Scope Creep

Looking Back at Past Project Issues and Scope Creep

Scope Creep is that ever present metamorphosis of growth that encroaches on projects and which, if not controlled, has the ability to exponentially delay milestones and deadlines, increase budgets, and affect timelines. Well-meaning clients, project team members, and other stakeholders can knowingly or unknowingly contribute to scope creep as numerous suggestions are made which, they believe, will “improve the project’s resulting output” (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer, 2008, p. 346). Contributions to scope creep can also come from outside of projects.

I am a former president of a local high school athletic booster club (not where I work). The athletic booster club supports all athletics in the school building by among other things running the concession stands during games, supplementing equipment purchases and awarding scholarships. All of these issues will not be discussed in this forum. The president serves for two years and when I took over the student activities coordinator  assured me that I would not have to “do that much.”

We began our work with an initial meeting in July of 2011 when our board elected officers and filled committee positions including vice president, secretary and treasurer. As the school year began things ran fairly smoothly. A key component of the booster club is parent volunteers and the club took advantage of opportunities to recruit additional members through parent nights, individual athletic meetings and other after-school activities. This process is not very complicated and required positioning booster club members in strategic locations and setting up tables in the foyer to receive parents. As the school year and my tenure as president progressed, my duties became a little more demanding with preparations for monthly meetings, conducting those meetings, maintaining the membership list and being mindful of upcoming school and booster club events taking precedence. In Practitioner Voices: Resource Challenges, Troy Achong (Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.) discusses the issue of aligning calendars, (even if it is your own) and the vast amounts of time that activity alone can consume.

Scope creep first arrived in the form of my having to designate someone else to take notes of our meetings because our secretary often did not show up. Project managers report that “coping with change is at the top of their list of important problems” (Portny, et al), and one or two times I had to conduct the meeting, take meeting notes at the same time, and then get those notes out to our general membership.

One of the athletic booster club’s most important positions is that of concessions chair. The person in charge of concessions has to pick up items from our participating merchants, keep track of the merchandise, make sure that the concessions stands are well stocked for football and basketball games and run the stand during games. “Avoiding scope creep is not possible, however installing a change control system allows a project manager to monitor, control and reduce distress” (Portny, et al, p.346-347). Our concessions chair was great at managing the merchandise in concessions, but was unfortunately, was gruff and could be abrasive to members even as they volunteered at games. I remember a particular evening when the chair and a booster member got into argument over the way she was speaking to him and I had to separate them. The chair called me later and it was clear that she thought the member was wrong. I told her diplomatically, that the argument should never have occurred, especially in the concessions stand in front of patrons, and that both of them were wrong.

Balancing my volunteer calendar (I am also an active volunteer in my college alumni association) with my work calendar took some effort but I kept that balance by building in time for it after school and on weekends. The note-taking issue was an adjustment that had to be dealt with regularly throughout my tenure as president and one of the executive members always volunteered to take meeting notes. We kept communication open with the general membership by emailing meeting notes to them. “Savvy project managers develop comprehensive monitoring systems” (Portny, et al, p.346), which would have helped here. The general issue with the concessions chair was by far the most strenuous of my two-year term. The other members shared the same concern before my arrival and while I was president but no one else wanted to handle concessions so were in a grin and bear it situation. My term as athletic booster club president ended in June 2013 and due to my work schedule and my Walden University obligations I did not have adequate time to volunteer during the 2013-2014 school year. However, I understand that some of the same problems existed this past year and the athletic booster executive board has made some changes resulting in the concessions chair stepping down.

Looking back, the techniques learned in this course, specifically, instituting a change control system, would have allowed me to do a better job of anticipating these issues and identifying their impact on the membership body (Portny, et al). I did take time to speak to some members directly about their concerns however I did not document these conversations. A change control system may have possibly yielded the following benefits: “install a process for accepting changes, communicate those changes to all concerned parties, and require that changes be approved in writing by the membership (Portny, et al).   

References

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Practitioner voices: Resource challenges [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

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.

Effective Communication

How You Communicate Effectively Versus What You Communicate Effectively!

As I reviewed the three modalities of communication in this week’s resources I was reminded of my most frequent form of communication which is email. As a result, this week’s blog task not only has me reflecting on the modalities of communication contained in this assignment but how I have structured and communicated my messages in the past whether via email, voice mail or face-to-face. Although I take pride in carefully considering the words contained in the messages I send (“excuse me”, “please”, “I appreciate”, and “thank you” are a regular part of my communication vernacular), I have rarely taken time to consider the effect my messages have on my audience, instead, choosing to focus on getting the message to my recipient(s) so they either get the information they need or they get the information to me that I need. In our video on “Communicating with Stakeholders” Dr. Harold Stovolitch describes communication as “diplomacy” and project managers who “identify and engage stakeholders”, and whose job it is to keep conflict to a minimum, as “diplomats” (Laureate Education (Producer), (n.d.).    

Of the three message modalities reviewed, the voice mail message best conveyed the true meaning and intent of the message. Jane’s tone sounded to me as if she was asking for my help versus the email, which, it seemed to me, was trying to tell me what to do. A lot of how I initially receive messages has to do with the person’s role within a situation however, having accepted and committed to the project, I now have a responsibility to act on the request no matter the modality used to communicate the message, or what Jane’s project role is (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer, 2008, p. 299).

A good project manager has already “engaged the project audience,” determined the “stakeholder, distribution, and team member lists,” identified “drivers, supporters, and observers” and gotten commitments including mine (Portny, et al, 2008). All of these factors influenced how I perceived the message and at this point my job is to deliver on my commitment so that my lack of action does not negatively influence the project, other team members or stakeholders; or imply incompetence.

Win   

References

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Communicating with stakeholders [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

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.

The Aftermath of Catch-up Math

 

As the chairman, since 2008, of the Special Education Department at my high school, I have been concerned about the progress of our students in general in math. However I have been particularly concerned about the progress of our special education students who, as a group, have and are underperforming in this critical core area. In December, 2011 I received an email about a web-based math program called Catch-up Math http://catchupmath.com/how-it-works/ which allows students asynchronous (anytime/anywhere) access and help in basic math, pre-algebra, algebra and geometry with or without the assistance of a teacher (HotMath, Inc., 2014).

After investigating the program, including several conversations with cohorts in my department, emails to a contact in another building, and discussions with my principal, I ordered the Catch-up Math program in January, 2012. As extensive as I believed then that those conversations were I have learned here that they did not even begin to scratch the surface of what should have been described as a far-reaching project; to turn around the overall math progress of many of our 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th graders using Catch-up Math.

To begin, the program’s effect has not been successful. None of the valuable tools and most of the strategies learned thus far in our course was known to me then. A preliminary project analysis would have uncovered the fact that the students from our feeder middle schools (there are two), which teach 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade; students who were by then enrolled in our math classes had already struggled with math, especially pre-algebra (Lin, 2006). This was a known unknown, easily obtainable from several of the middle schools’ prior academic report cards (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer, 2008). The preliminary analysis would have also guided my conversations with my colleagues so that I asked the right questions, not just engaged in informational conversation regarding their opinion about implementing the program.

Although the principal approved ordering the Catch-up Math program and was very supportive, I would not describe him as a champion of the project because of his many commitments. As a result, because of the many priorities of administration and attributable to my not utilizing an analysis and other tools associated with project management, administrative support was not as strong as it could have been (Portny, et al, 2008). A scope of the project would have exposed the need to identify and enlist additional stakeholders, to train teachers on the use of the program, and make available advisors to help teachers organize lessons and track student progress (Portny, et al, 2008). In addition to the preliminary analysis, other methods that I would undertake differently at a minimum include framing a Statement of Work, a Scope of the project, and Work Breakdown Structure documents (Greer, 2010) & (Portny, et al, 2008). These tools would have provided more structure, support, direction and ultimately success to the project.

As has been noted, while Catch-up Math has some excellent features, including video support, and more than one hundred students were eventually enrolled in Catch-up Math, the most frustrating part of the project was getting consistent buy-in from teachers and students (Greer, 2010). Use of the program by both groups was inconsistent and lukewarm at best. If implemented properly through the project management process, and, being aware of the many supports available from the vendor, I have confidence that the probability of the project’s success would have been greater. For me this is the most professionally satisfying part of this project (Greer, 2010). 

 

References

Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your

projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc.

HotMath, Inc. (2014). Catchup math. Retrieved from

http://catchupmath.com/how-it-  works/ [Video].

Lin, H. (2006). Instructional project management: An emerging professional practice for

design and training programs. Workforce Education Forum, 33(2). Retrieved from

http://voc.ed.psu.edu/projects/publications/books/Fall2006/WEF_fall2006.1.html

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.

 

 

 

 

Continuing to Move Forward!!!

My Latest Accomplishment!

Hello, I am ecstatically declaring that I am finished with “Foundations of Research” and “Distance Learning”; two of the hardest classes that I have ever encountered and two classes that I was taking simultaneously. These courses challenged me to my limits. Thanks to everyone for lending plenty of solid support both human and spiritual). Further, I have returned to taking one class at a time with no return to doubling up (what was I thinking!!!).

My latest class started Monday and is called “Project Management in Education and Training.” In this class I will be reviewing the purposeful and careful planning elements involved in project management as well as exploring its systematic approaches. The successful project manager uses various tools, procedures, and methodologies that apply to projects in real-world education or training environments. Analyzing the interrelated nature of the triple constraints of time, cost, and scope as well as their influence on the overall quality of the project is an important facet of this course (Walden University, 2014). To more knowledge and self-directed “life-long learning!”

Win

Reference

Walden University, (2014). Retrieved from http://www.waldenu.edu/masters/ms-in-instructional-design-and-technology?tab=curriculum&subtab=online-learning#tabs

The Current and Future Perceptions of Distance Learning in Our Society

 

 

 

End of Course Reflection:

The Current and Future Perceptions

of Distance Learning in Our Society

Winfred K. Ridley

Walden University

Dr. Ronald Paige, Ph.D.

EDUC – 6135 Distance Learning

June 29, 2014

 

 

 

As I consider the subject matter, ideas, and purpose of EDUC-6135, Distance Learning discovered in reflection, clearly, online learning is a leading component driving dynamic changes in education and training through K-12, higher education, and business. There no doubt of the continuing growth and acceptance of distance education courses by society, especially in the online community, yet much work remains for instructional designers. This reflection discusses the future of distance learning, the acceptance by society of online courses, and the impact of globalization on distance learning course design.

             Grounded in my perception of the future of distance learning is an optimistic view of society’s intertwined acceptance, necessity, and level of comfort that distance learning will continue to develop, grow and advance. Past performance is often an indicator of future behavior, as Allen & Seaman, (2005) shared in its Third Annual Sloan Consortium report. That report confidently stated that “40% to 60% of schools with traditional courses also offered online courses and programs.” This perception is further enhanced by statistics that state the more recent impact of distance education (Allen, I., & Seaman, J. 2010):

·         The popularity of students learning online (at least one course) topped 4.6 million during the fall 2008 term (seventeen percent more than in 2007).

·         At least one course online now appeals to more than one in four college students.

·         Fluctuating economic influences also traditionally draw students to distance education.

o   Rising unemployment emboldens more people to seek education, improving their chances of obtaining a job or advancement their careers.

o   Demand for face-to-face and online courses is steadily increasing as reported by academic leaders at all types of institutions (Allen, I., & Seaman, J. 2010). Tempering the prior statistic whether by the necessity of politics or maintaining traditional integrity, only eleven percent of institutions make mention of the dual role of faculty teaching face-to-face and online courses. Still, students are demanding new online courses and continuing to enroll in existing courses as reported by 66% and 73% of institutions respectively (Gambescia, & Paolucci, 2009).

            The varied and challenging lessons covered in our Distance Learning course includes several strategies for promoting and improving society’s acceptance of online learning. Instructional design, with attention to both face-to-face and online education and training environments, presents many opportunities for improving societal perceptions toward the online learning component. My role in this continuing paradigm shift is to first recognize the public’s right to receive forms of pedagogy (teaching) in an environment comfortable for their learning style. As George Siemens, discusses in The Future of Distance Education, (Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.), the key for instructional design is bridging our learners’ comfort level. Fortunately, many of these learners are already embracing online resources, such as learning management systems (BlackBoard, and Desire2Learn), and learning repositories including MERLOT, Wisconline, and wikis (Smith Nash, 2005). Of course these resources are only online facsimiles of learning conditions in face-to-face classrooms unless combined with interactive strategies to enhance students’ online learning experiences. Whether students are gravitating toward online experiences due to the academic atmosphere, for convenience, or out of necessity, interactive strategies such as timely feedback from instructors and fellow students, supportive respectful engagement, and mediated instruction can only contribute to positive successful learning experiences (Durrington, Berryhill, & Swafford, 2006). These strategies work best when designed around a solid instructional theory such as Holmberg’s Theory of Interaction and Communication, based on the exchange of questions and responses leading to feelings of belonging, cooperation, and inclusiveness (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012).

            Being a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance learning takes understanding the impact of the unremitting globalization on distance learning and distance learning course design. The popularity of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has played no small role in globalizing online learning. These courses, offered at little to no cost to masses of self-motivated learners by universities, non-profits and school consortiums have served as a disruptive innovation in educational discourse (Flynn, (2013). “Disruptive technology or disruptive innovation is a technological innovation, product, or service that eventually overturns the existing dominant technology in the market and alters realities, world views, thought processes, and interactions with others” (Flynn, 2013). The disruption here is in the realm of higher education, removing barriers that precluded millions from seeking extended learning opportunities. In “Critical minds for a change” Michael Grahame Moore touted that the most significant aspect of this evolution is that these global learners can now say that [given the opportunities], they are entitled and able to learn (Burge, (Ed.). 2007). An adequately trained workforce requires distance learning platform designs that address multiculturality and interculturality (diverse multicultural dimensions) (Rutherford, & Kerr, 2008).

Tied to an increased level of globalized thinking is a “coherent connection of differences” that may be ascribed to one culture and absent or insulting to another. For example, in the Aboriginal culture, elders do not automatically share knowledge with younger generations because of Western cultural influences. As a result, academically, the requirement to cite resources in academic work is not culturally grounded in Aboriginal culture.  Instructional designers would do well to recognize these differences even as they apply familiar learning theories in instructional design. Moore’s Independent Theory of Transactional Distance takes into account “dialog (two-way communication and responsiveness (structure)” and would likely work well in multicultural societies, however, only certain features of Otto Peters Theory of Industrialization, patterned after the “industrial revolution,” may dovetail seamlessly Simonson, et al, 2012). For example, standardization, that is, one format for communication, may manifest anxiety in Arab students when they are faced with unfamiliar situations or vague directions (uncertainty and avoidance). Or generate fear in Arab women students, “held responsible for upholding morality and family honor to make a mistake during interactions in an electronic discussion group” (Rutherford, & Kerr, 2008). These authors have put forth alternative instructional models such McLoughlin’s Inclusive Pedagogical Model or Henderson’s Multiple Cultures Model (Rutherford, & Kerr, 2008) that could be useful for instructional designers who are involved in multicultural design situations.

As addressed in the opening paragraph of this reflection, the accelerated pace of distance learning as a significant factor in the growth of post-secondary education, uniquely positions the field of instructional design in general, and instructional designers in particular to champion, advocate, and construct the meaningful and lasting transformation that is online learning. We are charged then with consistently networking, researching, advising, designing, and teaching our constituents; and learning from them about the growing acceptance of online distance education.

References

Allen, I., & Seaman, J. (2005). Growing by degrees: Online education in the United

States, 2005. Sloan Consortium, 1-24.

Allen, I., & Seaman, J. (2010) Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United

States, 2009. Newburyport, MA: Sloan Consortium.

Blackboard, (2014). Retrieved from http://www.blackboard.com/

Burge, E. (Ed.). (2007). Critical minds for a change. In Crafting the future: Flexible

Higher education. Open University Press/McGraw Hill Education.

Desire2Learn Incorporated, (2013). Retrieved from http://www.desire2learn.com/

Durrington, V., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student

interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190–193. Retrieved from http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/433631/

Flynn, J. (2013). MOOCS: Disruptive innovation and the future of higher education.

Series 3, 10, (1). Christian Education Journal. Retrieved from

http://content.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pdf

Gambescia, S., & Paolucci, R. (2009). Academic fidelity and integrity as attributes of

University online degree program offerings. Online Journal of Distance Learning

Administration, 12(1). Retrieved from

http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring121/gambescia121.html

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). The future of distance education [Video file].

Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching (MERLOT), (2012).

Retrieved from http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm

Rutherford, A. G., & Kerr, B. (2008). An inclusive approach to online learning

environments: Models and resources.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at

A distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Smith Nash, S. (2005). Learning objects, learning object repositories, and learning

theory: preliminary best practices for online courses. Interdisciplinary Journal of

Knowledge and Learning Objects, 1. Retrieved from http://www.ijello.org/Volume1/v1p217-228Nash.pdf

Wisc-Online (2012). Retrieved from http://www.wisc-online.com/

Converting to a Distance Learning Format

Converting to a Distance Learning Format

 

Our assignment this week was to consider a scenario where a training manager intends to convert the face-to-face training sessions he holds for his employer to a blended training environment where some training will continue to occur on a face-to-face basic and much of the training will occur on line in an asynchronous manner. That is, employees will be access their training at various times and in various places. A PDF copy of the training considerations has been uploaded here.Converting to a Distance Learning Format

Workplace Safety

My current assignment in my Distance Learning course is to design a course on workplace safety using a course management system (CMS). As part of this assignment I have posted a link to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration blog. Please visit the site at:

https://www.osha.gov/youngworkers/blogs.html


Reference
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration  Safety, (n.d.) Rights for Young Workers. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/youngworkers/blogs.html

The Impact of Open Source

The Impact of Open Source

Winfred K. Ridley

Walden University

Dr. Ronald Paige, Ph.D.

EDUC – 6135 Distance Learning

June 12, 2014

As we have discussed the methods, strategies, and practices of distance education the focus has rightly been kept on the learner audience and the means by which they wish to access lifelong educational opportunities. Open Source courseware is one of the many avenues by which distance learners choose to further their education. This “disruptive innovation” in online learning has influenced the attitudes, perceptions and educational relationships of many learners not to mention society at large (Flynn, 2013).

Pre-planning:

Aside from my interest in education I also carry attentiveness toward entrepreneurship and as I read over the courses offered through MIT with this interest in mind, I decided to review a course titled “Special Seminar in Management: The Nuts and Bolts of Business Plans” (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, [MIT], 2014) http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-975-special-seminar-in-management-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-business-plans-january-iap-2005/. The thought of pre-planning as the course was designed appears to have stayed at the forefront. The Nuts and Bolts of Business Plans is designed from a synchronous standpoint, and emphasizes “starting each session promptly at 6:00 pm.” The syllabus also states “Please be on time or you may miss important information” (MIT, 2014). MIT students earn 3 units of pass/fail credit and attendance is required. I like the fact that the course calendar is laid out in plain language with topics, sub-topics, and speakers (including bios) openly identified on the same page.

Online instruction:

The opportunity to self-direct one’s own learning presents itself early in the course with the introduction of business planning, guidance on marketing and presentation basics to engage learners. The course appears to have incorporated the aspects of classroom retooling and group interactivity (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek, 2012 p. 153). “Part of this class will be an interactive session with students and others who are in the process of developing a business plan” (MIT, 2014).

Activities that maximize learning:

Asynchronous learning opportunities are also kept in mind as lessons are presented that work around presenters’ scheduling conflicts. Such opportunities include multiple play backs of video-casts, student participation in writing assignments, and networking opportunities (see the links below).

Writing assignment: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-975-special-seminar-in-management-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-business-plans-january-iap-2005/assignments/writing_requirem.pdf  

Networking assignment: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-975-special-seminar-in-management-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-business-plans-january-iap-2005/assignments/networking_assig.pdf    

Links to the syllabus, calendar, resources, and course materials are conveniently placed to the right. In my opinion, the designers put a lot of thought into coonsrtuctiing the course.

Win

References

Flynn, (2013) MOOCS: Disruptive innovation and the future of higher education Christian

Education Journal, 10(1).

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, [MIT], 2014). Retrieved from

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-975-special-seminar-in-management-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-business-plans-january-iap-2005/

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning

at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA:

Pearson.

A Collaborative Training Environment

A Collaborative Training Environment 

Winfred K. Ridley

Walden University

Dr. Ronald Paige, Ph.D.

EDUC – 6135 Distance Learning

May 24, 2014

  Example 1: Collaborative Training Environment

 

A new automated staff information system was recently purchased by a major corporation and needs to be implemented in six regional offices. Unfortunately, the staff is located throughout all the different offices and cannot meet at the same time or in the same location. As an instructional designer for the corporation, you have been charged with implementing a training workshop for these offices. As part of the training, you were advised how imperative it is that the staff members share information, in the form of screen captures and documents, and participate in ongoing collaboration.

 

Companies value good employees. An extensive and comprehensive staff information system exemplifies that value by keeping employees informed of (among other things) company developments, their salary and benefits, professional development opportunities, and even employee discounts. However employees must understand that, pursuant to all the employees, the system also tracks and maintains other information such as professional development progress, email, transfers within the organization, and types of leave (Infotrack Systems, n.d.). “Employee engagement is an emergent property of the relationship between an organization and its employees. One goal of a staff information system should be stronger employee engagement. An "engaged employee" is fully absorbed in, and is enthusiastic about their work, leading them to take positive actions to further their organization's reputation and interests” (Wikipedia, 2014).   

 

The introduction of a new staff information system is a tremendous undertaking and a disruptive innovation (the introduction of new technologies, products or services) requiring several layers of introduction (TechTarget, 2014). Given that the client corporation has six regional offices, consideration should be given to the company culture (hopefully wedded throughout the organization), and the diversity within that culture. Workplace “diversity” is now part of our world culture and is another extension of the global economy. True diversity “requires us to go beyond just collecting people who might look different. We must allow them to be different once they arrive” (Young, 2007). Keeping the audience (the employees) at the center, the staff information system should be designed to further this aim [Instructional Design Expert (IDE), 2009]. Please note that all employees will not have access to all components of the staff information site to remain compliant with company propriety information and policies, and state and federal human resource laws and regulations.

 

Solution to Example 1: Collaborative Training Environment

 

Several distance learning technologies such as blogs, wikis, and podcasts will be utilized during the implementation of the staff information system (Beldarrain, 2006). My distance learning solution places this company’s staff information on the Sharepoint platform, (http://www.discoversharepoint.com/) SharePoint stores, syncs, and shares, content; keeps everyone on the same page; helps employees stay on track and deliver on time, and helps employees stay connected with key people across the organization (SharePoint, 2013).

 

The solution incorporates Moore’s Theory of Transactional Distance, and relies on [employee] independent study as akey component. Transaction distance intertwines environment, individuals, and their pattern of behavior (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek, 2012, pg. 44). The initial introduction will occur through a series of twelve blog posts over three months in the weekly company newsletter. These posts will include the reason for the implementation, the general features, (including directions for access) of the system, and expectations for employees. Critical elements such as important company information, employee-managed responsibilities for professional development, links to employee leave procedures, and portals to internal and external resources will also be described. The blog will be delivered via company-wide email which will ask for a “read receipt.” An exploratory question of the week relating to the implementation will be included for employee comments. Blogs are user friendly and are an asset in business and educational organizations (Beldarrain, 2006). The blog implementation component takes advantage of Moore’s Theory of Transactional Distance and addresses structure: more structure/more distance (Simonson et al, 2012).

 

SharePoint Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvn3qNAdF2Y (Youtube, 2014).

 

Continued execution of the staff information system will be carried out by a linked collection of Web podcasts. To gain additional facts about their connection to the system employees will access these audio and video files via RSS feed according to their staff assignment so they remain compliant with their assigned duties within their department (e.g. professional development) and/or other areas of interest, to discover information within other areas of the company, or to seek details about promotion opportunities elsewhere in the corporation. Employees will have access to podcasts anytime during the day or evening wherever they are located. Here, the implementation dovetails with Malcolm Knowles’ Andragogy Theory of distance education giving employees the opportunity to “self-direct” their learning (Simonson et al, 2012, pg. 50).

 

Wikis are assimilated into the staff information to allow employees to work on professional development or projects. For example, in the area of professional development employees will design a learning plan according to their strengths and weaknesses giving them control of their own development (IDE, 2009). Their learning plan will contain a goal setting and professional learning component describing what goals they set for themselves, how they will go about accomplishing those goals and a formative and summative evaluation component. The forms in the evaluative section will relate the details of professional learning in which they have participated and self-evaluation reflections reviewing their own performance. Professional development benchmarks will be submitted periodically (at least every six months) to supervisors or department heads for review and feedback. To facilitate efficient teamwork on projects, employees will utilize such technologies as InstaColl and Writeboard (now Basecamp). These technologies will incorporate real-time project input and feedback and will allow employees to work synchronously as well as asynchronously across teams, disciplines, and departments (Beldarrain, 2006). These technologies will expose employees to direct, purposeful learning experiences on which to build future collaborative projects putting to use “Dale’s Cone of Experience” (Simonson et al, 2012, pg. 92).
.

InstaColl Example: Live Writer-  http://www.live-documents.com/live_writer.html

 

Basecamp Example: Keen Footware-  https://basecamp.com/tour  

 

“Navigation of blogs, podcasts and wikis will be intuitive, appearance will not obstruct the learning process, text and graphics will be balanced, and pages will uncluttered. In addition, page fonts and layouts will maintain consistency, Web pages will be user-friendly to aid scanning, and information will be chunked into small bits to help retention” (IDE, 2009).

All blogs, wikis, and podcasts address separation of teacher-student, student-student, student-resources, time, place, geography, and administrative data collection (Simonson et al, 2012, pg. 50) (Paige, 2014).

 

References

 

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration.

Distance Education 27(2), 139-153.

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Defining Distance Education

 

Defining Distance Education

The definition of distance learning is continually changing because the pace of technology continually changes. Although likely never used in this vernacular, distance learning used to mean having the learner get to a place of learning after physically traveling some sort of distance from home or work to a learning center. The place of learning may have been a local school, a community center or a college or university and may have taken anywhere from a few minutes and a few miles, to in excess of several hours and several hundred miles. My personal definition of distance learning is “learning with integrated convenience.”A formal, generally accepted definition of distance education is “a structured learning experience that can be engaged in away from an academic institution, at home or at a workplace, and can lead to degrees or credentials” (Tracey & Richey, 2005, p. 17). Several factors driving the change in distance education include the obvious unceasing advancement in computer technology and the need for the citizenry to keep pace in a mobile society. Sophisticated technology advancements, paired with the high-tech growth of the Internet, have allowed a “significant rise in institutions offering online flexible learning opportunities. These online universities (many for-profit), have taken advantage of the excellent prospects of competing with traditional educational institutions, offering alternatives to classroom-based instruction” (Tracey & Richey, 2005, p. 19). Such early technologies as wireless transmission (radio), television teaching programs, and satellite educational television have led to educational audio and video cassettes. These have since given way to CDs and DVDs. Today, we easily take advantage of the opportunity to learn through synchronous and asynchronous communication (Holmberg, 2005).

My first direct experience with distance education occurred in the 1970’s, and was a special education course offered by Virginia Commonwealth University at my place of work. I did not view the course as difficult because 1) I was much younger then, and 2) we made the course a collaborative effort among those enrolled in the class. Offered at work, the course was very convenient as I was living and working in Petersburg, VA at the time. Petersburg is twenty-five miles south of Richmond, and I did not relish a fifty mile round trip drive. I subsequently took another distance course through George Mason University, again at my place of employment and again for the convenience of not having to travel. “The term distance education began to be used in the 1970s and was officially adopted when, in 1982, the International Council for Correspondence Education changed its name to the International Council for Distance Education (now the International Council for Open and Distance Education)” (Holmberg, 2005).

“An early form of distance learning developed with print-based correspondence course study, which was the dominant delivery system until the beginning of the 1970’s.” Prior to that however, “pre-industrial Europe opened up distance education beyond its higher-level, male-dominated society with the advent of the first correspondence program offering composition and shorthand” “In the United States, correspondence learning eventually compartmentalized into lecture study, class study, correspondence teaching, library, and training” (Tracey & Richey, 2005, p. 17).

My revised definition of distance learning is “quality learning; anytime and anywhere.” Just this year, I attended a college basketball tournament in Charlotte while enrolled in Advanced Instructional Design. Learning online meant that I still received a quality education and did not have to miss any class sessions or assignments that week. Although I did sacrifice attending one or two basketball games, I earned an A for the week, and an A in the course.

This week I learned that traditional universities are “offering their own online versions of campus-based programs, are creating virtual campuses, and are partnering with for-profit companies in order to deliver distance education programs. As is my expectation (and my hope), educational institutions are collaborating to offer joint online programs, courseware, hardware, and other support services to remain viable. I received my undergraduate degree from a brick and mortar institution of higher learning and I want to see these colleges and universities continue to thrive (Tracey & Richey, 2005, p. 17). I have also learned that the motivating factors for corporations (economic), higher education (economic and educational access) and K-12 (funding and choice) are the same and different. (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 2008) & (Huett, Moller, Foshay, & Coleman, 2008). .     

My vision for the future of distance education is to see it continue to thread as an alternative option into various forms of traditional education. “Schools who wish to deliver e-learning education will require a restructuring of how they do business, necessitating the hiring of distance education instructional designers to work with teachers (or professors), and the local district (or college) (Huett, et al., 2008). I use the phrase “alternative option” because I have had numerous conversations with family, peers, and colleagues (some of whom have taken online courses and some who have not) who feel that online distance learning is not for them. These lifelong learners continue to need the sanctity, netting, and direction that a traditional classroom offers and there is ample room in K/12 through higher education for the delivery of both traditional and online distance learning. Key motivating factors for individuals wanting or not wanting to participate in e-learning are their profession, the technical knowledge he or she possesses and their comfort level with technology. Not discounted are commitment, motivation and the level of support an individual may need both inside and outside of the classroom. As I began to read the articles on “The Evolution of Distance Education” I initially felt they were an “unwarranted attack” on distance education, but I have come to realize that these writings are sounding an optimistic warning of caution to present and future instructional designers, subject matter experts, technology advocates, and learners. My impression of that warning is: “push ahead but with viable integrity.”

Winfred Keith Ridley

References:

Holmberg, B. (2005). The evolution, principles and practices of distance education. (11) 174 pp.

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

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

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

Tracey, M., & Richey, R. (2005). The evolution of distance education. Distance Learning, 2(6), 17–21.