The Infamous Scope Creep
10 Dec 2010 3 Comments
How many times have you started one thing and then moved on to something else without completing the first task? Let me give you an example: I start cleaning up the kitchen, starting the dish water, wiping down the countertops, and then I grab the towels and think about putting them into the laundry. I take them to the laundry, start a load of towels and notice the laundry basket is full and decide to fold the clothes in it. Of course now I have to put the clothes away, put them into the closet, thinking about I really need to go through the closet and sort out the clothes that are either not fitting, or have gone out of style. Sort the clothes and take them out to through the kitchen toward the garage, realizing the now cold dish water with the dishes are still waiting! This is Scope creep!
Currently I am involved with an informal project. I am trying to streamline the curriculum of the therapeutic massage program. The problem is I need to work on it and then present a working model to the powers that be. This project will take me and my instructors a full year to complete. The scope creep comes in when we are working on each of the classes. Instead of making each class a whole separate experience we are working on starting at the beginning and building on it, incorporating new techniques into the basic beginnings. The scope creep, which is mainly my own fault, we are trying to fix it. There is a lot of repetitive information in each of the classes. An example is teaching documentation in the first massage class and then having a whole class on documentation. Although I agree that it should be mentioned in the first class, I disagree that anything more than a mention should be done. Teaching it twice only bores and frustrates the students and then they stop listening. In order to keep this whole project on track, the team has discussed the overall project. We took the existing classes and created objectives under each class’ heading as to the learning which should belong to the class. Because we all teach every quarter, we are working on a quarter by quarter basis. The massage classes are taught in a certain order in a certain quarter. We are working to coordinate the classes we are teaching at the same time of the year. All of this is tedious, but I have a great team and the rewards at the end will be wonderful. We will have a sleek, well planned therapeutic massage associates program that is approved by the higher learning commission.
Effective Communication
15 Nov 2010 3 Comments
After reviewing the different methods of communication presented in this week’s media for me the best was the voice mail. I could feel the urgency and need in the voice mail much more than in the email. This was interesting to me because after reading the assignment I really thought that the face to face would be the best. This is what Dr. Stolovich states in the video media this week as being the best when there is a critical need for the project (Stolovich, 2010). I found the body language threw me off on the face to face. I did not feel there was a big need, I felt more like it was a case of whining. All contained the key parts of stating a clear purpose, stated the situation, included possible solutions, and an understanding of how busy everyone is (Stolovich, 2010). The voice mail though used tonality and personality of the requestor which influences communication (Stolovich, 2010). While the email is a formal kind of communication, the voicemail and face to face are more informal communication (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, & Sutton, 2008). Although in this case all three could be considered formal communications because of the nature of the topic, it was thought out and something was being requested. The one thing I would have added was the drop dead date I needed the information. For me I think I would have left a voice mail and then sent the email with one line added… “ I left you a voice mail and I know you have been busy…” This is “to minimize the chances of misunderstandings and hurt feelings [by] confirm[ing] in writing the important information” (Portny et al, 2008, p357). The biggest thing I learned was the need to be clear and concise in communication. Leave nothing to chance.
References
Portny, S., Mantel, S., Meredith, J., Shafer, S. and Sutton, M. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Stolovich, H. (2010). Project management diplomacy. [Media] Retrieved on November 14, 2010. Laureate Education, Inc.
Once upon a project…
12 Nov 2010 2 Comments
Although not all projects turn out with a happy ending, sometimes success comes in small increments. This is my case. I am the program director (PM) for therapeutic massage department at the college where I work. I came into the job in the middle of the school year after the previous person who was the “acting” director was removed from the college payroll. Now I did not have a formal, thought out project I needed to get the students who were just hanging out there in the fringes with no direction back on rotation and back on the path to graduate. Some of these inherited students were so lost on their rotation schedule that they had been waiting for a few quarters to get the classes they needed in order to graduate. This was a huge frustration to the students, so I added on a few classes out of rotation in order to keep from having the students for longer than they needed to be. This was not only because of the student but due to the financial aid restrictions about adequate academic progress. This pseudo-project is still coming along. I have sat down with the students (stakeholders) and worked with many to define the method (deliverables) to complete the degree (project). The failures of the previous person in charge have changed how I work with students. Now when I work with the new crop of students coming into the program I sit with them as a group and we talk about the plans and the classes. We discuss the reasons classes are done in the rotation and I help each with registration for the next quarter. I work with those who need to go part time due to family and or work obligations, planning the best classes to take so they can keep moving forward even if it is a slower pace. Again this is not a formal project, but with each new crop of students the “project” renews and sometimes presents new challenges with the new students (stakeholders). One good thing is I keep learning new methods (deliverables) to help the student to complete their degree (project). It is like being able to buy new tools for the tool box and then having many ways to build the project deliverables.
Welcome to the Last Class of 2010!
05 Nov 2010 1 Comment
Hard to believe we have come this far. I want you all to know I appreciate your comments, your encouragement and your help with all these classes so far. I think my most difficult was the last one of Distance Learning. I guess I was just not understanding the Course Project, or I just wanted to make it more. I am anxious to talk with you all this class as we progress through the final classes of our Masters.
Reflections on the Future
30 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
Where will the perception of distance learning go in the future? It has the potential to be something very successful as the learners realize the value of distance learning. Distance learning has been around since 1833 when a Swedish newspaper offered to learn composition via the mail (Simonson, et al, 2009). For the next 177 years the face of distance learning has changed and grown. The future “predictions include a host of critical success factors, such as the role and direction of the technology and courseware system; increased revenue as the primary driver; target student audience; faculty training, or administrative oversight structure”(Gambesica & Paolucci, 2009, pg 3). As the technology has changed, so has the face of distance learning. Our perceptions of distance learning have also changed. As technology expands the deliver method of the distance learning has changed. The concept of equivalency of the learning is being discussed. Although not being delivered in the same manner it is now being considered as equivalent when compared to traditional classrooms (Simonson, et al, 2009).
In order to be sure the learning is considered equal to that of the traditional learning space, the instructional designer must be adamant in the design of the distance learning. To create a better perception of the online learning the designer must be willing to do the analysis of the learners and create a learning experience that will span different learning styles. The traditional classroom has the advantage of the instructor being able to see the learners and hopefully notice if something is not making sense to them. With the online learner, the learning becomes more learner-centered rather than instructor-centered (Simonson, et al, 2009). With this change, the designer must design a learning environment that promotes communication.
Through communication the perception of the distance learning will keep changing and keep gaining acceptance. There are many online degrees out in the internet. The learner must approach each online interface with caution and do the research of how the institution is accredited. If the accreditation is by a department of the government regarding education then the chances are the curriculum goes through a rigorous set of standards before it is allowed to be offered by the institution. At Walden, the university “is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association” (Walden, 2010, p1). The more informed the learner is, the more the perceptions of distance learning will change to the positive.
The biggest impact an instructional designer can promote is a well designed learning interface. The learner will not want to search forever for the information the learner needs to have. “Distance learning has grown exponentially within the past ten years with over 96 percent of colleges utilizing distance learning in some fashion”(Walden, 2010A, pg1). This shows the increase in demand by the learner to have the online venue available to them to learn. This is because “distance education offers an alternative to the traditional classroom experience that accommodates many students’ individual circumstances and educational needs” (Education Atlas, 1993, p1). Many students from many walks of life, many countries or many current jobs have the ability to either increase the job skills the learner already has or change the job skills to something different. The online environment is a good way to change directions in the job market when the job market is ever so changing in today’s world. The instructional designer needs to promote positive change in the reputation of the world of distance learning and promote an excellent education that is equal to that education experience in the traditional classroom.
References
Education Atlas. (1993). The future of distance learning. Retrieved on October 30, 2010 from http://www.educationatlas.com/the-future-of-distance-learning.html
Gambescia, S., & Paolucci, R. (2009). Academic fidelity and integrity as attributes of university online degree program offerings. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 12(1).
Schmidt, E., & Gallegos, A. (2001). Distance learning: Issues and concerns of distance learners. Journal of Industrial Technology, 17(3).
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Walden University. (2010). Walden university. Retrieved on October 30, 2010 from http://learn.waldenu.edu/index.php?source_code=DTMKSR&source_campaign_id=636&affiliate_id=Google-walden%20university&dart_code=p99672796&gclid=CPy0pZH5-qQCFUIUKgodykw2iA
Walden University. (2010A). Connected. Retrieved on October 30, 2010 from http://connected.waldenu.edu/curriculum-resources/technology-in-the-classroom/item/772-what-is-future-of-distance-learning
Discussing Discussions
23 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
The attached PDF file discusses the ways to engage a learner in the discussion functions of an online class. Formulating a few ideas in which to create a blended class for a training module is difficult when moving from a strictly traditional face to face class to a blended format. This PDF offers a few ideas on how move toward a blended class.
Learning Civil War and Reconstruction History online from Yale Open Course
09 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
http://oyc.yale.edu/history/civil-war-and-reconstruction/content/sessions.html
“A critical part of the process is to consider the components of a successful learning system. These components are the learners, the content, the method and materials, and the environment, including technology” (Simonson, et al, 2009, p127). This class as presented by Yale does not seem to have too much thought behind it for online learning. The learner’s abilities were not taken into account at all that I can see. The class content is basically like the lecture class at the university that has simply been video taped and put on the web for access.
Our text states: “Keep in mind that courses previously taught in traditional classrooms may need to be retooled” (Simonson, et al, 2009, p127). The new tools on this particular course were to make the lectures available in transcript and MP3 formats. As I watched the videos, I did get some good information. I was able to take notes as I listened, I was able to choose the lecture I wanted to listen to and direct my own learning. Just listening to the lecturer did not visually enhance the course material. As our book states about visualizing information, there should be better choices on the video visuals (Simonson, et al, 2009), but on the Webpage to choose the videos, Yale seems to follow the “rules of thumb”(Simonson,et al, 2009, p134). The use of white space, font size and the use of upper and lower case are easy to read.
The course designer for Yale did not create any activities to help the learner remember the content of the course. The only activates were to write two essays at the end of the class and in the lecture hall. So this class was not an exclusive online class. While for me who enjoys history and especially Civil War history, it was okay for me. I could and still am listening to the different lectures and gleaning information that will help me in my portrayal of Mary Lincoln. While none of these courses from Yale are for course credit, it is still a good resource to have to learn at least the basics of several different subjects.
References
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
