Learning from a Project "Post- Mortem"

I would like to share an experience I had on my last project. I was the instructional designer asked to create a student satisfaction survey for our post- secondary allied health bound student population. The purpose of this survey was to identify any concerns in order to address them prior to the implementation of the corporate instituted survey conducted twice a year. The last survey had us among the lowest ranking in student satisfaction, while we were the largest in enrollment boasting the highest profit in comparison to all the other campuses. The campus president asked for volunteers via email and from there he created a team with a mixed organizational structure. The team consisted of one lead, most popular or influential instructor or employee from every department.

The entire team was highly satisfied with the “finished deliverable” or student survey. The single most frustrating thing to the team and the project was the completely unsolicited involvement of observers and their attempts to change the scope of the project to include teacher surveys and irrelevant questioning. If there was one thing that should have been done differently I would have to say that following a more formal work breakdown structure with specific responsibilities and deadlines for each task in writing and signed off on would have increased the success of the project by identifying in writing who the “resistors” were would have cause a more amicable approach by all. Communication was better than expected throughout the team considering work across departments was a relatively new concept at our campus. It should also be noted that the project manager was a former student of mines, downsized from a popular television station were project management was his official responsibility. The instructional design ADDIE model and the project manager’s ability to manage risk and minimize damage were also significant to this project. The most difficulty we faced was among middle management’s responses and zero buy-in beyond conception. Many observers and stakeholders initially expressed support but later stated they never expected the project to make it this far. So in hind sight really engaging observers with critical and political influence would have just about guaranteed the project’s success.

Phase I feasibility and need were determined but this would have been a good time to engage the director of education, also known as the Dean (we will come back to this). Phase II thru V were surprisingly efficient and effective, estimates were on point, the right resources, human capital and SME’s were assigned. I later learned senior management’s intentions were to “shake things up”, spark creativity, and get management’s attention; while conducting a “rookies players’ draft pick” to help him as he planned out how to satisfy a much broader corporate downsizing plan. This plan inside a plan (our plan) did not consider nor have in place contingencies’ for members that would opt out or observers that did not want the plan to succeed. Many of us learned how things really worked. Alliances were formed and I earned a promotion without pay for all my effort. Hey, if this was an episode of survivor, I was safe from elimination. We did not have any vendor issues. We planned to use survey monkey (a data reporting website) to gather and compile data after creating our own questionnaire on the website. To do all this was extremely affordable for a student population over 1500 the cost would have come in around $200.00. The alternative would have been to pay 10 core team members for 24 hours of overtime. Deliverables and specs were decided on during group discussions and then responsibilities were volunteered for and achieved with minimal rift. Some members dropped out 3 in total due to work constraints, schedules and inability to commit to the level of effort expected. The only unexpected delay involved the Dean’s demand to be included and assume supervision of the project. Since he had not signed any work order agreements (Portny & Sutton) which would have included an agreement to standard response time his involvement threatened to end the project. Testing went well but implementation was halted because of politics. This brings us back to the intention of the campus president and the fact that the project was not supposed to succeed as far as it did. We obtained the approval of the Dean and identified the negative intention of the insecure IT guy whose job it was to implement the corporate survey somehow gained something intrinsically by seeing our numbers decline.

What I found most interesting was the message the president sent his management team letting them know that he was aware of their intentions to see bad reports from corporate and that if they did not start to “put out these fires” (address students concerns) then he had lower level staff hungry, eager, creative, skilled and ready to get the job done!
So my impression, given the culture and politics of this organization this project was a success.

All the tools, resources and authorizations were in place to complete the project but it also set out to identify newer key, talented and highly invested employees. Every employee that dropped out of the project did not make the cut and were all let go within 90 days. In closing, our project manager should have been able to gain the approval of overlooked stakeholders during conception and incorporated or at the very least extended the opportunity for participation to these two individuals into both the “dedicated and assigned teams” with signed dedication agreements (Murphy, 1994). Another alternative would have been to keep the director of education informed of the project’s intentions and progress (Portny & Sutton, 2008). Human relations and effective and strategic communication proved to be the missing ingredient in this project. For future projects, I will be more focused on following a more formal plan and ensuring key stakeholders are identified, engaged and held accountable to the success of upcoming projects.

References:

References:

Allen, S., Hardin, P., C. (2008) Developing Instructional Technology Products Using Effective Project Management Practices. Journal of Computing in Higher Education. Spring 2008, Vol. 19 (2), 72-97. Retrieved on November 7, 2011 from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/74759/CRS-CW-6052000/EDUC_6145_readings/Allen_Hardin_W2_6145.pdf

Ertmer, P. A., Quinn, J. (2007). The ID CaseBook: Case Studies in Instructional Design. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson Prentice Hall

Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc.
Murphy, C. (1994). Utilizing Project Management Techniques in the Design of Instructional Materials. Performance & Instruction, 33(3), 9–11.

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. (Pages 31 & 43.)

Stolovitch, H., (2011) “Defining the Scope of an ID Project”. Walden University. [Video]. Baltimore, Maryland: Laureate Education, Inc. Available: EDUC-6145-4 Project Management in Education and Training. Week 2 Resources.

Stolovitch, H., (2011) “Project Management Concerns: ‘Scope Creep’”. Walden University. [Video]. Baltimore, Maryland: Laureate Education, Inc. Available: EDUC-6145-4 Project Management in Education and Training. Week 2 Resources.

Van Rekom, P, Burdrovich, V., & Achong, T, (2011) “Practitioner Voices: Overcoming ‘Scope Creep’”. Walden University. [Video]. Baltimore, Maryland: Laureate Education, Inc. Available: EDUC-6145-4 Project Management in Education and Training. Week 2 Resources.

Welcome fellow classmates of EDUC 6145to my Blog. I look forward to learning with each of you!!!

Reflection

Taking into account the societal forces, such as, the triple helix (university-industry-and government interactions) and the level of comfort among learners, I think the perceptions of distance learning will be positive in the future. Over the next five to ten years, I anticipate perceptions to continue the positive upward climb as universities and business realize the benefits of convenience, the reduced cost and overhead to implement specific courses and/or programs, in addition to, its practicality in relation to the equivalency theory (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009).

Our government is going through a recession and recovery. For many, the need for jobs, as a large percent of the workforce is returning to school in order to retool for the expected jobs opportunity in the very near future. Individuals are doing their part to gather the needed skills, networks and tools in order to be ready and at the forefront when these expected jobs show up. It is now up to government to put these individuals to work.

One dimension of this societal force often overlooked is the professional community of traditionally educated die hard resistors. I would like to focus on them for a moment because they will be at the forefront of establishing a division among the acceptance of distance education graduates credentials. These communities of resistors continue to be significantly reduced as corporations require its employees to participate in some form of distance learning, but I believe they will be at the forefront when jobs are more available to challenge the validity of distance education, by targeting institutions. We might see a crusade similar to the overhaul of medical education in our country many years ago as exhibited in the “Flexnor report”. We may not see such tragic outcomes, however we should prepare for this intense scrutiny. Following this, the ten to twenty year timeline should be with smooth progression; by this time more employees and students will embark on the workforce with a heightened exposure to distance education than ever before. Traditional education will be less common considering the growth of distance education within the “triple helix” and “the bridging of the gap of comfort” (Siemens, 2011).

As an instructional designer I can be both a positive force and a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning by continuing with the foundation that has been laid by all of the recognized educators before me, my colleagues, and subject matter experts and by the continuance of my own education in the field of education and instructional design. In addition to this, I can on my own be proactive and work at my craft and improve my understanding and command of the technologies I have been and will be introduced to. I will always accept feedback and criticism knowing it will improve my practice of instructional design. I will never shy away from the negative perceptions but will seek them out, engage them and look for ways to debunk them. I will also do everything in my ability to be an ambassador of instructional design in my place of work, among friends and associates, as well as, in the classes I serve. One day I hope to serve as a mentor, anything beyond this would be a testimony to education, hard work and positioning.



References:

Flexnor, A., (1972). The Flexnor Report. A report to the Carnegie Foundation for The Advancement of Teaching. Retrieved August 19, 2011 from http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/sites/default/files/elibrary/Carnegie_Flexner_Report.pdf
Gambescia, F., S., & Paolucci, R.(2011) Academic Fidelity and Integrity as attributes of University Online Degree Program Offerings

Schmidt, E, & Gallegos, A (2001) Distance Learning: Issues and Concerns of Distance Learners. Journal of Industrial Technology. Vol 17,Number 3. Retrieved on August 15, 2011 from www.nait.org
Siemens, G. “The Future of Distance Education”. Walden University. [Video]. Baltimore, Maryland: Laureate Education, Inc. Available: EDUC-6135-2 Distance Learning. Week#8 Resources

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education. Boston MA. Pearson/Ally & Bacon

Converting to a Distance Learning Format

This week’s assignment involved creating a best practices resource for a trainer planning to move from the traditional face-to-face environment to a blended format. The paramount concern was whether or not the trainer was doing this for the right reasons and if the course in its current design and objectives would be effective in a blended format. The theory I found most appropriate is the “equivalency theory” this theory is based on the definition of distance education as formal, institutionally based education where the learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors”(Simonson & Zvacek, 2009). According to the instructor the distance is apparent even during face-to-face communication. The real challenge is going to be to ensure the interaction is engaging. Below is the attached link to the pdf file for your review.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/62300490

The Impact of Open Source

For this week’s assignment I am supposed to analyze the impact of open source courses. In order to do this I decided to look at Yale Universities open Yale courses. I chose PHIL 176- Death with Professor Shelly Kagan (spring, 2007). The reason for choosing such a subject is because the course project I am completing at Walden University this term requires me to create an orientation for a similar topic “philosophy” a subject I truly enjoy. Not many people are aware of these open courses. Since this course began I have shared this information with several people throughout my network, especially anyone interested in bachelor and graduate degree studies online. This is a great way for them to audit the environment of online learning and become familiar with the expectations and offerings.

As I audited the course, the first thing I noticed was the design of the site. The font was large enough to read but did not crowd out the balance or color scheme. The tabs to the right of the page are positioned there and like Walden give a more formal impression, as opposed to this blog which features the tabs to the right of the page and a much less formal feel. The image and title at the intro to the course impress upon the learner several things. First, the instructor has a relaxed appearance but behind him is the image of an Ivy League educational classroom setting. Below professor Kagan are his credentials and they are impressive including but not limited to Princeton University and the University of Pittsburgh. The course is structured like a pyramid, using” blooms taxonomy in the cognitive domain” (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009). Here ideas are presented in question format then answers each with research, concepts and principles.

The only limitation I can identify would be the lack of instant feedback and group interaction for social development. It appears that there will only be feedback at the convenience of the professor whose schedule is quite busy. The course contains many of the components discussed in our text, from readings which are available on the site and do not require the purchase of any text, course presentations, evaluation tools and for enhancement features there are podcasts supported by iTunes (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009). This course does follow all of the recommendations highlighted on page 249 of our text from syllabus, course requirements and expectation to grading percentages “grading criteria” (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009). I found the course activities to maximize individual learner interaction while integrating the appropriate amount of technology for the subject. At the same time it “trains students to use the course’s website” (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009). The course progresses by clicking on the descending tabs as it does in many online learning environments, taking the guesswork out of what comes next and allows students to naturally refer back to previous pages for supporting resources. This course is also aligned with the five “abilities”, which include “interoperability, re-usability, manageability, accessibility and durability” (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009). It is apparent plenty of thought went into the development, design and implementation of such a course. I believe open courses challenge the very fiber of for – profit CMS platforms and online education. For-profits are challenged to raise the bar in its offerings to the learner and “force them to improve their product quality, change their pricing models, and bolster customer relations, will be the focus of much interest over the next few years” (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009).

Reference:

Kagan, S. (2007). Yale University. Open courses. Death with Professor Shelly Kagan. Retrieved July 29,2011 from http://oyc.yale.edu/philosophy/death

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education. Boston MA. Pearson/Ally & Bacon

EDUC 6135 Week 3 Application: Blog- Selecting Distance Learning Technologies

For this week’s application I chose example 1 the collaborative training environment. To provide you will some background the position is that of instructional designer for a major corporation charged with the responsibility of implementing a training workshop for employees in six regional offices via asynchronous yet collaborative participation that maximizes the opportunity for sharing information, “in the form of screen captures and documents…” (Waldenu.edu, 2011). The learning context is training for a new automated staff information system. The requirements stipulate the workshop will run in an asynchronous environment, but screen capture and document sharing are imperative, as well as, the ongoing collaboration of each employee.

The first technology I would use in this scenario would be a wiki by wikispaces. “A wiki is an online writing space designed to be created and edited by groups of persons. A wiki can be an excellent tool for collaborative online writing assignments and group activities compiling information in a single online resource” (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009). Here I could set up discussions, modular sections where groups of employees by department could be given specific projects and collaboration occur within each group and across regions. The added advantage is trainees can always return to this site and utilize the ongoing follow up questions section located in the top along the navigation tabs.

The second technology I would incorporate would be the use of YouTube for pre- recorded video lectures. “Many faculty are uploading video-based lecture recordings and other course materials for convenient viewing by students” (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009). This added feature would allow step-by-step instruction throughout the workshop. See sample below.

1. How to use screen capture in Windows

• Using your mouse

• screen capture 1






• Using your keyboard (Warning!!!Turn your volume down before selecting this link)
  




• screen capture 2

2. How to use the new automated staff information system

• automated info system lecture link

Reference:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education. Boston MA. Pearson/Ally & Bacon

EDUC 6135 Defining Distance Education

Visual mind map & definition

The Evolution of Distance Education: As it relates to my own personal experiences

Distance learning by definition has changed and will continue to change as humans evolve. Currently, I find the factors driving this change to be human evolution and globalization. In ancient times, distance learning occurred through travel. People had to travel in order to acquire and share knowledge. It can be difficult to realize how from Egyptian hieroglyphs, writings on papyrus paper to newspapers, books and even the news were at one time considered technological advancements which educated and continues to educate individuals’ near and far.

My original definition of distance education might have come from something I read or from the statement of a scholar, which I believed to be a classroom without walls. This definition is a short one but it rings true throughout each era and generation. My personal definition is undergoing reconstruction as I learned this week one component missing from my definition and according to Simonson & Zvacek, (2009) “distance education is institutionally based”. I am certain the term classroom implies institution based but there is room for negative interpretation. My original definition considered every other component from the sharing of data, separation of teacher and student (intellectually, socially, by space…etc.) and interactive telecommunications. The interactive telecommunications is also implied. After examination my definition will have to be reconstructed.

As I develop my skills as an instructional designer I am learning that distance education removes the “walls” to create a learning experience. The use of interactive telecommunications via the internet, web 2.0 and more allow for us to create learning experiences without the constraints of space or time. As an instructor in a classroom I use elements of distance education, which is increasing every year. I use ActivSim by McGraw-Hill which host the entire course online with the addition of real life like simulation. Another textbook publishing company Pearson offers students a virtual medical office experience. According to Simonson & Zvacek (2009) “distance education has begun to enter the mainstream”.

Such changes to the definition of distance education are not solely based on a person’s profession or by how much technological knowledge he/ she has. Grant it answers will vary by profession and skill set or lack thereof. The definition continues to change based on the blend of components by percentage. At this time the separation of teacher and student with an emphasis on presence via the use of interactive telecommunications to share data and increase the quality of presence is the right blend and current definition’s foundation. Telecommunications as a vehicle to “correspond”, create presence, share and deliver instruction is what separates institutionally based distance education programs from “private study and teach yourself programs” Simonson & Zvacek, (2009). My revised definition of distance education is an institutionally based classroom without walls which uses the appropriate blend of telecommunications to maximize this newer learning environment so that it is conducive to high quality interaction, correspondence and knowledge transfer.

My vision for the future of distance education would be similar to movie Surrogates, starring Bruce Willis where learning and working are done virtually. The focus will be on the quality of education and correspondence. I agree with William Rainey Harper a former Yale professor “The day is coming when the work done by correspondence will be in greater amount than that done in the classrooms of our academies and colleges; when the students who shall recite by correspondence will far outnumber those who make oral recitations” (Simonson & Zvacek, 2009). This week I learned the definition of distance education has changed and will continue to change as we change our perspectives and technological capabilities of the defining components.

References:

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education. Boston MA. Pearson/Ally & Bacon.

Zamzuu