Scope creep takes over!

Scope change is defined by Greer as: any addition, reduction, or modification to the deliverables or work process as outlined in your original project plan (p.35).

 I have never been an official project manager in the professional setting so when I read the description of this assignment I immediately thought of home.  My husband and I are definitely project managers in our home on a daily basis.  

A landscaping project that began a few years ago is a great example of how our project scope (budget)changed quickly.  We were excited to give the areas around the south and east sides of our home a face lift.  Maybe it was the excitement that blinded us from thinking through all of the steps that would need to take place to complete the project.  To begin, we took the measurements of the spaces; brought the layout to someone with a horticulture background and they devised a plant plan. Taking into account the amount of sun versus shade each area would be receiving.  

After we determined how much the plants would cost we had an idea of what we would need to spend. We were going to purchase the plants and install on our own (being cost effective and enjoying time outside).   

Our biggest mistakes 1) not setting an original budget 2) Creating a work breakdown structure.  There were a few major steps we did not account for that in turn cost more money!  The first major problem was we had to tear out some of the existing shrubbery. I believe the big pest was a spreading Juniper.  The roots were so deep we had to rent a skidloader to pull this huge shrub up.    We then needed to bring in additional dirty to refill the void from the shrub roots. We could not believe the root system this creeping shrub had!  

  All of these additions made up the scope creep for this project.  As they were unavoidable and needed taken care of before we could proceed we ended up doing the landscaping in phases.  The first summer we did the south section and the following summer we worked on the east side.  

KWK

References:

Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc.

The Art of Effective Communication

Wk3 blog assignment

 

After reading/observing the message in an email, voicemail and face-to-face video for me there is a definite difference in how the message can be interpreted.

  In an email depending on the mood of the reader the tone could be thought of as frustrated or slightly rude.  The message seemed extremely urgent.

However, when I listened to the voicemail I wrote in my notes “less harsh than the email”.  I think this goes back to the tone that is in your head when you read an email.  Maybe it is the person sending it to you or just your own mood as you read it.  When you hear the person’s voice you can sense the urgency or lack thereof and the tone whether it be frustrated or friendly.

For me the face-to-face was the friendliest approach presented.  You could see the person’s facial expressions and body language. Both of these features help paint a picture of the situation. 

When asking for something that could be perceived as urgent it may be best to communicate face-to-face. 

I understand why email is such a popular way to communicate.  It is quick, convenient and then there is documentation of the “conversation”.  Also, some people like to avoid or are not as confident with face-to-face interactions.  Email allows them to communicate more comfortably.  If you have to use email when asking for something it is important that the tone of your email is considered before hitting send!

 

KWK

Post-mortem of Vital signs assessment lab

As part of the radiologic technology program my students need to learn how to assess patient vitals.  This includes; blood pressure, pulse and respirations.   A lab to correspond with the vital signs lecture was needed to be implemented.

What contributed to the project’s success or failure?

 I would not go so far as calling the vitals lab a failure because everyone learned how to assess patient vitals.  However, the lab definitely was not as smooth or efficient as I would have liked.  The biggest problem occurred because of the location I chose for the vitals (specifically the blood pressure) assessments to take place.  I was allowed to use a room in a nursing education center that is equipped with walls full of sphygmomanometers and blood pressure cuffs.  I was so happy to be allowed to use their great equipment that I did not think through the actual scenario with 20 students in the same room trying to listen carefully through a stethoscope for a blood pressure sound that they are not familiar with.  Needless to say it ended up being too noisy in the space.  I would have also recruited at least one other instructor to be able to circulate the lab with me to help answer questions.

Which parts of the PM process would have made the project more successful?

 Breaking down the steps needed to have a successful lab creating a WBS or Work Breakdown Structure would have saved headaches. According to Greer; you need to meet with all of your stakeholders and conduct a brainstorming session in order to document, in “high resolution,” everything you are going to be building (p.13).  I feel like if I would have thought this through more systematically as well as brought in stakeholders (other educators) this would have been a much more efficient lab.  Thinking ahead about how it would be difficult to hear with that many students in the room would have saved time and stress.  Another part would be bringing in stakeholders/students to get their input on how they feel the best way to learn vitals assessments.  Brainstorming and documenting a plan prior may have eliminated issues.

 

KWK

Reference:

Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc.

Week 8: Reflection

Reflection

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

At the rate technology is moving the future for distance learning is vast. I predict the perceptions about distance learning in 5-10 years will become more positive and in 10-20 years people will not remember what it is like to not have distance learning options available to them.  Students reported that once they took a distance course, they were willing to enroll in additional classes.  Students felt satisfied with the quality of their learning experience, and the convenience factors reinforced their participation (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek p.224).  I believe customer satisfaction will also play a key role in distance learning institutions.  If a student has a positive distance learning experience they are likely to share that information with colleagues and friends on the flip side if they had a poor experience they will again share the negative reviews with others.  If there are institutions not investing in distance education training for the faculty I can see this type of institution not succeeding in the online environment.  This leads nicely into the next question.

How can you as an instructional designer be a proponent for improving societal perceptions of distance learning?

As an instructional designer the best way to improve the societal perceptions of distance learning is to continue to use learning theories and research when designing instruction for the online learning environment.  We have learned this semester that incorporating communication, collaboration and active learning into distance education are ways to create a sense of community for the student.  According to Dr. Börje Holmberg’s theory of  distance education: Personal relations, study pleasure, and empathy between students and those supporting them are central to learning in distance education.  Feelings of empathy and belonging promote students’ motivation to learn and influence the learning favorably (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek p.49).   

Another way the instructional designer can improve the experience for the learner and in turn improve societal perceptions is to create quality orientation materials and guidelines.  Students who have not taken a distance learning course, synchronous or asynchronous, need guidance as to what they are expected to do within in activities, using the technology, how to efficiently and effectively communicate with their peers and with the instructor and how to demonstrate their knowledge (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek  2012).  Examples of this are creating a clear syllabus, precise instructions and expectations for activities and discussion boards.  If the expectations are clear to the student there is decreased stress and more time for them to concentrate on the pertinent information in the course.

How will you be a positive force for continuous improvement in the field of distance education?

The best way to be a part of continuous improvement in distance education is to stay current on research, continuously evaluate student feedback and be open to the changing technologies.  Dr. George Siemens discussed in this week’s vodcast that the future will bring new communication technologies as well as an increased use of multimedia, games and simulations (Laureate 2012).  By being prepared to learn the most current way learners are using technology and incorporating what is appropriate into distance learning I can only predict positive outcomes for me as an instructor and designer.  This is the main reason I find the field of instructional design so exciting.  It is ever changing with endless possibilities in the distance learning environment; the only way to get bored in this atmosphere is if you stop paying attention to the changes happening all around you.

KWK

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance. [vodcast]. “The Future of Distance Learning”. Boston, MA: Dr. George Siemens.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Week 7: Guide to converting to blended learning enviroment

The situation:
A training manager has been frustrated with the quality of communication among trainees in his face-to-face training sessions and wants to try something new. With his supervisor’s permission, the trainer plans to convert all current training modules to a blended learning format, which would provide trainees and trainers the opportunity to interact with each other and learn the material in both a face-to-face and online environment. In addition, he is considering putting all of his training materials on a server so that the trainees have access to resources and assignments at all times.

The task: Converting a face-to-face training session into a blended learning environment. Blended or hybrid learning is describes as: Course that blends online and face-to-face delivery. Substantial proportion (30-79%) of the content is delivered online, typically has some face-to-face meetings. (Allen, Seaman & Garrett).
1) Preplanning strategies the trainer needs to consider: What technology is going to be used? Train the facilitator/trainer on the software that they and their students will be using. (Laureate 2012). A course management system (CMS) offers components that structure the resources for delivery. Built into the systems are such resources as course calendar, announcement, assignments, discussion areas, student rosters, communications and Web links (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek). Organization of the training is key. Creating a predetermined schedule is something the trainer must do. If the course is started face-to-face it would be best to have a schedule ready for the students. Making a detailed calendar and information on how to contact instructor in case of questions or emergencies will be of great value to the student. This information could easily be a part of your syllabus. The syllabus is the single-most important document an instructor can prepare…an instructor needs to provide enough information within the syllabus that the students are able to understand the structure of the course, expectations, and assignments (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek p.199).
What are the learner characteristics? (Morrison, Ross, Kalman & Kemp 2011).
• General (age, gender, ethnicity)
• Specific entry (prerequisite skills for instruction)
• Learning styles (preferred ways of learning)
Orienting Context:
  • What are the learners perceived utility of the instruction?
• Learners perception of accountability
• What are the goals for the trainees?

Preplanning check list:

Preplanning strategies	Facilitator has full knowledge	Facilitator needs training before course begins
What CMS will be used?
Creating a course schedule
Creating detailed syllabus
Are the learner characteristics known?
Orienting Context known?

2) How can original training be enhanced in the distance learning format?
By having all the resources available to the students at all time in a CMS this may allow for flexibility for the learners. It is imperative that the instructor make it clear what the students are expected to do to complete a course, but it is the student’s responsibility to adjust his or her schedule accordingly (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek p.230). Online education demands that students become engaged in the learning process. They cannot sit back and be passive learners; rather, they must participate in the learning process (Simonson p.196) by having a blended class the trainer can incorporate technology which can facilitate interactions among the students. Dr. Piskurich stated; activities and applications are the heart of an online course. Activities make content come alive (Laureate 2012).

3) Trainer’s role changed in blended environment?
When distributed learning is used the trainer is introducing an online learning component to the course. When this happens a shift from traditional teacher-centered to student-centered learning will happen. Oblinger viewed this transformation the following way: (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek p.198).
• From lecture to coaching
• Taking attendance to logging in
• From distribution of requirements to connected learning
• From competing to collaborating
• From passive to active learning
• From textbooks to customized materials

The trainer should plan on fostering these changes to their approach.

4) How to encourage online communication?

Effective communication requires an active audience. The response of the learners who receive messages is called feedback. Feedback allows the sender and receiver, teacher and learner, to determine if the message is understood correctly (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek p.91).

http://www.bized.co.uk/educators/level2/comms/activity/buscomms12.htmI

When the trainer stays actively involved in the class by monitoring and participating in the discussions the student will feel that trainer is invested in the course. Keeping communications open through chats and emails are another way to encourage communication with the learner. According to Sorensen and Baylen (2004) Guidelines for involving students in quality learning experiences include:
• Communication with students
• Collaboration among students
• Active Learning experiences
• Prompt feedback from trainer
• High expectations
• Respecting diversity

By organizing the structure of the course, evaluating the learner and their expectations of the training, utilizing a course management system that will allow for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration of students through discussions and activities creating a successful blended learning experience is possible.

Checklist for trainer

Steps for trainer to complete	Check when complete
Choose CMS
Attend training on CMS if no prior experience
Access learner characteristics
Access orienting context
Construct thorough syllabus
Include detailed calendar of events for course
Create activities which enhance content
Develop thorough instructions for discussion expectations and etiquette
Spend time communicating with students throughout the course: discussions, emails, announcements

References:
Allen, I., Seaman, J., Garrett, R. (2007). Blending In: The Extent and Promise of Blended Education in the United States. Needham, MA: Sloan-C ™

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2012). Facilitating Online Learning. [vodcast]. Dr. George Piskurich.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pear

Week 5: Open Courses

The Impact of Open Courses

Open courses are becoming popular as a way to gain knowledge in various topics ranging from astronomy to women’s studies through legitimate colleges and universities (usually)free of charge. Although there were many open course sites to choose from I decided to take a deeper look at Open Yale Courses. Specifically an American Studies course AMST 246: Hemingway, Fitzgerald , Faulkner. http://oyc.yale.edu/american-studies/amst-246
There is no credit given to the person for taking the course the site describes who the courses are for and why they would be beneficial to take the time to enroll.
What Yale Open courses are:
The online courses are designed for a wide range of people around the world, among them self-directed and life-long learners, educators, and high school and college students. The integrated, highly flexible web interface allows users, in effect, to audit Yale undergraduate courses if they wish to. Through its Open Educational Resources (OER) initiative, launched in 2001, the Hewlett Foundation "seeks to use information technology to help equalize access to knowledge and educational opportunities across the world." The initiative supports "the development and dissemination of high quality content, innovative approaches to remove barriers to the creation, use, re-use and sharing of high quality content, and projects that seek to improve understanding of the demand for openly available content." Visit http://www.hewlett.org.

Does the course appear to be carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance learning environment? Somewhat. The syllabus lists the texts being covered, the requirements of the student which include: section participation, two papers and a final exam. The only confusion I have is I cannot seem to find further explanation of the section participation. There are a total of 25 lectures. Each lecture has four options for obtaining the information. 1) Transcript (html), 2) audio (mp3), 3) Low bandwidth video and 4) high bandwidth video. Giving the learner options on how to obtain the information will help satisfy various learning styles. What I found to be smartly done by the designer of this course was to breakdown each lecture into lecture chapters. For example a 48 minute lecture is broken down into 8 chapters so if you do not have time listen to the entire lecture in one sitting you do not need to start from the beginning to finish it later.

Does the course follow recommendations for online instruction as listed in the course text? Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek state: it is frustrating for students to begin in online course only to find that all the materials are not prepared or accessible at the time they need them (p.163). I feel the way the lectures are set up show a very well prepared aspect of the course as they are all available right away. On the flip side, understanding the learners is not going to be considered the way described in our textbook for an open course. Meaning the abilities of the class, learner characteristics, the context of learning experiences are not examined in an open course. The thought is the type of person seeking out an open course is a self-motivated, lifelong learner.

Did the course designer implement course activities that maximize active learning for the students? I am not finding active learning opportunities for this course. As I stated earlier there is mention in the syllabus that section participation is part of the requirements however, I am unable to find what this entails or where to go on the site to participate. The “kiss of death” for any distance course if the lack of student participation (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek p. 201). As far as I could find there was not active learning activities in this course.

  KWK

References:
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Week 3: Distance learning technologies

The Scenario:
 A high school history teacher, located on the west coast of the United States, wants to showcase to her students new exhibits being held at two prominent New York City museums. The teacher wants her students to take a "tour" of the museums and be able to interact with the museum curators, as well as see the art work on display. Afterward, the teacher would like to choose two pieces of artwork from each exhibit and have the students participate in a group critique of the individual work of art. As a novice of distance learning and distance learning technologies, the teacher turned to the school district’s instructional designer for assistance. In the role of the instructional designer, what distance learning technologies would you suggest the teacher use to provide the best learning experience for her students?

 The 21st-century learner requires educational opportunities not bound by time or place, yet allow interaction with the instructor and peers. Voice and videoconferencing, whiteboards, live presentation tools, application sharing, chats, and emails are just a few of the many tools available for interaction and collaboration (Beldarrain p.150). This lends perfectly to the use of Skype technology for a virtual tour of the museum in New York. Skype offers many free features including: voice calls, video calls, messaging and file sharing. The distance learning technology that would make a live tour of the museum possible would be the video calling with Skype. http://www.skype.com/en/features/ All that is needed is a webcam, internet and laptop or any mobile technology that has a microphone and speakers (iPhone, iPad or virtually any smartphone). The webcam, microphone and speakers are standard in most devices today. Skype would be a way to have a synchronous learning experience between the students and curators at the museum. For students working at a distance, membership in a learning group offers a sense of belonging and adds relevance to the instructional experience (Simonson p. 276).

Blogs would be a good way to share the two pieces of artwork from each exhibit and have the students participate in a group critique of the art.  Each student could display their own images on their own blog or a class blog. Photos can be added within a blog post or if the student would prefer take a video of their art work Blogger (one of many free blog websites available on the web) supports videos. http://www.blogger.com/features Regardless if the student chooses to display a photo image or a video of their art there is space for typing a description of the work.  Within each blog entry there is a comment section. This section would be the place for the critique to be composed and submitted by their classmates.  A blog can be used much like a discussion board, with students responding to prompts, posing their own questions, and summarizing assignments (Simonson p. 274).  The asynchronous availability of a blog is helpful for students to work at their own pace.  Also, they can take their time evaluating the artwork and come back to it need be, as it is continuously available on the Web.

Emerging technologies not only enable customization of content, but also customization of the level of interaction by allowing the learner to choose when and how to interact (Beldarrain p147).

KWK

References:

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

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.