Artifact Reflection

1. What was the context (the course, purpose, situation, etc.) in which this artifact was created?

This project was created for 240:235 – Performance Management Technology taught by Dr. Ana Donaldson during the fall 2009 semester at the University of Northern Iowa. This final project is a Performance Improvement Intervention for the Eastside Ministerial Alliance (EMA) in Waterloo, Iowa. The EMA’s executive director, Ms. Martha Frazier, contacted Dr. Donaldson seeking assistance with a variety of performance issues that were having an adverse affect on the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission. As a nonprofit organization, funding is limited, and as a result, it was necessary to focus on interventions that would work within the limited financial and human resources available to the EMA. After performing an environmental analysis and cause analysis, it was the conclusion of the project team and Dr. Donaldson, who served as subject matter expert for this project, that grant funding would be necessary to ultimately achieve the performance improvement the organization was seeking.

This project provides the rationale for a grant proposal and for a grant writing workshop that will provide the staff and board of the EMA the necessary tools to successfully submit grant proposals to funding organizations.

This project was completed through the collaborative efforts of a team of five UNI graduate students all enrolled in this class.

2. What outcome(s) (ECIT standards) were you to demonstrate in creating it? For each outcome, describe how the artifact addressed the standard.

 

Design

1.1.a – Utilize and implement design principles which specify optimal conditions for learning.

Learning environments function best when connected with real life scenarios. The proposed grant writing workshop will teach the necessary skills to submit a successful grant, while at the same time providing a connection to real life as the staff and board learn using environmental factors that will ultimately become a part of the final grant proposal.

1.1.5.c – Demonstrate congruency among goals/objectives, instructional strategies, and assessment measures.

The project documentation addresses the ideal conditions for a grant writing workshop that will lead to a successful grant proposal. Moreover, the long-range interventions outlined in the project can be accomplished through the acquisition of funding from a granting organization.

 

Utilization

3.1.1 – Identify key factors in selecting and using technologies appropriate for learning situations specified in the instructional learning process.

The project identifies the organization’s website as a key technology in managing and communicating with the partner organizations and key volunteers. The project also proposes the implementation of a database management system to improve management of the administrative and financial functions of the organization.

3.2.1 – Identify strategies for the diffusion, adoption, and dissemination of innovations in learning communities.

The project identifies the executive director, Martha Frazier, as the key change agent within the organization and proposes strategies to assist her in affecting long-term adoption of change initiatives.

3.3.1 – Use appropriate instructional materials and strategies in various learning contexts.

The project identifies the need for additional job aids and on-the-job training strategies to improve overall performance as well as ultimately allow the executive director more time for mission-critical initiatives.

3.3.2 – Identify and apply techniques for integrating ECIT innovations in various learning contexts.

The project proposes a grant writing workshop that will provide the staff and board the necessary tools to write a successful grant proposal using real life factors in the learning environment.

3.3.4 – Identify strategies to maintain use after initial adoption.

The project employs various evaluation and reporting mechanisms to maintain focus on the primary objectives and to provide feedback to the board on the status of the PII process.

3.4.1 – Identify and apply standards for the use of instructional technology.

The proposed grant writing workshop demonstrates the emphasis on learning within context and connecting instruction to real life scenarios.

3.4.2 – Identify and apply policies which incorporate professional ethics within practice.

The project addresses the high ethical standards the EMA holds to and is sensitive to the ministry-related mission of the organization as well as the necessary reliance on volunteer assistance.

3.4.3 – Identify and apply copyright and fair use guidelines within practice.

The project team operated within all acknowledge copyright and fair use guidelines in developing this project and in proposing performance improvement interventions.

3.4.4 – Identify and implement effective policies related to the utilization, application and integration of instructional technologies.

The project is consistent with the policies and standards established by the EMA board of directors and is sensitive to the ministry-related, social-services context the organization functions within.

3.4.5 – Identify policies and regulations which apply to the utilization, application and integration of distance delivery technologies.

The project team incorporated employee qualification standards into the environmental and cause analysis section as well as organizational ethical standards.

 

Management

4.0.1 – Demonstrate leadership attributes with individuals and groups.

As project manager for our team, I was responsible for bringing this project in on time and for ensuring the team was aware of their individual responsibilities.

4.1.1 – Apply project management techniques in various learning and training contexts

In this project, I served in the role of project manager which required a variety of leadership tasks.

4.2.1 – Apply resource management techniques in various learning and training contexts.

The project required sensitivity to the limited financial and human resources available to the EMA and to develop interventions within the limited budget constraints.

4.3.1 – Apply delivery system management techniques in various learning and training contexts.

The project addresses the need for just-in-time training and improved on the job training to help meet the overall organizational goals.

4.4.1 – Apply information management techniques in various learning and training contexts.

A variety of information resources were utilized in the development of the project. These are addressed in the Appendix and the references cited.

 

Evaluation

5.1.1 – Identify and apply problem analysis skills in appropriate educational communications and instructional technology contexts.

The project addresses the environmental and cause analysis of the performance issues affecting the organization.

5.2.1 – Develop and apply criterion-referenced measures in a variety of ECIT contexts.

The project team worked in cooperation with the instructional development teach designing the grant writing workshop to ensure the project addresses the needs identified by the ID team and is consistent with their proposed ID project for a grant writing workshop.

5.3.1 – Develop and apply formative and summative evaluation strategies in a variety of ECIT contexts.

The project presents formative and summative evaluation strategies that are consistent with ECIT standards.

5.4.1 – Develop a long-term strategic plan related to any of the domains or subdomains.

The project addresses the need for a strategic plan review that is consistent with the performance interventions proposed in the project documentation.

 

3. What problem(s) did you encounter in creating this artifact? What did you learn from encountering this problem, and how can you apply this in your current or future professional life?

The most challenging component of this project was designing a workable plan that the EMA is capable of adopting and implementing given their limited resources. All of the team members were aware that any proposals we suggested would ultimately end up on Ms. Frazier’s “to do” list, and she is already drowning in work. In visiting with Ms. Frazier, it becomes immediately obvious that she is overwhelmed with the amount of work and yet she is very gracious and optimistic. I believe all of the team members drew inspiration from her.

The challenge, therefore, was to develop a plan that would not simply become another burden on Ms. Frazier. I think we were able to accomplish this.

The lesson learned is that instructional technologist many times work on the theoretical end of the spectrum, and that we depend on the capable skills of someone like Ms. Martha to ultimately bring our project design to a successful outcome. As we deal with technology, we cannot lose focus of the real people in the trenches who have a wide variety of issues to deal with. We want our instructional design projects to be seen as a help and not a burden.

 

4. What does this work show about you and your capabilities?

This project demonstrated my abilities to function as a project manager and to successfully bring a project to completion within the required timeline. Given the nature of the EMA’s mission and its importance to the community, I drew personal meaning and fulfillment from this project and sincerely hope that the work we did this semester along with the work of the Instructional Design team working on the grant writing workshop will prove to be of great value to the organization in helping them fulfill their mission and purpose.

 

5. What did completing this work teach you about yourself within the field of instructional technology?

The field of Human Performance Technology was new to me prior to this class. I appreciate the skills this project helped me acquire. HPT is an important and growing field within management and training, and I believe the skills I learned will serve me well in the years ahead.

The important factor I learned as it relates to the field of instructional technology is the human connection this project emphasized. This project was not technology intensive, but rather human intensive. This required our team to constantly be sensitive to the human impact our proposed interventions would have on the EMA staff.

 

Textbooks for this Course: 

Chevalier, R. (2007).  A manager’s guide to improving workplace performance.  New York, NY: Amacom.

Van Tiem, D.M., Moseley, J. L., & Dessinger, J. C. (2001). Performance improvement interventions: Enhancing people, processes, and organizations through performance technology. Silver Spring, MD: International Society for Performance Improvement.

 

---

Artifact