Emerging Technologies

 

PBWorks

This wiki collaboration site works well for corporate training or information sharing. PBWorks can be used for file sharing, managing projects, and a place where employees can meet. The site can be customized to meet the company's needs and  can be used with clients.  There is a fee for its use.  PBWorks keeps an original copy of work that is done, just in case someone changes information that was not meant to be changed, but that can also be a problem.  Wikis are increasingly being accepted as a new breed of collaborative technology in education, (Hadjerrouit, 2011).  However , some students thought that the discussion tool was too poor when used as a collaborative forum, (Hadjerrouit, 2011). This type of wiki may not be a good tool for online students. Perhaps it should be used for business.  All that is needed for this type of wiki is that everyone has a computer.

Skype

Skype can be used to connect learners globally around the world.  Skype can be used for training to connect globally various located branches. Meetings can be attended by all company members.  Skype can also be used for grades K-12, helping the children realize other students around the world are learning some of the same things they are.  Ideas can be shared back and forth by all learners. Skype can be used by the instructor to share a presentation of himself with the online class members.  It would helpful, especially to be used to demonstrate a technical problem that students may have.  A classroom computer monitor that is large enough for the audience to see is needed.  Along with enough broad band to obtain the website.  Some of the drawbacks of Skype is that if you leave Skype open, some portion of your computer's processing resources is being used to facilitate other user's calls.  This failure results in loss of processing power for your other applications, (Kondolojy, A. 2012). Skype also has frequent outages.

Desire2Learn

This is a Learning Management System that helps students learn to make podcasts and downloadable presentations.  The site boasts that it helps students to create a more personalized experience that engages, inspires, and enables people to achieve their potential.  This site can be used for training purposes or in education. It provides a lifelong ePortfolio that can be accessed after the learners graduate. Skype contains free mobile applications and offers a free trial account. There is a fee to use this site.  As with any LMS, without training they can be difficult for the novice technical learner, enabling he learner to become frustrated, and give up.  Some other issues with Desire2Learn were:  issues when printing material, discussion board freezes, system frequently going down, could not copy and paste in drop box, and difficult to download grades, (Chawdhry, Paullet, & Benjamin, 2012).

 

References:

Chawdhry, A., Paullet, K., and Benjamin, D. (2012) Issues in Information Systems, Volume 13 ,Issue 2, pp. 302-310. Retrieved from: ihttp://iacis.org/iis/2012/135_iis_2012_302-310.pdf

Desire2Learn. (n.d.).  Retrieved from: http://www.desire2learn.com/products/learning-suite/d2l-difference/

Hadjerrouit, S. (2011).  A collaborative writing approach to wikis: design, implementation, and evaluation.  Retrieved from: http://iisit.org/Vol8/IISITv8p431-449Hadjerrouit224.pdf

Kondolojy, A. eHow tech. ( April, 16, 2012).  Cons of Skype. Retrieved from: http://www.ehow.com/list_5918123_cons-skype.html.

PBWorks: Online Team Collaboration. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://pbworks.com/

Skype in the classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://education.skype.com/?kme=Google+Adwords&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=signup&gclid=CM-B2vvD2rUCFUXf4AodIjUADw

 

 

 

 

 

Impact of Technology and Multimedia

Web 2.0 Technology can have a positive or negative  impact on the student's online learning environment. Web 2.0 Technology such as wikis, blogs, you tube, Skype and mobile apps can assist students in learning and employees in training situations. By collaborating online within web pages, and other common sites, information is shared with group members, and edited in a common place for all to view and use (Laureate, Ed., Inc., n.d.), eliminating the need for uncertainty, and improving information sharing.

Blogs can be monitored by instructors easily when using aggregator software (Laureate, Ed., Inc., n.d.).  The aggregator software allows the instructor to pull all the blogs together in a common place to monitor which ones have been updated. Professor Pratt, of Laureate, Ed., Inc. (n.d.) contends it would be too difficult to monitor each student's individual work separately.  Professor Pratt also warns that it is essential for instructors to determine when it is appropriate for the students to use mobile applications for learning.  He says that most learning institution's apps compress learning into six weeks, as opposed to the normal eight weeks.  Learners may be missing out on valuable information.

The correct web 2.0 technology can be usable for demonstrating procedures and processes, and learners who are isolated or in remote locations, (Laureate, Ed., Inc., n.d.). The chosen application can make these learners feel that are a part of the regular learning group. When  using web 2.0 technology tools the  instructors should consider whether the chosen technology will aid in the learning; otherwise it should not be used.  Sometimes, it may be best to allow the learners to choose the web 2.0 tool that they feel most qualified for their type of  learning project. However, allowing the learners this freedom may require the instructor to expand his/her own teaching tool set, (Boettner & Conrad, 2010).

According to these authors, the three most important basic tools that must be used in online learning are announcements, discussion board monitoring and feedback.  Once the instructor develops experience with the online learning environment, he/she will move into a more comfortable zone and begin experimenting with more visual and audio tools, such as podcasts, audio feedback, blogs, and wikis, and other technology tools, (Boettner & Conrad, 2010).

As an instructor who is interested in training employees online, I would enjoy utilizing all of the web 2.0 tools in time.  I too, would begin learning the most basic tools, and graduate to the more advanced tools as my experience grows.  Technology constantly changes, demanding that instructors keep up with new software, applications and web 2.0 technology tools.  What is favored for instructors and learners to use now for online learning may just be a thing of the past in a few years.

References:

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Laureate Ed., Inc. [video] (n.d.). Enhancing the Online Experience.

 

     

 

Setting Up An Online Learning Experience

The significance of the Instructor Knowing the Technology Available for the Course.

                As the instructor prepares to teach his/her online class, he must not forget to review the technology specifications and software that will be used in the course. If there are not any special software programs that will be used, the instructor is free to incorporate any that he/she chooses. 

                However, if the instructor is new to online learning, he should first keep the technology tools to a minimum, (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010). It will be challenging enough to learn how to work the Course Management System, (CMS) without adding unnecessary software tools.

                With each year the instructor gains experience in using the CMS, he/she will be able to learn new tools with practice and from the other faculty.  A website that will assist the an instructor in learning  some of the systems used in higher education is http://www.edutools.info., (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010). Instructors can also learn new technology tools from their learners.  This situation can benefit other learners as well.  By learners sharing information with each other, everybody wins in online learning by allowing the learners to learn from each other (Fish and Wickersham, 2009).

Communicating Clear Expectations to the Learners.

                By communicating clear expectation to the learners, the learners know what is expected of them, and what can be expected from the instructor (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010), thus making the course easier for both parties to achieve their goals. These expectations should be communicated in a common place where the learners can review them.  The instructor's contact information should be given, in case the learners have questions or concerns. Communicating instructions for emergencies and alternate directions for technology failures, should be given too.

 Additional Considerations That The Instructor Should Take Into Account When Setting Up An Online Learning Experience.

                When instructing an online course, it is essential for the instructor to take time to review the course that he/she will teach to the learners.  Nothing is worse than an instructor who is not familiar with the course. Establishing credibility with the learners becomes lost if this happens.

                Instructor presence should be established in the beginning of the course, making the students feel comfortable.  A climate should be built "which causes adults to feel accepted, respected, and supported" within "an atmosphere which is friendly and informal (Conrad and Donaldson, 2011).

                Every function of the  Course Management System (CMS) should be practiced by the instructor, just in case a learner needs assistance. Weekly Teaching Guides should be reviewed by the instructor, ensuring that the goals are met with the week's activities, (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010).  Setting up a To-Do-List may help the instructor develop the online course and stay on track (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010). This simple step will serve as a check off document, ensuring that important steps are not forgotten.

References:

                Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

                Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

                Fish, W. W., & Wickersham, L. E. (2009). Best practices for online instructors: Reminders. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 10(3), 279-284. Retrieved from www.waldenu.edu.

 

The Impact of Online Learning Communities

 

               Currently, I am enrolled in Online Instructional Strategies, which is an online course that I am taking for the accomplishment of my MS in Instructional Design and Technology. We will study and write about strategies that well help the instructors and students accomplish their learning goals.  

                Online learning communities impact student learning and satisfaction by properly engaging students who have come together for an opportunity to learn and explore new knowledge (Laureate, Inc., n.d.).  The instructor's responsibility is to engage the students in the first two weeks of the course to prevent attrition in the classes. The engagement can take place in several ways, but according to Doctors Palloff and Pratt, the most effective way is by the instructor making himself known to the adult learners,  and encouraging the learners to feel  comfortable in the course.  If the facilitator notices that there are students who are not responding to course information posted within the first two weeks, the  instructor should reach out to these students and  'grab' them before they are lost (laureate, Inc.., n.d.). The initial two weeks are a critical period, where the students unite or leave the online course.

                The essential elements of online community  building include (a.) the people who are willing to attend the online community, (b.) the purpose of the people who join the community; why they have come together, and (c.) the process, which involves the way the students are engaged in learning. The social presence of the adult learners and the instructor has proven to be important also. The people in the online community need to know that there are other people who share the same objectives and goals that they do.  It is beneficial to the online community's success if the instructor assures his social presence as well, so that the learner are ensured that there is a human being who will monitor their work and be available for assistance if needed.

                When the instructors are dedicated to sustaining a successful learning community that will include effective online learning, he/she will engage the learners within the first two weeks by not only establishing a presence, but  also by assisting in the design of the course management site.  The site should be set up for ease in navigating from one place to another.  Only simple technology should be introduced in the beginning of the course. If additional technology adds to the outcome of the lesson, then it should be included later in the learning.  However, instructors should be prepared to assist learners who may struggle with the technology addition (Laureate, Inc. n.d.).

                The online learning community should ensure  that a learner to learner engagement exists so that the adult learners can learn from each other. The adult learner needs to communicate and share learning experiences with one-another, resulting in new learning outcomes.

                It is important that the learners are transformed from their  learning experiences, and have the perception of a deeper and a more self-directed learning experience when they complete their course, preparing them for the next class.

 Reference:

Laureate, Inc. (n.d.). Online learning communities. Retrieved from www.waldenu.edu.

 

Analyzing Scope Creep

First, we should define what the "Scope" of an Instructional Design Project is. The scope of a project refers to the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) of the project. What are the major things that have to be done? The who, when, where, what and why of the project. Next, these items must be broken down into smaller manageable parts (Laureate Ed., Inc., n.d.).

Scope creep in project management refers to uncontrolled changes or continuous growth in a project's scope (Wikipedia, n.d.). Typically, the scope increase consists of either new products or new features of already approved product designs, without corresponding increases in resources, schedule, or budget. As a result, the project team risks drifting away from its original purpose and scope into unplanned additions/changes. Accordingly, scope creep can result in a project team overrunning its original schedule, budget or any other WBS activity. Scope Creep is not necessarily a negative in a project, it can sometimes be beneficial. The best way for a Project Manager (PM) to handle Scope Creep is to set up a Change Control System. The purpose of this system is to: review the change, identify the impacts of the change, translate the impact into the performance, evaluate the advantages, or disadvantages, communicate the changes to concerned staff, and ensure the changes are implemented (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, and  Kramer, 2008).  If the budget and schedule are increased along with the scope, the change is usually considered an acceptable addition to the project, and the term “Scope Creep” is not used.

Looking back, a few years ago, before attending Walden University and learning about Project Management, I experienced Scope Creep in a group project at work. One of my duties was to serve on the Staff Development Team. One of the team's assignments was to figure out a way to effectively handle unruly customers who visited our government facility for services. Once management approved of our suggestion, we were to develop a training for all staff employees, including supervisors and management.  

The Staff Development Team was granted an amount of training dollars that would handle all of  the Conflict Resolution Training needs. Originally, we planned on hiring an expert from law enforcement who would serve as SME in our training to handle the public. Yes, sometimes the situations became dangerous enough that we could have used this type of training. The team planned all the activities, set the date, sent out the memos and a pre-survey for the staff to complete. 

About two weeks before the training was to take place, our site manager told us that leadership had to withdraw monies from our annual training budget. We could not spend the amount of money on our Conflict Resolution training as originally planned. We were shocked. Of course, we considered ourselves professionals and did not want to look ineffective in front of the other staff members.  So, we cancelled the SME that was scheduled, and decided to conduct the training ourselves to save money. Much research was conducted, and plenty of overtime was volunteered to design and develop the staff training. The team successfully facilitated the staff training and received many compliments and high evaluations. Out of this training, it was decided that we should have a Security Guard who sat at the door during customer sign in.

Scope Creep is common in the workplace, where uncontrolled changes affect the schedule, budget, resources, or any other activities of a planned project. Scope Creep is inevitable during a project's completion. The type of Scope Creep that happened to my Staff Development Team was out of our control.

When negotiating the planning phase of the project, extra time and money should be built in if possible. It is better to deliver the project earlier than the client expects, rather than to be late. It is important to keep the project moving toward completion (Greer, 2010).  To handle other  types of Scope Creep, repeatedly check the WBS to refer to the project’s goals and boundaries. Keep a clear picture of what the desired results should be at different points relative to deliverables, schedule, costs, and quality (Greer, 2010).

Finally, don't forget to formally close out all activities and sign off on deliverables. Make special notations of how activities were handled from Scope Creep and any lessons learned from modifications (Greer, 2010). File all closeout activities with the official project in case they can be used for future projects.

References:

Greer, M. (2010).The Project Management Minimalist: Just Enough PM to Rock Your Projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d). Defining the scope of an ID project).  In EDUC 6145 Project Management in Education and Training. Baltimore, MD: Simonson, M. and Saba.

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Wikipedia. Project Management. (n.d.). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management

 

The Art of Effective Communication

Various communication styles can have implications for the way our messages are received. As Project Managers, it is detrimental to the success of the project's completion to communicate effectively with everyone involved in the project audience.

For this week's blog assignment, we were given three different message styles to interpret. Each was the same message, just delivered in a different style.  Jane, a team member sent a message to Mark, another team member,  to ask him for data that she needed to get her report  finished.  Mark never responded.

This is the message that was communicated in several different styles by Jane:

Hi Mark,

I know you have been busy and possibly in that all day meeting today, but I really need an ETA on the missing report.  Because your report contains data I need to finish my report, I might miss my own deadline if I don't get your report soon.  Please let me know when you think you can get your report sent over to me, or even if you can send the data I need in a separate  email.

I really appreciate your help.

Jane

Below follows my interpretations of the following styles used to communicate this message:

1. email

Jane used an informal style to communicate with Mark regarding the needed report.  However, the message lacked clarity.  Jane did not name the report that she needed from Mark. When communicating via a written document, the purpose of the communication should have be included in the first sentence of the document (1. Laureate Ed. Inc. , n.d.). Jane assumed that Mark was busy, and possibly in an all day meeting.  Jane then gave Mark an alternative. She decided that he could send her the data in a separate email.  However,  Jane never told Mark exactly what data she needed.  If Mark is really a busy person, then , he will have to spend more time by calling Jane to clarify what information she needs from his report.  Now,  Jane will have to wait until Mark finds time to call her. The extra waiting period could have been avoided if Jane would  have confirmed in her email what was needed from him.

Email can be an effective means of communicating, if done properly. Begin email requests with a clear concise purpose. State the situation and give a date for when the response is needed (1. Laureate Ed., Inc. , n.d.). 

2. Voicemail

Again this same scenario is replayed, but this time Jane left the message on Mark's telephone.  If this is an ongoing communication regarding work,  from Jane to Mark, then using the telephone's voicemail to leave a message  is acceptable.  However, Jane began the communication assuming that Mark was very busy and in an all day meeting.  Jane's assumption gave Mark an excuse for the report to be late. Project Managers should never assume anything about the status of the project  information. T

he voicemail does not relay urgency, and makes the situation less important than when it was written.  The use of the acronym, ETA, allowed for ambiguity.  What if Mark did not know what ETA meant?  When communicating it is unacceptable to use acronyms unless you know the receiver of the message is familiar with what you are saying.  Again,  more time can be wasted figuring out what Jane meant. needed. Rather than asking for an ETA, Jane should have asked him if he could have the report by a certain date.  Again she should have told Mark exactly what data she needed, rather than assuming he knew.  We should not make assumptions in an important situation.

3. Face-to-Face

Face-to-Face is probably the best form of communication for most people.  This formal mode of communication allows the message to be defined, if unclear. The Project Manager can view the team member's body language and attitude. When people communicate with me, I notice everything about them. I not only hear their words, I listen for the tone of their voice, body language, eye contact and anything else that will give me a clue about the sincerity of this person's message.

While Jane communicated to Mark that she needed the report from him, her style and body language said something different.  Rather than Jane hanging over the cubicle wall to talk to Mark, she should have stepped into Mark's cubicle so that she would have been able to look him in the eyes when she relayed the importance of receiving his report.  Hanging over the wall seemed like such a childlike action while talking about an important issue. The fact that "she might miss her deadline" lets Mark know that he may even have more time to deliver  the report to her. After all, she may not miss her deadline. 

Although it is important to be friendly and diplomatic, our body language and tonality can communicate volumes of information about us to the receiver of the message.  Lastly, Jane's enormously friendly smile says that it is alright if Mark is late with the report.  Her huge smile said that she would handle any trouble that would come to her if her report would be late. 

Dr. Stolovich talked about the importance of effective communication by engaging the audience in his video (Laureate Ed., Inc. , n.d.).  The communicator's style, spirit and attitude makes a great difference in how people perceive the message.  The project audience should have a business friendly respectful tone through the project's  completion. It is a great idea for Project managers to take notes documenting any project issues or concerns that come up in conversations. Later, the notes can be re-circulated, asking for understanding and modifications from the team members. If possible, perhaps the communicator can ask for a return response by a certain date making sure all team members are on the same page.  Dr. Stolovich recommends keeping a daily journal when working on a project.  That way the PM will not forget that he said something.

As we have seen from Jane's communication to Mark, if there is any ambiguity then mistakes can be expected (1. Laureate Ed., Inc. , n.d.).  When the Project Manager  is unclear in his directions, the team members are  left to guess on the project's direction. It is a waste of time if the work has to be done over because it was delivered incorrect due to the lack of clarity.  

Troy Achong, Project Director,  advises that everyone has their own agenda which is important to them.  She says that communicating is an art.  If anyone is unable to communicate with a key person,  they can collaborate with team members that the key person frequents with. These team members may be able to communicate for you on your behalf (2. Laureate Ed., Inc. , n.d.). 

Last but not least, if  communication problems or concerns still exist, Dr. Stolovich advises that a team member that can be trusted may be able to give advice to the Project Manager (3. Laureate Ed., Inc. , n.d.).  Look for commonalities, study the organization's culture, or any other venue where acceptance may take place.  If all else fails, the Project Manager can call a meeting to let the team know that he feels uncomfortable in communicating with them.  It is okay to explain to the team that the easier the communications are the more effective the team's work will be.  The Project Manager should document the outcome of the meeting and circulate the results back to the team . Give the team members a date to respond by, and ask them for any modifications that are necessary for the improvement of communication. 

After all, effective communication, whether it is verbal or nonverbal  is key to the Project Manager's  successful  project completion.  Start smiling, and happy communicating.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d).(1). "Communicating with Stakeholders"
[DVD]. In EDUC 6145 Project Management in Education and Training.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d). (2).  "Practitioner Voices: Strategies for Working With Stakeholders"[DVD]. In EDUC 6145 Project Management in Education and Training.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d). (3). Project Management Concerns: Communication Strategies and Organizational Culture [DVD]. In EDUC 6145 Project Management in Education and Training.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d). "The Art of Effective Communication". Multimedia Program. In EDUC 6145 Project Management in Education and Training.

 

 

 

 

Post-mortem Project

Had I taken this class before I was hired as a monitor/coordinator for a local company, maybe I would have stayed in the position longer. However, I learned a lot through the process.

I was hired to implement programs, coordinate activities and contracts from grant money for four different social service agencies.  I was the first person in this position, and this was the first time the company I worked for won the RFP (Request for Proposal) for this type of contract work.  As the monitor and coordinator, I was to perform many various duties, implement projects, and manage directors, supervisors, and their staff.  The directors did not want me to come into their agencies and make changes to their method of performing the contract work, even though they agreed to do so in their proposals. But, it was my job to assist them in modifying their programs to adhere to the federal regulations.  The job was super stressful and because I was out of the office most of the week, I put in many extra hours. But as we all know, you don't get paid overtime on salaried jobs, and of course, the money did not equate to the duties. Needless to say, I didn't have that job very long.

While working with this company, I created tools that helped keep me organized and contributed to the success of the program.  Each agency was responsible for submitting many reports that was submitted in various formats.  I held a meeting with each agency director, to teach them how I wanted  information submitted.  I purged forms that held duplicate information when possible.  I worked with the IT department to develop a program that would be useful for information gathering for the contracting agencies.  Finally, I was able to get the agencies to function  universally.  By that time, I was pretty burned out.

One of the missing parts in this one-man show was help from other people. The only assistance that I had was for someone to take telephone messages for me when I was out of the office. I asked for help, but was told money wasn't available for additional staff.  

According to Greer 2008, a Project Plan should have been created. The plan would have shown my director the work efforts necessary in order to produce the deliverables required of the position. Most likely, there wasn't any type of  needs analysis completed by anyone once the RFP was awarded.  At least one more person was necessary to complete administrative roles while I was out of the office. If I wouldn't have been in a hurry every time I visited the agencies, I could have developed better working relationships which would have helped to make the project more successful.