Workplace Learning PBA
My experiences in the MET program opened my eyes to the value of PBAs and informed how I will incorporate them in my future training programs. I used a PBA in my last training program without fully understanding what PBAs are and how effective they can be. In this program I had the learners produce actual work products throughout a 13 week program which culminated in a final product that was formally presented to the project sponsors and the learners managers.
After reading Trent Baston’s (2011) “A Survey of the Electronic Portfolio Market Sector: Analysis and Surprising Trends” I realize that my example doesn’t fit into his examples but I believe it is the same in principle. Instead of using one of the ePortfolio packages that Baston promotes, I had leveraged an online Corporate website to allow the learner’s to publish their products which made it easier to share and provide feedback. In a sense each of the learners produced a product and the compilation of the individual works into the final presentation made up the team ‘portfolio’ as all products were published on the Microsoft Teamsite.
The PBA worked very well because along the way the learners had to create interim products that were assessed with feedback provided and discussed across the team. Changes and feedback were iteratively incorporated so that the final product was reflective of all the team learnings to date.
The goal was to encourage innovative thinking across the group. The feedback from the learners was very positive and they felt that they wouldn’t have learned the material as well had the teachings not been applied into an actual work product. The sponsors and managers were able to assess the progress of the learnings of the team along the way and even to request additional mentoring when an individual product highlighted some specific deficiency areas.
In thinking about this as a venture I guess I would say that my experience is that of a successful services based venture for product based assessment. When I wrote the proposal for the training program it was on the basis that the learnings would be applied to an actual corporate project which would provide additional value to the corporation over and above a more traditional workplace training program. Therefore, I think that I was actually selling and providing a service of a workplace learning PBA.
References:
Baston, T. (2011). A Survey of the Electronic Portfolio Market Sector: Analysis and Surprising Trends. [Web Page]. 10/12/11. Retrieved online from http://campustechnology.com/articles/2011/10/12/a-survey-of-the-electronic-portfolio-market-sector.aspx
andrea 6:59 pm on November 8, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Julie, what a cool project! I love that it was iterative, with people getting feedback and revising throughout. Publishing our materials to the big wide world can be a bit intimidating, but it sounds like this process support the best possible products with feedback from you and peers, and a collaborative approach to improving the work. I love your service idea – your learning session becomes not only about people learning new skills but also immediately applying those skills to the business. This would make so much sense in the business world – people are learning and innovating, getting the most out of their time.
Julie S 10:37 pm on November 8, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks Andrea, you’re right, it was intimidating for the learners to publish their work. At times I had to pre-review their work for them so that they would feel confident enough to publish the product to the wider group for feedback. The good news is that the peer feedback was constructive so the fear of going public subsided quite quickly.
Kristopher 6:06 am on November 9, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Julie,
As I read your post (specifically the third paragraph, I began to map out your idea of interim products along the way that encouraged assessment. It reminded me a little bit of Bloom’s taxonomy in that in order to achieve the higher levels of learning, one has to do those that come before it. I wonder if there is a model to construct in regards to PBA that includes products, problems, performances, etc.?
Thanks for the thoughts,
Kristopher
Julie S 9:08 am on November 9, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Kristopher,
Funny you should mention Bloom’s taxonomy. I’m in another class where I’m now developing a training program for follow up to this program. I’m following Bloom’s taxonomy to organize the instructional plan and activities. I wasn’t as familiar with Bloom’s taxonomy when I designed the first program but you are right – the levels do need to be followed and I’m glad I’m following a more structured approach for this next program. Your question about a model to follow is a good one. I’ve been following some learning theorists, Yrjo Engestrom for one, that are crossing boundaries of education, information technology, and psychology and I don’t think it will be long before there are some new models in place.