工作场所学习与绩效:整合教学、研究与咨询的实践领域——访罗纳德·雅各布斯教授

在终身学习理念的影响下,工作场所自然成为学习的重要空间。一般而言,工作场所学习的时间比学校学习的时间还要漫长,因此,对工作场所学习这一研究领域的重要性怎么强调也不为过。个体可以通过工作场所学习实现自我价值、促进其生涯的发展;组织可以通过工作场所学习提升整体的竞争力和实现其持续性发展;当社会的经济和结构处于转型阶段,工作场所学习更成为促进个体和组织适应环境变化和主动创新的重要措施。借在美国学习的机会,笔者访谈了人力资源开发领域的著名学者雅各布斯(Ronald L.Jacobs)博士,他在访谈中论述了多个与人力资源开发专业相关的问题,并认为工作场所学习与绩效咨询是人力资源开发重要的实践领域,他整合了在该领域的教学经验、研究主题和咨询项目,实现了三者的互动和连通,多维度地促进该领域的发展。雅各布斯博士,美国伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,简称UIUC)人力资源开发专业教授,另外还担任该校教育学院国际事务处主任一职,他在各类期刊发表了百余篇论文,出版了六本人力资源开发方面的书籍。1994年,雅各布斯博士获得了由美国培训与开发协会(ASTD)颁发的教学科技研究奖;1995年,人力资源开发学会(AHRD)表彰了他在学术上对人力资源开发领域的卓越贡献。从1998年到2001年,他担任《人力资源开发季刊》(Human Resource Development Quarterly)(SSCI来源期刊,且为人力资源开发领域的主要学术期刊)的主编,现在仍担任该杂志的客座编辑。雅各布斯博士还担任ASTD工作场所学习与绩效(Workplace Learning and Performance)认证机构的顾问委员,并于2012年当选为新一届人力资源开发学会主席。雅各布斯博士早在1987年就提出"结构化在职培训"这一概念,并著有《员工岗位培训手册》(StructuredOn-the-Job Training),该书成为很多人力资源开发实践者和培训师的参考书,且被翻译为简体中文、繁体中文、韩文与阿拉伯文等多种语言,他早期的研究着重于研究结构化在职培训的经济效益,协助组织做出与培训相关的决定。目前,韩国就业及劳动部已在全国范围内实施大规模"结构化在职培训"试行计划,以帮助本国中小型企业提高竞争力。雅各布斯博士在人力资源开发领域整合了系统理论、工作场所学习、绩效咨询等理念,并在ISO10015培训质量标准中完善了绩效分析与投资报酬率等概念。雅各布斯博士曾受邀至荷兰乌特列支大学、台湾师范大学、新加坡南洋理工大学、华东师范大学等高校担任客座教授或特聘教授。他有三十多位博士学生现供职于全球各大学人力资源开发及相关领域的教授。雅各布斯博士多年来积极参与对实践的指导工作,他为许多企业组织与政府机构提供过咨询,包括通用汽车、荷兰航空公司、雅培、现代汽车、希捷、莫顿盐业、科威特国家石油公司、沙特阿拉伯国家石油公司等。雅各布斯博士参与的咨询项目通过开发工作场所绩效系统来满足对员工的能力需求,擅长采用合作研究整合其咨询活动、学术研究和教学为一体。雅各布斯博士喜欢航海、高尔夫,以及他在伊利湖畔别墅的夏日时光。     

Performance Diagnosis Matrix: A Discussion of Performance Improvement Scholarship

Most Human Resource Development (HRD) and Performance Improvement (PI) professionals agree that organizational performance is critical. There is less agreement, however, on the specific concepts that underlie differing models of performance diagnosis and improvement. Part of this disagreement may stem from a lack of a strong theoretical and empirical grounding in the multi-disciplinary concepts that comprise the basis of performance improvement. Swanson's (1994) Performance Diagnosis Matrix of Enabling Questions identifies elements central to HRD effectiveness and provides a theoretical framework through which multiple and diverse scholarly contributions can be explored to provide HRD/PI with additional theoretical strength. This discussion offers a more complete and stronger understanding of HRD/PI and the elements necessary to improve organizational performance by researching significant authors and research studies for concepts raised in the fifteen enabling questions posed in Swanson's Performance Diagnosis of Enabling Questions. These fifteen questions address performance variables (mission/goal, systems design, capacity, motivation, and expertise) at three performance levels (organizational, process, and individual).     

Psychological foundations of instructional design for emerging computer-based instructional technologies: Part II

Although considerable research has been published concerning learning and cognition in general, little impact has been reported on the design of computer-based instruction (CBI). In addition, CBI designs have been influenced negatively by technocentric perspectives, where technological capabilities dictate lesson activities, rather than a more reflective view on the relationship among learner, learning task and performance requirements, and the selective use of media capabilities. Attempts to extrapolate the relevance of non-CBI research and theory to advance a comprehensive and integrated view of the design of CBI have been rare. An integrated meta-model derived from both CBI and non-CBI research and theory is presented in this article.     

Influencing variables and moderators of transfer of learning to the workplace within the area of staff development in higher education: Research review

The goal of staff development in higher education is a change in teacher practices to positively influence student learning. In other words, the goal of staff development is the transfer of learning to the workplace. Research illuminates that this transfer of learning to the workplace is a complex issue. To make an accurate assessment of staff development initiatives one must consider what works for whom and under what conditions. We need to understand which influencing variables actually lead to which effects. Furthermore, we have to gain insight into moderators in the relationship between influencing variables and transfer of learning.With this interdisciplinary review we combine the findings of management, Human Resource Development (HRD), and organisational psychological research with educational research. We attempt to generate guidelines for further research to improve staff development by revealing gaps in earlier research on impact of staff development.     

Using Deliberative Inquiry to Assess Future Needs for a Graduate HRD Curriculum: A Case Study

The many changes in today's workplace argue for equivalent changes in educating human resource development (HRD) professionals. The need for HRD curricular changes to be thought out fully and future-focused warrants the use of systematic methods for formulating, solving, and learning more about how to formulate and solve curriculum problems. Deliberative inquiry is such a method. This research methodology is directed toward curricular decision-making as it occurs within a specific context and, simultaneously, toward learning how to formulate and solve such problems. This study focuses on how faculty members in one university department used the problem formulation phase of deliberative inquiry to assess future needs for their HRD specialization. The article first overviews the research methodology of deliberative inquiry and then describes the systematic approach-subject matter analysis-that was used to structure the problem formulation relative to HRD curricular needs. The problem formulation process clarified stakeholders' values. It also resulted in reframing the situation, which led to new insights about the issues facing the HRD curriculum and ways to address them.     

Free agent learners: the new career model and its impact on human resource development

Changes in the job market are affecting how employees view their current positions and careers leading to more employees (so-called ‘free agents’) developing portfolio careers. To maintain their long-term employability, free agents need to continually enhance and expand their expertise, knowledge-base, reputation and networks, and it has been argued that this will influence how employees view and approach their workplace learning. This article reports the findings of qualitative research aimed at exploring the free agent concept, the implications for workplace learning and the implications for human resource development (HRD) functions in organizations. The research used a convenience sample of 11 organizations from three continents, with data collected from senior HRD executives through telephone and face-toface interviews and e-mails. The results highlighted how some employees are changing their attitudes towards workplace learning, particularly those considered ‘high potential’ or working in ‘high tech’ positions. The research also identified how organizations are increasingly viewing learning as a means of attracting and retaining high quality employees, with implications for HRD functions in terms of a greater emphasis on delivery methods for learning beyond traditional training and greater emphasis on career development activities.     

Training Older Workers: Implications for HRD/HPT Professionals

In corporations across America, a race is on to find new ways to maximize human capital. An emphasis on lifelong learning will be vital for the success of our future workforce. As demographic shifts occur, the “older worker” will emerge as a primary target for this human development effort. This article explores the implications of this demographic shift for the human resource development and human performance technology (HRD/HPT) professional and recommends strategies for meeting this business need. First, we discuss the realities of this demographic shift and compare our current workforce demographics to those of the future. Next, we examine the common myths about the “older worker,” as well as what current research reports about this special population. Finally, we examine the impact of this trend on our profession. We discuss strategies for modifying the workplace environment, reassessing workforce motivational strategies, and altering training practices in order to serve this older worker population. In conclusion, we look at the implications for the future in HRD/HPT research.     

Evidence for confounding in computer-based instruction studies: Analyzing the meta-analyses

A thirty percent sample of the computer-based instruction (CBI) studies meta-analyzed by Kulik et al was examined for evidence of confounding. The purpose of the analysis was to explore the validity of competing claims about the contribution of the computer to measured achievement gains found in CBI studies. Some of these claims propose that CBI effects are overestimated and others argue that CBI effects are underestimated. The result of the analysis strongly suggests that achievement gains found in these CBI studies are overestimated and are actually due to the uncontrolled but robust instructional methods embedded in CBI treatments. It is argued that these methods may be delivered by other media with achievement gains comparable to those reported for computers. Construct validity cautions are offered for those who wish to use meta-analytic results as evidence for implementing CBI in schools and for the design of future CBI research.     

Another look at the relative impact of workplace design on training transfer for supervisory communication skills

This ethnographic study extends the findings of earlier research that authenticated the impact of workplace design features on newly acquired communication skills back on the job. The qualitative nature of the earlier study, however, limited quantitative measurement of workplace design features that may have an impact on learned skills. This study examined supervisor perceptions about the relative importance of organizational factors that affect transfer and prioritized the importance of specific design features to support learned communication skills. Research findings validate earlier research that workplace design is another work environment influence that may facilitate or impede the ultimate success of a training intervention for performance improvement.     

Live and Learn: Informal Learning Among Future Professionals

Although most workplace learning occurs informally, instructional design and technology professionals often focus their attention on more formal interventions, such as training. This article addresses a research study that examined the perception and use of informal learning strategies among instructional design and technology graduate students, the future members of the workforce of instructional designers and performance improvement practitioners. Results of this study may have implications for both instructional design and technology graduate programs and managers of instructional design and technology teams in organizations.     

Cooperative learning in computer-based instruction

High equipment and materials costs, limited access to computers for instruction in many schools, and the success of cooperative learning strategies in traditional classroom instruction have prompted researchers to examine the potential of cooperative computer-based instruction (CBI). In this article, recent research on cooperative CBI is reviewed and findings related to achievement, patterns of study, social interchange, motivation, and gender are discussed. In addition, guidelines on the implementation of cooperative CBI that have been gleaned from the literature are presented.This paper was prepared with partial support from MECC/University of Minnesota Center for Study of Educational Technology, and presented at the AECT Annual Convention, January 31–February 4, 1990, Anaheim, CA.     

Techniques for Creating Computer-Based Instructional Text: Programming Languages,Authoring Languages,and Authoring Systems

This article examines the use of computers to deliver instructional text. The focus is on procedures for the creation of computer-based instruction (CBI) lessons. The development of CBI lessons is separated into two aspects: the design of the lesson and the authoring of the lesson. Three primary techniques for authoring CBI lessons are the use of general-purpose computer programming languages, CBI authoring languages, and CBI authoring systems. These authoring techniques are described, including the advantages and limitations of each. Authoring systems are divided into three categories according to the type of CBI lesson they will support. Considerations are given for selecting from among the authoring techniques. Emerging trends in authoring techniques are discussed.     

Learning from Failure: A Cost-Benefit Analysis Study Which Resulted in Unfavorable Financial Outcomes

This article describes a cost-benefit analysis study which resulted in unfavorable financial outcomes and discusses how this result became a learning opportunity for human performance development (HRD) professionals in the organization. Demonstrating the contributions of human performance development/performance improvement (HRD/PI) programs through cost-benefit analysis is a continuing need in organizations. However, most cost-benefit analysis case studies have reported favorable financial results. While these results may help raise the perceived status of the field, in fact, reporting unfavorable results may provide a richer professional learning opportunity than otherwise might be available.     

The Role of Demographics as Predictors of Successful Performance of Sales Professionals in Business‐to‐Business Sales Organizations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact demographic variables of gender and sales experience have on the performance of business‐to‐business (B2B) sales professionals. If a deeper understanding can be established of how gender and sales experience variables relate to B2B sales performance, human resource development (HRD) and human performance improvement (HPI) professionals can use these indicators during the hiring and selection process. This article reports findings of the study and offers implications to the field of HRD and HPI.     

Strategic Planning: From Training to Performance Technology Within Three Years

Many corporate Human Resource Development (HRD) department staff are type-cast as trainers. They have tried to become human performance technologists and have found it difficult to accomplish. This article describes how developing and implementing a set of strategic plans guided one HRD department through its evolution from delivering conventional training to delivering multiple performance improvement interventions. It will show how projects were selected, developed, and managed over a three-year period to meet the customer's critical business issues and the HRD department's strategic plan.     

工作场所的学习和绩效:技术的影响与变革——访著名绩效咨询专家艾莉森·罗塞特博士

通过对美国教育技术领域的研究与追踪,近年来我们逐步了解和认识到,除了学校教育教学领域的研究和实践之外,美国还有近一半的专业人员工作在商业、企业、军队和政府部门领域,他们的共同目标是致力于改进工作场所的学习和绩效(特别是技术支持的学习与绩效改进).由此,美国许多大学教育技术学专业的教授便扮演着至少是双重的角色:学术领域的教授和工作场所的学习与绩效咨询专家,本文所访谈的对象艾莉森·罗塞特(Allison Rossett)博士即是其中的典型代表与佼佼者.她长期从事着工作场所学习和绩效的研究与实践.从早期的工作辅助(job aid)、需求评估(needs assesgnlent)到近期的电子学习、混合学习、绩效支持等,对美国教育技术领域的发展作出了独特的贡献. 罗塞特博士是美国圣地亚哥州立大学(San Diego State University)教育技术系的资深教授,著名的绩效咨询专家.除了为美国的公司、企业、政府部门提供绩效咨询之外,罗塞特博士的影响还远至巴西、苏格兰和印度.罗塞特博士2000年入选<培训>杂志人力资源开发名人堂(HRD Hall of Fame),2004至2006年期间任美国培训与发展协会(ASTD①)国际部主任,鉴于其在工作场所培训与绩效领域的杰出贡献,2002年获ASTD"贡献奖",被评为美国"海军教育和培训学习策略联盟"杰出会员,还服务于美国陆军"远程学习和培训技术"分会. 罗塞特博士的主要研究和咨询领域包括劳动力开发、需求评估、基于技术的学习与绩效支持、电子学习、混合学习等.主要学术著作包括<工作辅助与绩效支持:从教室中的知识到无处不在的知识>(2007),(2002),<超越讲台:在电子世界中传递培训和绩效>(2001,此书获国际绩效改进协会②"教学传播奖"),<先做重要的事情:绩效分析手册>(1999,此书获国际绩效改进协会"教学传播奖"),<工作辅助手册>(1991),<培训需求评估>(1987)等.罗塞特博士的绩效咨询客户主要有微软、IBM、惠普、Fidelity投资公司、Deloitte咨询公司、苏格兰皇家银行及一些致力于电子学习的企业.     

Ethical Applications of Technology in HRD

Human resource development (HRD) professionals are increasingly incorporating technology into their work activities. However, research that examines the ethics in the use of technology by HRD professionals is still underrepresented in the literature. This article first conducts a PEST (political, economic, social‐cultural, and technological) analysis by examining a number of important general and specific trends that affect the use of technology in HRD. It then discusses some implications with regard to these trends and their impacts on HRD practices.     

An investigation of knowledge‐building activities in an online community of practice at Subaru of America

Current approaches to workplace learning emphasize designing communities of practice that are intended to support both formal and informal knowledge acquisition. This article presents the design and research of a knowledge‐based community of practice for Subaru, based on principles outlined by Scardamalia (2002) and Zhang, Scardamalia, Lamon, Messina, and Reeve (2007). The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which participants' interactions in the online community showed evidence of individual and collective knowledge building. We found evidence of knowledge building within online discussions in these areas: interactions around improvement of ideas, connection to workplace knowledge and practices, and building on or adopting the ideas of others. We also found significant gains in scores on an assessment of workplace customer service after participation in the online community of practice.     

A Vision of Integrity and the Mission of Performance Improvement

The performance improvement professional, as well as those in Human Resource Development, Organizational Systems Development, Sociotechnical Systems Development, Total Quality Management, and Training and Education, are all uniquely positioned in their companies to facilitate the value of ethical awareness throughout the workplace. We certainly can be ethically informed and can conduct research studies on ethical issues in performance improvement. In practice, ethical standards for the practice of our craft should arise from within the membership of our profession. Ethical standards for our clients ought to arise from the organizations in which we work. We can help them. We must decide if we will pursue those challenges. Those of us who choose to work on this task should spend time grounding ourselves in the empirical research and normative ethical theory that comprise the field of business ethics. Then we ought to design and develop a more refined ethical heuristic based upon empirical and rational writings and on the work of subject matter experts and ethicists. Finally, we ought to use and model these ethical standards ourselves as we practice our craft.