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.     

Case Study Research: A Valuable Learning Tool for Performance Improvement Professionals

Although it is sometimes recommended that performance improvement (PI) professionals include experimental research designs in their repertoire of PI tools and methods, it has been long understood that experimental designs can be difficult to implement due to impediments resulting from the complex nature of the organizational settings. However, the utilization of case study research has proven to be an effective alternative to aid in the identification of strengths and opportunities for the improvement of organizational procedures, policies, processes, or programs. Case study research helps managers and practitioners make sense of real world problems. This article presents a summary of steps in the design of case study research and provides examples of how these methods have been used within organizational settings. Implications for PI practitioners are provided.     

学生学习诚信问题的教育伦理学批判

学生在学习过程中的诚信问题集中表现在以刷课、替课为代表的虚假学习过程和以作弊、抄袭、造假为代表的虚假学习结果两方面。从美德论来看,虚假学习过程反映出学习者懒惰的陋习,追求虚假的学习结果满足了学习者的虚荣心;从功利论来看,虚假的学习过程使教学活动形同虚设,虚假的学习结果引发诸多潜在风险;从道义论来看,虚假的学习过程有违学习者义务,虚假的学习结果破坏了公平竞争的社会评价机制。我们倡导诚实守信、求真务实的学习诚信观,鼓励学习者牢固树立"一分耕耘,一分收获"的道德信念,通过自律和他律相结合的方式,坚守"为学以诚"的道德操守,在学习过程中锤炼诚信的道德品质。     

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.     

Comparing the Roles,Responsibilities, and Activities of Transactional and Transformational HRD Professionals

HRD professionals engage in one of two potential roles—transactional or transformational. Transactional focuses attention on an activity strategy whose cornerstone is training. Transformational focuses on a results‐driven strategy that is performance‐centered‐a role that helps organizations achieve their strategic business goals and objectives. These strategies differ in their outcomes and contributions to organizations in that the former leads to training for training's sake while the latter seeks to maximize organizational performance and effectiveness. Thus, HRD professionals are challenged to choose either an activity strategy that embraces a business as usual approach or a results‐driven strategy that requires adopting a new and exciting role.     

E‐Learning Ain't Performance: Reviving HPT in an Era of Agile and Lean

Not all instructional design models are fully integrated into the HPT practice. Some of these processes such as the successive approximation model (SAM) and the lot like Agile methods approach (LLAMA) are the outgrowth of Agile processes for instructional design. The major design processes are often assumed to be competitive; that is, one model is better than the other. However, most Agile instructional design processes assume that the most ubiquitous performance solution is e‐learning, hence the direct integration of Agile processes. Therefore, instead of thinking about design models, we think about instructional methods and solutions over human performance technology (HPT). These methods are all equal until one understands the conditions or the context of the instructional or performance problem. We recommend designers reverse engineer the Agile instructional systems design process by using a rapid performance analysis method that quickly pinpoints and confirms the performance problem(s).     

项目学习:推进课程优化与改善的实践

本文基于中国和联合国儿童基金会"远程协作学习项目"的实践,阐述了项目学习凭借城乡学校间网络携手,通过以问题为导向的"假设-求证"的探究学习,从跨领域学习到多学科融合改善课程的尝试.文章着重论述了项目学习对于创设"以学习者为中心"的课程、探索信息技术与新课程的多样化整合,以及缩小东西部教育的"数字鸿沟""知识鸿沟"的实践价值和理论意义.     

论出版人才培养的教学困境与实践路径

出版业已进入大变革大发展时代,对优秀人才的整体性需求尤为迫切.在现有编辑出版高等教育培养人才存在结构性矛盾的情况下,从发展视角多途径整合学校、企业、行业及主管部门的资源优势,是培养高素质出版人才的必然出路.     

从标准与模型看绩效技术人员的能力要求

根据对国际绩效改进协会的绩效技术标准和美国培训与开发协会的学习与绩效能力模型进行的解读与分析,不仅有助于进一步明确绩效技术领域的实践工作与能力要求,同时,考虑到上述专业组织与实践领域内企业等机构的密切联系,也有助于我们把握绩效技术相关人才的市场需求和定位,从而为相关人才的培养提供启示．     

学习领域课程教学实践现状调查

以广州和北京的7所开展学习领域课程实验的中等职业学校为样本,调查这些学校在开展学习经领域课程实验过程中在教材与课程开发、课程设计与教学安排、教学过程与资源、教学效果、教学管理人员、教师、学生等方面面临的困难与阻碍,分析产生问题的原因,为中等职业学校开展学习领域课程实验提供政策和操作性的建议。     

A Selected Review of the Underpinnings of Ethics for Human Performance Technology Professionals -Part Two: Professional Resources

Professionals serving as internal and external consultants, whether as performance technologists, human resource development facilitators, training specialists, organizational development change agents, or quality improvement engineers, are uniquely positioned to influence ethical awareness in the workplace. Yet it is unlikely that they will be able to exert much influence without knowledge of the factors that influence ethical behavior in organizations and knowledge of ethical decision making. Although the literature on ethics is proliferating, little of it is directly related to performance improvement professionals. Those who want to educate themselves in ethics have been left to their own devices. Part One in this series of two articles presents a review of key ethical theories and research. Part Two is a list of references available for those who are ready to examine the ethical responsibilities of HPT professionals, who have encountered ethical issues, who want to include an ethics audit in their needs assessment tool box, or who need to suggest ethics-related solutions to performance problems.     

基于在场学习力提升的培训效果显性化创新实践

适应基础教育转型,提高教师培训针对性、实效性的关键是要让培训效果可测可评,效果可视化是培训效果评估最直接的方式。通过培训效果显性化提升教师在场学习力,是构建教师培训文化力、形成教师学习持续内驱力的根本。     

数学专业实践教学模式的改革与实践

随着社会的发展,地方院校数学专业的人才培养一直倍受世人的关注,实践教学在培养应用型人才方面是必不可少的。结合教学实践,从加大数学实践课程的开设、加强教育实习基地建设、加大毕业论文管理力度、加强指导教师队伍建设、加大教学资源投入5个方面阐述了德州学院数学专业实践教学的改革与实践经验,对数学专业人才培养具有重要的实践参考价值和现实意义。     

关于远程教育学习过程质量标准的研究与实践

学习过程是保证教学质量的关键性环节。因此，在优化学员的学习过程中，首先要总结学习过程诸多环节的质量标准：然而针对学员个性差异及学习基础，因人因科选择恰当的方式进行引导并进行个性化管理，以深度提升学习过程的质量。