IDT201 Final Project Sample

Reflection and Summary

For this course project, a set of training activities were developed that are designed to

provide basic information necessary for new customer service representatives to successfully

complete a number of tasks in their jobs. This project included a learner analysis, a task

analysis, and an assessment analysis. The project lasted over the course of an 8-week period of

time.

A thorough learner analysis was performed and the pertinent characteristics of the

learners were identified. Activities, tasks, and assessments were designed based on these

specific characteristics. For this reason, it is assumed that learners will receive this project

extremely well. The tasks are relevant to the learners’ new positions and they will be able to

use much of the training immediately.

Since the activities and assessments are based on actual working scenarios, the learners

should be very successful in completing them. The tasks and activities are developed to ensure

that learners will achieve the intended outcomes because they are designed with specific steps

of an approved working process in mind. Office managers assisted in outlining these steps to

ensure accuracy. The effectiveness of the sales techniques portion of the training will not be

immediately noticed as these are skills that will improve with practice.

Possible barriers to successful implementation could be with regard to the technology

required for the software training. There could potentially be issues with computer access or

the uptime of the network. Should the network go down during training, the session would

have to be cancelled and scheduled for another time.

My Course Experience

This 8-week course has given me the opportunity to explore the field of instructional

design and has also given me the opportunity to experience some of the basic tasks that

instructional designers do when developing learning experiences. I was provided with many

useful and interesting tools and resources that can be used to design instruction. The course

was facilitated in an online environment which is something I really enjoyed.

The most interesting part of this course was all of the different software tools we got to

try out. I really enjoy learning new software programs so I was glad to have that opportunity. I

also thought that learning about how the brain learns was very interesting. I did not know

about this topic at all so it was all new to me.

The most exciting learning experience in this course for me was when I was able to

create a piece of an e-learning module using a new software program. There were so many

programs to choose from but the one I selected was pretty easy to learn and I was able to

create a simple module from scratch by following the tutorials.

After this course, I am still struggling with understanding all of the instructional design

models. There are so many and I really still don’t know which ones to use when. I think that will

come with time though as I continue on through this program. I would like to learn more about

mobile learning though. This course briefly touched on that topic and it really made me curious

to know more about it. I am anxious to take that course in the future.

LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS CHECKLIST

Project Purpose and Audience: This project will focus on customer service techniques for the front line widget representatives. The intended audience is a group of new adult customer service representatives who have no prior knowledge of the ABC Company’s processes or procedures. This training session will be delivered as a series of e-learning modules in a self-paced environment followed by two classroom sessions. 1. Cognitive Characteristics: • general aptitudes • specific aptitudes • functional literacy (e.g., reading level) • visual literacy (e.g., ability to perceive graphics) • computer literacy • learning styles • metacognitive abilities • prerequisite content knowledge The intented audience for this training session are a group of new employees who have had to pass a computer competency exam prior to being employed by the ABC Company. They are of average intelligence; some have an undergraduate college degree. They have a specific aptitude for sales and customer relations. The learning styles of this diverse audience is unknown but it should be a mix of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. There is no assumed prerequisite content knowledge as these employees are new to the company. They will have no knowledge of company processes or procedures before beginning this training. Since this is a highly visual e-learning module, learners should be able to perceive and understand graphical representations of the content that is presented in the training module. 2. Personality Characteristics: • motivation to learn • interests • attitudes toward content • attitudes toward learning • attitudes toward technology • self-esteem • anxiety • beliefs

• locus of control This group of learners is very motivated to learn these topics as they directly relate to their new positions with the ABC Company. They will want to excel in this training so that they are fully prepared to begin their new postions as customer service representatives. Since this training relates directly to their jobs, it is very likely that they will demonstrate interest in learning the topics that are presented to them. They are eager to learn and are all computer literate with positive attitudes toward using technology. This particular age group tends to be interested in and experienced in the use of web-based content delivery and should demonstrate positive attitudes about completing both the online and classroom training sessions. 3. Social Characteristics: • attitudes toward collaboration • tendencies to cooperate or compete • relationships with peers • socioeconomic status • attitudes toward authority • racial or ethnic background • culture • career • educational level This is a ethnically mixed group of learners with a varying educational level that ranges from high school graduates through bachelor’s degrees. Since these are new employees, their specific personalities are not yet known. Some of the learners have prior experience with this specific career position but the majority of the learners are new to this type of working environment. Since these are new employees, they will not yet have made close relationships with peers so this training will also benefit them by encouraging them to work together and collaborate on training projects. 4. Physical Characteristics: • visual abilities • auditory abilities • tactile abilities • general health • fatigue • age • sex

Learners taking this training should have visual, auditory, and tactile abilities. However, should there be individuals who require accommodations due to any physicial disability, alternate resources will be provided to ensure they are able to complete the training as well. After a learner analysis was conducted with HR, it was found that all of the intended audience has complete visual, auditory, and tactile abilities. Their overall general health is good. Their ages range from 20 to 35 years of age. There is expected to be a gender ratio of 60% female and 40% male learners.

Objectives and Tasks Worksheet

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

First, on this page, using the ABCD format, provide a minimum of 3-5 measurable learning objectives for your project. Remember, these are statements that explain what you intend for your learners to be able to do following your lesson or training session. These objectives need to be measurable in that there needs to be a specific way learners will demonstrate (or prove) they have learned what you intend for them to learn. You don’t have to come up with those specific assessments just yet. That will come later in the course. For now, just write down your learning objectives. These objectives will then be translated into tasks on the following pages. Objective 1

A (Audience) – New customer service representatives B (Behavior) – will be able to identify appropriate welcoming actions C (Condition) – from a list of examples and non-examples D (Degree) – with 90% accuracy

Objective 2

A (Audience) – New customer service representatives B (Behavior) – will be able to perform upselling techniques C (Condition) – in a role playing situation D (Degree) – with 100% accuracy

Objective 3

A (Audience) – New customer service representatives B (Behavior) – will be able to setup a new customer account C (Condition) – using the corporate XYZ software application D (Degree) – with 90% accuracy

Objective 4

A (Audience) – New customer service representatives B (Behavior) – will be able to perform emergency exit procedures C (Condition) – when presented with an emergency scenario D (Degree) – and complete the action within 3 minutes

Objective 5

A (Audience) – New customer service representatives B (Behavior) – will be able to correctly identify appropriate behaviors C (Condition) – when presented with an angry customer scenario D (Degree) – with 100% accuracy

TASK ANALYSIS Project Title/Topic: New Customer Service Training

Objective Tasks/Skills/Steps Tools (if needed)

1. Welcoming actions

Acknowledge approaching customer by name.

Extend hand in greeting.

Shake customer’s hand.

Invite them to sit down.

Ask how the customer can be helped.

Listen to response.

Provide appropriate solutions.

2. Perform upselling techniques

Ask customer what products they already have.

Ask them their opinion of the product(s).

Ask about their future plans.

Suggest additional products that may interest them.

3. New Account Setup

Representative will sign into the computer system with login provided.

Computer terminal, software account login information.

Identify the new customer page.

Enter new customer personal information completely – all required fields.

Take customer photo. Digital camera with computer link.

Save new customer record.

Sign out of system.

4. Emergency Exit Procedures

Respond immediately to emergency situation.

Locate nearest exit.

Check for customers needing assistance.

Check for other staff needing assistance.

Exit the building to correct designated meeting area.

5. Angry Customer Scenario

Acknowledge the customer is angry.

Ask what needs to be done to rectify the situation.

Determine who needs to be contacted.

Make contact with appropriate staff.

Ensure that the customer is immediately taken to the appropriate staff member who can help.

Learning Assessment

Learning Objective Activity/Assessment

Welcoming actions Trainer will demonstrate appropriate actions

Role Play activity

Role Play assessment

Perform upselling techniques Learners are given a job aid with stated techniques

Role Play activity

Role Play assessment

New Account Setup Learners are given an instruction manual

Guided process demonstration

Practice Activity

Test Activity

Emergency Exit Procedures Watch presentation video on emergency procedures

Practice group exit procedures

Practice emergency scenario

Participate in emergency drill