“People with clear, written goals, accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could ever imagine”.  – Brian Tracy

With that quote in mind, I will advocate the following types of development as I pursue to increase my skills and knowledge on my career path.

Personal Development Plan

Development Goal	Development Need	Rationale	Actions	Development Timetable/Measurements
To increase the test scores of my students to 80%+ meeting or exceeding state standards	Formal Education: Professional Learning Communities	“The powerful collaboration that characterizes professional learning communities is a systematic process in which teachers work together to analyze and improve their classroom practice.  This process, in turn, leads to higher levels of student achievement” (Dufour, 2004).  A professional learning community is one form of a formal education approach to employee development.  “Many formal education programs actively involve the employees in learning” (Noe, 2010, p. 352).  The past few years, my lowest test scores have been in the area of science.  Collaboration will allow me to gain some insight and further teaching strategies for implementing science in my classroom.  Professional learning communities are a great asset to teacher development.	Personal:  *Collaborate with fellow educators of elementary science in on-site and off-site professional learning communities *Read articles relating to teaching science to elementary school students Employer: *Provide planning time to collaborate with coworkers for planning science instruction *Allot time or make arrangements for off-site visits to other schools to observe science implementation	*Quarterly science benchmark test results *Analysis of progress of science CRCT results over a 2 year period *Weekly observations of science instruction
To seek an additional degree in technology	Formal Education: Tuition Reimbursements	“Companies that have evaluated tuition reimbursement programs have found that the programs increase employee retention rates, increase employees’ readiness for promotion, and improve job performance” (Noe, 2010, p. 354).  Implementing a tuition reimbursement program is worth advocating for as part of my professional development plan.  As tuition fees continuously increase, many educators are hesitant about pursuing further educational opportunities.  In turn, many organizations are left scrambling to fill leadership positions with qualified candidates.  Ideally, school systems seek to promote from within.  A tuition reimbursement system would be very beneficial because it would allow potential leaders within the school system to gain the necessary knowledge and educational experience needed to fill those positions.  Having the ability to be reimbursed for tuition fees accrued while gaining the needed education, will motivate me more to seek the experiences I need to move up the career ladder while better serving my organization.  “Employees with more education and training are better able to achieve both their and the organization’s goals, as well” (Cornett, 2010).  Furthermore, implementation of a tuition reimbursement plan for improving job performance would send a message from my employer that they value my contribution to the organization and are willing to invest in my personal development.	Personal: *Research degree programs in the area of technology integration in the classroom *Research tuition costs of each program Employer: *Find funding for tuition reimbursement *Set stipulations and requirements for being reimbursed tuition costs *Advocate further education for employers	*Quarterly meetings after school entrance to share and begin implementing newly acquired knowledge and skills *2 – 2.5 years for degree attainment *3 years to fully implement newly learned skills to enhance organization
To receive coaching from technology trainers that serve our school system	Interpersonal Relationships Shadowing Assignments	“A coach is a peer or manager who works with employees to motivate them, help them develop skills, and provide reinforcement and feedback” (Noe, 2010, p. 375).  “The purpose of shadowing assignments are to provide you with exposure to people who work in particular fields and to give you the opportunity to watch them in their day-to-day setting” (“Shadowing Assignments, 2010).  As we all seek to climb the career ladder, advanced degrees become part of our personal growth plans.  I am an advocate of shadowing assignments, especially for myself and others that are in the process of completing advanced degrees to advance up the career ladder in the very, near future.  All of our local school systems use the Central Savannah Regional Area Regional Educational Service Agency (CSRA RESA), Educational Technology Center for delivering quality technology training for teachers, administrators, and support personnel (http://www.ettcnsc.org/staff.htm).  For professional development, shadowing some of these professionals will allow me to see how I may use and apply what I’I have learned to enhance my organization in the classroom or in another position in the school system.  “By observing how the person interacts with their coworkers, participating in the activities that they face every day, and seeing what it takes to “be that person”, the individual will gain insight into whether that position is something they want to pursue” (“Job Shadowing, n.d.).	Personal: *Shadow technology trainers at the CSRA RESA *Develop relationships with technology trainers *Collaborate with trainers during training sessions in my school system *Keep abreast with technology trends through research and reading current articles *Build a resource file for future use Employer: *Schedule shadow assignments *Allow me to assist trainers in implementing training for our school system *Receive evaluations on my shadowing assignments *Collaborate with me to review my evaluations, providing feedback	*Minimum of one hour of shadowing per week for 1 school year *Quarterly meetings with technology trainers
To mentor protégés in my school	Interpersonal Relationships Mentoring	“Mentoring relationships provide opportunities for mentors to develop their interpersonal skills and increase their feelings of self-esteem and worth to the organization” (Noe, 2010, p. 374).  As part of my professional growth plan, I am advocating for the implementation of a mentoring program.  Over the past four years, I have been moved between three grade levels.  The reason I have been given for the moves is because my teaching strengths have been crucially needed in each of the grades I’ve been moved to, at the specific times I’ve been moved.  To capitalize on my strengths, as well as other competent teachers, I think implementing a group mentoring program will be beneficial.  “One potential advantage of the mentoring group is that protégés can learn from each other as well as from a more experienced senior employee” (Noe, 2010, p. 375).	Personal: *Provide career support for protégés *Provide psychosocial support for protégés *Increase protégés skill development *Increase protégés understanding of and abilities to meet organizational expectations Employer: *Implement mentoring program *Assign protégés to mentors *Provide meeting times for mentors and protégés *Compensate mentors	*Full implementation of mentoring program within 1 school year *Weekly mentor meetings *Biweekly surveys of mentors by protégés *Biweekly evaluations of protégés by mentors *Yearly celebration of mentor program

 

References:

Cornett, J. E.  (2010, November 25).  How does tuition reimbursement benefit a company?  Message posted to eHow, archived at http://www.ehow.com/about_7397458_tuition-reimbursement-benefit-company_.html.

Dufour, R.  (2004, May).  Schools as learning communities.  Educational Leadership, 61(8), 6-11, Retrieved from http://pdonline.ascd.org/pd_online/secondary_reading/el200405_dufour.html.

Job shadowing.  (n.d.).  Benefits of job shadowing.  Indiana Department of Correction.  Retrieved from http://www.indiana.gov/idoc/2820.htm.

Noe, R. A.  (2010).  Employee training and development (5^th ed.).  New York, NY:  McGraw Hill.

Shadowing assignments.  (2010, September 3).  Shadowing assignments.  National Conservation Training Center.  Retrieved from http://training.fws.gov/LED/idp/shadowing.html.

This week's blog assignment was to create a presentation to present to my boss, that would make a definitive case for a company-wide employee development plan. Five strong points explaining the benefits and three employee development initiatives are highlighted. My presentation is presented below.

Making the Case for Employee Development

View more presentations from Sheet32.

High-Tech Training

"Technology is having a major impact on the delivery of training programs" (Noe, 2010, p. 295). For this week's blog assignment, I will explain the impact five technologies have on how people learn and interact. Furthermore, implications of using these technologies for training will be highlighted.

Technology	Impact	Implications	Examples
Simulations	Simulations and virtual reality serve companies in many aspects while clearly addressing company goals and objectives. "They create training environments that increase the probability that training will transfer to the job" (Noe, 2010, p. 337). *The use of simulations allow companies to provide realistic three dimensional training experiences for their employees right on their desktop computers. *Their use help to reduce travel costs, increase return on investment, as well as allow employees to work at their own pace. * Simulations get employees more engaged by providing meaningful learning experiences that get them involved in their learning. *Simulations can provide learning experiences in which employees experience realistic unsafe work environments, in a safe learning environment.	As more and more businesses are seeking ways to reduce costs of training employees and covering for employees that would otherwise require leave time to train, the use of simulations and virtual training will greatly increase. As the use and capabilities of technology continue to advance, more and more developments will be made to increase the realism needed to effectively train company employees to meet company objectives..	The Stock Market Game (Gives students a chance to invest in an on-line portfolio.) http://www.smg2000.org/ Virtual Patient Simulator at UF (Provides a human to virtual human patient-doctor experience.) http://simulation.med.ufl.edu/virtual-patient-simulation-at-uf/ National Training and Simulation Association (This association provides simulations and trainings that promote and represent business interests.) http://trainingsystems.org/
Mobile Training	"Mobile technology allows learning to occur anywhere at anytime" (Noe, 2010, p. 322). *Mobile technology utilizes wireless transmission systems such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, mobile devices such as PDAs, MP3s, laptops, iPods, GPS devices, radio frequency identification chips, and software applications. *Mobile technologies allow companies to track customers, employees, and property. *Mobile technologies allow trainees to train and learn from work or home in natural environments. *Mobile technologies allow trainees to learn at their own pace.	As companies are continuously seeking ways to stay ahead of their competitors, more and more employees are spending less time on the job, yet more time traveling. The use of mobile training will continue to increase as the amount of time available to attend traditional training activities or e-learning decreases.	Military Health System (Army Combat Casualty Care Training Goes Mobile) http://www.health.mil/News_And_Multimedia/News/detail/11-06-06/Army_Combat_Casualty_Care_Training_Goes_Mobile.aspx
Intelligent Tutoring Systems	"Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) are instructional systems that use artificial intelligence" (Noe, 2010, p. 324). *ITS are advantageous from other training technologies in that they allow for individualized instruction. *ITS communicate and respond to student needs while modeling the learning process. *ITS make decisions about the trainees' level of understanding and determines what further information and level of difficulty to provide.	ITS will greatly impact the way companies train employees in the future. These systems will allow employees to provide trainees with the specific skills and knowledge they need to help meet business goals and objectives. Less time will be wasted teaching employees what they already know, and more time will be spent providing learning experiences and feedback based on the student's pattern of success and failure in learning the tasks.	Stottler Henke: Smarter Software Solutions (Delivers ITS Solutions) http://www.stottlerhenke.com/solutions/training/its_background.htm
Training Administration Technologies	"Interactive voice technology, imaging, and software applications have made it easier to track training information" (Noe, 2010, p. 330). *Interactive voice technology uses personal computers as automate phone response systems that allow companies to reduce human resource staff and increase service of meeting employees' benefit needs. *Imaging refers to scanning documents, storing them electronically, and retrieving them" (Noe, 2010, p. 330). *Software applications provide databases for administrators to track information related to training such as course enrollments, tuition reimbursements, training course beginning and ending dates, certified skills, educational experience, employee credentials, etc.	Training administration technologies will continue to have a great impact on businesses as more and more employees are being trained. These technologies will provide a much more manageable means of keeping up with training information. Training administration technologies will continue to impact how employers interact with employees. In various forms, these technologies provide valuable information that can be used for decision making. Employers may use them to analyze cost information relating to budget control, track employee talent, and identify skill shortages.	PRO-ductivity Systems, LLC: Performance Resources for Organizations (Their Compliance Training Manager promotes easily tracking training needs, requirements, and documentation while remaining compliant.) http://www.pro-ductivity.com/indextt.htm TrainingRegister (A training management system for managing, scheduling, documenting, and monitoring training requirements). http://www.trainingregister.com/
Interactive Whiteboards	"Interactive whiteboards are an effective way to interact with digital content and multimedia in a multi-person learning environment" (SMART Technologies, Inc., 2006, p. 5). *Interactive whiteboards allow teachers ad students to manipulate text and images, highlight information, and write annotated notes over presented material. *Interactive whiteboards allow teachers and students to interact with websites and computer software programs projected from the computer to the board. *Interactive whiteboards allow snapshops to be taken of information written on the board and later printed for further use. *Interactive whiteboards allow teachers and students to showcase student presentations. *"Interactive whiteboards appeal to both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated students" (SMART Technologies, 2006, p. 7).	As students are more and more driven by technology, the use of interactive whiteboards has and will continue to play a major role in how students learn and interact. Interactive whiteboards will continue to enhance student's engagement due to the various ways they may be used during instruction. Student's level of motivation will increase through the use of interactive whiteboards as instruction moves from traditional chalkboard lectures to interactive lessons.

References:

Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee training and development (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

SMART Technologies, Inc. (2006, March). Interactive whiteboards and learning. SMART Technologies. Retrieved from http://downloads01.smarttech.com/media/research/whitepapers/int_whiteboard_research_whitepaper_update.pdf

Assignment: Assume that you have been asked to perform a needs assessment for Men’s Wearhouse (www.menswearhouse.com). How might you specifically approach the needs assessment? Conclude with your thoughts on the importance of the analysis phase in designing a training program.

A Needs Assessment of Men's Warehouse

Men's Wearhouse is a clothing company that sells dress clothes for men that are less than formal, yet more than casual. On their website, George Zimmer, Founder and CEO, states “Since we opened the doors more than 30 years ago, The Men's Wearhouse mission has been to maximize sales, provide value to our customers, and deliver top-quality customer service while still having fun and maintaining our values” (http://www.menswearhouse.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentAttachmentView_-1_10601_10051__10709_10684_AbtCorporateGovernance.html). A needs assessment for this company would be highly efficient to ensure the strategic objectives effectively address, adhere to, and support the management philosophy.

Getting Stakeholder Buy-In

“Because the goal of needs assessment is to determine whether a training need exists, who it exists for, and for what tasks training is needed, it is important to include managers, trainers, and employees in the needs assessment process” (Noe, 2010, p. 105). To approach a needs assessment of Men’s Wearhouse, it is pertinent that I get buy-in from upper and mid-level managers, as well as the trainers, and trainees or employees. All of these stakeholders must understand the important role a needs assessment plays in their business’ achievement of strategic goals. Furthermore, getting their buy-in will mean that they are supportive of the training, development, and learning opportunities that may be a result of the findings in the needs assessment.

The Process

“Needs assessment refers to the process used to determine whether training is necessary” (Noe, 2010, p. 103). If I were placed in a position to design a training program for Men’s Wearhouse, the first and most important step would be to examine the three elements of needs assessment: organizational analysis, person analysis, and task analysis. “While any one analysis can indicate the need for training, companies need to consider the information from all three types of analysis before the decision is made to devote time and money to training” (Noe, 2010, p. 110).

Organizational Analysis

“Organizational analysis involves determining the appropriateness of training, given the company’s business strategy, its resources available for training, and support by managers and peers for training activities” (Noe, 2010, p. 103). In this phase, questions would be addressed to the trainers, employees, managers, and vendors. I would ask the trainers questions that provide a clear plan for the training program to support the company’s strategic direction. The questions I would ask the employees would pertain to their level of support for training activities. Furthermore, I would ask the managers questions that pertain to their support of and resources available for training. Finally, if it is decided that a consultant or vendor is needed to conduct the training, I would ask questions of them as well.

Questions Asked of...

Trainers	Employees	Managers	Consultants/Vendors
*How will this program align to the company's strategic needs? *What might suppliers, customers, or partners need to know about the training program? *How might the training content affect the employees’ relationship with our customers?	*How do you perceive training programs? An opportunity? Rewarding? Punishing? Waste of time? *Do you feel that training activities will enhance your knowledge, skills, and behaviors, which will help contribute to your business upholding its mission and values?	*Should organizational resources be devoted to this program? *Are there budget and time resources for training? *Do you have internal experts that could be used to train employees? *Should a consultant or vendor be considered for training instead?	*How much and what type of experience do you have in designing and delivering training? *How qualified and experienced is your staff? *How will your training program fit the company's strategic needs? *How do I view examples of your previously developed training programs? * What evidence can you provide as proof that your programs work? *Can you provide references of your previous clients?

Person Analysis

“Person analysis focuses on identifying whether there is evidence that training is the solution, who needs training, and whether employees have the prerequisite skills, attitudes, and beliefs needed to ensure they master the content of training programs” (Noe, 2010, p. 132). In this phase of the needs assessment process, questioning of the managers and trainers would take place. These questions would analyze the factors that influence performance and learning such as: person characteristics, input, output, consequences, and feedback. “Managers and trainers need to be concerned about employees’ basic skill levels, attitudes, and the work environment in determining if performance problems can be solved using training” (Noe, 2010, p. 132).

Questions About Influencing Factors

What are the strengths and weaknesses of your employees? Do they have the basic skills (cognitive ability and appropriate reading level) needed before entering the training program? What other skills must they acquire before entering the program? Do your employees have self-efficacy, that is, do they feel that they can perform or learn the content of the program? Are your employees aware of their skill strengths and weaknesses? Are they motivated to learn skills from the program to improve their weaknesses? Are their situational constraints that affect your employees’ performance and motivation to learn such as materials, budgetary support, and time? Is your work environment socially supportive, that is, are your employees provided feedback and reinforcement? Do your employees know at what level they are expected to perform? Are rewards for performance adequate? Are there norms that may encourage non-performance of employees? Are the benefits of attending training clearly communicated? Are employees provided adequate and timely feedback in their performance of meeting standards?

Task Analysis

“Task analysis results in a description of work activities, including tasks performed by the employee and the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to complete tasks” (Noe, 2010, p. 123). In this phase, conducted only after the organizational analysis has determined the company wants to commit to training, expert employees and managers will be observed and interviewed to get answers for the questions that will be used as the focus of the training. Identifying the tasks and the training that employees will need for effective job performance is very critical in developing a training program that meets the business needs of Men’s Wearhouse, or any other organization.

Questions Asked

What tasks are the employees required to perform? What knowledge and skills are needed to perform each task? How frequently is each task performed? What level of importance is the task for successful job performance? How difficult is each task to perform? How much time is spent performing each task?

Documentation

To further add to the information I would collect in the organization, person, and task analysis phases, there are some documents I would ask to see. First, I would like to see the Code Conduct that guides the company and its employees in portraying and meeting the standards outlined by the company’s mission, values, and philosophy. This would be a great asset to measure against their strategic objectives. A breakdown of employees’ sales might also be something I may want to view to help pinpoint the employees that generate the most sales. Furthermore, employees’ schedules over a period of time might be helpful to generalize whether work hours may be a factor in the amount of each employee’s sales. Another document that might be helpful might be a randomly generated list of customer contact numbers. Contacting these customers and asking them for feedback about the employees and services provided at Men’s Wearhouse, is critically important. The needs of the customers are of utmost importance. Finally, I would want to view documentation about staff size, staff turnover rates, rewards and incentives, the company’s profits and losses, etc. All of these listed documents, in addition to any other documentation the company may provide will be very instrumental in determining the needs of the company, their ability to provide products and services that adhere to the company’s mission, and their ability to retain highly effective employees.

Techniques

“Several methods are used to conduct needs assessment” (Noe, 2010, p. 107). For a needs assessment conducted for Men’s Wearhouse, observations, questionnaires, interviews, and documentation would be the techniques I would use. Observations would be conducted to monitor and generate information about the work environment. They would focus on the feel of the working atmosphere, interaction between employees, interaction between managers, interaction between employees and managers, interaction between employees and customers, as well as the level of expertise the employees possess about the products and services provided by the company. Questionnaires would cover questions that provide insight from a large number of employees at once, in a manner that is easily summarized. Interviews will be used to uncover details of training needs, unanticipated issues, and modifications of questions throughout the process. Furthermore, interviews will be used to access the attitudes and beliefs of the shareholders of Men’s Wearhouse as pertains to training being needed to enhance the company’s ability to live up to customer’s satisfaction. Finally, documentation will be used because of its objectiveness and low level of human involvement.

Conclusion

Rossett and Sheldon (2001) stated “Analysis is the study we do in order to figure out what to do” (as cited in Clark, 2010). The analysis phase, or needs assessment in designing a training program for Men’s Wearhouse is critically needed and very important, if it is committed to devoting time and money to training activities that will aid in meeting their strategic objectives.

References:

Clark, D. R. (2010). Introduction to ISD Analysis. Retrieved from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/sat2.html.

Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee training and development (5^th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Week 1 Blog Assignment

Assignment: Imagine you have just 2 minutes or so to give someone an "elevator speech" regarding the "truth" about training. This person does not believe that training is important, complicated, or even necessary. What might you say to this individual to convince him or her otherwise? What key insights could you impart that this person likely would not have known and would find surprising and/or interesting?

The TRUTH About Training

Timely Relevant Undeniable Thriving Helpful

"A protracted training is much like a neglected garden; ultimately weeds stifle and choke organizational growth. Now imagine how a new leadership training program, even a modest one, can provide much-needed training" (Taylor, 2010).

*The truth about training is that it is timely. Training programs can support organizational strategies by reaching individuals and groups around the world, simultaneously, in a short amount of time.

*The truth about training is that it is relevant. Training is a relevant asset to lay out a clear plan of a company's mission and purpose to ALL of its leaders and employees.

*The truth about training is that it is undeniably necessary to maintain and improve the knowledge and competence of a company's work force.

*The truth about training is that it gives employees opportunities to learn and develop which makes them thrive to succeed. Thriving businesses foster positive work environments which support organizational strategies by attracting talented employees and motivating and retaining current employees.

*The truth about training is that it helpfully supports organizational strategies by emphasizing learning and creating and sharing knowledge.

The ultimate truth about training is that it is timely, relevant, undeniably necessary, thriving, and helpfully supportive for any business determined to achieve strategic training and development initiatives.

References:

Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee training and development (5th ed.). New York, NY. McGraw Hill.

Taylor, L. (2010). Put leadership training on the front burner. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/jul2010/ca20100729_682236.htm.

Welcome EIDT 6501

Hello Cohorts,

Thanks for following my blog. I look forward to sharing and learning with each of you. Good luck!