training and development

Building a Culture of Continuous Learning

Posted by

0

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

Successful eLearning stems from a successful learning culture that focuses on continuous growth. In a recent article, Johnson (2023) discusses three key strategies to building a strong eLearning culture, which include: the support of leadership, integrating existing learning initiatives, and promoting employee engagement and participation. The author explains how to implement these three key strategies to help organizations build a strong learning culture. These strategies will help build a successful and meaningful eLearning initiative that builds a strong culture of continuous learning within any organization.

I recommend this article for anyone who works within eLearning and is looking to foster a culture that promotes continuous learning and growth. This article provides useful tools for organizations to use that incorporate support from leadership, integration into existing initiatives, and encouraging employee engagement by giving employees an understanding of why eLearning is relevant to them. The combination of these three strategies are a great starting point for organizations looking to create a strong culture of learning and continuous growth.

Reference:

Johnson, Reginald. (2023, July). Strategies For Implementing eLearning In Building A Learning Culture. Retrieved from: Strategies For Successful eLearning Implementation (elearningindustry.com)

Knowledge Management – Building the Foundation for eLearning

Posted by

0

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

Efficient, fast, accurate, streamlined – these are some of the many words used to describe communication technology.  While business and education are keeping up with digital trends, they can manage and impart information through eLearning.  Before eLearning can be implemented, a strong foundation should be built through strategic planning, organizational mission, and cultural vision.  Author Rommel Benedick Lim (2021) discusses the importance of preparation before implementation.  Through change management and strong leadership, businesses can create the perfect setting for knowledge management to be effective.  ”The combination of business goals with learning programs will make eLearning sustainable in the workplace” (Lim, 2021). 

I recommend this article for anyone interested in setting the stage for an eLearning program in their workplace.  The information speaks volumes of the importance to prepare first, implement next, and sustain going forward.  The article does not go into detail about eLearning itself, but instead focuses on the activity that should take place before eLearning is brought onboard.  The author recommends understanding the “learning culture” and “communication channels”, when preparing to implement eLearning.  Overall, the article is insightful of the steps to truly understand organizational needs, so that knowledge management of an eLearning program can be effective and successful.   

Reference

Lim, R.B. (2021, April). How to Implement and Sustain eLearning in the Workplace. eLearning Industry.com. https://elearningindustry.com/how-implement-and-sustain-elearning-in-workplaceLinks to an external site

The Choice to Choose in E-Learning

Posted by

0

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

The article surmises that there are negligible differences between students’ mastery of course content when they can choose how they complete some tasks versus no choice. The honesty was appreciated (in one study there was an error (which was later corrected) due to a choice not being turned off. Also, instructors, educators must take into consideration that when offering student choices, it can create more work for the educators/instructors not only when creating these choices but also grading. The more positive side includes students tend to be more engaged with their learning and the group that were able to make their own choices with their eLearning scored higher on their quizzes. Admittedly, (much like the article) research is limited when evaluating effective instructional practices for online learning environments and all the things that go along with it, and as usual you can’t mention online learning experience without blaming some of the problem on the pandemic and this article was no different.

I recommend this article would be great for anyone new to creating courses that will give students the ability to choose their own eLearning direction. Anyone in research on the subject matter of course students writing papers this is a general coverage article and a relatively easy read. Although it lacks the steps in ways that one would go about offering choices for eLearning, it does give views on the pitfalls one may face when offering choices.

MacNaul, H., Garcia, R., Cividini-Motta, C., & Thacker, I. (2021). Effect of assignment choice on student academic performance in an online class. Behavior analysis in practice, 14(4), 1074–1078. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00566-8   Retrieved on June 6, 2024 from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7909734/

The Importance of Performance Assessment in E-Learning

Posted by

0

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

Performance-based assessments are a great way for learners to apply new knowledge in real-world situations. In a recent article, Christopher Pappas (2023), discusses why performance-based assessments are a great way for students to enhance their critical thinking skills and display their understanding of new concepts. The author provides examples of four different types of performance assessments: project-based, portfolio, simulation, and authentic assessments. Learners need to be assessed according to their learning style and needs in order to showcase their performance and level of understanding.

I recommend this article for anyone who works in instructional design and is looking to implement new performance-based assessments in the classroom. This article provides useful tools by providing examples of various performance assessments and defining why they are effective when aligned properly to the learning material and learners themselves. These assessment methods are briefly described and are a great starting point for anyone looking to improve their performance assessments.

Reference:

Pappas, C. (2023, June). What is performance based assessment? https://elearningindustry.com/what-is-performance-based-assessment  

Management Education – the Unique Gem

Posted by

0

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

This article focused on changes that were implemented for students of management education and management education educators in the post COVID-19 era. The world had to pivot in 2020, and adult learning was no exception. This article explained changes that transformed learning. Management education is unique in such that the education is provided for business leaders, administrators and provides professional or expert advice. This is a specialty area of education.

This was an awesome article; this article would be beneficial for graduate students doing research for training and development programs or for instructional design program students. This is also a great article for professors who teach management education.

Ratten V. (2023). The post COVID-19 pandemic era: Changes in teaching and learning methods for management educators. The International Journal of Management Education, 21(2), 100777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2023.100777Links to an external site..

The Impact of Technology on Student Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis

Posted by

0

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

In this article “The impact of technology integration on student learning outcomes: A comparative study,” authored by Chia Ming Hong, Chee Keong Ch’ng, and The Raihana Nazirah Roslan, published in 2023 in the International Journal of Social Sciences, Educational, Economics, Agriculture Research, and Technology (IJSET), studies how the integration of technology changes the effects of student learning outcomes and educational practices. The article explains how different technology settings can enhance the students’ learning, student engagement, learning outcomes, and overall performance when successfully added into the course program.

The article delivers a comparative evaluation between students who are already provided with technological equipment and those who learn in conventional learning conditions without the technological equipment. Hong et al. (2023) provides a literature review, benefits of technology integration, methodology, as well as impact and outcomes. It is argued that with the ever-evolving world, students are required to be equipped with the technological tools to be successful.

Reference:

Hong, C. M., Ch’ng, C. K., & Roslan, T. R. N. (2023). The impact of technology integration on student learning outcomes: A comparative study. International Journal of Social Science, Educational, Economics, Agriculture Research, and Technology (IJSET), 2(9). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373266726_The_Impact_of_Technology_Integration_on_Studen _Learning_Outcomes_A_Comparative_Study/fulltext/64e47c6040289f7a0faaf157/The-Impact-of Technology-Integration-on-Student-Learning-Outcomes-A-Comparative-Study.pdf

Effective Strategies for Effective Instructional Design

Posted by

0

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

Effective instructional design is accomplished by using the proper teaching methods that align to the objectives of the course being developed. In a recent article, Steph Nagl, discusses instructional design methods that can be integrated into teaching to evoke the best outcomes for learners. The author discusses the following instructional design models: ADDIE model, Merril’s Principles of Instruction, Gagne’s Nine Events of Instructions, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Backward Design/Understanding by Design. The author concludes that instructional design is most effective when the method that complements the course content and learning style of the students is utilized.

I recommend this article for anyone who works in instructional design and is looking to implement new strategies into their classroom. This article provides useful insights by asking each instructional design method and defining why it is effective when aligned properly to the objectives of the learning material. These instructional design methods are briefly described and are a great starting point for anyone looking to improve their online classroom environment.

Reference:

Nagl, S. (2023, May). Top 5 instructional design methods for effective teaching. Wake Forest University. https://sps.wfu.edu/articles/instructional-design-methods/

Is Tech Friend or Foe in Healthcare?

Posted by

0

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

Current and future technologies are impacting healthcare. In particular, this article focused on the computerized patient order entry (CPOE) programs. This process is used by clinicians to enter and send treatment instructions electronically through a CPOE application; previously this was done by paper. These applications were created in hopes to improve patient safety to help alleviate wrong- dosing, wrong medication, wrong route and wrong delivery.

The article explains how there remains many flaws with these applications from many programs not having the ability to recognize an incorrect entry by a clinician. (E.g.) An error in the keystroke such as future dating for a year away, there should flag that alerts the clinician requiring them to verify for things like this. The article mentioned a pharmacist set a medication start date for a year away instead of the next morning these things could not only cause a delay a care but could lead up to and include an untimely death. Alarm and alert fatigue, currently clinicians override the system alerts and although only about 10% were incorrectly overridden, when we speak in term of patient lives even 1% is too many. These errors can impact patient outcomes tremendously. 

The author mentioned AI being introduced into healthcare and how this will present challenges; AI tends to learn behaviors this could lead to the AI making decisions without the clinician being involved, as a clinician in healthcare myself this sounds so scary. I will say from the overall tone of the article technology has brought us so far but truly we have so far to go and still face many challenges that we need to explore with current technologies and the future technologies on the rise and to stay on top of these things. I will personally say that within the next 3 years there will be new jobs in healthcare that will deal with these exact issues. 

Reference

 Holmgren, J., McBride, S., Gale, B, & Mossburg, S. (2023, March 29). Technology as a tool for improving patient safety. Patient Safety Network. Retrieved from: https://psnet.ahrq.gov/perspective/technology-tool-improving-patient-safety#:~:text=Introduction,cost%20across%20all%20healthcare%20settings. 

Assessing Micro-Learning in a Healthcare Education Environment

Posted by

0

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

E-learning Assessments Guide for Beginners

Posted by

0

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