Soft skills for leadership.
Learning Experience Design
Training that leverages instructional design and learning science.
Instructional Design
The instructional design follows the ADDIE model for design, development, and evaluation, and Kirkpatrick’s model of evaluation.
Methodology
The following concept project combines elements of a traditional course with scenario-based learning for an instructive and immersive experience.
Learning Science
This training utilizes Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning, Gagne’s nine events of learning, and Mayer’s 12 principles of multimedia learning.
Business Need
Internally promoted employees lack prior training and experience.
The Problem
Stakeholders have observed a low level of engagement and collaboration among team members with most staff completing tasks in an isolated capacity, which they believe is contributing to a lack of cohesion and productivity in the workplace. Morale among employees is visibly low and the work environment has suffered.
The Analysis
In an anonymous staff survey, most employees reported that they did not feel encouraged to share ideas or view themselves as an integral part of a team. They also reported having less than average job satisfaction. A follow up survey delivered to team leaders revealed that none of them had any prior leadership training or experience.
Learning Solution
An instructive and immersive scenario-based learning experience.
The Solution
My solution for the organization is to make training in emotional intelligence part of their protocol when promoting team members to team lead positions. The learning solution will be instructive and immersive, so that users have the opportunity to both learn and practice implementing the skills with real-life scenarios.
The Learning Targets
The terminal learning target guides the instructional design, while the enabling learning targets scaffold and state the learning target in learner friendly language and essentially tell the learner what they will be able to do by the end of the training.
Training Experience
Training that is actionable, relevant, and applicable.
Action Mapping
The learning target serves as the focal point of an action map that includes all of the actions that managers need to take to achieve the central goal. These actions are incorporated throughout the training so that the scenarios and practice opportunities are relevant and applicable.
User Experience Design
A learner-centered approach that prioritizes the participants.
Universal Design for Learning
Learner personas were developed to consider the individual learning needs and preferences of the training participants.
Audience
This course will be administered to recent promotees who have demonstrated strong abilities in their staff roles, and are now new to their managerial positions that will require coaching, mentoring, and evaluating employees, and building a highly effective team.
Learning Design
A Backwards Design Model was used for the learning design because it focuses on the big picture by beginning with the end in mind. This design model is well suited for a goal-oriented training that wants to produce desired results.
Learning Flow
The eLearning follows a linear learning flow so that learners are guided to learn content sequentially.
Building Blocks
The content includes main content, interactive scenarios with formative feedback, drag and drop quick checks, a summary, a quiz with true or false and multiple choice items, next steps, and a downloadable infographic job aid.
The building blocks are designed to be varied in content and interactive to promote a high level of engagement, with practice activities and formative feedback that guide learners toward mastery of content and skills before a summative assessment quiz. Learners are also be provided with next steps to promote the application of newly obtained skills.
Macro and Modular Design
A Backwards Design Model with a linear learning flow.
Digital
An eLearning course is a cost effective option and convenient for trainees to complete alongside a fast-paced business schedule.
Andragogical
Guided learning with emphasis placed on scenario-based practice opportunities is an andragogical approach to learning. Instruction for adults should be relevant, applicable, self-directed, and experiential.
Course Design
A digital training with an andragogical approach to learning.
Once the information and script are written, the content is transferred to a written storyboard to begin planning the organization of slides. After visuals are sourced and edited, the visual storyboard is created to help stakeholders conceptualize the overall look and feel of the course.
Screen Planning
An overview of the slides and notes for programming, audio, text, and navigation.
Development
The alpha and beta phases of eLearning development provide a clear pathway for delivering a quality training and user experience.
Beta Phase
The beta stage focuses on authoring the final eLearning experience. During this stage, feedback from the alpha stage is implemented to improve or enhance the project. Testing checks are done to ensure the final training is ready to be uploaded to a learning management system and provide users with a quality training experience.
Tools
Industry leading tools were used to develop the prototype and the complete eLearning solution. All visuals were sourced from Freepik and edited in Adobe Illustrator. Google Workspace was used for creating the storyboards and slides, and the final product was programmed with Storyline 360.
Alpha Phase
During the alpha phase, I planned learning aims and objectives of the training, the content, and the basic layout and structure of the eLearning experience. Creating a basic prototype helps stakeholders visualize how the training will look and function and provide additional feedback.
Evaluation
The final phase of ADDIE and Kirkpatrick’s model of evaluation.
Kirkpatrick’s Model
Kirkpatrick’s four level model of evaluation provides a comprehensive method of determining the effectiveness of training by considering both the participants and the organization.
The clear structure can help with identifying strengths and weaknesses of the training program, and lead to continuous improvement. It also encourages alignment between the training and business goals, so that the organization can see measurable benefits.
