Section 4

1. Chapter 14 discusses the concept of the 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.
A performance problem I see in my classroom/area of work is that a few of my students lack the motivation to complete and turn in assignments if they are not completed in the allotted class time. I'd like to find a way to encourage them to want to do their assignments, or at least see the necessity in it. A non instructional solution to this problem would be an incentive type program where students could earn a sticker on every assignment that was completed AND turned in on time, once the student reached 25 stickers, or whatever the designated number is, they could draw from a prize box, or earn a homework pass, some kind of a reward. I like the "token" system, I think it is usually very effective, and this may be beneficial to those few who like to do things their own way.

2. Chapter 15 pr esents 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 ha v e not been widely used and if they are more likely be become more prevalent in the future.
Our textbook defin es Electronic Performance Support Systems as electronic systems that provided integrated access to (1) information (2) advice (3) learning experiences, and (4) tools to help someon e perform a task with minimal support from others. Other definitions of EPSS include Wikipedia's definition in which it is any computer software program or component that improves user performance. Encyclopedia2 online defines it as "A system that provides electronic task guid ance 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 h ints 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 displa ys, sound, and video presentations." PC Magazine Online defines it as a computer system that provides quick assistance and information without requiring prior training to use it. It may incorporate all forms of multimedia delivery as well as AI techniques such as expert systems and natural language

recognition. I prefer the definition from the book because it is simple, and straight to the point. It reminds us that an EPSS is something that should be easy to access, provide us with information, advice and learning experiences with minimal support from others. I believe that EPSS have not been widely used because many teachers "fear change" and unfortunately anything electronic is viewed as technology and technology is still but young in the arena of education. As beneficial as we all know it is, many teachers shy away from the extra time and preparation, or the chance that something could go wrong, dare I even say, they are afraid that they may become obsolete and no longer the "sage on the stage". I think that they will become more prevalent in the future because our times are ever-changing, the need to know how to solve pencil and paper problems, diagram sentence structure, look something up in a dictionary or encyclopedia are behind us. All of these things are available electronically now. Think about our mail system, hardly every do we send a letter in the mail minus holidays such as Christmas, even telephone calls are becoming a thing of the past. Most things are done via e-mail or text message via social network, whatever the "quickest" fix to the problem may be.

3. 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 used to solve the problem?
A problem that I see facing my school specifically is the achievement gaps in our ethnic populations. Unfortunately the TAKS test weights students differently based on the amount of students of that ethnicity enrolled in the school. Our ethnic break up is very staggered, and the groups perform vastly different on achievement test. A blended learning approach, including the use of a knowledge management system, could be used to help solve this problem. There are four types of knowledge outlined in Chapter 16, Explicit, Tacit, Common and Undiscovered. Knowledge Management is the creation, storing and sharing of information gained. Blended learning is a meshing of Web based learning and classroom learning. I think blended learning could be used to solve this problem in several beneficial ways. An example is that we have recently purchased the rights to Study Island, for our fifth grade students. Study Island is an interactive program in which the students take a pre-test, the teacher gets the results e-mailed to them, sees where the student's weaknesses are and then assigns them specific tasks based on their specific needs. Each students' assignments are geared towards them and their learning plan is unique to them. However, this program is not successful without classroom learning having taken place previously to initially teach the concepts and skills the student needs to solve the problem. Then, if the goals are not met the teacher has a more specific idea of where to reteach and work with that student for more "bang for their buck". Similarly we have to take in to account that many students, most likely the ones we are trying to target may not have computer access at home, so it is the job of the school to offer times the computer lab is open, administration should offer rides home, remind families computer access from most libraries is free, anything to engage the learner into using the tools.

4. 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 have been exposed to multiple types of informal learning during my adult life. These include e-coaching from colleagues in the profession, conversations with my peers over strategies, observations of the actions of peers, immersement in an unfamiliar activity, museum tours, you tube clips on "how to" do things, discovery courses on how to utilize a specific computer program, etc. The purposes of these was to let me discover how things work, it reminds be of the constructivists' points of view on learning. Thus, "learning by doing". When speaking with collegues and other individuals they may have experienced things you have not, so in turn have different insight and knowledge on matters. I find these types of learning experiences to be much more internalized, yet social at the same time. Discussions are more frequent, as is the feedback as needed. However, myself as the learner was much more involved and engaged in the learning process constructing knowledge along the way. Instructors in these circumstances are more of a facilitator and helper, offering feedback and act as a springboard for further discussion and ideas for exploration. Informal learning definitely is becoming a more prevalent part of of the learning experiences of today.