MS in Educational Technology Final Project Training Proposal SGET 750/751 Practicum in Learning Theory

Submitted by: A. Lisnow January 10, 2007 Updated February 10,2007

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1. Introduction Company X Employee Training Program I just started a new job with Company X as Director of Department X. Upon joining, I spent very little time in formal training to introduce me to the company, the policies, products, business practices, department, and/or processes within it. I had brief encounters with some in the organization that provided with me with some information, but not in context of what I needed to learn at that particular time in my orientation. I am in the process of hiring additional staff and want to use my experience in Educational Technology to develop a web based training program that will create the beginnings of a learning culture at Company X. It will provide the much needed orientation required for new employees, and start establishing a formal training processes within the organization. There is a great need to create a process and procedure to institute and enforce a systematic training program for the associates of Company X. This training module will be a training program for new hires. Training is a critical component in the success & happiness of employees within the company, and the companys success in delivering products and services to their customers. <ref 1> Training is required in order to learn about what is important for that company, its direction, vision, position, and how to best perform job functions required. Training will allow employees at Company X to be better equipped to perform job functions with fewer errors, and will allow employees to ramp-up within a much quicker time frame. It will impact the turnover rate, and will make for happier employees overall. The module will consider several learning styles. It will include activities for the: Visual learner by the design, colors, visual display, diagrams, and organization of the information. Auditory learner will be stimulated by the Web Hunt which will require discussions with others, questions and interaction with other learners and associates of Company X. Tactile/Kinesthetic learner will participate in activity and exploration during web hunt.

The training will also involve and be geared to learners of multiple intelligences: Linguistic intelligence (words): Logical-mathematical intelligence (number/reasoning) Spatial intelligence (pictures) Interpersonal intelligence (people)

The program will be geared towards Adult learning principles. Andragogy, a term originally used by Alexander Kapp was developed into a theory of adult education by the American Page 2 of 8

educator, Malcolm Knowles. Knowles held that andragogy should be distinguished from the more commonly used pedagogy Knowles' theory can be stated as four simple postulates 1. Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction (Self-concept and Motivation to learn). 2. Experience (including mistakes) provides the basis for learning activities (Experience). 3. Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life (Readiness to learn). 4. Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Orientation to learning). <ref 2> 2. Goal and Objectives Companies of all types recognize the importance of establishing training programs for their employees. Businesses that have at least 50 workers provide an average of 44.5 hours of training per employee each year, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics survey. Just over 31 hours are in informal training, while approximately 13.5 hours are devoted to formal education programs. Computer training is the most common type of job skills instruction. A little over 38 percent of the surveyed employees received formal computer training and 54.3 percent were given informal computer training. <Ref 3> The goal of the proposed project is to improve job satisfaction, quality and performance at Company X. This goal will be achieved by designing an interactive web based training program (Web Hunt with a series of questions/links) that will be completed by new hires with the following learning objectives: Understand The Company History and Structure a. Employees will be able to speak about the Company X organization, business model/verticals, policies, and business practices. b. Employees will be able to describe the organization of the various departments within the business, the department heads, people within them and the functions each department performs in the business model. The Client Services Department
c. Employees will understand the functions performed in their department, and their role

in the department. d. Employees will understand the specifics of how to perform their job function within their position. i. Product Types 1. GCA 2. EGCA 3. Drop Shipment/Fulfillment 4. IAC Express Edition 5. IAC Enterprise Edition Page 3 of 8

6. OOT 7. Performance Points ii. Order Processes iii. See Flowchart Insert (Page 6) 3. Procedure and Methods The project will be developed over the spring 2007 semester. It is intended for New Hires to the Company X organization. The new hires will need to know how the Business operates and what their function will be in the organization. It will be utilized by the employees of Company X, when needing to know about The Organization overall The various Departments and or changes of the Organization Their particular Department Their particular position How all is related in running the Company X business It will be modules that will include: a. A description of the Training program, goals, and recommendation on how to complete b. Information about the Organization (founded, executives, type of business, culture, mission, vision, pubic, private, etc.) c. More detailed information about the various departments and their function within Company X. d. More detailed Information about each department e. Detailed information about specific instructions on job function i. Client Service Goals ii. Client penetration iii. Order types iv. Order processing for the different types v. Order Cancellations vi. Order Resends vii. Implementation Process/Project Management viii. Implementation Weekly Meetings ix. Implementation Documents x. Implementation Techniques xi. Post Implementation Meetings xii. Managing client relationship before and after implementation xiii. How to manage client expectations xiv. What and How other departments contribute to the overall project 4. Potential Impact and Significance Typical Topics of Employee Training 1. Communications: The increasing diversity of today's workforce brings a wide variety of languages and customs. Page 4 of 8

2. Computer skills: Computer skills are becoming a necessity for conducting administrative and office tasks. 3. Customer service: Increased competition in today's global marketplace makes it critical that employees understand and meet the needs of customers. 4. Diversity: Diversity training usually includes explanation about how people have different perspectives and views, and includes techniques to value diversity 5. Ethics: Today's society has increasing expectations about corporate social responsibility. Also, today's diverse workforce brings a wide variety of values and morals to the workplace. 6. Human relations: The increased stresses of today's workplace can include misunderstandings and conflict. Training can people to get along in the workplace. 7. Quality initiatives: Initiatives such as Total Quality Management, Quality Circles, benchmarking, etc., require basic training about quality concepts, guidelines and standards for quality, etc. 8. Sexual harassment: Sexual harassment training usually includes careful description of the organization's policies about sexual harassment, especially about what are inappropriate behaviors. General Benefits from Employee Training and Development There are numerous sources of online information about training and development. Several of these sites (they're listed later on in this library) suggest reasons for supervisors to conduct training among employees. These reasons include:

Increased job satisfaction and morale among employees Increased employee motivation Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain Increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods Increased innovation in strategies and products Reduced employee turnover

Enhanced company image, e.g., conducting ethics training (not a good reason for ethics training!) Risk management, e.g., training about sexual harassment, diversity training <Ref 5>
a. Expected outcomes i. The project will have significant impact on all employees, but especially new

hires at Company X. This will be the first web based employee training program. ii. It will allow our organization to ramp up employees at a much faster rate. iii. It will make for happier employees who can find the answer to questions they have or job functions they need to learn. Page 5 of 8

iv. It will allow employees to perform their job functions with less error v. It will help create a learning culture at Company X. vi. It will be available to employees at any time it is required.

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Standard Page Links: Home| Company | Products/Services | Order Process | FAQ | Resources Background: White Colors: Blue/Gray Text: Blue, Black Last Update: Automatic Date Entry E-mail: alisnow@Company X.com Site maintained by: Alicja Lisnow

Page Name: IO Welcome Page Standard Navigation Links Page Content: Welcome Site Intro Image: Group Employee .jpg (move) Incentive Wheel (see Rob) Index.htm

Page Name: Company History / Overview / Background When started? By Whom? What vertical markets serviced? How many different departments? Who is the head of each department? Company X.jpg 1_co.htm

Page Name: Products & Services at IO Product Types How each is used Product Differences Product Cautions GCA.jpg Reward portfolio.jpg 2_prd.htm

Page Name: Order Process Order Types/differences/uniqueness Processing Steps Link: Product Acquisition Process (new window) Describe step by step process to Order Awards via IAC Express Order process flowchart.jpg 3_ord.htm

From this point forward, for any pages that link outside of the project pages they will link in a new window

Page Name: IO Departments Post Org Chart for each Dept. Describe what each does Learner to visit with each Mgr Org.jpg 1_co_dpt.htm

Page Name: EGCA Page Name: Vertical Mkts Describe how specific clnts use the IO Products Links to Client IAC, or Cust Rwrd Site. Cust Rwds.Jpg 1_co_mkts.htm Page Name: GCA Describe what a GCA is, how delivered to clnt & how redeemed GCA.jpg CustomGCA.jpg 2_prd_gca.htm Page Name: Drop shipment / Fulfillment Describe what it is, how delivered to clnt & how redeemed Fulfillment. jpg GC Holder.jpg 2_prd_drp.htm Describe what a EGCA is, how delivered to clnt & how redeemed EGCA.jpg PDF.jpg 2_prd_egca.htm Page Name: IAC Express Describe what it is, limitations, how used by clnt how GCAs awarded, delivered to clnt & how redeemed IAC express.jpg 2_prd_iacx.htm

Page Name: Order GCA Describe step by step process to Order GCA GCA2.jpg CustomGCA2.jpg 3_ord_gca.htm Page Name: Oder Drop shipment / Fulfillment Describe step by step process to Order Drop Shipment / Fulfillment Fulfillment. jpg GC Holder.jpg 3_ord_drp.htm

Page Name: Order EGCA Describe step by step process to Order EGCA (Link, PDF, HTML) EGCA2.jpg PDF.jpg 3_ord_egca.htm Page Name: Order IAC Express Describe step by step process to Order Awards via IAC Express IAC express.jpg 3_ord_iacx.htm

Page Name: Company X Directory Link to Company X Directory. Directions for import from Q drive to Outook 1_co_dir.htm Page Name: IO Alphabet Soup Links for Company X Language MDU (link for a connect to MDU) Link for Smoke etc. Attach a summary of all the acronyms; add the new terminology (HGCA, HP, HC) 1_co_lang.htm

Page Name: IO Webhunt Provide a template of Web Hunt Questions that can be printed to complete the hunt 1_co_whnt.htm

Page Name: IAC Enterprise Describe what it is, how used by clnt how GCAs awarded, delivered to clnt & how redeemed IAC Ent.jpg 2_prd_iace.htm

Page Name: OOT Describe what it is, limitations, how used by clnt how GCAs awarded, delivered to clnt & how redeemed OOT.jpg 2_prd_oot.htm

Page Name: IAC Enterprise Describe step by step process to Order Awards via IAC Enterprise IAC Ent2.jpg 3_ord_iace.htm

Page Name: OOT Describe step by step order process using OOT OOTpages.jpg 3_ord_oot.htm

Page Name: Performance Points Describe what it is, limitations, how used by clnt. ppweb.jpg 2_prd_pp.htm

Page Name: Order Performance Points Describe how points are earned/awarded, & redemption options. ppweb.jpg 3_ord_pp.htm

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5. References Cited a. <ref 1> DTI, DTI. "Impact of Training on business performance." Business Link. None. Business Link. 15 Jan 2007 <http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail? type=RESOURCES&itemId=1074453113>. b. <Ref 2> Author:None, None. "Andragogy, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Andragogy, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 22 December 2006. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.,. 13 Jan 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andragogy>. c. <Ref 3> Walker C. Wooding Jr. "Employers Recognize Value of Training for Employees." San Antonio Business Journal. December 4, 1998. American City Business Journals, Inc. 15 Jan 2007 <http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/1998/12/07/focus2.html>. d. <Ref 4> None, None. "Adult Learning and Employer Sponsored Traiming." BizGrok. July 10, 2004. BizGrok. 15 Jan 2007 <http://bizgrok.com/train/train_article.html>. e. <Ref 5> Author's Name:, None. "Employee Training & Development: Reasons and Benefits." Management Help. 2006. Free Management Library: Copyright 19972006, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. . 15 Jan 2007 <http://www.managementhelp.org/trng_dev/basics/reasons.htm>.

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