• Chapter 24 takes a look at lessons learned from the chapter's author for obtaining a position in instructional design. Take a look at a few of the sources provided for job openings from lesson 1 and search for at least 3 positions that are of interest to you. Describe the general nature of the positions and list the skills required for the job. Do you have these skills?
Manager of Technical Learning, OGE Energy Corporation
JOB SUMMARY: The thrust of this position is to head a team that delivers technical training for employee training programs and employee needs assessments.
SKILLS REQUIRED: Candidates should demonstrated strong knowledge and expertise using instructional methods, adult learning theory and practice, and training techniques, including curriculum design principles and blended learning strategies. Demonstrated commitment to excellent customer service. Strong knowledge of technical training design. Knowledge of and ability to utilize content authoring tools. Demonstrated ability to design and/or deliver technical training. Ability to analyze trends, establish metrics, evaluate training program effectiveness, and make recommendations to ensure continuous improvement. Ability to analyze and evaluate effectiveness of the Technical Learning team capabilities and make recommendations for development of existing and required skills. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in speech and writing with members at all levels throughout the organization and outside professionals. Demonstrated management and leadership skills including coaching and mentoring. Ability to develop and sustain effective and cooperative working relationships with peers, managers, and other internal and external personnel, critical to successful performance. Ability to work effectively in a team environment. Ability to effectively use a personal computer with MS Office Suite and related applications (Word, Excel, Outlook and SAP).
QUALIFICATIONS: My qualifications are weak in the project management aspect of this position. While I think that my ability to design and deliver training would be more than acceptable and my strong technical writing skills would be an attribute, my lack of knowledge of SAP, project management software, would preclude me from attaining this job.
Director of Learning & Development, Farm Credit
JOB SUMMARY: The Director of Learning and Development is responsible for working as a member of a cross-functional team on providing training and development to employees in various stages of their careers. The Director is responsible for creating a workplace environment where employees are encouraged to continuously develop themselves through formal company training; individual learning plans; mentoring; and on the job training. This involves designing and coordinating training to cover both the organization’s current and future needs
SKILLS REQUIRED: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experiences in human resources, education, communication, business, or development and learning. An advanced degree in a relevant field such as a MBA or Master’s Degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development or Training is preferred. •Knowledge of organizational development, adult learning theories and curriculum design, as normally obtained through the formal study of or certification in training and development is preferred. •Minimum 10 years experience with employee assessment, development and management. •Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation and professional speaking skills. •Must possess a passion for new ideas and excellence, as well as being highly innovative, self motivated and results oriented. •Ability to translate strategic and operational priorities into targeted learning goals and initiatives. •Must possess strong business acumen; be a strategic thinker and problem solver; and be able to operate in a complex environment that requires adaptability, decisiveness and effectiveness working across all levels of the business. •Demonstrated experience and credibility as a leader in influencing change and new approaches in a traditional and hierarchical environment. •Prior experience utilizing LMS is a plus. •Position requires some travel within association territory.
QUALIFICATIONS: This position is a closer match for the skills I possess. Strong writing, development, and delivery skills are emphasized. My previous human resources experience would be beneficial to this position. The biggest drawback to this position is the 10 years prior experience, which I do not possess. Ideally, working in a lesser position within this type of structure would be good for me.
Instructional Designer/Online Help Developer
JOB SUMMARY: This position will be a part of the user assistance and professional development projects within the Product Development, Education Technology group. The Instructional Designer/Online Help Developer will help define, develop and implement eLearning and user assistance (online help) solution(s) for the extensive customer-facing documentation portfolio for two of Riverside Publishing’s flagship assessment products. This position will work closely with the Product Development Project Manager, Lead Instructional Designer, Content Subject Matter Experts, Information Technology, Sales, Marketing and Authors to design content to support a wide-variety of performance support solutions. The Instructional Designer/Online Help Developer will be responsible for several forms of eContent including storyboards depicting script and narratives, as well as creating user assistance for online application, online help, demos, tutorials, etc.
SKILLS REQUIRED: Instructional Design, Instructional Technology and Technical Writing experience is required. Demonstrated strong writing, editing and Instructional Design methodology is a must. RoboHelp 9 Authoring, Source Control and Server, FLASH, Captivate, Articulate expertise required.
QUALIFICATIONS: Again, my education and personal interest are suited for this job. However, the lack of experience utilizing the required software would preclude me being a suitable candidate for the job.
Remember that the field of instructional/educational technology is not just focused on education, but on business and industry as well. Look at the resources provided on page 258 in chapter 25 and select one of these links and complete the self-assessment. What did you learn about yourself from the assessment?
Overall, the positions that I found were outside of the field of education. As such, many have requirements or software familiarity that I do not have. Although I believe that some of these barriers could be overcome, in general I found myself unqualified for each position that interested me. In order to become more marketable in the fields of business and industry I would need to develop my software and project management skills.
Chapter 26 lists several websites for professional organizations and websites for professional publications. Visit 2-3 websites for professional organizations and 2-3 websites for the professional publications and address the following:
Professional Organization: American Educational Research Association
Mission: The Association’s purpose is to advance the knowledge, theory, and quality of teaching and learning at all levels with information technology. This purpose is accomplished through the encouragement of scholarly inquiry related to technology in education and the dissemination of research results and their applications through AACE sponsored publications, conferences, and other opportunities for professional growth.
Cost of Membership: $115 per year for a regular membership and $35 per year for graduate students.
Conferences and Meetings: The group meets annually, but has over 140 Special Interest Groups that meet throughout the year.
Opportunities for Professional Development: There is a strong support of professional development within this organization. In addition to the conferences, there are numerous web-casts and specialized lectures available to its members.
Professional Organization: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education
Mission: The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a national research society, strives to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.
Cost of Membership: $150 per year for a regular membership and $40 per year for graduate students.
Conferences and Meetings: AACE has numerous international conferences on various specialized interests throughout the year.
Opportunities for Professional Development: Professional development within AACE seems to be geared more in the format of conferences and publications. While there is certainly the opportunity for growth via these sources, there does not appear to be as strong a focus on professional development.
Chapter 27 looks at competencies for instructional design and technology professionals. If you were responsible for identifying the domains, competencies, and performance statements for a performance technologist, what would they include and why?
The basis for the domains and competencies I chose was from the International Society for Performance Improvement. After researching several different methods for quantifying the role of the human performance technologist, this seemed to be the most logical approach to use as the foundation for my design.
OUTCOMES:
1. Determine the outcome or expected result of the assignment.
2. Determine what will be measured or accepted as evidence that the business need was met.
3. Explain the importance of focusing on accomplishments.
SYSTEMS:
1. Identify the current work, workplace, or market environment in terms of how it affects organizational and group performance.
2. Identify the environment and culture of the work and workplace and how it affects organizational and group performance.
3. Identify if there is a lack of alignment between or among—v Goals and objectives v Performance measures v Rewards and incentives v Job/work/or process designs
4. Identify barriers and leverage points, both in the workplace and surrounding your project, in terms of how these factors could affect processes; organizational and group performance; and the development, implementation, and outcome of your proposed solutions.
5. Drive conversations around the barriers and leverage points that have been identified.
6. Explain the benefits of taking a systems approach in a conversation, design document, or project plan.
VALUE-ADDED:
1. Identify two or more possible solutions or courses of action.
2. Identify the worth of the requested solution or those under consideration, by comparing factors such as: Cost, Adoptability, Organizational Support, Risk.
3. Recommend solutions that add value, are feasible, and are more likely to accomplish the goals or aims of the project with minimal risk
4. Describe the potential value added and how that value will be measured.
5. Point out the risks, tradeoffs, and assumptions on which decisions or choices are based.
6. Document—using a contract, memo of understanding, or description in project description—the expected value added, the costs (materials, resources, time, etc.), and a schedule of deliverables.
7. Explain the importance of doing work that adds value and the importance of demonstrating the value gained.
8. Contribute insights and call out implications throughout the work.
9. Display honesty; push back, challenge assumptions. Represent yourself honestly, not as having expertise beyond your capabilities.
PARTNERSHIPS:
1. Collaborate with stakeholders, experts, and specialists, making use of their knowledge, capabilities, and influence.
2. Take the initiative to define your expectations, working relationships, roles, responsibilities, etc.
ANALYSIS:
1. Develop a plan or process for conducting the analysis.
2.Develop any tools or documents, such as interviews, surveys, or observation forms, required to capture the data
3.Conduct the analysis.
4.Analyze the data.
5. Interpret the results.
6.Make recommendations based on the results.
DESIGN:
1. Decide on one or more solution set(s), such as—
v Process redesign v Training v Change/benefit
2.Define the desired performance.
3. Identify the objectives of the solution and all elements of the solution.
4. Develop a plan for accomplishing the objectives and elements that includes strategy and tactics.
5. Agree on roles and responsibilities for stakeholders, high performers, and subject matter experts to be involved in the development and implementation of the solution.
6. Identify key attributes of the proposed solution—such as learning strategy and tactics, transfer systems, feedback, etc
7. Identify how the solution will be produced or actualized.
8. Identify the resources required.
9. Identify methods for delivering or deploying the solution.
10. Identify how the solution will be maintained or reinforced.
11. Identify methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the solution.
DEVELOPMENT:
1. Ensure that the chosen solution is developed according to design specifications.
2. Conduct formative, pilot, and user evaluations of all elements of the chosen solution/product to determine if it performs as expected and accomplishes the desired goal(s).
IMPELEMENTATION:
1. Design a change strategy that includes the following: communication, implementation, scheduling, assessment.
2.Develop tools and procedures to help those involved in the implementation.
3.Participate in the implementation or deployment of the solution.
4.During implementation, solicit feedback related to the utility and relevance of the solution.
EVALUATION:
1. State outcomes of the evaluation effort in measurable terms.
2.Design a measurement strategy or plan based on the program’s or project’s goals and outcomes
3.Develop the tools, instruments, and guidelines for collecting and interpreting data and selecting samples.
4.Measure the results of the solution or help the client evaluate the impact of the solution.
5. Identify what can be done in the future to improve the way in which needs and opportunities are identified and solutions selected, valued, developed, and deployed.
6.Report your findings and recommendations.
7. Explain the value of evaluating (ethics).
