Performance Problems and Non Instructional Solution
As an English III teacher, one performance problem in my line of work is poor student homework completion. If I assign any type of homework (essay, worksheet, etc.), my turn in rates are often lower than 50%.
Using the HPT model for the International Society for Performance Improvement (Figure 14.2), I started with the performance analysis. Basically, the desired workforce performance would be homework completion rates of 85% or higher; however, the actual state of workforce performance is often homework completion rates of under 50%. This indicated a definite gap.
A cause analysis leads me to believe that there is a lack of incentives and rewards, feedback, and support for my students to feel motivated to complete homework.
For intervention selection and design, I’ve come up with a few non instructional solutions. First, I want to create homework support groups for each class period by adding chat rooms to our class website using ShoutMix. There would be bonus point incentives for students who access the support groups, either for help or to help others. I would also like to try a flexible turn in schedule. For example, students would have a “window” of two or three days to turn in and complete work. This extended time should help increase the completion rate. Lastly, I will grade and return homework at a faster rate and print out updated weekly progress reports. This will allow students to see how their not completing homework is directly affecting their average on a weekly basis, instead of just at progress report and final grade time (twice a six weeks).
I really plan on implementing these non instructional solutions starting the beginning of next semester. I am hopeful they will help my students be more successful in completing their homework.
EPSS
EPSS Definitions
I was able to find a few definitions of electronic performance support systems that weren’t essentially the same as Raybould and Gery. Here they are:
Webbasedtraining.com
http://www.webbasedtraining.com/primer_glossary.aspx
electronic performance support system (EPSS) Applications designed to run simultaneously with other applications or embedded within other applications that provide support for the user in accomplishing specific tasks. An EPSS may provide needed information, present job aids, and deliver just-in-time, context-sensitive training on demand. A Web-based performance support system (WBPSS) is an EPSS that uses Web technology to deliver support in an enterprise environment.
PC Magazine
(Electronic Performance Support System) A computer system that provides quick assistance and information without requiring prior training to use it. It may incorporate all forms of multimedia delivery as well as AI techniques such as expert systems and natural language recognition.
EPSS Central
An electronic performance support system can also be described as any computer software program or component that improves employee performance by
1. reducing the complexity or number of steps required to perform a task,
2. providing the performance information an employee needs to perform a task, or
3. providing a decision support system that enables an employee to identify the action that is appropriate for a particular set of conditions.
My Preference
I prefer a combination of two definitions. The first is from Webbasedtraining.com. I like how it emphasizes that an EPSS application should work within or embedded in other applications that are already being used as a support system in the workplace. I also agree that the best EPSS offer “on demand” “context-sensitive” training. Workers should be able to get support and information whenever they need it and in a timely manner. The mention of the web-based performance support system is also interesting. This allows users even more flexibility in accessing information and support from anywhere (home, office, vacation) and with a number of devices (PC, Laptop, mobile phones and other devices).
I also agree with the textbook’s definition that “the knowledge base grows as workers use the system. In essence, the EPSS is dynamic; ongoing synergistic input from the users continuously changes the system (Laffey, 1995).” Given the changing role of the Internet to Web 2.0, and even Web 3.0, technologies, I feel this is an essential component of the definition in order to keep EPSS up-to-date. In order to stay current, EPSS applications should work much like wikis where workers add tacit knowledge based on experience and insight.
Current and Future Use of EPSS
EPSS is currently not being widely used because of the risk involved. Management feels unsure about the success of EPSS applications and also highly ignorant about them. To change the system and invest what feels to be a substantial amount of time and money can be a daunting undertaking to a business.
EPSS applications will be used more in the future. Like any major change, progress tends to be slow. As companies begin to see more data focusing on successful EPSS in business, they will begin to jump on the bandwagon. EPSS will grow along with the technology making the systems easily accessible from a variety of devices. The growing trend toward dynamic technology, like Web 2.0, will make EPSS an essential tool for collaborative support systems. It is only a matter of time before EPSS will gain recognition.
Knowledge Management and the Blended Learning Approach
The Problem
Our district has had a paced curriculum for all core courses for about five years now. The online curriculum for the English department is hard to understand and offers little in the way of interactive, engaging lessons to teach the assigned objectives. There is also no support for teachers with questions or concerns. Consequently, teachers have either played by the rules and stuck to the lackluster curriculum with little success or they have chosen to ignore it completely and venture out on their own. The original goal of the paced curriculum was to help teachers be more successful in the classroom and save them much needed time and energy in the planning stages; however, this is not the reality.
The Solution
Using the blended learning approach and a knowledge management system can help the paced English curriculum be more successful. I propose formal training in the way of training sessions where the English teachers are shown the basics of paced curriculum including the overall objectives and how to access the information to be successful. Teachers will be given starter manuals, and the informal learning can then begin. Access will be through a main portal, a wiki created for the English teachers of the district. The wiki will have uploaded lesson plans, discussion boards, and links to the paced curriculum database, Eduphoria. Collaboration will be both online and face-to-face. Teachers will use the online discussion boards on the wiki to ask questions and brainstorm ideas for particular objectives. They will also be able to upload lesson plans to share with one another. The district will also set-up collaboration meetings with the district coordinator for English I, II, III, and IV teachers separately. These meetings will allow the teachers to have face-to-face discussions. The outcomes of the collaboration process will be codified into the wiki and Eduphoria database. The teachers’ experience and collective knowledge along with the curriculum objectives will all be uploaded into the database and wiki for easy access. Hopefully, with successful collaboration, teachers will be able to access several resources for teaching each objective in the curriculum in a meaningful way.
My Informal Learning
GIMP—GNU Image Manipulation Program
GIMP is a free, online image-editing program that works a lot like PhotoShop. When I had my son, I downloaded and began using GIMP in order to spice up my photographs and learn digital scrapbooking. Because I was highly engaged and invested in learning, I really enjoyed the experience. I found online tutorials, both text and video, to help me learn the basics in the beginning. There are several blogs and discussion boards to get help, advice, and share ideas. I also did a lot of learning by trail and error. I started out as a novice learner, but eventually ended up an active participant, offering my own freebies and tutorials on my own personal blog. I didn’t have an official instructor, instead all the makers of the tutorials and discussion board participants became my teachers.
I wanted to create a class website four years ago for my students and their parents to access information about my class outside of school. I chose Google Sites because it seemed to be the most user-friendly. I found learning the basics of the application to be incredibly easy. If I ran into a problem, I used online tutorials, both text and video. I also sought out the help of colleagues who were familiar with the application. As I became more comfortable, I began to add more complex information to the site, altering html code. Students began to request embedded videos, chat boxes, slide shows, etc. Without realizing it, I became an informal instructor on my campus. Teachers began to come see me asking for help starting their own sites and troubleshooting problems. Feel free to view my site here.
OFYP Book Study
Last year our district piloted an Optional Flex Year Plan for students who failed one or more TAKS tests. Students who passed all their exams were allowed to leave school two weeks early. Students who failed one or more tests had to stay for one-on-one tutoring. About ten teachers on campus, including myself, were put in charge of teaching a book study on The Hunger Games. We were given little instruction or curriculum, only a class set of books. We connected through email and set-up a meeting. During the meeting we shared ideas and mapped out a basic curriculum for the upcoming two weeks. We knew our students would be at-risk, and the book study would need to be as engaging as possible. After the meeting, a colleague and I started a Google site for the book study and uploaded our lesson plans and provided links to information. We invited all the other teachers as collaborators. Thanks to our collaboration throughout the unit, we had several resources and were able to “hook” our students.
