Blog
Why Ending a Project Properly Makes Your Next Project Better
May 2, 2021
We’ve learned how to empathize and analyze by doing a training requirements analysis, task analysis, and learner analysis. We’ve taken these analysis activities and begun to design performance requirements, performance assessment instruments, and Instructional Plans. We’ve created our job aids and implemented and/evaluated them by conducting formative reviews, pilots, and try outs. We’ve added value to an organization by creating support materials that increase the productivity of the workforce and make it more efficient. This process showed me Admission Counselors are instructional designers, too.
In my last client meeting we discussed our final deliverable, the Instructional Plan. I’ve learned you can spend so much time identifying performance gaps, analyze root causes, and creating new training but teams could easily fall short during the implementation phase if you do not design a thorough instructional plan. In Figure 1, you’ll see a portion of the instructional plan we created for Meridian Canine Rescue. Our client mentioned how valuable it was to receive an instructional plan stating her staff members traditionally aren't comfortable in front of the classroom. She described the value instructional plans have in helping leaners gain confidence to conduct a training in a more formal setting by giving them a step-by-step guide on how to facilitate the training.
Figure 1: Instructional Plan example using Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction Model
As I reflect on this process, I absolutely loved working with my team and our client to produce valuable materials that would aim to "minimize the handholding" as previously stated by my client. The process came with its set of challenges: I learned some key assumptions I was making as an ID. I learned how to suspend my assumptions and always ask clarifying questions. I learned to pay attention to the small details in designing the job aid. I learned to prioritize suggestions and assess the potential risks and rewards of those decisions. I learned how to interview a subject matter expert to gather precise steps, conditions, criteria, and critical tasks in a task analysis. I learned how to go beyond myself and think in the mindset of the learner. I learned how to conduct a client meeting. I improved how I facilitate team meetings. I have become more organized and committed to setting productive agendas. I also acknowledge areas of improvement: gaining more confidence to speak up more in client facing meetings.
As I reflect on what I have gained from this instructional design project, I must say a lot of the "ah-ha" moments came from learning from and with, my team members. One of my team members is a consultant by trade. I was able to see how he closes a project and was so impressed by his ability to thank the client, keep a positive relationship and ask for constructive feedback. I think ending a project is just as important as starting one. First impressions set the tone for the project and last impressions set the trajectory for future projects. In my career as an Admissions Counselor, higher education is a small world. If you do good work, other educators across the country may know your name. This network and reputation is just as important in the Instructional Design world. Ending a project on a high note could lead to future projects and future referrals to new clients. Overall this was such a valuable process for an emerging instructional designer like myself. I have added so many tools, skills, and strategies to my HPI toolkit and I look forward to implementing these skills in future ID projects.
Click here to view the final deliverables: Training Requirements Analysis, Task Analysis, and Learner Analysis. Job Aid 1, Job Aid 2, Job Aid 3, Performance Requirements, and Performance Assessment Instrument, Instructional Plan.
Soft Launches and Pilot Tests as a Form of Formative Evaluation
April 3rd, 2021
In a recent ID project we asked our client if we could pilot or test out the job aids on the target learners. This is a great way to get feedback from your learners to make any changes to blind spots you may have missed. In my line of work we call them "soft launches". A soft launch is, "a practice when instead of releasing a full-fledged version of your product, you deliver it in stages. This way, you can be sure that you account for the inevitable mishaps and leave yourself some space to fix and reconsider things" (Chmielewska, 2020). In admissions, our communications team uses this soft launch approach for new marketing campaigns. It allows us to test out our designs with a small group of people with hopes to get feedback before the hard launch. We can use the same approach with Instructional Design.
According to Berkeley's Center for Teaching & Learning (2021), formative evaluations are evaluations for learning. It helps the instructor assess the understanding of the learner asks the questions, "Do I need to re-explain that concept differently? Do I need to backtrack two steps and catch everyone up to where we are now? Do I need to change my pedagogical approach to engage this group of students?" We can use formative tests, or a pilot test, where IDs collect data as trainers and students use drafts of the training materials during a training session (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 149). At work, I am creating a training program for new student tour guides. After I create my deliverables and job aids, my plan is to test it on a small population of users, both experienced and brand new. I can administer this in a few ways. I can send out a survey to collect data and feedback or I can watch the students use the materials to determine if the task is done correctly. Another way formative evaluation can be used is at the end of class a professor can check students understanding and comprehension by giving a pop quiz. An SME can observe and conduct a review of the professor to make sure they are teaching the proper curriculum. You could also use a formal review template as demonstrated below:
Figure 1: Formative Review template (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 149).
If you choose to conduct formative evaluations it's important to allot enough time for revisions. You may have minor changes or hours of revision. Prioritizing your revisions and assigning estimated revision times can help you stay on track with your project. It is the job of an instructional designer to manage their project wisely in a way that doesn't exceed project scope.
References
Chmielewska, Matylda. (2020, January 30). Marketing 101: soft launch vs. hard launch. Live Chat. https://partners.livechat.com/blog/soft-launch/
OPWL 537 Course Instructors. (2020). Instructional design course handbook. Boise, ID: Boise State department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning.
UC Berkley. (2021). Formative evaluations. Berkley Center for Teaching & Learning. https://teaching.berkeley.edu/formative-evaluations
Instructional Planning for Effective Teaching
March 27th, 2021
What is it
An instructional plan is a detailed “lesson plan” that provides a blueprint for subsequent training development (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 200).
Why is it used
A well-written instructional plan serves four important purposes as a tool for planning, communication, project management, and reaching mastery. In my role at work I am the most seasoned admission counselor. Due to my high level of experience, my boss often prompts me to lead training programs to help new admission counselors. Instructional plans have helped me to have "plan of action" prior to stepping into a training or classroom. I think of it as a "lesson plan for the lesson plan". It's used to help keep instructors in alignment with objectives, separate content into units that is more digestible for the learner, and uses demonstrations, practice activities, and coaching to help learners reach mastery.
Here are the steps to help you create instructional plans for your organization:
Step 1: Choose the mode of delivery
Refer back to the learner analysis. In my most recent ID project, we determined that a stand alone job aid and a very brief introductory training was the best mode of delivery. Many of the volunteers in our clients organization will need a job aid to reduce the amount of handholding for completing the required tasks in becoming an approved volunteer. Often they get stuck on the first step which is to create an account and complete their first e-learning training. It's important to identify your mode of delivery and rationale for that decision (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 200).
Step 2: Sequence the objectives
Larger blocks of training often consist of multiple objectives. For example, at my job admission counselors have to perform specific workplace tasks such as creating Traveling Authorizations and Expense reports. I have created trainings based on familiarity (refresher trainings for current admission counselors) and others that are based on chronology, starting with the first task or step to be performed and following a step-by-step training. It's important to refer back to your task analysis to help shape the sequence of objectives.
Step 3: Divide Objectives into Instructional units (lessons or modules)
A single unit may consist of one objective or it could consist of several related objectives (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 209). In using my work example above, Unit 1 could be "How to Complete an Travel Authorization and Unit B could be "How to Complete an Expense Report". Each Unit has a single objective. Conversely, I could have my Unit on Travel Authorizations with a few different objectives, each with their own demonstrations and applications. I.e: Demonstration for objective A, followed by application for objective A. Demonstration for objective B, followed by application for objective B. When thinking about performance based training I like to think about how I can provide the learner with a coherent learning experience that neither bores nor overwhelms them and one that is interactive and experiential.
Step 4: Create a plan for each unit
The last step is to create a plan for each unit that aids in the transfer of workplace skills. Instructional theorist, Robert Gagne and Dave Merrill, have created models for instructional designers to help design their training programs. Both models uses performance based training to help learners build the skills they need on the job.
Figure 1: Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction Model
Click to view an example of an Instructional Plan.
References
OPWL 537 Course Instructors. (2020). Instructional Design Course Handbook. Boise, ID: Boise State department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning.
Design is Thinking Made Visual
March 20th, 2021
I had the opportunity to work with Meridian Canine Rescue near Boise, Idaho on an instructional design project. This experience provided me with insights into many of the components of front-end analysis work of instructional design, including designing jobs. Recently, I worked with a team to design job aids for a group of new volunteers. Design, colors, patterns, graphics, and branding - it lights my brain up. I love creating things that are visually appealing to the eye, that tells a story, and that makes people feel emotion. Saul Bass, a designer and filmmaker said, "design is thinking made visual”.
Instructional designers are problem solvers and media experts. They know how to identify and improve training programs and they know how to present facts and information in an interesting way. Taking our Task Analysis we determined a step-by-step job aid was the most appropriate for our project. Originally we began our design using Canva, a free graphic design platform, used to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, documents and other visual content. In our first feedback meeting with our client she quickly said, "yeah, that's not going to work". Our client expressed the importance of having simple job-aids that had a long shelf life. They didn't have time or resources to learn new graphic design platforms or edit the deliverables. The client had a clear request - to have all support materials created and housed in Google Slides. While personally I believed we could create more visually appealing deliverables in Canva or PowerPoint, we decided to make the best with what our client asked for and created the job aid in Google Slides. It was in this moment I learned that my way of doing things is not the only way and that is was my job to operate in the best interest of my client.
Figure 1: Draft #1 of the job aid.
Another challenge we faced was our client expressed the need to have each Job aid fit on 1 page. She feared that if it was too many pages, the volunteers would be less inclined to open or read the document. We tried our very best to accommodate this request but due to the design decisions to have screen shots, graphics, or icons in a two-column format, it provided to be very challenging. In our second round of edits we made some changes: we bolded each step for the learner to quickly identify, we changed it to a white background, we bolded or darkened the font color, and made cropped graphics to make it more legible for the reader. I also felt like our first draft didn't embody the brand of Meridian Canine Rescue. I browsed their website to look at their color choices and design to get a better idea. We altered the design to better match the brand of the organization.
Figure 2: Draft #2 of the job aid with alignment of organization branding and new graphics.
Our client loved our second draft of the job aid. We explained that our design elements wouldn't allow us to fit all steps onto one-page but we were able to clearly outline each step and provide the learner with better visual aids. Our client agreed that having graphics to help guide the volunteers was of more importance to her than having it fit all on one page. I learned that in this process you should always take into consideration what the client wants, but you should also rely on your own expertise to make recommendations as you see fit. One of my core values as a change manager is being transparent about your why. If others understand your why it can help build buy in if you can show them why it's important or beneficial. Instructional designers should be prepared to justify or explain each design decision to the client. Often, they will have questions and in our meetings I felt very prepared to defend and articulate why our design decisions benefit both the client and the learner.
Two additional deliverables we created were the Performance Requirements and the Performance Requirements Analysis. The performance requirements provided a detailed account of the valued workplace behavior i.e performance, condition and criteria of the task. Identifying these critical tasks and operating assumptions helped us design our Performance Assessment Instrument, that learners need to complete to indicate their mastery of the performance requirements (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 24). Overall, majority of the feedback and challenges given were design elements for the job aid. At the end of the day, my team worked together to create a product that added value to the organization.
Figure 3: Example of the Performance Requirements (PR).
Figure 4: Example of the assessment checklist in the Performance Assessment Instrument (PAI).
Click to view full versions of Job Aid 1, Job Aid 2, Job Aid 3, Performance Requirements, and Performance Assessment Instrument.
References
OPWL 537 Course Instructors. (2020). Instructional Design Course Handbook. Boise, ID: Boise State department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning.
Standardize Test Scores as a Form of PAI
February 27th, 2021
"How good is the SAT/ACT at predicting college success?"
"What do colleges value more, grades or test scores?"
Students, family members, high school counselors, and higher education professionals constantly ask these two questions. When I think of performance assessments in my line of work, I naturally think of standardize tests. In order to attend most colleges or universities, admissions offices require students to submit standardize test scores as apart of the admission process. Standardized tests are constructed to test students on what they should know. According to Psychology Today, "the SAT paints a clear line on the sidewalk and says, 'This is where we expect you to be. And if you fall short of the line, they'll quantify by exactly how much" (Kommers, 2019). Taking this concept of a standardized tests in education, I can look at Performance Assessment Instruments with an instructional design lens to test learners on what they actually know.
What are Performance Assessment Instruments?
Performance assessment instruments (PAI) measures the learner’s ability to complete the desired tasks as described in the learner objectives. Most ID's create assessments first before creating practice exercises. Using this strategy and higher education as an example, SAT tests would be created first and teachers would create their curriculum second. Instruction is designed to help learners pass the test that demonstrates their mastery of the objectives. The ID Course Handbook (2020) states, "using this philosophy helps us focus on “need-to-know” training and avoid “nice-to-know” information dumps that don’t relate to specified objectives and critical tasks in the workplace (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 179). We've talked about how training sessions sometimes dump too much information that isn't pertinent to the job or critical task outline in the objectives. This philosophy allows us to create content that is focused and intentional.
In my current job, newly hired admission counselors receive training on how to give an information session to prospective students and parents. Counselors are required to provide information on a variety of topics, however they have the freedom to share the information in a way that aligns with their individual presentation style and personality. Some counselors are witty while others are humorous or are more matter-of-fact. The goal isn't to make admission counselors give a presentation that is rehearsed or robotic, rather one that is informational and authentic. For ID's, the key is to also create an assessment that is authentic and allows learners to model their ability to perform the required job task. In this case, our supervisor allowed us to first do mock information sessions. Since there was no tangible product to be evaluated, our supervisors used process assessment to evaluate our presentations and provide feedback. In a mock, informal setting, this allowed admission counselors to receive feedback in a low-risk setting. We were able to then take this feedback and apply it to real information sessions. Throughout the year we would have faculty and staff spontaneously sit in our information sessions for quarterly evaluations. This ensured counselors were up to date with changing information yet maintained consistency of information being shared at the university level. This gave us another opportunity to continuously receive feedback throughout the year.
I think receiving feedback is one of the greatest benefits of performance assessments. These assessments provided me invaluable feedback that let me know if I mastered the job task or if I needed improvement. Constant feedback loops aid in the mastery of learners because it prevents complacency and fosters motivation in the workplace. Assessments tell learners what they’re doing well, where they can improve their performance, and how they can make the improvements. Feedback loops influence our behavior and helps learners close performance gaps.
References
Kommers, C. (2019, April 22). What's the point of standardized testing? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendly-interest/201904/whats-the-point-standardized-testing
OPWL 537 Course Instructors. (2020). Instructional Design Course Handbook. Boise, ID: Boise State department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning.
What IKEA Taught Me About Instructional Design
February 20th, 2021
Have you ever sat through a presentation and wondered why they didn't give you a handout instead? Or spent hours getting trained on a complicated process wishing you had a step-by-step cheat sheet to refer back to? I, sure have. Utilizing job aids in your organization may be a cost-effective solution. Before joining the OPWL program at Boise State, I didn't realize how often job aids were used in my day-to-day life. Frankly, my workplace rarely uses the term "job aid" so I was very unfamiliar with the term. However, now I see them everywhere - reminders on my google calendar, to-do-lists, a delicious recipe, and even as an instructional list like building a dresser from IKEA.
What is a job aid?
A job aid is material that provides simple information about how to perform a task. In the Instructional Design Course Handbook (2020), Harless states, "job aids place guidance in the workplace environment eliminating or minimizing the need to know or recall it" (p.66).
Examples of Job aids include:
Reminder
Match (including worked examples)
Step
Checklist
Worksheet
Process table or flowchart
Decision table
Troubleshooting Diagram
Data Array
Script
Job aids are important because they reduce training time and support workplace performance (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 141). We've all heard the phrase "time is money". When working with a previous client, she mentioned her primary goal is "to reduce handholding" with her new volunteers. She hoped job aids could help reduce or eliminate the amount of time staff spent on in-person training. For organizations with few staff and resources, it's not only important to utilize job aids, but to design them effectively. As instructional designers we can work with our SME to create performance requirements that describe desired workplace performance. Crafting performance requirements is useful because it, "marks the move from describing exemplary performance in the workplace (analysis) to designing and development instruction that will enable others in the organization to act more like the exemplars" (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 163). My goal as an ID is to make you a master of the desired task.
Recently, I was shopping for a new dresser at IKEA. You may be familiar with IKEA for it's famously complex instruction manuals. Despite this reputation, I came home with my new purchase ready to take on the challenge of building my new IKEA dresser. It was no surprise the the step-by-step instructions left me feeling frustrated and hopeless. I learned a few things about instructional design during this process.
1. A picture is worth a thousand words
2. Assumptions about the learner dictates content
Ikea makes some key assumptions about the learner. First, that they are visual learners. Ikea chooses to use all pictures in their directions. This enables them to print instruction manuals without having to translate them to dozens of different languages across the world. They expect the learner to have a competent level of analytical skills to interpret the meaning of the visual aids provided. Personally, this type of visual job aid works best for me. However, my grandma would likely not feel the same if given the same set of instructions. Ikea chooses to let the pictures do the talking.
3. Practice makes perfect
My tennis coach always said, "practice makes perfect". When working on my first ID project I contemplated, "how can I create a job aid and provide the learner in-real-time feedback?" IKEA has a DIY design philosophy where customers get the chance to build and (hopefully) fall in love with the furniture they buy. I consider myself to be pretty savvy with following instructions, however it took me 6 times to repeat the same major task before I could get it right. I felt frustrated and hopeless, but when I finally got it right I gained a deeper level of satisfaction and pride. IKEA forces you to practice steps in order to gain mastery. If I didn't get it right, I was given immediate feedback i.e. the drawer wouldn't fit as indicated and I knew I needed to correct my mistake and repeat a previous step. Regardless of your personal opinion about IKEA's instructions, they help the learner gain resiliency through practice and repetition. I'll admit, once I successfully built the IKEA dresser I felt like I could build anything. Sometimes instilling confidence in your learner is just as important as the task itself.
References
OPWL 537 Course Instructors. (2020). Instructional Design Course Handbook. Boise, ID: Boise State department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning.
Before Assuming, Try Asking
February 13th, 2021
Last time we discussed how aspiring instructional designers can embody empathy during three key analysis activities: the Training Requirements Analysis (TRA), the Task Analysis (TA), and the Learner Analysis (LA). I had the opportunity to partner with Meridian Canine Rescue in Boise, Idaho to provide their volunteers with support materials that aid in their competency in becoming being a Green Team volunteer member. Becoming competent requires a volunteer to create an ASPCA Pro account, log into an ASPCA Pro account and complete the “How to Encourage Good Behavior in Shelter Dogs” ASPCA e-training. Working with our Subject Matter Expert (SME) to learn about the organization, characteristics of the learner, and major tasks volunteers must complete was my favorite part. I'm a human resources guru by trade - I love interviewing people and asking questions. Oh boy, did I learn empathy throughout these activities. Throughout the interview with our SME and the creation of the task analysis, I noticed that I was making some very critical assumptions about the learner and their ability. This process taught me that that before assuming, we should try asking.
Assumption #1 - The task is easy to perform
We are all guilty of making assumptions - in life, at work, or even in our relationships. Working on project teams with clients and other team members is no different. It's critical to uncover any assumptions the team has to ensure they do not negatively impact the project. My first assumption was that job aids needed to be created to help our client. Our class project revolves around creating these support materials, so in this case it was a fair assumption. However, in real life instructional designers should ask strategic questions when considering varying work situations where a job aid could be appropriate or inappropriate. It's not our place to assume what is truth or fact, rather it's our job to learn directly from the experts.
Figure 1: Sequence is critical and it is easy to get wrong if the sequence isn’t followed.
Reflecting at the beginning of this process, my first incorrect assumption was thinking the task was easy to perform. I drew from my basic understanding of the major tasks and I had unconsciously made assumptions about the learner. In order to avoid making some of these assumptions while speaking with our client, we decided to use the TRA template as an interview guide and asked questions about all situations where a job aid would or would not be appropriate. In speaking with our SME, she actually clarified that the task was easy to get wrong. It led to great dialogue and follow up questions about the critical mistakes learners habitually make.
Assumption #2 - Learners know how to turn on a computer
While working on the task analysis I made another unconscious assumption. A member on our team wrote, "Step 1: Turn on the computer and Step 1: Open your internet browser". I remember thinking, "was this step really necessary? Surely, people know how to turn on a computer, right?" In that moment, I realized I wasn't being empathetic to our learners technology experience.
Figure 2: Job aids should be created with a low level of technology experience in mind.
Our SME mentioned, "some volunteers don't know the difference between an email and a text message". Knowing this, we decided to create our instructions with simple language to appeal to learners with a low level of technology literacy. This moment was humbling for me. I realized that our SME knows the learners the best. It is up to us as ID's to be empathetic to the methods of how they learn best.
Assumption #3 - Learners can download and attach documents in an email
Our task analysis consisted of simple steps, icons, screen shots, tips and warnings to help guide the learner in the right direction. After creating a draft task list, we decided to walk through the task list with our SME using a walk-through as a way to receive feedback. A member on the team acted as a new volunteer and we went through each step as we understood the task to be.
Figure 3: Draft task list containing symbols, Warnings and Tips to help guide the leaner to successfully complete the task.
A strategy I learned from a member on my team was to include all steps in the walk through of the task analysis, even the most simple steps I personally found to be self-explanatory. He preferred to include more steps and have the client confirm or correct us, rather then make any assumptions. Throughout the role-play we asked follow up questions to ensure we were on the right track. If we weren't, our SME was quick to step in with feedback. This fostered great dialogue and led to a better understanding of the task at hand. Another technology assumption we all made was the learners ability to download their completion certification and save as a PDF to attach in an email. Our client quickly became concerned by this step. Ultimately, she voiced it was best that the volunteer forward their completion email instead of writing a new email and attaching documents. We decided this step had the least amount of risk for the learner. It was in this step that we learned to pivot to our clients requests and always be empathetic and do what's best for the learner.
This process taught me to be aware of my personal bias and assumptions of the learner and the tasks. It taught me to suspend any assumption I have and instead ask questions first to gather facts and truth. As instructional designers, our support materials should always be created with the learners in mind. I'm thankful I was able to learn this lesson early in my instructional design career.
Click to view full versions of the Training Requirements Analysis, Task Analysis, and Learner Analysis.
Embodying Empathy within Analysis
January 23, 2021
As admission counselors, we strive to embody empathy. We take the time to get to know the hopes, dreams, and fears of prospective students as they prepare to make one of the biggest investments in their life: where to go to college. We have the ability to understand how stressful the admissions process can be, to meet them where they are, and guide them through the madness. This skill is crucial to the success of an instructional designer. Why? Last time we talked about how trainings sometimes fall flat and “miss the mark”. From my experience as a learner, instructors have a hard time distinguishing between "need to know" from "nice to know". As instructional designers we can approach our design thinking by combining “empathy” and “analysis”. According to the Instructional Design Course Handbook (2020), “empathy allows ID’s to set aside their own assumptions to gain insight into learners and their needs. Empathy also helps them remember to keep the needs of their learners first and foremost because PBT often disrupts workplace roles and the jobs that people perform” (p. 23).
So, you’ve determined that a skill gap exists in the workplace. Given a needs assessment, you’ve determined the skill gap is worth closing and you’ve found a client/SME to sponsor the ID project. Now what? In the "Empathize and Analyze" phase of the LeaPS model, you can focus on the following analysis activities:
Training Requirements Analysis (TRA)
Task Analysis (TA)
Learner Analysis (LA)
In my world of Undergraduate Admissions, we added a new holistic review process when determining admission. Majority of the admission counselors do not have experience reading holistic review applications. There is a skill gap amongst the team that needs to be closed so that admission counselors can fulfill job responsibilities. To help you better understand this process, I'll describe how I would put my instructional designer hat on to work through the following analysis activities.
Training Requirements Analysis (TRA)
What is it? A TRA aligns sources of the performance gap with different configurations that the training will use (Giacumo, 2020). In my department we don't have the funds for expensive e-learning. Job Aids are where we have opportunity to thrive. If done right, they are a cost-effective way to create, implement and maintain training. First I would consider my work situation and if a job aid could be appropriate or inappropriate. In this case, reading applications requires specific steps. If errors are made and unethical decisions come as a result, consequences of workplace error are high. Understanding this sequence is critical for task success and a job aid could enhance admission counselor confidence. After determining a job aid would support task performance, I would choose an appropriate configuration to support the task. Knowing my team and how they learn best, I would provide them with a job aid and introductory training. Due to the complexity and newness of the job task, I believe the training requires demonstration, practice, coaching and feedback to mitigate the risks of reading applications incorrectly. After the in-person introductory training, admission counselors can rely on job aid checklists to support them as they read applications.
Task Analysis (TA)
What is it? Task analysis decomposes what exemplary performers do in the workplace when they perform their job tasks (Giacumo, 2020). Prior to this training, I would meet with my boss who would serve as the subject matter expert (SME). As the expert, they would demonstrate the steps in reviewing a holistic review application and I would ensure that the objectives written in the training match the tasks admission counselors will perform on the job (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, p.84). I'd ask questions like, "What are the major tasks, subtasks and steps to reviewing an application? What led you to scoring positive points for that essay? What are the factors in deciding a score of +1 versus a +3? Is there a trick you use to help make this step easier? What are the most common mistakes that new admission counselors miss?" It's important to continuously ask questions and test the task list until it provides an accurate, complete, and authentic representation of exemplary performance (Boise State OPWL, 2017).
Learner Analysis
What is it? Learner analysis specifies what learners already know and what they need to learn to perform their job tasks (Giacumo, 2020). ID's can show empathy by taking the time to understand the diversity and range of the learners, prior knowledge, and relevant skills they posses. The ID Course Handbook states (2020), "the idea is to tailor the training program to the target audience rather than the other way around" (p. 120). Knowing that aspects of this job task is new to admission counselors, I would use demonstrations to model how to successfully read an application. I'd also design practice activities so counselors can feel a sense of exactly what it's like before having to really admit or deny someone. I'd also provide time for coaching and feedback to help mitigate error and instill confidence in the learner. I believe if we empathize and understand the learner we can make sound design decisions and create training programs that are engaging and impactful.
These analysis activities help us create training that meet client and stakeholder expectations. As you can see, even admissions professionals can be instructional designers, too.
References
Boise State OPWL. (2017, January 26). Light Socket Task Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQFBlhAR6Dw&%3Bfeature=youtu.be.
Giacumo, L. (2020, August 24). LeaPs ID model explainer. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8GY7JCg6N8&feature=youtu.be
OPWL 537 Course Instructors. (2020). Instructional Design Course Handbook. Boise, ID: Boise State department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning.
Look like an Admission Counselor, think like an Instructional Designer
January 16th, 2021
When I think of training, I think of sitting in a room for hours and listening to the speaker share a bunch of information my boss hopes I will remember. I work in higher education at a public four-year University, which is commonly divided into two overarching divisions: academic affairs and student affairs. Instructional Design (ID) is used on the academic side where an ID in a university may help faculty figure out how to effectively put courses online and use technology to better connect with students. We all saw this at play as schools across the country moved to remote learning due to the Covid-19 global pandemic. My current role falls into the side of Student Affairs, which does not utilize the talents of instructional designers as often. Specifically, I work in Undergraduate Admissions where most of my experience lies with receiving traditional instructor-led or on-the job training. As a workplace learner and a student in the OPWL program at Boise State University, I’ve learned that implementing human performance improvement models and instructional design principles have the opportunity to transform how admission professionals learn and apply skills on the job.
What does an instructional designer do?
An instructional designer takes content and adds the experiences of learning and practicing directly to it. To put it simply, they design and develop learning experiences by restructuring content and making it digestible for the learner (Villachica, 2011).
Rather than being fed information from a PowerPoint, learners have opportunities to actively practice what they are learning. This type of training is called performance-based training (PBT) because it focuses on what learners need to do in the workplace, rather than what learners should know (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, p. 15). Anyone can read an instruction manual on how to ride a bike. Instructional designers take the same information and put it into a format that allows the learner to experience the process of learning, such as actively practicing how to get on a bike, balance, and pedal through without falling.
There’s a difference between being told how to perform a skill and being put into an experience where you get to practice it (personally, I favor the later). Let’s get inside the mind of an Admissions Counselor and implement the strategies of an instructional designer. Admission Counselors often need to know “a little, about a lot”. In other words, counselors have to be informed on over 300 majors and minors while also being in tune with campus culture, student life, and services across campus. Apart from housing campus knowledge, admissions counselors must also perform specific administrative tasks such as using CRM’s to assist customer service, read applications, and make decisions. The ability to effectively navigate a CRM is a vital skill needed on the job. Often managers identify performance gaps as team members lack the skills to navigate common customer service or application related questions. The question becomes, how do we solve this workplace problem? It's important to evaluate previous trainings to determine how the content may be reimagined and delivered in a different way. Instead of a PowerPoint presentation full of information, an instructional designer may instead set up a learning environment where admission professionals can actively practice answering common questions by using simulations, case studies or role play. By thinking like an instructional designer, admission professionals can design learning experiences and create support materials that produced improved performance in the workplace (Giacumo, 2020).
The impact of Performance-Based Training
PBT is important in the workplace because employees get to “learn by doing” (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p.12). When we perform actions, we learn. Sometimes we learn that we did something right, sometimes failure teaches us to do something different the next time. When I first started my job, I was thrown out into the fire had to learn as I go. I always wondered if I had received better training, would I have been more successful earlier into my career? A benefit of PBT is that it allows learners to make mistakes in a low-risk or risk-free environment (OPWL 537 Course Instructors, 2020, p. 15). Better performance is always the intended outcome of learning. According to the Instructional Design Course Handbook (2020), “Clients expect training and other performance interventions to produce valued behavior change in the workplace” (p. 9). Instead of dumping information in a PowerPoint where learners are passive recipients, Instructional Design is about looking to implement engaging learning activities where real life skills are practiced. Although my title is Senior Regional Admission Counselor, I can choose to think like an Instructional Designer and help reimagine delivering content in a way that helps my colleagues learn better.
References
Branch, R. M., & Dousay, T. A. (2015). Survey of instructional design models. Indiana: Association for Educational Communications and Technology.
Giacumo, L. (2020, August 24). LeaPs ID model explainer. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8GY7JCg6N8&feature=youtu.be
OPWL 537 Course Instructors. (2020). Instructional Design Course Handbook. Boise, ID: Boise State department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning.
Villachica, S. W., (2011, August 14). Doing Right by Your Clients: Surfing the Performance Improvement Zone. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU7aCDTZSAQ&%3Bt=4s