Not all solutions to learning and/or performance require an instructional one. Many times a non-instructional approach is the better solution. This week's posting concentrates on human performance, electronic performance support systems, the use of knowledge management systems, and the concept of informal learning.
- Chapter 14 discusses the concept of the evolution of human performance improvement. Several sections of chapter 14 present a variety of non instructional solutions to performance problems. Identify a performance problem in your area of work and provide a non instructional solution to solve the problem.
I have noticed in my school, and in education generally, a severe lack of effective communication. I have heard many reasons/excuses as to why this situation exists. But, none of them have directly addressed any solid solution to the problem. However, a few years ago, I was involved in a three-year training program for Customer Care. Two of the goals of that training were to 1) improve professional communication, and 2) to increase professional communication. We had discussed several ways to try to get more teachers and administrators to use the communication tools at their disposal in order to better improve student performance and school-community relations. Finally, we settled on an incentive program that would award the three best users of professional communication with a free lunch at a very popular restaurant in our area, the three biggest users of professional communication with that free lunch during the school day, and the most-improved communicator with a free lunch and a full-day leave of absence that would not count against leave counts. For that school-year that the elementary school implemented this program, it was a raging success. There was a marked increase in both the quantity and the quality of professional communications within the school and between the school and the community. But, because it was only a one-year program, it did not make any long-term changes. What is needed is to operate such a program for several years so that the use and quality of professional communications becomes a habit rather than just a temporary change of habits to try to win a competition.
- Chapter 15 presents several definitions of electronic performance support systems. In addition to these definitions, locate a few more and indicate your preference explaining why you prefer it. Additionally, describe why you believe EPSS have not been widely used and if they are more likely be become more prevalent in the future.
James Laffey – University of Missouri “Dynamism in Electronic Performance Support Systems” http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.100.7607&rep=rep1&type=pdf
This model is the one I prefer, and actually what I think of when I see or hear the term “Electronic Performance Support System.” Laffey’s model is based on Gery’s model, but extends the system to be adaptable and customizable for individual users and different situations. For example, a school could establish a basic educator performance support system that integrates several tools that most teachers use regularly, such as word processors, interactive whiteboard software, and lesson planning software. Then, build in the option for individual teachers to add other software to the suite that they use in their own classroom, and other resources that they may need that others may or may not have need to access regularly. A first year teacher might include an interactive database of student behaviors and appropriate responses to redirect that behavior which sits on the teacher’s computer desktop for quick reference as needed. A more experienced teacher has already developed that knowledge and has available in their own brain for even more immediate access, and therefore, would not need that same database quickly accessible on their desktop.
Why have EPSS not been more widely accepted and implemented in education?
I believe that EPSS are less than ubiquitous in education because most of them are not customizable. And, most of the systems that are available are designed by textbook publishers rather than educators. As a result, these systems are typically designed for one particular subject and are of only limited use as they do not include other resources that are used by a wider variety of educators. Additionally, these systems are very static, often not even capable of being upgraded on the components that they do include, but instead requiring users to buy new software or adopt new textbooks in order to get newer versions of the system.
In the future, as more educators become more technologically literate and more technologists become more educationally aware, we will likely see more systems become more frequently adopted and put to real use. But, until the systems become more adaptable and more readily updated, EPSS are likely not going to become widely popular in education because most schools do not have access to programmers/technology development experts to design and build systems for their own needs.
- Knowledge management is the way we manage information, share that information, and use it. Organizations, such as schools, are full of information/data and we must organize that data in a way that we can make sense of it. We use data to make decisions and good data=good decision making. Identify a real or hypothetical problem in your line of work. How might a blended learning approach, including the use of a knowledge management system, be use to solve the problem?
I frequently find that students do not manage to complete homework assignments in Spanish classes, not because they don’t want to do so, but because they gets stumped and have no one to help them out. Unlike other subjects, most parents do not have any knowledge of formal foreign languages or the types of objectives that students are expected to meet in the studies of those languages.
Using blended learning, with the online component of that system being a form of knowledge management could help to eliminate this problem. I would like to set up an online KM that would contain notes used in class, audio files that help students to understand/practice vocabulary and dialogues, video files that allow students to see visual components of lessons including performance of sample items related to the homework they are supposed to be doing. I have considered many times setting up such a system to help with just such a problem as well as helping students who have missed class for one reason or another. The main reasons that I haven’t already set up this system are: 1) time constraints, 2) our current teacher websites do not allow such file-sharing capabilities. I have started to setup the files on an outside server many times, but have found the system that I set up from home was blocked on our internal servers. This tends to cause me more work because I have to record and upload all files from home instead of being able to upload the files from our servers at work where I could also have those files available on our public share folder.
- Describe the types of informal learning you have been exposed to in your adult life. What was the purpose? What was the experience like? Was it engaging? Social? What role did you play? What role did the instructor play?
The main thing that comes to mind in terms of informal learning as an adult is working with our district technologist. Every time I am around him, I learn something new. But, he is not a teacher and does not attempt to formally teach anyone anything. Instead, he allows others to watch him and ask questions as needed. He will sometimes explain what he is doing, but not in a pedantic way. Instead, it is more like we are having a friendly, social chat but the content just happens to be our network and the way it functions. In these situations, our tech is like an older brother (even though he is about 10 years younger than me) helping the younger brother (me) to understand the process/activity that we are talking about.
Trying to remember the number of repetitions research shows is needed to develop a habit. In any case, as you noted, trying the communication incentive program for one year didn't establish any patterns or commitments to change. The idea sounded great.
ReplyDeleteOn another point, you make the statment that as more educators become 'more technologically literate.' It seems we've been saying that for years. Do you think we'll ever be at the saturation point, or will this always be a statement used for generations to come because technology continues to advance?
I know that one article I read said that 19 repetitions can establish a habit. But, I would think that a good communicator should make that many contacts in a year's time. So, I would say the number is probably a lot higher.
ReplyDeleteSaturation in technology literacy? I highly doubt that we will ever really reach a saturation point. But, I hope that we are slowly approaching a point where we will have a majority of educators aware enough and interested enough to start making real changes in how and how much we use technology. For example, where I work, we have a lot of technology available. But, it is not used to full extent and is not used to develop new ways to teach. In fact, most of our interactive whiteboards are used primarily as projection screens.