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Processes: Job Aid (EDTEC 540, individual project)
Context
In EDTEC 540, we conducted a performance analysis. We then created a Job Aid to address the need determined by the analysis. My middle school students often struggle to complete their Works Cited project flawlessly, so I chose to create my Job Aid to help them with this project. I knew my students had difficulty citing sources and correctly formatting a Works Cited, but what I learned during my analysis was that simply locating the sources was the hardest part for most of the students. My Job Aid was a chart to assist them in locating each of the required source types.
Standard -- Processes: Understand processes such as change, design, development, and learning.
I already had in mind what my Job Aid was going to look like and what its purpose would be. Of course, conducting the analysis made clear to me that I was wrong on both fronts. Instead of a non-linear PowerPoint they could run through to help them with the steps in citing sources, my Job Aid would take the form of a laminated paper chart that told them how to find each type of source and what other details they would need to know in finding and/or citing that source. What I didn't know at the time was that I was striving to overcome cognitive load for my students, as I had not yet read about this theory. But the product I designed would be much easier and more helpful to my students because they could refer to it at any time, apart from their computer screens.
Opportunities Disguised as Problems
My first problem was my own preconceived ideas about the Job Aid. This ended up being a great lesson for me, and it changed the way I approach projects and problems now. Instead of imagining the entire product as soon as I learn of the task or problem it will be used for, I jot down several ideas without fleshing any of them out until AFTER I have a chance to conduct the analysis to completely understand the problem at hand. My other obstacle was that I needed to make my Job Aid easy to read and work through, but still fit in a single piece of paper. I conducted several tests of the product as it was in production by having students try using it. I asked them what worked and didn't work, and I added, deleted, or changed things in response to what they told me. The final product included clip art and colored rows to help students immediately locate the type of source they needed help finding.
My Strengths
I tend toward perfectionism. This is both a flaw and a strength. I wanted my job aid to be truly helpful, and I wanted it to be free of errors. Here I was, teaching my students to do perfect source citations. It just would NOT do to have spelling or grammar errors in the Job aid I gave them to help them, would it? So I had some of my colleagues look over my work as well to look for these types of errors. I take my work very seriously, but I do like to have fun as well. So when I was adding the more "fun" element of clip art, I made sure to take the time to find images that matched as closely as possible to the types of sources students needed to find.
What I Learned About Myself in Educational Technology
I learned, at this very early stage of the Masters program, that although I have a lot of good ideas, it is best to rein them in and not get too attached to any one idea before I have had the chance to do a full analysis. What I imagined my students required did not really match up with their true needs. I may have created a product that was helpful, but there would still have been an unmet need to address at some point in the future. This experience opened me up to asking my students for feedback after most projects, especially new ones. Since this initial situation, I have used Google Forms on many occasions to elicit from my students which part of their projects were difficult, confusing, enjoyable, or unnecessary. I was at first surprised by my students' candor and clarity with which they were able to informally analyze the processes they had experienced, and this practice has provided me with valuable data for improving projects for the following year.
Links to Artifacts: Job Aid Report (PDF file), Job Aid (PDF file)
Mager, R.F., & Pipe, P. (1997). Analyzing performance problems. Atlanta, GA: The Center for Effective Performance, Inc.
Mager, R.F. (1997). Goal analysis. Atlanta, GA: The Center for Effective Performance, Inc.
In EDTEC 540, we conducted a performance analysis. We then created a Job Aid to address the need determined by the analysis. My middle school students often struggle to complete their Works Cited project flawlessly, so I chose to create my Job Aid to help them with this project. I knew my students had difficulty citing sources and correctly formatting a Works Cited, but what I learned during my analysis was that simply locating the sources was the hardest part for most of the students. My Job Aid was a chart to assist them in locating each of the required source types.
Standard -- Processes: Understand processes such as change, design, development, and learning.
I already had in mind what my Job Aid was going to look like and what its purpose would be. Of course, conducting the analysis made clear to me that I was wrong on both fronts. Instead of a non-linear PowerPoint they could run through to help them with the steps in citing sources, my Job Aid would take the form of a laminated paper chart that told them how to find each type of source and what other details they would need to know in finding and/or citing that source. What I didn't know at the time was that I was striving to overcome cognitive load for my students, as I had not yet read about this theory. But the product I designed would be much easier and more helpful to my students because they could refer to it at any time, apart from their computer screens.
Opportunities Disguised as Problems
My first problem was my own preconceived ideas about the Job Aid. This ended up being a great lesson for me, and it changed the way I approach projects and problems now. Instead of imagining the entire product as soon as I learn of the task or problem it will be used for, I jot down several ideas without fleshing any of them out until AFTER I have a chance to conduct the analysis to completely understand the problem at hand. My other obstacle was that I needed to make my Job Aid easy to read and work through, but still fit in a single piece of paper. I conducted several tests of the product as it was in production by having students try using it. I asked them what worked and didn't work, and I added, deleted, or changed things in response to what they told me. The final product included clip art and colored rows to help students immediately locate the type of source they needed help finding.
My Strengths
I tend toward perfectionism. This is both a flaw and a strength. I wanted my job aid to be truly helpful, and I wanted it to be free of errors. Here I was, teaching my students to do perfect source citations. It just would NOT do to have spelling or grammar errors in the Job aid I gave them to help them, would it? So I had some of my colleagues look over my work as well to look for these types of errors. I take my work very seriously, but I do like to have fun as well. So when I was adding the more "fun" element of clip art, I made sure to take the time to find images that matched as closely as possible to the types of sources students needed to find.
What I Learned About Myself in Educational Technology
I learned, at this very early stage of the Masters program, that although I have a lot of good ideas, it is best to rein them in and not get too attached to any one idea before I have had the chance to do a full analysis. What I imagined my students required did not really match up with their true needs. I may have created a product that was helpful, but there would still have been an unmet need to address at some point in the future. This experience opened me up to asking my students for feedback after most projects, especially new ones. Since this initial situation, I have used Google Forms on many occasions to elicit from my students which part of their projects were difficult, confusing, enjoyable, or unnecessary. I was at first surprised by my students' candor and clarity with which they were able to informally analyze the processes they had experienced, and this practice has provided me with valuable data for improving projects for the following year.
Links to Artifacts: Job Aid Report (PDF file), Job Aid (PDF file)
Mager, R.F., & Pipe, P. (1997). Analyzing performance problems. Atlanta, GA: The Center for Effective Performance, Inc.
Mager, R.F. (1997). Goal analysis. Atlanta, GA: The Center for Effective Performance, Inc.
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Copyright ©2010 Diane Main. All rights reserved.
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