Competency 3: Communicate Knowledge

Artifacts: 56900 -- Paper Prototype Assignment Part I and II

Artifacts assignment detail (provided by the instructor):
The goal of this assignment is to have you lay out exactly how you intend to
deliver all of your content. Your paper prototype should include the following:
1. Your context description and learning objectives
2. A storyboard
3. A complete site or directory map
4. Any additional instructions, resources, implementation guidelines or artifacts
5. You should apply Merrills 5 Star Instructional Design Rating article to your
design.

Artifact Overview:
For this artifact, I outlined the foundations for a management training course for
the company that I served at that time. Per analysis, management discovered a
skill lacking for the production supervisors. This skill involved the ability to
effectively handle and deal with conflict. The company was a customer service
organization and dealing with unhappy customers was part of the job. I elected
to design a course based upon McMillian, et als book Crucial Conversations
which focus on this subject matter.

Competency 3a
Communicates effectively in oral and written formats
While the artifact is based upon the development of an oral skill, I chose it
specifically to demonstrate my ability to effectively write. This assignment
contained many parts (reference the assignment detail) and the objective was to
design a training plan to be developed by a third party.
While I wrote the plan, I kept the stakeholders in mind with the hopes that the
plan would be developed. I incorporated the language, terms, and perspectives
imbedded in their culture so that it would translate well. I presented the plan to
the site general manager and I received a positive response to the project.
However, I am no longer with this firm and was not able to see it through.

An example from the artifact that demonstrates my effective writing skills is:
This course will be an eLearning program designed to provide staff an
awareness of and some key strategic solutions for conflict management based
around the criteria presented in the award winning book, Crucial Conversations.
The material will be delivered in an asynchronous fashion and feedback of
artifacts will be provided by Sr. Management synchronously. By the end of this
course, learners will have a platform for improving their communication skills
when dealing with difficult conversions with each the customers that we serve,
internally and externally.

Competency 3b
Effectively communicates content through the design and delivery of
teaching/learning activities that integrate content and pedagogy
The primary purpose of this artifact was to design a course that effectively
teaches through the use of integrated content and pedagogy. Understanding the
needs of the target audience and the limitations of time and learning styles, I
designed this course in small batches and built in feedback loops for senior
managers to evaluate the learners performance.
As the content of this course is primarily soft skill, the means to evaluate
development is more difficult than that of technical or objective based material. I
built in formative evaluations that required reflexive thought and a rubric
specifically to evaluate these. As the learner progresses through the course, they
will be taken through a building block approach that integrates knowledge
learned and developed skill and attitudes. (See Table 2: Learning Objectives). It
is this phased approach that demonstrates my effective use of content
integration and pedagogy.

Competency 3c
Demonstrates the ability to adapt instruction and assessment techniques to the
needs of diverse learners
AS referenced in competency 3b above, the target audience has limitations of
time. In addition, senior management required that the supervisors be evaluated
formatively. To accommodate this request, I built in feedback loops for the
managers to analyze and provide feedback to the learners as they progress
through the course. This way, learners will have stop-gaps to ensure
development.

Continued Learning
This is a competency that I have a lot of experience with in the corporate world.
With insight into the operations and regular meetings with management staff, I
have been able to forge this skill. However, I am limited in my learner analysis and
design skills because of this. What I lack is experience working with organizations
without a prior, strong relationship. As an outside consultant, so-to-speak, I will
need to refine my skills to more be effective with the completion of the analysis
phase.