Participatory Lecture (Mark Larson)

Overview

This document provides an example of the application of participatory lecture as an instructional intervention.

Background

As the new Vice President of Learning and Performance Development at Hi-Tech my goal is to shift my training designers, developers, or stand-up trainers from traditional training solutions to more of a Human Performance Technology approach and educate managers and executives about some of the new solutions and capabilities that my staff will be developing. Since I am new to the organization, what better way to learn about the organization and start this advance then through the instruction of the model of corporate culture analysis? The results will be twofold: through the instruction and application of the model I will get a better understanding of the corporate culture at Hi-Tech, and second, to transfer my knowledge of the process of using this analytical model to my staff allowing them to receive an enhanced understanding of their own corporate culture and the Human Performance Technology approach.

As I glance through what I have learned and discussed thus far in Human Performance Technology, it shot right out of the Handbook of Human Performance Technology Improving Individual and Organizational Performance Worldwide and hit me between the eyes. I must have a better understanding of how to analyze corporate culture as I work for the Hi-Tech organization and transfer this information to other Human Performance Technologists. I remembered discussing this in an earlier Instructional and Performance Technology course and how important it was to make this distinction and have an understanding of the organization before leaping into an intervention. Through this exercise it will not only provide me with a stronger foundation for managing, but also provide me with a critical skill and allow me to instruct and transfer this information to other learners in my department and in Human Performance Technology.

Topic and Objective

Topic:
The topic is the model of analyzing and auditing corporate culture.

Objective:
Given information on the analytical model of corporate culture and the order of the twelve areas, or domains for which data must be collected and analyzed, and practice using an acronym chunking method (IKKI, OLSW, UPPC) to help them remember, the learner will identify, explain and apply all of the twelve areas, or domains in the correct order.

Learning Points:
The “…twelve areas, or domains, for which organizational, operational, and behavioral data must be collected and analyzed:

1. Intended directions/results
2. Key measures
3. Key business drivers
4. Infrastructure
5. Organizational practices
6. Leadership/management practices
7. Supervisory practices
8. Work practices
9. Use of technology
10. Physical work environment
11. Perceptions and expectations
12. Cultural indicators and artifacts (Stolovitch & Keeps, p. 341, 1999)

Instructional Strategy

How to Teach:
The content would be imparted by using the “Basic Elements of Classroom Instruction” from the Handbook of Human Performance Technology Improving Individual and Organizational Performance Worldwide on page 493 and an emphasis placed on learner performance.
A summary of the outline that would be used:

• Instructional introduction contains the following:
  • Motivation to learn: learners know why they will learn, how to achieve the objective, the performance used and the consequence of its use
  • Orientation to instruction:
    • Objective – learners will know what they will learn and how they will be evaluated
    • Overview – learners will know the parts of performance, how they are related and where the performance fits
    • Review of prior knowledge – learners recall information, using a chunking method, they must know to learn this performance
    • Agenda – learners know the sequence of activities and why they were selected
• Provide instructional core elements to produce the following:
  • Acquisition of essential knowledge to perform
    • Information – learners recall and explain essential information to perform
    • Demonstration – learners know, recognize and can demonstrate the essential knowledge to perform
  • Application of essential knowledge to include practice, feedback and revision
• Instructional conclusion of elements
  • Integration of learning
    • Summary of main ideas – learners recall the parts of performance and the relationship of those parts
    • Objective integrated with other segments – learners are aware of what they have learned, how the performance is related to other objectives learned and where the performance fits in their
  • Motivation to use the learning – learners know why they have learned this performance and why they should use it in their job
  • Evaluation of job readiness – learners know how well they have learned and are prepared to use it

Why This Instructional Strategy

The two primary reasons why “participatory lecture” was chosen as the instructional strategy are to educate the twelve areas or domains of the analytical model of corporate culture rather than other strategies and to have the opportunity to get to know the staff of training designers, developers and stand-up trainers and demonstrate my leadership skills and knowledge of Human Performance Technology. Participatory lecture will provide me with the following information and positive outcomes:

• an opportunity to get to know the staff on a personal level and their positions, discover their abilities, talents and knowledge as professionals, how they work together in a team environment and on an individual basis, who stands out as leaders in the department and if they are going to buy into Human Performance Technology
• as a new hire and Vice President it will allow me to gain a better understanding and knowledge of the corporate culture
• as the instructor it will allow me to evaluate the staff’s potential and understanding of a small part of Human Performance Technology
• it represents that I am one of them and/or a team player willing to roll-up my selves and work side-by-side with my staff
• an opportunity to analyze the staff’s performance as each of them performs, demonstrates and applies their new found knowledge
• a powerful means to produce enhanced job performance
• a direct method of instructing the staff and knowledge that they will need and/or required to perform on the job
• allows for the staff to witness and share in the opportunity to learn in a constructivism environment where they can learn this topic by constructing it on what they currently know about the organization’s culture
• everyone is accustom to participatory instruction
• affects many at once
• can be done in small participatory lectures versus one large drawn out lecture

In summary, “why” this method is the most preferred is because it had the most advantages over other methods. It’s not to say that other methods could not be used, but this method was the best for this circumstance. It allows for the most carefully sequenced and realistic practice conditions and is the most flexible to the staff. The staff can help each other, share individual experiences and class simulations can be realistic and address any unique opportunities of the group. Little preparation is required because as the instructor and having the ability and knowledge to transfer the information to my staff it can be done quickly. It is timely, the lectures can be short, lots of practice will be allowed and follow-up and on-the-job supervision can be provided.

Consultants/Vendors

Stephen L. Yelon the author of chapter twenty-five, “Live Classroom Instruction”, in the Handbook of Human Performance Technology Improving Individual and Organizational Performance Worldwide and considered an expert in the field.

Claude S. Lineberry and J. Robert Carleton the authors of chapter seventeen, “Analyzing Corporate Culture”, in the Handbook of Human Performance Technology Improving Individual and Organizational Performance Worldwide and considered experts in the field.

Edge Interactive, “Edge Interactive provides consultative training services that increase the effectiveness of our clients’ corporate training programs while reducing costs. Edge Interactive offers one of the broadest lines of professional training services in the industry. We have a team of senior-level professionals with extensive knowledge and experience in all facets of performance improvement. Edge Interactive has provided over 100,000 consulting hours to our clients during our 13 years in business.” (Retrieved October 25, 2004 from http://www.edgeinteractive.com/consulting/consulting_services.htm.) Edge Interactive has experience in performance improvement, the main goal of Hi-Tech.

Training by Design, “Welcome to Training by Design's web site…an online resource for training and performance improvement professionals.” (Retrieved October 26, 2004 from http://www.trainingbydesign.com/.) Again, Training by Design has performance improvement professionals, the main goal of Hi-Tech.

The Alliance Education Group, “…consultation on training needs and problems, course design and presentation, instructor training and development, executive coaching and a wide selection of workshops to meet the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements of clients.” (Retrieved October 24, 2004 from http://www.aeg-training.com/whatwedo.aspx.) The Alliance Education Group can provide a wide variety of expertise in consulting, design, presentation and executive coaching.

References

Van Tiem, D. Moseley, J. & Dessinger, J. (2000). Fundamentals of Performance Technology A Guide to Improving People, Process, and Perfromance. Washington, D.C.: International Society for Performance Improvement.

Stolovitch, H. & Keeps, E. (1999). Handbook of Human Performance Technology. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.

Bold, M. (2000). Participatory lecture technique: increasing learner involvement in a traditionally passive environment. Retrieved October 25, 2004 from http://www.marybold.com/plt.pdf

Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University. (2004). Tips for teachers: twenty ways to make lectures more participatory. Retrieved October 26, 2004 from http://www.bokcenter.harvard.edu/docs/TFTlectures.html

Carbone, E. (1998). Teaching large classes: tools and strategies (survival skills for scholars). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.