Acta M2 entry 4a-4e

Module 2 – Entry 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d & 4e

Apply adult learning principles in the design of lesson plan.

I apply Malcolm knowles’s andragogy in the design of lesson plan. Knowles developed the adult learning principles for the instructional design and delivery of training for adult learners. My goal, as a trainer, is to create an active learning environment that implements all of these principles—so that I can reach all learners. The instructional design of my course is to make sure the training is motivational, interactive, and relevant. For example, Adults bring considerable experience with them. They like to speak, participate, and contribute to the learning. They dislike long lectures.   

Classroom Application: Build practice sessions like question and answer throughout the course rather than just at the end, and use small-group sessions. Include opportunities for learners to express themselves, work together, and be active. Also in a small and closed group sharing, they will not feel intimated as in Asian culture, learners are not so forthright in speaking out. Further, this topic is not akin to their job, adult learners may be afraid of giving wrong answer in front of class during open questioning and answering session. Using this principle can check whether learners are able to use visual and cognitive skill to internally organized capability and identify essentials to experimential, critical reflection and self directed learning.            

I also apply Bloom’s  Taxonomy’s principle learned during the class (see diagram above) to promote higher level of thinking in learning, such as analyzing and evaluating concepts, processes and principles, rather than just remembering facts (rote learning).  For example, I design a video watching followed by role play that can engage their visual and cognitive skill, and the negotiation process of the role play that requires their affective, analytical and logical thinking capability. Using this principle can check whether learners are able to use listening and observing skill on behavioural aspects to increase stimulus response and signal learning.

Classroom Application: Teach practical tasks rather than topics e.g. like applying strategies or how to differentiate different works etc. Maintain a brisk pace and schedule, omitting nice-to-know information—focus on what the learners need to know. From the video, learners can pick up information like how a 5 star hotel look like. The attribute to good tendering is the ability to understand design and having an eye for details. Having a good knowledge on what client of 5 star hotel will expect, then will the learners be able to apply strategy.

“class session slide”

Finally I will use Gagne’s nine events of instruction learned during the class (see diagram above)  to design my lesson plan. Learners have a strong need to maintain their self-esteem, and a need to feel heard.

Classroom Application: I make sure that adequate climate building is done before working on the course content. I start on question and answer session to warm up the class participation. Most people need to feel safe, secure, and comfortable before they can give their full attention to learning. Then I create practice sessions for group discussion that are easier than later sessions. As learners gain proficiency, more technical or cognitive skill are added to the next practice session.

Application

Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction :

1.     Gain attention -  by having ice breaker will warm up the inter-personal and intra-personal aspect of learners; for example communicate with other learners in order to perform all the roles that the learners need to have contact with others in learning later.

2.     Inform learners of objectives – mutual ground rule and learning contract will set the order for learning. Establishing ground rules and learning contract provide a climate where learners will feel safe to discuss various topics openly. Allow learners to examine the value behind each of the identified ground rules or learning contract. And help them understand how it can be used to invoke responsible and respectful communication. For example, respect others and agree to disagree will prevent any debate to turn into heated arguments.

Learners also have to be informed of the learning outcome for the program at the start of lesson. The 3 learning outcomes are defined clearly in my lesson plan and slides for facilitation.

3.     Stimulate recall of prior learning – practice session like question and answer, allow opportunities for learners to express themselves, work together, and be active, this is to prepare them for next level of learning and absorption of information.  For example in Gagne 3, I start by asking a question relevant to the lesson topic to stimulate their recall of prior learning on this subject in the first facilitating. It is an open ended question class session to foster the spirit of openness in sharing freely among learners.

1.     Present the content – the video play is to capture their visual capability of picking up and processing information relevant to follow up learning in a group discussion and role play. For example the first and second video play on luxury hotels will help learners to identify the quality of 5-star hotels’ design works. This information is required when they are doing the 2^nd activity on role play.

2.     Provide “learning guidance” – engage them in group discussion and role play as a process of guiding them to unfold the learning outcome. The group discussion is to unfold first learning outcome after viewing a video play on luxury hotels where learners are to pick up information on 5 star hotels’ design works. I will ask each group to discuss on the good and inferior quality of hotels’ design works and one representative from each group to summarize the points discussed. I will then do a debrief and learners will be able to differentiate quality design works. Learners will then proceed to 2^nd activity where they will have the knowledge learned to apply to the role play to unfold the 2^nd learning outcome.   

3.     Elicit performance (practice) – The quiz questions is a good practice and review session where learners are given the opportunity to review all learning and apply in each case study question. For example case study question on tender award, e.g how does a tender approved for award when the tenderers can’t be bothered with the quality of work. They can apply what they learn from video play and role play.

4.     Provide feedback – providing feedback to every quiz answer to reinforce their learning. For example one case-study question; “which of the following need to be present if contractor want to win tender” Some of the possible answers given are, an eye for details and designs or follow strictly to drawings and specifications” etc. I can provide feedback like being resourceful and innovative, to counter propose for cost savings to clients. However, I realized that the content of the quiz was too long, it should be shortened by half.

5.     Assess performance – this is done through online assessment portal. This will be omitted during facilitating as there is not sufficient time.

6.     Enhance retention and transfer to the job – The retention and transfer were designed to be done in write on stick-note to be pasted on wall and then read it out but due to time factor, I have just carried out in an open class didactic questioning session. I would shortened to just two questions, and get the learners to write it on a notepad and put it in 2 jars. I would then have them picked up and read the answer on the notepad to the class. This method of write and “say it out” is a double reinforcement to retention.  

4a Reflection on the 3 instructional design method that I apply in the design of lesson plan for facilitation : note: source for 1 & 2 adaptation from Karl Kapp dated January 3, 2017

1. Conceptual Orientation (role play)

This instructional strategy involves creating a mock activity or situation in which learners are presented with virtual site visit (video play) and questions for the purpose of creating an understanding of a key concept. The role play simulation learning environment where contractors are to apply prior knowledge learned and come up with a strategy to win tenders. The learners would relate to real life situation in a closing deal situation. A role play environment would also allow learners to see immediate result of the learning outcome. They could interact with role players and observe how the different types of approach produce different types of outcome. The idea is that learners would be learning to classify information and examples through the role play experience. Therefore when they are fully engaged in the role play, the learners could properly understand and apply the principles learned.

This is to give the learners a conceptual orientation so that the learners can better understand the implications of the situation and then see how they could go about exploring and better understanding that concept. 

2. Critical Incident (video play)

This instructional strategy involves teaching people how to create, evaluate, anaylze, apply and remember the experience when practice in the real world. This could involve placing the learner into the virtual life situation like staying and experiencing a 5-star hotel stay through video play.

Designing around the critical incident places the learner into an environment or situation similar to the real event, where they must use their prior knowledge to solve a problem and enable learners to apply. An advantage of this type of design is that learners are immersed into a virtual life situation which impacts the affective and cognitive aspect of the learners.  

3. Case Study through Fun Quiz

Instead of merely presenting learners with a dry text-based case study questions, I have transform it into a fun experience.

Case study question like; “why do we have tendering”

and the possible answers like;

 “to irritate clients and create more work” ;

 “to achieve best value for money” ;

 “to obtain a corporate consistent and uniform approach to procurement” etc

The case study question enables learners to comprehend a series of events. They can determine how one factor or decision led to the outcome, as well as gain a better understanding of the context and how it relates to their work practices. This micro-learning allow them to remember information more rapidly and experience the knowledge in bite sizes.

 Conclusion

Designing effective instruction is a challenging experience for many trainers. To make the instruction meaningful, we need to apply instructional strategies and carefully adapt exciting strategies to the learners’ profile and new learning environment. The most important role of instructional design is to make sure that the fun activities does not overshadow the powerful and meaningful learning designed to maximize learning. These 3 instructional strategies are a good starting point for creating a meaningful instruction learning.

4b - Design lesson plan incorporating qualities of an active learning environment.  

Design of my lesson plan include all the following qualities of active learning environment :

moderate level of content – less lecture and more activities. Break content into manageable segments. Activities planned are in small chunks of 15 - 30 minutes as shown in the lesson plan.

·        balance among affective, behavioral and cognitive learning – I introduce open practise session (benefit the affective and social learners who like to be heard), small group discussion (for those who are introspective, prefer to internalize first), video watching (for the visual), role play (for the cognitive and logical)and clear PowerPoint slides for self directed learning.

·        Variety of learning approaches – the activities are varied, applying the three principles and providing a variety of instructional methods and activities will covered all the aspect of adult learning; such as video screenings, didactic questioning, discussion, role play and fun quiz are incorporated into the lesson so as to cater to the learner’s diverse learning styles. Present materials in order of increasing difficulty. I start with open practise session in Gagne 3, follow by video study and group discussion in Gagne 4 & 5; the 2^nd activity is a deeper level of learning as it requires learners to apply strategy to what they have learned in prior lessons.

·        Opportunities for group participation – small group discussion and role play will engage all participants and no one should be left out.

·        Utilization of participants’ expertise – the group discussion promote sharing of personal experience; the role play enacting their expertise in closing sales skill.

·        Recycling of earlier learned concepts and skills – the quiz session was designed in a fun way to help learners connect to earlier learned concepts and skill.

·        Real-life problem solving – the transfer session will help learners apply some of the principles learned to their workplace or social place.

Using 2 strategies to help learners review and retain learning  :

The two strategies for retention learning that I have deploy in my lesson plan are

·        Meaningful learning – relate new information to previously learnt knowledge. Every learner is different as they come with varying reservoir of experience at work and life, and their participation in the assignment will vary.  Get them into groups so that they can collectively share their knowledge – and then have one to share how they can relate this knowledge to the new information learnt. For example, the role play is a deeper development on the earlier group discussion on differentiating design works. This is a stage when learners have to apply what they learned earlier on video study. The interview role play will involve questioning and answering where it will anchor on the fundamental knowledge and skills of differentiating interior works.

·        Visual imagery – Through the eyes, we create a visual memory in our brain which we can retrieve from our memory and form a mental picture of the objects or people.  This approach is to give the learner some sort of assignment as the first learning experience, prior to the actual training. It gives the learner an opportunity to collect content based on the topic. This include watching a video.

As 70% of a memory is lost within the first 24 hours after meeting. Therefore I would require my learners to :

·        Immediate application and repetition - actively recall the information and talk it out or write it down.

·        Micro learning the knowledge – Giving them bite-size pieces of crucial information as it is considered the most effective instruction method.

·        Contextual guidance - in the form of step-by-step walkthroughs the instructions/ guiding the whole process of work to unfold the outcome I expected of them while constantly reminding them to work within the contraint.

Entry 4c - Identify training needs of target organization / industry/ learners to support design of learning experience. Your reflection on how you identified training needs in the design of lesson plan based on the following:

ii. Industry requirement

Hotel sector in a rebounding economy over last 10 years in Asia has seen unprecedented demand for hotel rooms.  In Singapore, we also face a demand for more hotel rooms. As a result corporates negotiating their hotel contracts now face a new set of procurement challenges.

Corporates can expect to see strong demand and a substantial increase in hotel supply coming on the market over next 10 years. They is a need to evaluate what the impact of rising demand of hotel development will have on tender prices that are susceptible to market fluctuations due to limited specialized trade contractors tendering for the jobs.

Procurement challenges and best procurement strategies are the problems facing hotel developers. There is a need to increase awareness and direct more professions in or outside the building construction to specialize in this trade.

Therefore I am designing a lesson plan to meet the industry needs. It is an introduction course on tendering of interior design works for luxury hotel. It covers the tendering process, the tender stage from collecting tender documents to submission of tender, differentiating interior design works for luxury hotel and finally the strategy to winning tenders.

These will serve as a fundamental basis for anyone willing to move or shift into this specialized trades, or start up an interior contracting company.

Entry 4d – Reflection on defining 2 specific and measurable learning outcomes for my lesson which I will be facilitating in Module 3

SMART

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Achievable

R – Relevant

T - Time

From the lesson plan, not all the learning outcomes meet all of the SMART criteria, since some does not have the “measurable” or “time-bound” element.

My lesson plan – Learning Outcome:

1.     Identify the steps to tendering. This is specific.  Learners can achieve this knowledge easily as I apply simple flow charts using the fish and bone diagram. It is relevant and fundamental first step to learning and at the end of lesson, learners will be able to identify the steps to tendering.

2.     Differentiate interior design works –  is relevant as there are differences in interior design works. Learners can relate their experiences to staying in 3 star and 5 star hotels. At the end of lesson, learners will be able to differentiate a 5 star hotel from a 3 star hotel.

3.     Strategy to winning tender – is measurable and achievable as there are benchmark target like budget, specification and time to close the deal. Also having the fundamental knowledge, and understanding the principles in closing sale in the real world will help one to win tender.

The learning outcome using Bloom’s Taxonomy

i.                Key Concept in Bloom’s Taxonomy source adapted from Benjamin S. Bloom (1913-1999)

Bloom’s model consists of six levels, with the three lower levels (knowledge, comprehension, and application) being more basic than the higher levels (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation). The key is to encourage learners to achieve a higher level of thinking. If a learner can understand the lower level, then she can move to master a higher level.

I design my lesson plan to unfold the learning outcome base on staircase strategy, i.e. to allow learners to learn the basic (knowledge and comprehending) and then move on to higher learning which is to use what they have learned to applying strategy (apply, analyze and evaluate). Arming with the first knowledge on how to identify tendering steps and differentiating interior design works of 5 star hotel before they can move on to applying strategy to winning tender. For example; understanding that 5 star hotel demand good quality pillow and bedspread with down-feather infill, they can strategize to offer similar quality customized products from china at a great cost savings to client.

Entry 4e – Review lesson plan based on feedback from relevant stakeholders.

The 1 stakeholder that reviewed my lesson plan before facilitation was Kala.

These are the improvements I make to my lesson plan after reviewing it with my stakeholder as follows:

I did not have Gagne 3 - Stimulate recall of prior learning – was told that practice session was necessary, allow opportunities for learners to express themselves, work together, and be active, this is to prepare them for next level of learning and absorption of information.

So I have added Gagne 3 to my lesson plan. It is an open questioning answering session to promote an interactive casual learning session. I started by asking a question that they can connect to the topic and their experience. Then I flashed all the answers on the slide. This will set them for next two activities that require deeper level of critical and self directed learning.

I did not have Gagne 6/7 - Elicit performance - Active learning increases engagement and leads to much better retention of new knowledge. So I added interactive activities, scenarios, and simulations to really bring learners into the learning environment and allow learners to be truly active participants.

Test, quiz, ask! - One of the simplest knowledge retention techniques is to incorporate a quiz in my learning content. It helps the learner keep track of their own progress and let them see what they have learned and retained. It also provides me with data about how effective my learning module is, and whether it needs further improving.

Review, summarize and demonstrate

Design of learning modules require learners to review and summarize what they have learned. Encouraging critical thinking increase learning retention rates over time, as it fosters an active learning in learners, leading to greater engagement. Review questions in the quiz and feedback sessions allow participants to summarize and demonstrate what they have learned.

The 2 stakeholders that reviewed my lesson plan after facilitation were Kala and James

These are the improvements I make to my lesson plan after reviewing it with my stakeholders as follows:

After facilitation, I have a self reflection on my performance and seek further feedback and affirmation from the above stakeholders.

Kala and James felt that the content was too long, too much lecture, that I should have less lecture and introduce more activities.

The retention and transfer was carried out in an open class answering session which did not allowed self review and reflection. They also agreed that I should get the learners to write it on a notepad and put it in 2 jars, then have them pick up and read the answer on the notepad to the class. This method of write and “say it out” is a double reinforcement to retention.

The 2^nd learning outcome on differentiating interior design works, the 1.5min video play was too short, as one of the learners said he “see nothing”. I mentioned that I should have introduced in Gagne 3 pictures slides on all good design works like pillow with down feather, 100% wool carpet, teakwood furniture etc instead of video screening.

The PowerPoint slide on the above learning outcome (Gagne 5), background on this slide was distracting, Should have window or blank instead of word. Some learners were looking so hard at the powerpoint slide instead of diving straight into discussion.

 Kala and James agreed on the above too except for video watching which I mentioned was not as effective as showing picture slides but Kala did not agreed that video screening is not a good tool for learning.

Kala mentioned that I need to improve on my listening skill. I was also too self occupied instead of learners occupied. I need to pay more attention to my surrounding, the non-verbal and verbal part of my learners.

I acknowledged feedback given by the learners and peer, e.g. the delivery was too fast, I have to re-do again. I also skip the ice-breaker, and was given feedback that I have to do the ice-breaker.