Section 4: Human Performance Technology

1.  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. 

Performance Problems and Non Instructional Solution

As an Algebra II teacher, a performance problem that I have is poor student homework completion. When I assign any type of homework (problem sets, worksheet, etc.), my turn in rates often is lower than 50%.

Using the HPT model for the International Society for Performance Improvement (Figure 14.2), starting with the performance analysis. The desired workforce performance would be homework completion rates of 90% or higher and the actual performance is often at rates of under 50%. There is an indication of a gap.  Cause analysis tells me to that there is a lack of incentives and rewards, feedback, and support for my students to feel motivated to complete homework.

I have come up with a few non instructional solutions for intervention selection and design, . First, I want to create homework support groups for each class period by adding online collaboration to our class by using E-Chalk. There would be bonus point incentives for students who access the support groups, either for help or to help others. Second, I would like to try a flexible schedule to turn in assignments.  I would give students  a window of two or three days to turn in and complete assignments. This extended time should help increase the completion rate. Lastly, I will grade and return homework and print out weekly progress reports.  By having the progress report in hand the students will be able to see how the zeros are affecting their average and will help them to understand that completing assignments will have increase their average.  This will help students because right now they only receive a progress report every three weeks.

I plan on implementing these non instructional solutions starting next six-weeks and am hopeful that they will help my students be more successful in completing their homework.

2.  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. 

EPSS Definitions:

Gloria Gery 1991 coined the phrase, EPSS. She defined an EPSS as an integrated electronic environment that is available to and easily accessible by each employee and is structured to provide immediate, individualized on-line access to the full range of information, software, guidance, advice and assistance, data, images, tools, and assessment and monitoring systems to permit job performance with minimal support and intervention by others.

Barry Raybould 1990 suggested that computers could solve human performance problems and defined an EPSS the electronic infrastructure that captures, stores, and distributes individual and corporate knowledge assets throughout an organization, to enable individuals to achieve required levels of performance in the fastest possible time and with a minimum of support from other people.

Villanchia, Stone, and Endicott 2006 defined ESPP as an optimized body of integrated on-line and off-line methods and resources providing what performers need, when they need it, in the form they need it in, so that they can perform in ways that meet organizational objectives.

Rossett 2007 defined EPSS as a helper in life and work, performance support is a repository of information, processes and perspectives that inform and guide planning and action.

PC Magazine Electronic Performance Support System: A computer system that provides quick assistance and information without requiring prior training to use it.   It may incorporate all forms of multimedia delivery as well as AI techniques such as expert systems and natural language recognition. 

Webbasedtraining.com Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS) Applications designed to run simultaneously with other applications or embedded within other applications that provide support for the user in accomplishing specific tasks. An EPSS may provide needed information, present job aids, and deliver just-in-time, context-sensitive training on demand. A Web-based performance support system (WBPSS) is an EPSS that uses Web technology to deliver support in an enterprise environment. 



My Preference:  I prefer the Webbasedtraining.com because of how it emphasizes that an EPSS application could work within or embedded within applications that are already being used in the workplace. I also agree that the best EPSS offer on demand context-sensitive training. Workers would be able to get support and information whenever they need it and in a timely manner. The mention of the web-based performance support system is also interesting. This allows users even more flexibility in accessing information and support from anywhere (home, office, vacation) and with a number of devices (PC, Laptop, mobile phones and other devices).

Current and Future Use of EPSS:  EPSS is currently not being widely used because of various reasons one being the risk involved. Management feels unsure about the success of EPSS applications and also highly ignorant about them. To change the system and invest what feels to be a substantial amount of time and money can be a daunting undertaking to a business.  I think EPSS applications will be used more in the future. Like any change, moving forward tends to move slow. As companies begin to investigate more data focusing on EPSS successes in business, they might begin to jump on the bandwagon. However, the human interaction I think will never completely go away.

3.  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? 

Knowledge Management and the Blended Learning Approach

The Problem
Our district has been using C-Scope for all core courses for about five years now. The online curriculum for the Math department is hard to understand, has very involved lessons and offers little in the way of interactive lessons to teach the assigned objectives. Also, not all objectives that are tested are taught in each subject (Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra II).  There is also no support for teachers with questions or concerns. Consequently, teachers have either played by the rules and stuck to the C-Scope curriculum with little success or they have chosen to ignore it completely and venture out on their own. The original goal of the online curriculum was to help teachers be more successful in the classroom and save them much needed time and energy in the planning stages; however, this is not the reality. www.cscope.us/curriculum.html

The Solution

Using the blended learning approach and a knowledge management system can help the paced Math curriculum be more successful. I propose formal training in the way of training sessions where the Math teachers are shown the basics of paced curriculum including the overall objectives and how to access the information to be successful. Teachers will be given starter manuals, and the informal learning can then begin. Access will be through a blog created for the Math teachers of the district. The blog will have uploaded lesson plans, discussion boards, and links to the C-Scope database. Collaboration will be both online and face-to-face. Teachers will use the online discussion boards on the blog to ask questions and brainstorm ideas for particular objectives. They will also be able to upload lesson plans to share with one another. The district will also set-up collaboration meetings with the district coordinator for Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra II teachers separately. These meetings will allow the teachers to have face-to-face discussions. The outcomes of the collaboration process will be posted on the blog. The teachers’ experience and collective knowledge along with the curriculum objectives will all be uploaded as well for easy access. Hopefully, with successful collaboration, teachers will be able to access several resources for teaching each objective in the curriculum in a meaningful way.

4.  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? 

My Informal Learning

My informal learning Wow!  I have a multitude of informal learning with school, college, being a teacher, working in retail, and parenting.  I am always looking for ways that can improve teaching I guess it is ingrained.  My life has been all about teaching, learning and education whether its is myself, my students, my children or grandchildren. I have always been propelled to learn and I have such satisfaction when learning or teaching something new.  It would nice someday if I could get paid to learn.

Results Now Book Study

All teachers on the high school campus, including myself, were put in charge of teaching a chapter on the book Results Now. We were given set of books and then were divided into groups. Each groups was assigned a chapter to present the knowledge to the entire district.  We connected through email and set-up a meeting. During the meeting we shared ideas and mapped out how to best present the chapter. We invited all the other teachers as collaborators. Thanks to our collaboration throughout the chapter, we had several resources and were able to present our chapter very successfully.  I think if you are going to have a book study this is a great way that each chapter can be presented and be very informative to all.



Collaboration