How Instructional Designers Solve Workplace Problems

This naturalistic inquiry investigated how instructional designers engage in complex and ambiguous problem solving across organizational boundaries in two corporations. Participants represented a range of instructional design experience, from novices to experts. Research methods included a participant background survey, observations of problem‐solving activities, in‐depth interviews, and analysis and evaluation of project documents and other tools. The findings revealed differences between experts and novices with regards to tolerance of ambiguity, expectations about their own roles in finding solutions for their clients, adaptability, attention to appropriate details, and management of workplace stress. The contrast between instructional design processes taught in universities and actual workplace practice was noted by both expert and novice participants. Experienced participants demonstrated adaptability in processes and communications to efficiently arrive at viable solutions for their clients. Expectation setting and relationship building emerged as techniques for creating environments supportive of instructional designers' problem‐solving activities.     

The Way They See It: An Evaluation of the Arts Across the Curriculum Project

This article reports on an evaluation to interrogate the efficacy of a Scottish Government sponsored initiative to introduce an arts‐infused education model to primary (elementary) and secondary (high) schools called Arts Across the Curriculum. Between April 2005 and December 2007 the evaluation team gathered data about this three‐year pilot project, using a variety of instruments including surveys, structured observations, interviews and video diaries. This article presents some of the findings from the evaluation and in particular it focuses on the artists' views of the efficacy of the project; in short we wanted to know how they ‘saw it’. It should be noted that the research team that evaluated the initiative had no say in the design of the project.     

Project Cheddarfield: Supporting Co‐Curricular Themes Through Creative Use of Video Course‐Casting

This article chronicles the coordination and better integration of existing institutional resources to support cocurricular themes embedded in the provision of a large enrollment, video‐mediated undergraduate operations management (OM) course. The name Project Cheddarfield refers to a 2008 initiative in which two professors team‐taught an OM course to over 600 undergraduates on two different continents through the repeated rapid exchange of digital video between the United States and Singapore. Simultaneously infused in this core curricular delivery were themes of global awareness and study‐abroad, including the promotion of one particular opportunity that bridged the two campuses. This action research narrative spans over 5 years of related activity leading up to the initiative, as this project is best understood as a trajectory, or the evolving result of design adapting to unfolding realities.     

Instructional design and project management: complementary or divergent?

This paper reports the results of a study to identify the extent to which organizations that develop educational/training products are committed to project management, as measured by their project management implementation maturity, as a methodology that is separate and distinct from the processes of instructional design. A Web survey was conducted among 103 public and private sector organizations worldwide that develop educational/training products. Results show no significant difference by project management maturity level in the roles of instructional designer and project manager, although there is some relationship between maturity level and how organizations perceive the skills/competencies of project managers versus those of instructional designers. Further, organizational decision-makers have very specific expectations about the formal education and training of educational/training product development project leaders. The findings should be of value to institutions of higher education in evaluating programs that prepare students for careers in instructional design.     

Undergraduate project work: can directed tutor support enhance skills development?

Students' perceptions of their skills development and the overall value of their undergraduate project work were evaluated using data derived from questionnaires. Thirty‐nine students completing their second year of study (i.e. prior to the commencement of project work) and 42 students completing their third‐year project work took part. Thirteen tutors also completed questionnaires. They were asked to give their perceptions as to what skills project students developed and what attributes of project work enhanced both students' personal development and students' assessment grades. Results showed a shift in students' perceptions of the types of skills reinforced, developed and assessed within project work during the course of their third‐year project. Their perceived views did not fully coincide with tutors' perceptions of student skills development, although evaluation of both the assessment and personal importance of particular aspects of project work showed some interesting relationships between students and tutors. The diversity of opinion shown in these results may be due to lack of clarification of assessment criteria rather than a ‘hidden curriculum’. For example, the distinction between presentation of work and scientific writing may not be clear from an initial reading of the criteria. The outcomes of this study, with particular reference to the relationship between scientific writing and thinking, have implications regarding tutor and student discussion, the development of marking criteria and the use of plenary project support sessions.     

The EHE Initiative: programme architecture and evaluation design

Local evaluation was a key element of the evaluation strategy for the EHE initiative. In offering an overview of local evaluations undertaken by the 50 or so HEIs involved in EHE, this paper endeavours to account for why local evaluations have converged around a grounded, dispersed evaluation model focused in the main on curriculum changes at course level. The strategic and integrative qualities of the initiative which posed evaluation questions about institutional capacity to manage the processes of change associated with EHE have generally not been included within the scope of local evaluations, nor have other key facets of the innovation been addressed. The thesis running through this paper is that the programme architecture of EHE both shaped the nature of the innovation as well as contextualised evaluation design. In adopting an evaluation stance in which evaluation was integrated with the innovation process, evaluation itself mirrored the ‘developmental trajectory’ of EHE as an innovation. Evaluation thus cannot be divorced from the political processes associated with the implementation of an externally introduced programme of change. The general lesson to be drawn from the experience of EHE local evaluations is the interdependence between programme characteristics and their evaluation.     

试论影响组织设计过程中的关键因素

组织设计是确定适合组织的战略、组织成员、技术和组织任务等组织结构的过程。组织设计五项经典原则一直在组织设计中发挥着指导性作用,但在组织设计过程中,对一些关键因素,如:组织战略目标、组织环境变化、组织的成长性与稳定性、组织的核心能力、组织的可塑性、组织所处环境的文化价值观等仍是我们在组织设计中要给予重视的关键因素。     

Student Interior Design Projects in Saudi Arabia

Interior design students should be able to use research and evidence‐based design outcomes to make decisions that promote health, safety and wellbeing. This approach will contribute to resolving social, environmental and community issues through design‐oriented thinking Accordingly, the aim of this research in a senior design studio course is to promote a better connection to the local environment needs without losing the creativity aspect. This study covered two semesters and used multiple data collection methods, including interviews, observational field notes, discussions and personal reflections. The findings showed that jury critiques and case study analysis were the most beneficial sources of information for students to develop their project ideas and solutions. The paper illustrates processes, products and aspects that are used in senior projects to find solutions to environmental needs. In addition, the study offers lessons learned and reflections to raise students’ awareness of the cultural needs in relation to the interior design field. This study shows findings similar to earlier research that found that students who identified and analysed a local case study understood the design problem better and were creative in linking their project design solution to the society's needs. The study also reveals that students who relied on analysis of well‐defined local case studies developed focused and detailed concepts and design solutions according to the instructor's and jurors’ assessments. The study also contributes to literature by using a multi‐method approach and offers implications for local and international policy‐makers on interior design curricula.     

项目教学法在Maya建模课程教学中的应用

在介绍项目教学法和Maya建模课程特点的基础上,阐述了项目教学法应用于该课程教学的思路和具体流程.按照该课程教学的目标和学生学习的基础来设定实用性项目;按照项目教学法流程来具体实施每个项目的教学过程.实施教学过程和考核方式的改革,突出学生学习的主体性、积极性.不仅培养学生的项目制作能力,还能培养学生的职业能力.     

Embedded Assessment in Project‐based Science Courses for the Gifted: Insights to inform teaching all students

The present study of gifted students’ views of assessment is aimed at understanding how the employment of Embedded Assessment for Learning (EAfL) framework in science courses for the gifted affects the students’ views throughout the learning process. The participants were 86 students in three programmes for the gifted who elected project‐based science courses. The data included questionnaires, distributed at the beginning and at the end of the assessment processes in each science course, and in‐depth interviews with 12 students, which were analysed according to three main themes: general view of assessment; assessment modes; and relationships between assessment and learning. The students viewed the EAfL framework as an integral part of the learning process, and perceived it as a means of expressing autonomous learning and a range of performances; characteristics that correspond with the students’ unique needs. In addition, students addressed cognitive and social processes they had undergone. This implies that assessment which is explicitly designed to promote learning in science courses is a powerful tool for teachers as well as for students, and contributes to meaningful learning.     

Applicable Adaptive Testing Models for School Teachers

Small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in creating a dynamic and successful European economy. Time‐poor managers in these organisations generally have fewer opportunities for training and development than their counterparts in larger organisations. As a result, different requirements are placed on training. The aim of this study was to test the principles of action learning in a virtual environment. The action‐learning programme was based on virtual working but did also involve face‐to‐face workshops, thus providing a blended approach. The project was designed to be “evaluation‐led”, with evaluation progressing alongside the project from design to finalisation. The focus of this paper is on how the evaluation‐led approach unfolded. To this end, we start by explaining our research approach, we then move on to an analysis of the project to conclude with a discussion of the findings and of the lessons learnt. We conclude by highlighting some further research needs.     

‘No Outsiders’: Moving beyond a discourse of tolerance to challenge heteronormativity in primary schools

In this paper we describe a UK‐based participatory action research project that looks beyond the discourse of tolerance to investigate and challenge heteronormative processes in primary schools through reflective action research. This 28‐month ESRC‐funded project supports 15 primary teachers working in schools in three regions of the UK to develop action research projects that address lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in their own schools and classrooms. In this paper we will examine how the original principles on which the project design was based have manifested themselves throughout the course of the project, drawing upon examples of classroom practice and reflective discussions among project team members. We will explore how designing intentionally for collective participation has produced spaces for people to do and think in ways that have not only gone beyond what we imagined but have also challenged and sometimes contradicted our own ways of thinking.     

Collaborative Teaching and Learning through Multi‐Institutional Integrated Group Projects

This teaching brief describes an innovative multi‐institutional initiative through which integrated student groups from different courses collaborate on a common course project. In this integrated group project, students are asked to design a decentralized manufacturing organization for a company that will manufacture industrial Proton‐Exchange Membrane fuel cells. The groups include students from supply chain management, production planning and scheduling, and facility layout and design courses. Empirical results from the implementation suggest that students responded positively to the integrated experience. Lastly, the article presents implementation strategies for multi‐institutional group projects based on the experiences gained through the collaborative experience.     

基于QFD的“运营管理”课程整合实践项目的设计

为提升学生的知识集成能力和整合创新能力,针对"运营管理"课程传统教学中存在的"知识点分散、理论与实践脱节"的困境,应用质量功能展开产品设计工具(QFD),分析了支撑学生能力培养的学习需求和项目特性,构建了"运营管理"课程整合实践项目的质量屋模型,并基于该模型找出了实践项目的关键特性。教学实施效果表明,基于QFD工具设计的"运营管理"课程整合实践项目,能够激发学生学习潜能,提升学习的积极性和主动性,培养知识整合应用能力与实践创新能力。     

Powerful words: skillful and sensitive empowerment of urban undergraduate pre‐service teachers through improvement of Standard English usage

With the goal of assisting predominantly low‐socio‐economic status and minority undergraduate education majors to achieve necessary competence in the use of oral and written Standard English, an innovative action research initiative was incorporated into an introductory education class at a comprehensive urban university in the northeastern part of the United States. The project integrated written and oral Standard English exercises into the course’s curriculum as a means of bolstering students’ skills while still helping them master the course content. Preliminary results demonstrate students’ improved competence in both written and oral Standard English, and an increased awareness of how and when to use various forms of English.     

An examination of the relationship among structure,trust, and conflict management styles in virtual teams

The emergence of new technologies has made it increasingly easy for distributed collaboration in both educational and noneducational settings. Although the effectiveness in traditional settings of the dynamics of small group work has been widely researched, there is limited research that offers evidence on how teams can work effectively in a virtual environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship among team structure, trust, and conflict management style, in addition to their impact on teamwork effectiveness in a virtual environment. An experimental design was used to assess the effects of structure on team performance. Forty‐four groups, divided into hierarchical and nonhierarchical groups, worked on an online simulation project in an online MBA course. The results suggest that team structure is strongly associated with team performance, whereas trust and a collaboration conflict management style contribute to teamwork satisfaction.     

案例教学法在高校“业绩管理”(F5)课程教学中的应用研究

"业绩管理"(F5)课程涵括成本核算与管理、预算编制与控制、管理决策制定以及业绩评价等内容,要求学生具备一定的综合应用能力,需要学生根据不同商业情景选择适当的分析工具,做出正确的评估。但是在校本科学生缺乏实际工作经验,对外部商业环境知之甚少,这就迫切需要教师在该课程教学中引入案例教学,因为案例教学可深化学生对外部商业环境的了解,而且在常规化观点碰撞和交流中,学生的主观能动性和综合应用能力潜力都会得到充分的刺激和发挥。"业绩管理"(F5)课程的特点要求案例选择和设计时要国际化和本土化并举,要具有针对性和层次性,同时还要与课后习题挂钩。好的案例教学模式既有利于学生发散思维,累积能力,也有助于教师在案例教学准备、实施和总结过程中因材施教,教学相长。     

How the Organizational Learning Process Mediates the Impact of Strategic Human Resource Management Practices on Performance in Korean Organizations

The primary purpose of this research is to examine the structural relationships among several workplace‐related constructs, including strategic human resource management (HRM) practices, organizational learning processes, and performance improvement in the Korean business context. More specifically, the research examined the mediating effect of the organizational learning processes at three levels—individual, group, and organizational—to explain the relationship between strategic HRM practices and performance improvement. A total of 640 cases were used for data analysis, with general multivariate analyses and structural equation modeling. The results suggest that the learning processes at the three levels have a significant direct impact on organizational performance and that they also serve as a mediating interaction construct to maximize the effect of strategic HRM practices. The article provides conclusions, discusses the limitations of the research, and makes further recommendations.     

Improving student learning in distance education: Theory,research and practice

The aim of this paper is to examine how project-based learning in distance education can be seen to make a distinctive contribution to “improving student learning”. How has this approach to course design and assessment been put into practice in an Open University (OU) course and what assumptions about teaching and learning are involved in this course development process. The paper also looks briefly at how this project component has been evaluated by describing students’ and tutors’ experiences of learning and teaching in the form of “action research” so to reflect critically on practice and so initiate change.     

How Family and Informal Supporters Appraise Service Quality

Within the field of intellectual disability, progressive policy thinking in Wales has led to an emphasis on the tailoring of services to individual needs and wants of service users, especially through individual planning processes and the creation of service packages. Using an adapted structure‐process‐outcome evaluation model, research is reported about how informal supporters appraise service quality. Based on a survey of 752 families, the first phase of the research reported here has been concerned with charting relationships between personal characteristics of users, service process factors and appraisals by informal supporters of service quality. The findings suggest the importance of key service process factors to an understanding of dimensions of service quality.