My Experience with "Scope Creep"

The most recent project I engaged in was for my last course through Walden University, Distance Learning (EDUC 6135-3).  I described the project details and the general scope of the project in a previous post on this blog.  The project called for the development of an online orientation program for learners who were new to distance learning.  The orientation course was developed and presented online through the content management system (CMS) Schoology.  For this project I did not work with team members and all of the work on aspects of the project such as the design of the learning activities or deliverables were done alone.

In essence the poor planning on my part lead to the phenomenon know as scope creep throughout the project.  Portney et al. in Project Management: Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling Projects define scope creep as “the natural tendency of the client, as well as project team members, to try to improve the project’s output as the project progresses.” (p. 346)  In the case of my project the scope creep was a result of changing the learning activities in an attempt to improve them and also to meet the criteria of the project.  The work on the project was progressing at an adequate rate and following the schedule set forth during the course.  Then toward the final stage of the project the following requirement was introduced: “Throughout this course, you have read about and we have discussed the characteristics of effective distance education, the need to address diverse learners, and the importance of learner engagement. One way we address these is by incorporating a variety of media, materials, and activities into the courses we develop.  Consider what will appeal to your various learners who all likely have different motivational profiles, study habits, and abilities. With this in mind, you may need/want to include text-based material, graphic and visual elements, and video and audio media in your course module.  Also consider how you will engage your learners. For example, relate the material specifically to their interests and needs; incorporate problem solving, creativity, and perhaps humor (used judiciously); develop activities that require their active participation (games, interactive activities, etc.)”

Due to the nature of the project in that there was no true client or budget concerns the scope creep in this instance was quite different than in a more traditional sense.  However, developing some semblance of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) would have been of some benefit.  The WBS would have allowed me to look at the learning activities more closely and allowed me to create them with the criteria in mind.  Instead, my planning was very unorganized and I never documented any type of WBS or storyboard to help plan the content. 

Scope creep as it pertains to my scenario also could have been avoided to a certain degree by implementing more strategical project planning techniques such as developing a timeline and a scope statement.  The project scope statement takes the project charter and expands on it in order to look more closely at what the end products should look like.  Michael Greer in The Project Management Minimalist: Just Enough PM to Rock Your Projects a scope statement will help you “figure out exactly what specific items (i.e., tangible work products, also called deliverables*) the project team must create. In a nutshell, you need to meet with all of your stakeholders and conduct a brainstorming session in order to document, in “high resolution,” everything you are going to be building.” (p. 13)

References:

Greer, M. (2010). The project management minimalist: Just enough PM to rock your projects! (Laureate custom ed.). Baltimore: Laureate Education, Inc. 

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The Art of Effective Communication

Communicating Effectively

In this exercise we look at the same message being delivered from one team member to another in three different modalities:  Email, voicemail and face-to-face.  In each modality the message can be interpreted differently based on how it is delivered.  In the first modality Jane is contacting Mark in attempt to recover the data she needs to move forward and the message is delivered in text through email.  In the email the message almost has a tone that implicates Mark for losing or misplacing the information/data.  From my experience delivering a message through email can often lead to the reader assuming a certain tone from the sender and thus this type of communication is less effective or can even cause a rift between parties.

The effectiveness of communicating the message was a little improved in the second modality which was via voicemail.  Through this modality Mark can hear the tone in Jane’s voice and therefore he can focus on the message itself.  Often the focus can be directed toward how the message was delivered and the concern becomes geared toward the mood or tone of the person delivering the message: are they angry, upset, frustrated, anxious, calm, professional, accusatory, etc.

In the third modality the message is delivered by Jane to Mark in a face-to-face meeting.  This is the most effective delivery of the three because Mark isn’t left to interpret Jane’s tone and he can also read her body language.  In the face-to-face meeting Mark has the ability to have a conversation with Jane also and the personal nature of this modality creates an atmosphere that is much more personable.   Dr. Stolovitch, in the video program “Communicating with Stakeholders” discusses the art of communicating with team members working on a project and the importance of tonality and body language.  Spirit and attitude are also factors that have an affect on communication and research indicates that 93% of communication comes in forms other than words. 

From this exercise we can develop an understanding of why it is important to communicate face-to-face whenever possible.  Stolovitch also goes on to state that when working with team members all formal, important communication should take place live, in a face-to-face meeting.  This modality allows for team members to communicate most effectively with tone and body language as a key part of the delivery of the information.  Portney et al., in Project Management: Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling Projects, state “The key to successful project management is effective communication…through communication people exchange and share information with one another, and influence one another’s attitudes, behaviors, and understandings.” (p. 357)  Delivering important information or data can be done most effectively in person and should be the mode of communication whenever it is feasible.

References:

Laureate Education, Inc. (n.d.). Communicating with Stakeholders [Video A]. Laureate Education, Inc. [Producer]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6052000&Survey=1&47=7840074&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Post-mortem Reflection

POST-MORTEM

Background – Distance Learning (EDUC 6135-3)

Overview of the project:

The most recent project that I was involved in was for my last Walden University course, Distance Learning (EDUC 6135-3).  Here was how the project was described per the course instructions: “For the Course Project, you will develop an online orientation for new distance learners who are enrolled in a distance learning course or training workshop. The project is cumulative, and you will work on specific elements each week.

This Course Project will serve three purposes. First, as an instructional designer, it will deepen your familiarity with the many nuances of preparing and developing a distance learning experience. Second, by looking at distance learning from the learner’s perspective, it will formulate a connection between the different methods used by distance learners to succeed and how to best design effective distance learning experiences for them. Lastly, it will allow you to develop skills using a course management system (CMS), which will be used to deliver your online orientation program.

Your online orientation program should present strategies for succeeding in a distance learning environment and should provide an overview of what to expect when taking a distance learning course compared to a traditional instructor-led course.”

I found the work on the project to be very rewarding for it asked me to develop my own personal knowledge and skills in this area in a creative way.  I was proud of the project deliverables due to the experience I gained in providing learning activities that incorporated technology and Web 2.0 tools.  We were asked to create 3 learning modules and each should show variety in how the content was delivered, I believe I accomplished that. 

Looking back, I believe starting the project sooner would have allowed me more time to explore various areas of the project more specifically.  For example, using the Schoology content management system, or CMS, took time to become familiarized with.  With further exploration I believe that I could have delivered content on the site in a more organized way and with more creative use of technology.

In the end, the results were very satisfying and purposeful because I can use them in the future as a teacher/instructional designer.  The design of the artifacts will allow me to enhance the current courses I teach and improve how I deliver instruction.

The Future of Distance Education

Over the last several years the popularity, progression and the overall delivery of learning experiences often referred to as distance education has grown exponentially.  In spite of this growth however online courses, training and degree programs still face certain obstacles such as proving to much of the public that this type of learning is as, if not more, valuable and effective as more traditional delivery methods.  In their article The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web, Huett et al. state “In short the Internet and e-learning make wonderful things possible if we decide, as educators and trainers, to exploit those possibilities intelligently and systematically.” (p. 66) Distance learning can provide a multitude of benefits to learners as well as instructors such as access to information and resources, opportunities to collaborate with others, having flexibility in the time and schedule of learning, more communication between the student and teacher as well as much more. Many challenges still exist and much research is still needed to create better distance learning to students in higher education, for example, and to bring this phenomenon to the K-12 population with best practices.

The expansion of effective learning experiences delivered online is at a crossroads, in my opinion.  Those who research distance education and have been intimately exposed to this type of learning understand the potential for these innovative opportunities to take off.  However, if online instruction is not thoughtfully constructed and delivered in a manner of great quality the negative perception by many surrounding online learning could linger for decades.  In the aforementioned article by Huett et al. states “If the expectations of the public and policy makers are not realized, it will not matter which learning theory, design methodology, academic program, or software company did or did not succeed. The credibility of technology as a transformative force will be damaged. It is incumbent upon all professionals with a commitment to the potential of technology in education and training, no matter what their theoretical or ideological bent, to think outside the box, to collaborate and to advance the common vision.” (p. 66)  I personally foresee the advancement of distance education struggling to gain traction over the next several years mainly due to the meddling of political forces in determining what is best for today’s learners.  However, within a decade the advancement of online learning will be too great to deny any longer and a new era in education will take shape.

As a middle school teacher and instructional designer I have the ability to blend in effective online learning experiences and enhance my courses by delivering instruction in new, unique ways.  This is the most powerful impact I can have in improving the public’s perception of distance learning on a day-to-day basis.  Today’s students demand instruction that is differentiated and individualized, not to mention packaged in a way that is impactful and engaging.  Author Chris Dede refers to this paradigm shift in his article Planning for Neomillennial Learning Styles.  “At present, too often instructors design and deliver “one size fits all” content, pedagogy, and assessment with students serving as passive recipients.  Student products are generally tests and papers; grading centers on individual performance; and learners provide only summative feedback on instructional effectiveness.  In the future, student products will often involve products based on new forms of media.” (p. 10)  This is the kind of instruction that well-trained facilitators can provide.  To help move distance education forward my intent is to develop and design innovative learning activities and assessments starting with the K-12 learners I currently work with.

 

References

Dede, C. (2005). Planning for neomillennial learning styles. Educause Quarterly, 28(1), 7–12.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.

 

 

 

Examining an "Open Course"

OPEN SOURCE COURSE CONTENT

 

As a lifelong learner and professional in the field of education I found the concept of making Open Course offerings available free of charge to the general public a fascinating one.  After perusing several Stanford University courses made available on itunes I decided to explore the over 2000 open source online offerings from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or MIT.  Under their Athletics, Physical education and Recreation department I discovered a course offered titled Weight Training.  (http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/athletics-physical-education-and-recreation/pe-720-weight-training-spring-2006/)

The course information is provided to learners in the form of both lecture notes available in pdf and also a series of videos that demonstrate the various lifts.  Although this course provides basic information and does not follow the typical distance learning format, the essential learning objectives can be achieved by any learner.  Simonson et al. in Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education, suggest “Instructors of online courses must make the course organization, calendar, activities, and expectations as clear as possible.  Students need this kind of structure and detail to help them stay organized and on task.  A detailed syllabus is a good starting point.” (p. 249)  The set of lecture notes provided for this weight training course achieves this, starting with the first which is more or less the course syllabus.

As stated, this course is strictly informational and therefore doesn’t provide the learning experiences that often accompany a true distance education course.  Activities are not incorporated by MIT to engage the learner or encourage any real type of active learning for any “student” who comes across this course.  This open course does not provide assignments, opportunities for reflection or social interaction on a discussion board, for example.  However, Dr. George Piskurich asked this question in regards to designing an online course: “What do the learners need to learn?”  That information is all here in this open course.  It simply is the responsibility of the learner to take what he or she wants to learn and do so on their own.

References:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Course: A free and open educational resource for educators, students, and self-learners around the world.

http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.

Video Program: "Planning and Designing Online Courses".  Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5693699&Survey=1&47=8013356&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

TECHNOLOGY TOOLS FOR DELIVERING INSTRUCTION

 

Example 2: Interactive Tours

A high school history teacher, located on the west coast of the United States, wants to showcase to her students new exhibits being held at two prominent New York City museums. The teacher wants her students to take a "tour" of the museums and be able to interact with the museum curators, as well as see the art work on display. Afterward, the teacher would like to choose two pieces of artwork from each exhibit and have the students participate in a group critique of the individual work of art. As a novice of distance learning and distance learning technologies, the teacher turned to the school district’s instructional designer for assistance. In the role of the instructional designer, what distance learning technologies would you suggest the teacher use to provide the best learning experience for her students?

 

In this particular scenario, an instructional designer could make a case for utilizing a variety of different technologies to deliver this type of learning experience for these high school students.  Using video-conferencing technology, like Skype or Gotomeeting, would allow students to interact with the curators in real time.  If the curators or museum uses a blog to post current information the learners could visit it to view and comment on art pieces or exhibits.  In his 2006 article, Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration, Beldarrain refers to Chickering and Ehrmann’s seven principles of integrating technology:

(1) Encourage contact between students and faculty.

(2) Develop reciprocity and cooperation among students.

(3) Use active learning techniques.

(4) Give prompt feedback.

(5) Emphasize time on task.

(6) Communicate high expectations.

(7) Respect diverse talents and ways of learning. (p. 144)

With these principals in mind the best tool to use would be a media sharing site such as Flickr or Slideshare.  The Technology of Distance Education media program clarifies that the content on these sites “can be viewed and commented on…Presentations created and shared on media sharing sites, such as slideshare, allow presenters to share the presentation with users across the globe.  Users can in turn comment on the presentations and share their own ideas thereby providing feedback.” (Laureate, 2011)  These qualities therefore make the technology provided by media sharing tools the best option for tackling the development of this type of learning experience.

The following link explains how NASA recently developed a program on Slideshare that allows them to post presentations and content for users to view and share:

http://hackmanj.amplify.com/2011/05/25/nasa-launches-as-first-federal-network-on-slideshare-tech-news/

 

References:

Beldarrain, Y. (2006). Distance education trends: Integrating new technologies to foster student interaction and collaboration. Distance Education, 27(2),139–153.

Laureate Education Inc. (2010). The Technology of Distance Education. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5693699&Survey=1&47=8013356&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Distance learning, in its various forms, has had an impact on me recently as a teacher and also as a “lifelong learner”.  My first exposure to genuine distance learning came through a web-enhanced graduate level course that utilized Blackboard and then shortly after that my school district started requiring teachers to make some class information available by integrating a Moodle site.  These experiences shaped my personal definition of distance learning before starting this course.  The focus of my own definition keyed mainly on the use of the internet to deliver learning experiences to students who had the flexibility to access the information wherever and whenever they wanted.

Teaching and Learning at a Distance introduces a definition of distance education “as institution-based education where the learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors. (p. 32) This definition is widely accepted and utilizes a definition of distance learning that is broken down into four integral components: Institutionally based, separation of teacher and student, interactive telecommunications and sharing of data, voice and video. (Simonson et al., 2009)  This definition, along with the more formal one presented by Simonson, have helped me mold and refine my own personal definition.

Due to the nature of distance learning really still being in its infant stages along with the constantly changing technological landscape, it is difficult to define and the definition is always evolving.  One’s own definition is shaped by their personal experiences with distance education and therefore determined by their exposure to learning in a “virtual” environment.  With educational opportunities growing exponentially in this arena the definition of distance education is bound to change frequently.  Huett et al. write in third part of their three part series on distance education, The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web, “Distance education in the K-12 arena is often referred to as “virtual schooling” and learning through virtual schooling is one of the fastest growing areas for K-12 schools.” (p. 63) 

 

The future of distance education is both exciting and uncertain.  As a public school teacher, I see the potential educational opportunities through distance learning for students as a chance to improve as nation.  Students who represent various populations from low-income, underachieving, college bound, urban, rural and beyond could benefit from accessing learning experiences provided by distance education.  However, much research is yet to be done and is needed to discover the most effective way to utilize this style of learning, especially in the K-12 population.  Huett et al. write in first part of their series on distance education “In examining the potential of web-based learning, the focus must contain capabilities not possible or at least highly impractical in a traditional classroom.  Thus, technology fulfills its potential by enlarging from simply carrying information or instruction to being a communication platform expanding cognitive capabilities, and a context or laboratory for manipulating the learners’ internal and external environments, provided ID can develop learning models for distributed learning, thus evolving distance education from its current status as a delivery medium to a learning.” (p.74) 

 

References:

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–67.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1: Training and development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70–75.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.