in K-12 with regard to Learner/Instructor and Learner/Learner.  “In traditional school settings, learners are very dependent on teachers for guidance.”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p.45. 2012)  In distance education, “the student must accept a high degree of responsibility for the conduct of the learning program.”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p.45. 2012)  Every student / individual is different in learning whether it be in-person or via the www.  Each student is unique and learns differently.  Some students may get it right away & others may not.

How can online learning communities be sustained?

Establishing a sense of classroom community in distance learning is both essential and challenging.  Classrooms, in any form, are places organized to promote learning among a community of people whose learning goals are similar (Palmer, 1998).  These places are deliberately created and can be either very lonely or very social and interactive.  In distance learning, a learning community is created when teachers and students come together in an environment in which everyone is actively involved in a collective effort of understanding through which to expand both the collective and the individual knowledge and skills.  Community-centered learning environments recognize the social aspects of learning and that interaction is critical to the learning process.  Community-centered learning environments also integrate students’ experiences with new information, set theory in practice and build both social and content area skills (Hanna, 2000).  Attendance and class participation are also essential for distance learning.  Just like a traditional class, one must be present and participate.

What is the relationship between community building and effective online instruction?

Some of the attributes of community building and effective online instruction are Attitude Factors; Experience; Elements for Success; Learner Responsibilities; Communication; Attendance and Class Participation; Assignments; Assuming Responsibilities for Own Learning; and Equipment Requirements and Use.  A statement that sticks out is “the most essential characteristic of the successful learner in a distance education teaching and learning environment is that the learner must be willing and able to be self-directing.” (Levine 2005)  This means that the learner / student must take control of his / her own actions.  The learner / student must follow the schedule set out by the teachers.  The student / learner must be mindful of tasks and deadlines.  The teachers must stay on top the students / learners with communication.  The student / learner must also keep contact with their teachers.  Everyone must fully participate 100% in order for distance learning to work and be effective.  Instructors need to make the students feel welcome & that they can come to them about anything.  The instructors are there for them & really want them to understand the topics and to walk away confident & knowledgeable in the area taught.  Establishing and maintaining this balance is a challenge for adult learning communities.  We can still build the relationships necessary for successful distance learning in K-12 with regard to Learner/Content and Learner/Technology.  Building Learner-Technology & Learner-Instructional Content relationships can be quite difficult at first.  Once you develop a plan / strategy, all will come together.  One must first start out simple / basic & then move on to adjust / make changes once one is more familiar w/ the students.  For distance learning in K-12, the challenge grows exponentially as it is affected by factors that are unique to that student population as well as the governing norms, rules, regulations and standards to which the learning and learning environments must conform.  “The autonomous learner needs little help from the teacher.”  (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek.  p.45. 2012)   For distance learning to be effective in K-12, continued research and discussion must focus on how best to establish and maintain social presence, social learning, interaction, and transactional distance in the appropriate balance of control, power and empowerment for students and teachers.

 

References:

Hanna, D. (2000) Approaches to learning in collegiate classrooms. Higher Education in an era of digital competitions: Choice and challenges, Hanna. D. ed. Maidson, WI: Atwood Publishing.

Palmer, P. (1998) The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher's life.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Laureate Education, (2010). Online Learning Communities. [Video]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_4732487_1%26url%3D

Levine, Joseph S. (2005).  Making Distance Education Work: Understanding Learning and Learners at a Distance.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Project Management in Education & Training Course Reflection (Wk8AssgnPoppC)

As I take time to reflect on my eight weeks of learning in course EDUC 6145 - 1, Project Management in Education & Training, and what I have learned and how it will affect my professional practice as I work on education and training projects, I must say that I have learned a lot.  I was provided with lots of useful and informative resources to help me participate in discussion boards, application assignments, and course project assignments.  The course project assignments had me working solo on my project, Instructional Design Project Plan.  I had to select from one of the four case studies provided in week one, found in The ID Casebook: Case Studies in Instructional Design.  I chose Case Study 25, "Davey Jones: Designing an Electronic Performance Support System.”  I will use the knowledge I have gained in my future endeavors and hopefully make my students, work associates and myself a better person, instructor and instructional designer.

How would you characterize your attitude toward project management and the role it can play on ID projects?  How, if at all, has your attitude changed throughout this course?  My attitude toward project management and the role it can play on ID projects is “the person responsible for project management plans for the needs of a project then organizes and controls project resources as the project progresses. This person has one foot in the future (creating a plan), one foot in the past (learning from mistakes), and the rest of the body in the present (reacting to surprises). This role is that of the project manager.”  (Russell.  P. 3. 2000)   “The project manager has a broad perspective; he or she watches the entire forest, not a specific tree.  The project manager keeps track of the gap between planned and actual time, cost, scope, and quality.”  (Russell.  P. 3. 2000)  The PM has a lot of responsibility not only with the start and finish of the project, but also keeping track of all his or her employees dedicated to this project.  He / she needs to keep track of who is doing what and making sure all the parts/pieces are getting done according to the instructions set out in the beginning.

The beginning of an ID project entail planning, scheduling, controlling, and terminating.  “An understanding of project management first requires a proper understanding of the general nature of a project and its characteristics.”  (Lin. 2006)  Since my background is Programming and Web Designing, I understand what it means to plan, schedule, control, and terminate a project.  Everything must work together and fall into place.  If there is one loose nut, everything will fall and back to the beginning you go.   Everything relies on the piece before.  There is a sequence and everyone must follow in order for success of the project.

How do you see project management blending with the instructional design process? How does it apply to the ID context?  The field of instructional design, the ID process, or the issues and challenges an instructional designer faces on a daily basis according to chapter 15 in the textbook, “a training program in industry requires an infrastructure to implement and deliver instruction.”  (Morrison, Ross, Kalman, Kemp, 2011, p. 417)  As stated in “The Professional Designer”, “Instruction is a significant component of the work of many other organizations such as religious institutions, the military, and government agencies.”  (Cennamo, K., & Kalk, D. 2005)  In the transcript, Stories from the Field, J. Ana Donaldson, Ed.D. states, “Things are constantly changing, the technology is - every day is evolving.  We're now going into the world of social networking and the web numbers are just starting to grow for us.  And I think the field, it's wherever you want to take it, and we're really going into uncharted territories.”  (Stories from the Field.  Transcript)  The field of instructional design and all technology is forever changing.  It’s changing daily.  We, as instructional designers, have the knowledge to create better and bigger ideas for the next generation to use.  We have the knowledge to open new doorways to the future.  The time is now to start designing, creating, implementing the future. 

Whether you are serving as the Project Manager on an ID project, or working with a PM who will manage the project, what skills and competencies would you like to further develop?   The skills and competencies I would like to further develop serving as the Project Manager on an ID project, or working with a PM who will manage the project is that PM’s need to lay out the projects schedule by the “project’s objectives, constraints, and assumptions; estimate span times for all activities in the project; any intermediate and final dates that must be met; and all activities or events outside the project that will affect the performance of project activities.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  171)  A project manager can meet time constraints in less time by “rechecking the original span time estimates; consider using more experienced personnel; consider different strategies or technology for performing them; and consider removing activities from the critical path by doing them in parallel with one or more other critical path activities.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  172-173)  Project managers have a great deal to plan out when establishing project schedules.  There may be some glitches along the way, but by planning the projects schedule, there is usually some sort of way to fix and get back on track with little to no interruptions.  “Developing actual project schedules requires project managers to find a combination of activities, resources, and activity performance sequences that provides the greatest chance of meeting an audience’s expectation with the least risk.”   (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  171)   The project managers need to “inform the drivers & supporters that the project has been approved & when work will start, reaffirm what the project will produce, clarify that the project’s planned results still address their needs, clarify how the supporters can help with the project, and develop specific plans for involving stakeholders throughout the project & keep them informed of progress.” (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  84)  Everyone needs to be onboard with the project and know exactly what they have to do & follow up w/ each member on the project.  Also, deadlines need to be met and on target.  The line of communication needs to be open at all times.

Provide a specific example of how you will use what you’ve learned in your current job or in a job you anticipate having in the future.  I do know that projects require organizing, planning, budgeting, scheduling, resources, team members, communication, progress documentation and final evaluation.  According to our textbook, Project Management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects, “a project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service.  It is specific, timely, usually multidisciplinary, and always conflict ridden.  Projects also vary greatly.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P. 2)

There are many aspects of a project:

• “Projects may be large or small.
• Projects may involve many persons or just one.
• Projects may be planned formally or informally.
• Projects may be tracked formally or informally.
• Projects may be performed for external or internal clients and customers.
• Projects may be defined by a legal contract or an informal agreement.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  2-3)

“Project management is the process of guiding a project from its beginning through its performance to its closure.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  3)  Part of the project management process is planning, organizing and controlling.  In order for a project to be successful; outcome, schedule, and resources are essential.

In order for a project to be defined, project managers need to know the background, scope, and strategy of the project.  Project managers should have strategies and objectives laid out.  A project strategy is “the general approach project mangers plan to take to perform the work necessary to achieve a project’s outcome.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  34)  A project objective is “results to be achieved through the performance of a project.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  34)  Project objectives include a statement, measures, and performance targets. 

In addition to strategies and objectives, a project requires a Statement of Work (SOW).  A SOW is a “written confirmation of what a project will produce and the terms and conditions under which the project team will perform the work.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  42)  Also, a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is equally as important.  A WBS is “an organized, detailed, and hierarchical representation of all work to be performed in a project.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  86)

All key elements need to be incorporated in a project in order for its success.  No one wants a project to fail.  There are a lot of people involved in a project and all must work together.  Keeping the lines of communication open are also key.

My conclusion in my course reflection is that I have learned a great deal through the provided resources, discussion boards, applications, and the solo course project.  My fellow cyber-classmates were very knowledgeable and provided very interesting feedback.  I can say that the adult learners I have interacted with during these past eight weeks have made me a better person and I am ready to tackle whatever comes my way.

References: 

Cennamo, K., & Kalk, D. (2005). Real world instructional design. Canada: Wadsworth.  Chapter 12, "The Professional Designer"

 

Ertmer, P., & Quinn, J. (Eds). (2007). The ID CaseBook: Case Studies in Instructional Design

(3rd Ed.). Case Study 15:  Beth Owens. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

 

Instructional Design Interactive Media. Stories from the Field.  Retrieved April 26, 2013 http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/Walden/EIDT/6100/CH/mm/eidt6100_instructional_design.html.  [transcript]

 

Lin, H. (2006). Instructional project management: An emerging professional practice for design and training programs. Workforce Education Forum, 33(2). Reprinted by permission of the author.

 

Morrison, G. R., Ross, S. M., Kalman, H. K., & Kemp, J. E. (2011). Designing effective instruction (6th ed.). Chapter 15.  Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 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

 

 

Russell, L. (2000). Project management for trainers. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.
Copyright by the American Society for Training and Development.  Used by permission via the Copyright Clearance Center.  Chapter 1, "Beginning the Project" (pp. 1–5 only)

Blog Assignment: Analyzing Scope Creep

Describe a project, either personal or professional, that experienced issues related to scope creep.

Scope creep is a phenomenon that becomes apparent during a project that can be caused by new technologies, materials, new requirements, needs, the client, and project team members that “try to improve the project’s output as the project progresses.”   (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  346)  “Project managers must expect change and be prepared to deal with it.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  346)  I experienced scope creep on several projects I worked on many years ago for the Y2K.  I worked for a company converting all its mainframe computer programs to the Y2K scope / guidelines.  Everyone was under a lot of pressure ….. the programmers, management and the clients.    

 

What specific scope creep issues occurred?

One of the scope creep issues that occurred were the “informal process of handling requests for change.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  346)  If a request came in from the client, the project manager would just give it to someone that is working on that particular clients programs and tell him/her to just make this change.  The project manager would not go through the proper channels of submitting a request.  Since everyone was under a lot of stress and it was getting down to the crunch wire, the project managers just wanted it to get done ASAP.

 

How did you or other stakeholders deal with those issues at the time?

Since I was just a programmer, I just did what I was told to do by either the project manager or the team leader.  No one wanted to cause any extra stress.

 

Looking back on the experience now, had you been in the position of managing the project, what could you have done to better manage these issues and control the scope of the project?

“Project managers must expect change and be prepared to deal with it.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  346)  “Avoiding scope creep is not possible.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  347)  The project manager must monitor, and control their projects.  A few simple guidelines can be followed to reduce scope creep: 

• “Include a change control system in every plan
• Every project change is introduced by a change order that includes a description of the agreed-upon change including the plan, process, budget, schedule, or deliverables
• Require changes be approved in writing by the client and representative of senior management
• Amend and update all project plans and schedules to reflect the change after the change order has been approved.”  (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer.  2008.  P.  347)

 

 

Reference:

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.

Blog Assignment: Estimating Costs and Allocating Resources

This week, I was tasked with allocating the resources and estimating the costs associated with an ID project.  To prepare for this assignment, I conducted a web search (listservs, message boards, blogs) and located at least two resources that would be useful in estimating the costs, effort, and/or activity durations associated with ID projects.  The links to the sites I found in my search are:

Project Management for Instructional Designers:  9 Costs and Procurement - http://pm4id.org/9/

This chapter “describes the methods used to estimate the cost of a project, create a budget, and manage the cost of activities while the project is being executed. It then covers a major component of cost management - the procurement process.”  (Amado, Ashton, Ashton, Bostwick, Clements, Drysdale, Francis, Harrison, Nan, Nisse, Randall, Rino, Robinson, Snyder, Wiley, & Anonymous)  A great deal depends on the project itself and the client when determining the cost.    

 

Big Dog & Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition:  “Estimating Costs and Time in Instructional Design” - http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/costs.html

“The degree of estimating the costs will depend upon the organization you are working for.”  (Clark)  Training costs, development, and instructor preparation will all need to be looked at and included in total costs.

 

 

References:

Amado, M., Ashton, K., Ashton, S., Bostwick, J., Clements, G., Drysdale, J., Francis, J., Harrison, B., Nan, V., Nisse, A., Randall, D., Rino, J., Robinson, J., Snyder, A., Wiley, D., & Anonymous. (DATE).  Project Management for Instructional Designers.  Retrieved from http://pm4id.org/.  Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike (BY-NC-SA) license.

 

Big Dog & Little Dog’s Performance Juxtaposition, “Estimating Costs and Time in Instructional Design”.  Clark, Don.  June 23, 2010.  Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/costs.html.