Online Learning

M.S. in Talent Development – Things have changed and so have we!

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The University of St. Francis recently launched a new program in the area of talent development and training. The M.S. in Talent Development is an online program – 10 courses – to earn a Master’s degree.

Contact Dr. Bonnie J. Covelli for more information. bcovelli@stfrancis.edu or 815-740-5071

M.S. in Talent Development – Things Have Changed and So Have We

Embrace the future with a M.S. in Talent Development from University of St. Francis, Joliet, Illinois. The new curriculum aligns with the Association for Talent Development (ATD) Talent Development Capability Model™. If you have earned the distinguished Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD®) or Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP®), then you only need nine courses to earn the degree because you can earn credit for prior learning. #ATDmember

The Talent Development program offers employment possibilities such as a talent development manager or director, human resources manager or director, learning and development manager or director, training or education manager or director, manager of organizational learning, employee relations manager, HR administration director, human resources operations manager, development manager, education director, learning manager, staff training and development manager, training and development coordinator, training and development director, training director, training manager, director or dean of continuing education, higher education administration, director of adult or community education, human performance consultant, trainer, consultant, instructional designer.

Students will find both personal and professional growth in the study of talent development. In this program, students have the opportunity to complete assignments they can apply to their organization, institution, or place of employment. They will gain hands-on experience with effective ways of building organizational capability practices including the design, delivery, management, assessment of talent development initiatives uniquely suited to adults. The Talent Development program supports students if they want to move up in their current organization, secure a position in another organization, or make a career change.

The talent development program provides employers with professionals who have expertise in the areas of human resources and learning and development. Students will understand how developing a learning organization leads to improved performance in the workplace, and they will have an awareness of internal and external environments that will enable them to position talent effectively within their organizations.

Program Mission

The Master of Science in Talent Development program provides quality educational experiences in an applied curriculum for professionals in the fields of talent development, human resources, and the delivery of programs for adults.  

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  1. Increase knowledge of organizational capability practices including the design, delivery, management, assessment of talent development initiatives uniquely suited to adults
  2. Develop professional capability and awareness of ethical practices in the field of talent development
  3. Consult with various talent development stakeholders while building personal capability in the area of lifelong learning

Learn more at:

Talent Development (M.S.)

The online learning experience and students’ satisfaction

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Arshpreet K Thind, graduate student University of St. Francis, MS Training and Development Program.

This study explores the impact of the sudden shift to online learning during COVID-19 on undergraduate students.  Researchers conducted surveys before and after a few semesters of online learning, with over 1300 participants total. Findings showed dissatisfaction among a third of students, who reported struggles with technology, mental health, time management, and balancing studies with life.  Further investigation using focus groups revealed key factors behind dissatisfaction: distractions, reduced focus, psychological strain, and management issues. The study proposes solutions to improve the online learning experience and student satisfaction. This study provides valuable insights with a relatively large sample size (1300+) across two surveys. However, the focus on student perspectives soon after the initial shift to online learning (first survey) may not capture long-term adjustments. Additionally, solutions are proposed but their effectiveness isn’t evaluated.

Despite these limitations, the research offers a good starting point for understanding student struggles during the pandemic shift to online learning.  Educators and administrators developing online programs, particularly those in undergraduate settings, would find this information useful.

Reference:

Maqableh, M., & Alia, M. (2021). Evaluation online learning of undergraduate students under lockdown amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: The online learning experience and students’ satisfaction. Children and Youth Services Review, 128, 106160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106160

Empower Your Workplace: E-Learning Enhances Training and Development

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Erica LoBurgio, graduate student University of St. Francis, MS Training and Development Program.

In this article “The use of e-learning Course Management Systems to support learning strategies and to improve self-regulated learning,” authored by Y. Vovides, S. Sanchez-Alonso, V. Mitropoulou, and G. Nickmans, published in 2007 in the “Educational Journal Review,” studies how e-learning platforms are capable of improving educational capabilities by supporting numerous learning strategies as well as adopting self-determined and well-prepared learning. The effectiveness of course management systems (CMS) is studied in facilitating custom-made and personal to one’s self-learning paths, encouraging student engagement, and redefining academic outcomes by empowering learners to harness their own educational goals in self-monitoring, self-assessment, as well as goal setting.

The many approaches and insights that are used in this article can improve many areas of need in a company training and development programs. These improvements can be made by the information provided on performance tracking, increased engagement, personalized learning, enhanced employee training, and cost effectiveness – all discussed in depth in the article. All the approaches considered would lead a company into a more trained, capable, competent, and effective workplace environment.

Reference: Vovides, Y., Sanchez-Alonso, S., Mitropoulou, V., & Nickmans, G. (2007). The use of e-learning Course Management Systems to support learning strategies and to improve self-regulated learning. Educational Research Review, 2(1), 64-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2007.02.004

Starting Up Online Medical Education?

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Tricia Padgurskis, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Training and Development program.

Are medical schools using quality assurance guidelines to develop their online curriculum? If you were tasked to setup a new online medical education program, would you know how to start?

In the peer-reviewed, BMC Medical Education Journal, Wasfy et. al. (2021) felt there are gaps in the quality standards of online curriculum among medical schools.  They set out to create a list of criteria for best practice in online learning in medical education.  The criteria was based on the data collected from focus groups of novice and expert faculty in online higher medical education.  In this article, the authors list important guided questions to consider when developing online education, including: governance, administration, academic council, faculty and student online training needs, organizational capacity, resources, bylaws, course delivery, course design, learning assessment and human resource needs.  The list provides a nice overview of eLearning management considerations for most curriculum in higher education. However, future application of this tool still need to be studied.

If you need to take a closer look at your college’s online curriculum quality, I highly recommend reading this guide for evaluation of online learning in medical education. 

Reference:

Wasfy, N. F., Abouzeid, E., Nasser, A. A., Ahmed, S. A., Youssry, I., Hegazy, N. N., Shehata, M. H. K., Kamal, D., Atwa, H. (2021, June 10). A guide for evaluation of online learning in medical education: A qualitative reflective analysis. BMC Medical Education. BioMed Central. https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-021-02752-2

(L)earning (M)ade (S)upportive Through LMS Data 

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Sejdije Fejza, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Training and Development program.

In this article, researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia analyzed whether LMS data is useful in understanding learners and their needs. Video based learning management systems were assessed by monitoring how many times a student clicked on a video and the amount of time that video played. Exam results were also reviewed to determine whether LMS data can assist student learning. First, it revealed students’ preferences for learning. Additionally, students can reference back information or work on their own time. They also revealed that shorter videos and content receive the best results when instructing through this LMS. 

This source is helpful for organizations who are deciding what factors to assess in their LMS to support student learning. If individuals adopt this form of analysis to support learning, it is important that they carefully choose the best LMS features to assess. This will avoid limitations in data. For instance, it’s important to consider how engaged students are when watching a video. Therefore, the number of times clicked on a video may not necessarily correlate to whether the viewer is actively paying attention to the video to assist in their learning. 

Reference 

Maloney, S., Axelsen, M., Galligan, L., Turner, J., Redmond, P., Brown, A., Basson, M., & Lawrence, J. (2022). Using LMS log data to explore student engagement with coursework videos. Online Learning, 26(4), 399–423.

Choice and Performance Relationship, Not Always Friendly

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This post is provided by guest blogger, E Ivy, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Training and Development program.

A university faculty member studied the correlation between course registration timeliness & availability of choice in selecting courses, and achieving course completion with higher grades. When early registrants could choose an in-person or online course – and selected online – they completed the course and earned higher grades than their peers who registered late, with only the online option. One of the biggest performance gaps were with drop, fail and withdrawal students. The study concludes, if another face-to-face class was available, some students might have preferred and chosen it, and performed better. The study did not review specific student characteristics. 

I recommend postsecondary educators review this study as they may be interested in its literature review, hypotheses, and data analysis. I find this study conducted by a Judd Leighton School of Business and Economics faculty member to be credible. This study is helpful because it affirms that students have different learning preferences and compatibility with class modality. While some students have adapted to, and even prefer online education, in-person classes may best suit other learners. The findings highlight the importance of choice availability, as students may opt for e-learning courses only when the alternative is no class at all.

Pathak, B. K. (2019). Study of e-learning outcomes: The role of late-registration and self-selection. The e – Journal of Business Education & Scholarship of Teaching, 13(1), 13-19. Retrieved from EJ1239138.pdf (ed.gov)

Assessing Micro-Learning in a Healthcare Education Environment

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Theresa Anderson, graduate student University of St. Francis, MS Training and Development program.

This article on the healthcare education micro-learning environment measure (HEMLEM) is a research article aimed at creating an evidence-based measurement tool for assessing clinical micro-learning environments across several healthcare professional student groups. The authors suggest there may be gaps between what healthcare professional students should be learning and what they learn. The authors took a mixed methods approach to create a micro-learning environment measure. They acknowledge that teaching quality, staff attitudes, and behaviors are critical for a good micro-learning environment. 

The article is helpful for anyone attempting to measure how micro-learning within the education of a healthcare professional environment affects students’ learning. The authors created a measurement tool through a step-wise approach: literature analyzing existing tools, generating new items through thematic analysis of student experiences, the Delphi process involving healthcare educators, piloting the prototype, and item reduction. The item reduction tool was a twelve-question survey of the students with differing healthcare professions. HEMLEM seems to be an efficient way to measure success or what needs to be improved in a micro-learning environment. 

References

Isba, R., Rousseva, C., Wolf, K., & Byrne-Davis, L. (2020). Development of a brief learning environment measure for use in healthcare professions education: The healthcare education micro learning environment measure (HEMLEM). BMC Medical Education, 20(110). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-01996-8

Exploring Continuous Assessments

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Breanna Winters, graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in Training and Development program.

This article provides insight into the transition from traditional assessment methods in higher education to continuous assessments with a focus on integrating multiple choice assessments multiple times throughout a semester. Additionally, there are four studies reviewed in the article that question continuous assessment and alternative learner needs. The results of these studies support that having continuous assessments can help recognize when learners are becoming disengaged or experiencing a major life event. The results also confirm that the use of continuous assessments does not create a significant negative learning struggle for those with alternative learning needs (Playfoot et al., 2022).

This article can be useful for anyone whether in higher education, the corporate world, or the non-profit sector. It explores continuous assessments and brings to light the importance of considering if your learners have alternative learning needs and how assessments can impact the learner and feedback provided.

Reference

Playfoot, D., Wilkinson, L. L., & Mead, J. (2022). Is continuous assessment inclusive? An analysis of factors influencing student grades. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2022.2150834

E-learning Assessments Guide for Beginners

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Theresa Anderson, graduate student University of St. Francis, MS Training and Development program.

Wondering how to determine if your e-learning course is effective? Assessments, such as tests and quizzes, can provide valuable data. However, if you’re new to e-learning, you may be unsure of what constitutes a good assessment and what metrics are essential to measure. In this article, Bianca Woods (2022) addresses the most commonly asked questions about creating a practical e-learning quiz. Woods explains what e-learning assessments are, if assessments are always necessary, when learners should be assessed, what types of questions to include, and how to design effective assessment questions. 

If you’re new to online training and want to evaluate whether your course is well-designed, I highly recommend checking out this article. Woods (2022) recommends incorporating assessments at multiple points throughout the course if it aligns with the instructor’s goals. This article offers tips for beginners, and I plan to implement them in my work.

References

Woods, B. (2022). The beginner’s guide to effective e-learning assessments. E-Learning Heroes. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://community.articulate.com/articles/overview-of-e-learning-assessments

Traditional Assessments Gone Virtual

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This post is provided by guest blogger, Brianna Richardson, a graduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, MS in the Training and Development program.

As technology continues to transform learning landscapes with e-learning, it is vital to stay aware of current technologies that can help educators track student understanding in online environments. In the article “7 Ways to Do Formative Assessments in Your Virtual Classroom” for Edutopia, Nora Fleming (2020) provides a thought-provoking take on how instructors can take familiar assessment strategies, that were once implemented in-person, and apply them in a digital space to verify how well students are learning. Fleming gives readers a number of creative ideas on how to add virtual value using digital platforms to deliver reflection and connection opportunities.

The article is a comprehensive overview of different online platforms that can help learners connect with their peers, complete learning objectives, and identify knowledge gaps. It is a great read for instructors, or trainers, that understand traditional assessment strategies and are looking for ways to apply them to an online learning environment. After reading, instructors will be aware of innovative solutions for assessing online learning outcomes. The article highlights platforms like Canva for online journal reflections, Padlet for live knowledge checks, or video conferencing platforms for peer-to-peer evaluation (Fleming, 2020). The strategies aren’t new, but the delivery method may be.

Reference

Fleming, N. (2020, October 1). 7 ways to do formative assessments in your virtual classroom. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-ways-do-formative-assessments-your-virtual-classroom/