Designing High-Quality Learning Objectives

For this week’s assignment, we were required to write high-quality goals and learning objectives for two given scenarios. I used techniques described in the readings from Shabatura (2018) and Smith (2012) to inform my assignment.

Inspired by Smith’s (2012) technique, I first thought about the “noun” of what I wanted to learners to acquire without getting stuck on selecting an action verb. Once this was done, I added an action verb. Finally I thought about how I could assess that learning had taken place, or what was the deliverable of the objective and built that into the objective whenever possible. As Shabatura (2018) recommends, I have included a number indicating the action verb’s Bloom’s Taxonomy Level and done my best to ensure the learning objectives are not at a higher level than the overall Goal for the learning

Scenario #1:

For the past ten years, KawKan has been using a lean manufacturing approach in the assembly of their motorcycles.  Over that decade, business has remained strong, but operational costs have continued to increase despite increased sales every year. Management has considered the idea it might be time to switch from the Lean process to a more robust continuous improvement model. Since the company is immersed in the practice of Lean manufacturing model, the management team is not familiar with the basic elements in the continuous improvement model. Management has asked you to prepare a presentation outlining the continuous improvement process and how implementing how it can improve the overall manufacturing output. The designated contacts for this project include the director of supply chain management and the director of continuous improvement for production.

Your role: Assume the role of an instructional designer developing an outline for a training resolution. How would you address the following to correctly identify the learning objectives for this project:

NOTE: I see this entire activity as more than a “presentation.” It would have to take the form of a change management workshop, potentially with some time allocated in the beginning for prework, and several activities designed to get participants to be honest with each other about what’s not working and moving toward the conviction that change is needed.

Goal description
(Bloom’s taxonomy level in parentheses)

In an atmosphere of trust, the management team determines (5) the potential impact of migrating to a continuous improvement manufacturing model. The team can evaluate (5) potential benefits and risks, visualise the future, and list required next steps.

 Learning objectives/outcomes

• (1) List the factors which have led to increasing operational costs over the last five years.
• (2) Discuss what it means for you as a professional when sales are rising but so are costs. (The “background” objective is to elicit any frustration at this situation—setting a good climate to consider whether change is necessary.)
• (5) Predict what direction operational costs will take over the next five years if the ways of working do not change.
• (2) Describe the fundamentals of the continuous improvement process.
• (2) Contrast the benefits and drawbacks of the continuous improvement process versus the lean manufacturing model.
• (2) Visualise how a typical day, month, and year would be like once we were fully working with the continuous improvement process.
• (5) Evaluate whether this visualisation is realistic and the direction we want/need to go.
• (6) Assuming we want to proceed, outline the parameters (initial design) of a pilot project to help us make data-driven decisions.
• (1) Enumerate what resources we need to kick off a pilot project.

Potential Subject Matter Experts/Define their role in the project:

The supply chain director and continuous improvement director are potentially powerful change champions for this initiative. They need to be supportive for it to progress so giving them pieces of the agenda to facilitate makes their leadership visible.

Actions steps to address with a SME:

I would use the SMEs as the primary facilitators for steps in the agenda, especially in the section on the fundamentals of the continuous improvement process and contrasting it with how they work today. For example, the supply chain director could kick off the agenda and lead some exercises outlining the need for change. Then, I would have the continuous improvement director hand out one or two good summary articles on the fundamentals for everyone to sit together and read for 30 minutes. Then, s/he would facilitate a discussion on reflections, and summarise with his/her own summary. This person would then lead a discussion comparing continuous improvement with lean manufacturing. I assume that this person is comfortable facilitating—perhaps some assistance would be needed.

Scenario #2:

MedPat is a moderate-sized medical device manufacturer with offices, distribution centres, and production facilities scattered across North and South America. The company’s growth has primarily been done through the acquisition of smaller and competing business in the same market.  Given the degree of displaced locations, different operating procedures, and non-integrated systems, the operations have become too strenuous.  One of the larger sites has been chosen as a test site to harmonise the setup and production of the company’s new devices.  Soon, other sites will be manufacturing this same device too.  MedPat needs to remove itself from a paper-based operation because it slows down production, the records are hard to consistently manage, and it leads to communication issues with the site and field reps.  The designated contacts for this initiative consist of a process improvement expert and the vice president of production.

Your role: Assume the role of an instructional designer developing an outline for a training resolution. How would you address the following to correctly identify the learning objectives for this project:

Goal description

Affected stakeholders are prepared to execute the new processes and systems included in the harmonisation project. This includes predicting and anticipating (5) change impacts on the organisation and actively preparing a plan of mitigating actions.

Learning objectives/outcomes

• (2) Describe in business and human terms, why MedPat must harmonise ways of working across the entire business.
• (2) Summarise what specific metrics will define whether this effort is successful.
• (1) Reproduce the new processes and systems using paper-based tools.
• (3) Successfully simulate the new processes and systems given a realistic scenario, materials, and sample data.
• (1) Name the actor involved in executing each step in these new processes, as well as timelines.
• (4) Analyse the change impacts in terms of people, process, technology, culture.
• (5) Recommend the preparations and responsible for each, which your team needs to take to be ready for these changes.
• (6) Develop a change readiness action and time plan for your team, to which will all physically sign as a statement of commitment.

 Potential Subject Matter Experts/Define their role in the project:

The process improvement expert will be documenting the new processes and ensuring any supporting systems are ready for roll-out. The VP of production must be the visible driver of the initiative and display buy-in to the training approach.

Actions steps you would address with a SME.

The process improvement expert will assist in developing training material according to a defined template, potentially delivering some portions of it and acting as an assistant trainer in the practical sessions.

The VP of Production should deliver an inspirational speech to the learners about why we are undertaking this initiative. If possible, it should include a human-factor story about how the way they are working is negatively affecting a real customer or other stakeholder. S/he should explicitly state s/he is the programme sponsor and supports the training approach.

References:

(n.d.). Asia-Europe Foundation Photographs. Retrieved from https://asef.org/ebooks/public-health/scenarios/photographs.html

NOTE: for image

Shabatura, J. (2018, March 19). Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Write Effective Learning Objectives. Retrieved from https://tips.uark.edu/using-blooms-taxonomy/

Smith, T. (2012, July 2). Writing Measurable Learning Objectives. Retrieved from https://teachonline.asu.edu/2012/07/writing-measurable-learning-objectives/