Project Post-Mortem: Website Drama

Learning from a Project “Post-mortem”

Introduction:

This blog post is focusing on the post-mortem thoughts of a project that I worked on. About 5 years ago our school district led a massive redesign of our school website because it was outdated and contained inaccurate information. The goal was to provide an aesthetically pleasing design that would allow patrons to easily access the information that they were looking for. Each faculty member was asked to create a classroom website that would be linked to the different school pages as well. The other Librarian and myself were assigned to direct and assist the faculty as needed.

The main website was being re-worked and updated by our school IT Director so his experience was evident from the beginning. Each faculty member handled this additional duty in different ways. Some were angry at having something else handed to them, some were excited about the possibilities and some just really didn’t care. I think that much of the negative issues that arose from this project was that there was no prior discussion of the project until they were given a deadline of 30 days by email. I think that if we had worked together in building level groups and were given to and explained the project in person it would have been better received. I think that using a traditional model such as the centrally organized structure would have worked to our advantage (Portney, 2008., p. 60). This would have given them a clear answer as to who they should talk to about. Instead of this the librarians were charged with the task of contacting each of our faculty individually; in my case that would be approximately 60 teachers. The timeframe was not consistent with the amount of time needed to complete this task.

The main thing that contributed to the failure of the project at that time was the lack of communication from the IT Director  who was the PM to the rest of the faculty. Many of the faculty members had never created a website, they were not given any information about the various website software that could be used and were not given a rationale for the assignment. This left the librarians to hear the complaints, attempt to teach how to create a website and attempt to oversee the product completion. Once this was done we were to email the link of the websites to the IT Director and he would link them to the page. This format of handling things was an epic failure. Partially because neither of us (Librarians) had created a website from start to finish before and were attempting to learn and teach at the same time. Within a couple of weeks so many people had complained and/or refused to complete the project that it was placed on hold at that time.

I think that a better needs analysis would have made a great difference as well as communication skills. There was a lack of involvement from upper management and that did not lead with a positive example either. Since this project was one that could not be thrown out the other librarian and myself went to the IT Director to explain the issues we had been experiencing. He was genuinely concerned and had not stopped to think that many of the people he was asking to create their websites had not done so before. We re-worked the system with a new organizational structure and provided a timeline for the workflow. The revised system was much better.

1: IT Director, librarians, administrators and 3 faculty members from each building attending a Google Sites Class.

2: The faculty were given opportunities for Professional Development time to meet with the members of the prior class so that we could teach them the basics.

3: Each site was proofed by a peer and feedback to help enhance the use of the site.

I could go on and on, but I believe you get my point. The main thing that helped project succeed the next time was that everyone knew the expectations set for them and felt included in the process. The communication was key to success.

References:

Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: just enough PM to rock your projects!  (Laureate Custom Ed.) Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education Inc. Retrieved from : https://class.waldenu.edu

Portney, S.E., Mantel, S.J., Meridith, J.R., Shafer, S.M., & Kramer, B.E. (2008). Project Management: Planning, scheduling and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ:

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

EDUC 6135 Reflection

Before this course when I thought of distance education I thought of logging on to my Blackboard site and completing the coursework that was in place for me to take care of. I had not thought of it as an instructor and the differences from  the face-to-face classroom much at all. ¨The process of planning and organizing for a distance education course is multifaceted and must occur well in advance of the scheduled instruction¨ (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015, p. 130) and I had not thought of this aspect of it at all. I have always been used to being able to ¨tweak¨ the lesson as the day went on to make it more engaging for the students. The traditional classroom that I grew up with has changed dramatically and is no longer the only way to learn. Distance learning has gone through many changes and with the Internet being more readily available to people, it is becoming more and more common for people to use distance learning. The generations of children and young adults that I come into contact with are using technology in their daily routine more than ever before.

Another thing that I had not thought of is the need for theory in distance education. The major role of a theory in the realm of distance learning is for it to be used as a guide or map (Saba, Laureate Education, n.d., 6:42) for the instruction that is to take place. In his landmark work The Foundations of Distance Education, Keegan (1996) classified theories of distance education into three groups: Theories of independence and autonomy, Theories of industrialization and teaching, Theories of interaction and communication (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015. p.42). By learning about these theories and how to apply them to a distance learning environment I am learning how to create a distance learning environment that will be a positive and interesting place for the learner to visit.

What do you think the perceptions of distance learning will be in the future (in 5-10 years; 10-20 years)?

I believe that distance learning will become more mainstream and a universal way of getting an education within the next few years. Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek (2015) state that the day is coming when the work done by  correspondence will be greater in 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. I agree with their thoughts and think that within the next 5-10 years we as an education community will move more in that direction. As I think about 10-20 years I think of how quickly toddlers learn to play videos or use an app on their parents´ iphone and as I work with young adults I see their confidence with technology grow and as it becomes easier to use I see distance learning becoming commonplace in the education field.

How can you as an instructional designer be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning? How will you be a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education. 

As an instructional designer I will need to provide a positive impression for distance learning to those who are not only taking courses, but those who are hesitant about the process as well. I will need to really work with the CMS that I am using and prepare it so that my students are engaged and interested as well. ¨The process of planning and organizing for a distance education course is multifaceted and must occur well in advance of the scheduled instruction¨ (Simonson, Smaldino, & Zvacek, 2015, p. 130). This will create a society of online learners who can in turn tell those around them about the positive experience that they are having. According to Simonson, et.al. (2015) I will need to have an understanding of what students know and how it relates to the intended instruction. By knowing my students and their needs better I can help them to have a positive experience as well. Whether is by synchronous of asynchronous the learning experience is an important one that will cause them to have opinions about it. My goal is to make those opinions positive ones as they grow and learn in the field as I am doing.

In closing I have learned that teaching in all forms is both challenging and rewarding. As stated by Simonson, et.al., teaching at a distance can be a pleasurable experience for everyone involved. I have learned that it is a multi-faceted experience when you are involving technology. As stated by Beldarrain, (2006), emerging teaching models will undoubtedly integrate new technology tools, yet those tools that foster interaction must be deliberately integrated into the design process to ensure appropriate application. As an instructional designer I will need to provide the appropriate application for the technology that I work with. Since technology is ever-changing, and as an instructor using technology I will need to change and adapt as well.

References:

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2), 139-153

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Theory and distance learning [Video file]. Retrieved fromhttps://class.waldenu.edu.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Zvacek, S. (2015) Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (6th ed). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Converting Course Types: Best Practices Guide

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Best Practices Guide

The assignment this week contains the scenario where a training manager is making plans to convert all of the training modules that he is currently using to a blended learning format. By moving to this type of training format he hopes to increase the opportunities for the trainees in terms of communication. By putting his training materials online the trainees will have access to the resources and assignments at any time. This format will provide both individual opportunities for learning as well as the face-to-face sessions to solidify the information learned and ensure that all trainees are understanding the information.

Best Practices Guide for Converting Programs

• The course will convert from a complete face-to-face class to a blended class.
• Information to be included:
  • Pre-planning strategies
  • How to enhance aspects of the original training format.
  • Trainer role change due to environment change.
  • Facilitation of communication between students.

1. What pre-planning strategies should be considered during the change of programs?

• For face-to face planning and blended learning planning both use the following:
  • Establish and define the objectives and goals to be reached.
  • Prepare a syllabus and calendar for the activities that will take place.
  • Prepare all documents that will be shared during the training.
    • For face-to-face trainings prepare copies to distribute.
    • For blended learning trainings create a space for document sharing during the training time period.

2. What aspects from the original training program could be enhanced in distance learning?

• Define the objectives and goals can be enhanced by:
  • Create assessments, discussion boards, assignments &/or projects that will provide the learners with opportunities to apply the information.
• Create a syllabus and calendar for the activities can be enhanced by:
  • Provide a document sharing opportunity for the information.
  • Use Web 2.0 tools to provide the information in a user-friendly way.
    • Wiki’s, Blogs, Prezi Presentation

3. How to facilitate communication between students in an online program.

• Provide well thought out prompts, questions or scenarios for engagement that require more thought and answers than just rhetorical yes or no answers.  
• Participate to stimulate conversation, but be careful to not overly participate to the point that the students are not communicating with each other.
• Provide positive encouragement and resources to explain perspectives without causing the students to feel that they are wrong.
• Make sure to understand how to use the information and software so that the glitches are minor and the technology is not a distraction to the student.
• Give specific requirements (rubric) for what you would like the student to present in their discussion posts to eliminate confusion on what is required.  This allows the learner to focus on the material and not worry about format.

4. How will my role change as the learning environment changes?

• Be open-minded and flexible when working with a new CMS as things change constantly in technology.
• Pre-planning will involve preparing without instant trainee feedback so be prepared to listen to the trainees if something isn’t working. This is not permanent; adapting to their needs is key.
• Reach out to others who are accustomed to working in this environment and get ideas.

Important things to have prepared before training starts. Check List

1. CMS is decided on that will work for this format. _______
2. I have trained and am comfortable with the CMS. _______
3. I understand how to use the tools  of the CMS. _______
4. I have pre-planned the learning objectives/goals. _______
5. I have prepared activities for each objective/goals. _______
6. I have prepared a way for students to offer feedback. _______

References:

Simonson, Michael., Smaldino, S., Zvacek, S., (2015). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (6th ed). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Distance Learning Changes

When I first learned of an ¨online course¨ or people taking classes through distance learning I had the impression that they were not quality education. I originally thought these were courses used by someone wanting to just get by. Much of this opinion came from attending class during the 80ś with educators who were in their late 60´s at that time and did not fully understand the broad classification that has evolved into the distance learning of today. I wonder what the educators of the past think of the educational opportunities that we have at our fingertips today.

Honestly I had not even really heard of distance education or learning even though according to the Distance Learning Time Continuum (Laureate Education) actual mail correspondence courses began as early as 1833. There have been a great deal of changes to distance learning through the years. My first real experience was in 2002 when I took an undergraduate class through Blackboard and this was probably the hardest class that I took during my undergrad career; first it was my maiden voyage into online learning and second it was educational statistics which is something I would struggle with in any format.

According to Dr. Simonson (Laureate Education, n.d.) distance education can be defined as formal education in which the learning group, teachers, students, resources, are separated by geography & sometimes time. This definition is definitely true as a group of individuals can link together, work with and learn from each other even though they are thousands of miles or even continents apart. This is something that I had not even considered when I graduated high school with 15 students in rural Missouri and I am finding it fascinating to learn about so many different places as well as the classroom content.

With the growing availability of the Internet the rise in distance learning is moving at a great pace. Distance learning has evolved from a situation where you had to log onto a wired computer, complete your work and log off so another could use it whether at the library or in your home. As wifi has become prevalent in many homes and businesses Internet availability does not require you to be tied to a large computer in the corner; this alone has helped the growth of distance learning. Distance learning is available from nearly all universities and colleges with many more options than when Duke University began a blended MBA program in 1996 (Laureate Education). This gives the learner options of where to attend according to their personal choices and not just because they offer distance learning and nowhere else does.

I feel that as our children grow up with technology the use of distance learning will increase dramatically. Whether it be a high school student who is also involved in a competitive sport and cannot be in class each day or someone who is homebound due to an illness, I think high school students will be using distance learning more and more. Learners of today are connected to each other through social media outside the classroom at a young age and I see the transformation into the classroom being a relatively smooth transition.

References:

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Distance education: The next generation [Video file].Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Laureate Education “Distance Learning Timeline Continuum” Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Distance Learning: EDUC 6135

I am excited to once again use my blog in completing coursework for my current class through Walden University. This class is over distance learning and it will be a good way to learn and interact with my classmates and instructor. Here’s to a good semester and lots of learning.

Refection of EDUC 6115-3

When I began this class 8 weeks ago I had no idea what I was getting into and as the weeks continued I found that I was really enjoying the class. I have taken many classes on the way to my degree and although I have learned about the many theories and –ists I had not taken it to this level before. I had never really applied it to my classroom life and thought about specific ways that I could use the information in my day to day life.

One of the main things that really stuck out to me when completing this course was the importance of connections. I focused a large amount of my thinking on adult learners because that is what I am and I plan on teaching the college level after I retire from public education. Other than myself I had not thought about the specific needs of the adult learner and how to design lessons so that they are interesting as well as informative. Being an adult learner has a specific set of challenges and helping the learner succeed is an important goal of mine. By taking this course I have looked at how I learn now compared to how I learned with I was younger and have found that they are incredibly different. Being an older learner with multiple work and home responsibilities often causes the need for going over the information multiple times and in different ways to retain it. I think that this as much as anything else has helped me to enjoy the course because I rarely take the time to think about myself. It has been a rough eight week course for me due to my motherś declining health, but I think that it has also been a good outlet for my anxieties. I have been able to focus on other things rather than just my personal life.

Before this course when I thought of learning theories I just thought of the terms and definitions, but this course has allowed me to think of them in real life situations which has helped me to incorporate them into my real-life situations. I try very hard to reach various learning styles in my lessons and to provide ways for all students to understand the information. This is easier with some assignments than others though. When using educational technology I find that the incredible amount of technology that I have at my disposal is a great asset in the classroom. I can use media, colors, audio and many other tricks to encourage my student population to learn the information without being bored.

This course has helped me in many ways as I study to become an instructional designer but I think the main way is by highlighting the differences in many of my learners and to give me tools to reach them with. My goal is to create instruction that provides the information, encourages the learner and helps those around me reach their goals.

Fitting the Pieces Together

As I look at my educational life and the way that I learn, I find that more and more I am changing my style. As a young person I would read something and write it down. When I needed to recall the information “poof” it magically appeared for me to use it. As an older learner, not so much. I can read information, but I definitely do not have instant recall. It is more like dial-up-Internet and takes me much longer to retrieve and/or retain information.

As I have studied learning theories in the following categories I see myself falling into some of them, but not at all for others. My views on the theories and various learning styles have not so much changed as they are intensified or broadened maybe. I do not feel that I fall into the behaviorist theory or cognitive theory when thinking of my learning styles. With this being said I feel that myself, as with other older learners, call upon our prior experiences and knowledge to make connections. I at times feel like the mouse pressing the level for food. My situation is more closely related to completing tasks at work for monetary compensation or doing things for my own personal happiness. I find myself pulling in some from the constructivist theory, social learning theory and connectivism theory but my main connection is with the adult learning theory.

My learning preferences are ones that work with my busy schedule as an adult who is not only a student. I achieve better results and remember longer when I am working with other groups of people who make concrete connections with me and are in the same situations that I am. Maybe I just need to feel that I am not the only one who seems to be hanging by a thread and that support helps me to relax and grasp the concepts better. With this being said I have found that when a concept is presented to me I am able to store and recover faster the information that is presented to me in a variety of ways.

When using technology to learn I thrive. I am quickly to answer my own questions by researching the information I need and therefore move past that block in a swift moment versus waiting for someone to answer the question for me. I am able to make notes that link to the information that I am interested in and I can go back to those at a later time without having to research again. I like media that is easily read and draws my attention so I use a variety of programs to create presentations or graphs to help myself remember the information.

Basically I am a work in progress and am trying to grow as the advances in technology grow so that I am able to keep up as an educator and life long learner.

Mind Map Reflection

When I started out doing my mind map I thought I would have an empty sheet of paper, but once completing it I realized all of the resources I actually use and that there are more than I first realized. Some of these are used for personal, some for educational and some are for my work environment. These resources have completely transformed the way that I learn new information and how I answer questions my students come to me with. In the past I would have to research the information, then use the trial and error method to see if I found the appropriate solution for my specific problem. Since I have started using an online forum system that is specific to my career and/or my education field I can monitor the previous posts or ask for responses from those who are doing the same thing that I am. This helps eliminate the trial and error method, because many times they have already tried the various solutions and found one that works best for our situation. This helps me to answer questions in a much quicker way than if I were to slowly sort through the information that is a possible solution for my question.

Since I am a very visual person I have learned that I learn best by using sources that provide step-by-step visual processes that I can see. I frequently turn to Pinterest when looking for activities to complete with my students and ways to involve them in the learning process. I can sort to find the information that I am interested in and quickly look through the photos of the final products so that I can see what looks interesting. Once I have determined a project is something they might like I can then check out the process to complete it.  When looking for learning opportunities that best facilitate learning for me are ones that I can specifically sort by the category of item I am researching.

Since connectivism is a learning theory for the digital age and many of my learning resources are specifically suited to this type of learning environment. With this being said I think that my personal learning network supports a theory of connectivism. As I learn of more resources I can only see my resource group growing and continue to support this theory.

Connectivism