United Staff of Columbia College
Audience
The audience for the module/individual units of instruction is current and new supporting staff members of Columbia College.
Project Overview
For this project, I collaborated with the current USofCC Union Board President, who also served as a co-instructional designer and subject matter expert (SME), to update the existing USofCC website and training materials. We started by analyzing the current website and training materials, then utilized the design phase to determine which existing materials could be utilized for the updated training vs. the need for new content. After analysis and design, the board president and I updated the website materials and existing content, while I worked on creating a new Unit Three for the training module related to Union Member benefits and rights. Simultaneously, I copy-edited content and initiated the creation of a USofCC training style guide (still in progress/awaiting user feedback to finalize) that future board members could reference for updating training, as needed.
To communicate and coordinate, we used multiple communication methods: weekly one-hour-long Zoom meetings to review, discuss, problem-solve, and determine training/informational consistencies; storyboards created in Storyline 360, with notes, exported as Word documents to make/review/respond to comments; Google drive to host/share Storyline 360 zip drives for import/export; and Storyline 360 Review.
Currently, the module as a whole, is undergoing user testing. We are using Kirkpatrick’s Level 1 and 2 evaluation-type feedback questions to collect user comments for further refinement/improvement of training materials.
ID Design Models and Principles
For this project, we used a traditional ADDIE model to analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate content. We followed CIP principles to ensure effective and long-term transfer of knowledge by chunking content into three distinct categories (Union Member Benefits, Rights, Real-World Application), interactive elements (i.e., flip cards, clickable elements, animation, video, and branching scenarios), and repetition via interaction explanations and a “Key Takeaways” slide at the end of the presentation.
Tools
Storyline 360/Review, Storyline export to Word and zip files, Vyond, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint (to transfer/modify existing content to Storyline 360), Google Drive, SharePoint, WordPress
Destination Imagination Colorado (DICO)
Audience
The learners for this module were 300-500 Destination Imagination Colorado (DICO) Team Managers (TMs) with at least one year/season of experience managing a DICO team of 2-7 students in one or more grades, preschool through post-secondary.
The target learners for the module are approximately 300-500 DICO Team Managers (TMs) with at least one year of team management experience. TMs are volunteers spread across nine different regions within Colorado. Their professional backgrounds vary widely due to the fact that TMs are classroom teachers, stay-at-home parents/guardians, and parents/guardians who work part or full-time remotely or at an office and in a variety of fields. In rare instances, an older sibling who is in high school or a post-secondary program will serve as a TM for a younger sibling and their teammates. Additionally, TMs may choose to either work alone with a team or to be part of a pair or trio of managers working with a team.
To see the complete learner analysis, please view pp. 4-7 of the DICO eLearning Proposal and Design Document.
Project Overview
This project provided an opportunity for a great deal of collaboration with and feedback from stakeholders. My primary contact was with the Executive Director (ED) of DICO, who I met with once per week via Zoom. However, at certain points throughout the project, I also collaborated and communicated with the lead instructional designer for Destination Imagination, Inc., as well as DICO Board members, Team Managers, and Regional Directors.
After completing the initial needs and learner analyses, I wrote the module objectives, determined technologies, and created the module storyboard. The storyboard then served as the primary form of communication/feedback between the ED and me, prior to building the module in Storyline 360. To see the full module storyboard, including ED/ID communication and feedback, please see pp. 9-38 of the DICO eLearning Proposal and Design Document.
Once the objectives and storyboard were complete, the module site map, instructional content, and formative and summative checks for understanding (CFUs)/assessments were designed.
· Site Map p. 39 of the DICO eLearning Proposal and Design Document
· Formative and Summative CFUs/Assessment pp. 48-54 of the DICO eLearning Proposal and Design Document
Furthermore, accessibility components – i.e. closed captioning, alt text, font type, etc. – were outlined in p. 47 of the DICO eLearning Proposal and Design Document prior to development in Storyline.
Once the design and development of the module were complete, the module was user-tested and feedback was provided (via written and Zoom meeting communications), and the module was revised/finalized based on that feedback.
As a final step, I proposed a plan for a full year-long evaluation of the module, using all four of Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Evaluation. While the ED decided against implementing the full evaluation, the DICO Training Evaluation and Report thoroughly details the types of evaluation tools that could be used, along with mock data to demonstrate the types of results that may be collected and shared with stakeholders by implementing a full-scale evaluation of the learning. For more information, please view the following highlights from the DICO Training Evaluation and Report:
· Executive Summary pp. 2-3
· Evaluation Process pp. 8-10
· Evaluation Timeline p. 11
· Measurement Instruments, Descriptions, and Data Collection pp. 12-15
ID Design Models and Principles
The initial needs and learner analyses were based on the work and recommendations of Dick, Carey, and Carey (2015). Then, based on those analyses, I chose to use a Cognitive Information Processing (CIP) approach to support transfer of knowledge to working and long-term memory (Driscoll, 2005). More specifically, I designed the module in “chunks,” based on each objective, chose to include a variety of materials/content, including: videos, infographics, images, exemplars, readings, and opportunities for reflection, synthesis, and application to support learner engagement. “Do-type” and “absorb-type” activities (Horton, 2012), as well as the use of exemplars are heavily incorporated into each section of the module.
Because of the need for a relatively quick turnaround, I decided to use a rapid-prototyping model, so that it would be possible to initiate user testing with several team managers and regional directors, then revise and publish the module within 8 weeks.
Additionally, Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation were used to develop an evaluation plan and mock report detailing the scope, timeline, and types of data that could be collected if DICO were to choose to complete a full eLearning evaluation for the purpose of improving instruction and/or TM performance in future.
Tools
Storyline 360/Review, Canva, YouTube, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Google Drive, and WordPress
Hybrid Project Management
Audience
The audience for this presentation is instructional designers who also act as project managers and/or who are interested in learning about using a hybrid project management (PM) approach to manage ID projects.
Project Overview
This project required the use of research (academic, online articles, print text) to 1) determine a topic of interest related to project management (PM) for instructional designers (IDs), and 2) a presentation on the topic that detailed why the topic is relevant; personal interest in the topic; best practices for using the PM approach; common myths/misconceptions about the model; real-world application of the PM approach; and key takeaways.
Through conducting research, I determined that Hybrid Project Management was not only a relevant, but also timely, approach for IDs and others to manage small or large-scale projects. After settling on the topic, I collected relevant and reliable sources on the topic, synthesized the information, then created a storyboard for the presentation.
I then used the storyboard I created to build an interactive and informative presentation on the topic of Hybrid PM and submitted the presentation for peer review.
All in all, through this process I was able to learn about and share the importance of project management for IDs, as well as gain a deeper understanding of how the Hybrid PM approach can be used to manage projects, including accounting for and addressing contingencies; pivoting one’s approach as unforeseen issues arise (i.e., related to change in budget, timeline, resources, etc.); and how to avoid common mistakes when using Hybrid PM.
ID Design Models and Principles
For this presentation, I focused on two elements of ARCS: attention and relevance. Attention is gained through sharing a visual model of Hybrid PM and how it blends the traditional Waterfall PM approach and Agile methods. Both attention and relevance are further enhanced through the presentation of current PM trends, myths and misconceptions about Hybrid PM, and best practices for utilizing a Hybrid PM approach.
To create the presentation, I also followed key visual design principles for eLearning, such as color to evoke emotion, alignment, proximity, and repetition (e.g., “Key Takeaways”).
Tools
Storyline 360, Microsoft Word, Google Drive
Gamification
Master of Havoc
This game prototype was created to teach individuals ages 12+ how to best prepare for natural and man made disasters. It was built using PowerPoint, Canva, and public domain audio/video clips. Click on the map image above to view the PowerPoint.
Please also see the Game Pitch and Full Design Document for more details about the game concept, audience, learning objectives, game mechanics, etc.