Reflection 4

• Chapter 14 discusses the concept of evolution of human performance improvement.  Several sections of chapter 14 present a variety of non-instructional solutions to performance problems.  Identify a performance problem in your area of work and provide a non-instructional solution to solve the problem.

My school is a Title I school.  We serves mostly minorities from a low socio-economic background.   One  problem, that we experience at our school, is a lot of our students  do not complete their work in a timely manner.   We can not develop a solution for this problem until we  identify what is causing the students not to complete  their work.  As educators we can guess but we must analysis the root of the problem.  We may find that some students do not understand the concepts or they have no motivation because they do not see value in the work that is given to them.  As adults we work each day for rewards.  This reward could be a paycheck for some, self satisfaction or praise for others.  What rewards do our students have for completing their work?   I believe that if we would set up a reward system that the students would perform better.  We should adopt a policy were zeroes are not tolerate and we should reward students who complete assignments on time.  We should have a free period each day were students who have no zeroes  and are working to their ability are rewarded with enrichment activities and those with zeroes  or who are struggling are given assistance to complete work or work on understanding needed concepts.  We should also implement an award ceremony each six week for those who are not only passing but putting forth a great effort and showing improvement.   In addition we could award the class in which all students turn in work with free recess and ice cream.  We must guide our students into understanding the importance of school work through guidance classes each six week and re-enforce goal setting with them.

• Chapter 15 presents several definitions of electronic performance support systems.  In addition to these definitions, locate a few more and indicate your preference explaining why you prefer it.  Additionally, describe why you believe EPSS have not been widely used and if they are more likely be become more prevalent in the future.

1. A system that provides electronic task guidance and support to the user at the moment of need. EPSS can provide application help, reference information, guided instructions and/or tutorials, subject matter expert advice and hints on how to perform a task more efficiently. An EPSS can combine various technologies to present the desired information. The information can be in the form of text, graphical displays, sound, and video presentations.
2. An integrated electronic environment that is available to and easily accessible by each employee and is structured to provide immediate, individualized on-line access to the full range of information, software, guidance, advice and assistance, data, images, tools, and assessment and monitoring systems to permit job performance with minimal support and intervention by others."
3. An electronic performance support system is, according to Barry Raybould (1991), "a computer-based system that improves worker productivity by providing on-the-job access to integrated information, advice, and learning experiences."
4. Gloria Gery (1989) defines it as "an integrated electronic environment that is available to and easily accessible by each employee and is structured to provide immediate, individualized on-line access to the full range of information, software, guidance, advice and assistance, data, images, tools, and assessment and monitoring systems to permit job performance with minimal support and intervention by others
5. Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS) is a challenging application area for developing intelligent interfaces. Some possible scenarios for using domain, task, and user models for adaptive performance support were explored in the context of the Adaptive Diagnostics and Personalized Technical Support (ADAPTS) project.

I believe that the cost and time it would take to get EPSS up and effectively run is one of the reasons that we have not seen it widely used in the past.  I believe that as technology advances more districts will begin to embrace EPSS.

Knowledge management is the way we manage information, share that information, and use it.  Organizations, such as schools, are full of information/data and we must organize that data in a way that we can make sense of it.  We use data to make decisions and good data=good decision making.  Identify a real or hypothetical problem in your line of work.  How might a blended learning approach, including the use of a knowledge management system, be use to solve the problem?



One problem in my line of work is increasing scores on standardized math test in the upper grades.  One way to solve this would be to create KM system but to begin small.   Studies share that most project fail because businesses begin too big at first.  By beginning small, it will allow the school district more control over the desired outcome plus a small failure will not be as tragic as a large scale failure.    Also the school district will need to tap its internally resources.  Educators offer a wealth of knowledge.  Educators must be encouraged to share the tacit knowledge that they possess.  District should not forget that KM is not just a technology concept and should research a software they decide to invest in to assist them with this project.  With this in mind I would collaborate with teachers once with have analysis our data.  I believe that organization of data is key.   Do we see trends in the data?  We should analysis our curriculum?  Is it teaching the needed concepts?  We should have a centralize system that educators can assess to see if students have pass past test and what their strengths and weaknesses are.  This aid teachers in designing lessons that not only engage students but allow them grow to their full potential.


Describe the types of informal learning you have been exposed to in your adult life.  What was the purpose?  What was the experience like?  Was it engaging?  Social?  What role did you play?  What role did the instructor play?

I once read that informal learning is like riding a bike in that you are in charge of the learning and the experience.  You decide the direction in which you will take the learning.  While formal learning is like riding a bus, someone else is in control of the learning experience and the direction in which the learning goes.  I believe that informal learning is more powerful and engaging.  As a beginning teacher, my mentor from Mrs. McDonald was very instrumental in teaching me the art of teaching.  She taught me many things that were not in the textbook.  The experience was engaging and meaningful as I guided the learning experience.  We discussed concerns that I had about the teaching professional  and she guided me in many areas. 
As I continued on in my teaching profession, my students taught me many lessons.  They taught me the importance of involving them in the classroom and keeping them in mind when designing lessons.  I learned the value of listening to them.  I believe that informal learning is some of the valuable lessons that we learn in our profession.

In my personal life, I have learned many informal lessons from my parents, friends, and some from just life's experiences.  I believe that some lessons you can not learn from a book such as how to be a parent or how to be a good spouse.  You can read but it is the informal lessons that will be very valuable to you in life.