Hi all,

My organization is building a workforce transformation program for approximately 2000 employees. I have been assigned the task of creating a survey course to introduce the new terms and concepts related to the new skills to the audience. This course will be delivered in advance of the overall program (in fact, the full program definition will not be completed until after the course has been delivered).

In discussing possible methodologies for this course, I have included instructor-led (classroom/web), online tutorials, an online resource center, social networking, peer-to-peer small group discussion and project-based learning. However, mentoring is the flavor-of-the-month here, and I am receiving a lot of pressure to include it in the course somehow.

I have explained that, while I see mentoring as an important part of the overall program, it is not an effectively strategy for a survey course in which 2000 employees are to learn the definitions and uses of 22 concepts. Instead, mentoring should come into play as the employees are learning specific skills related to their individual positions.

What do other instructional designers think? If mentoring is truly an effective strategy for a survey course of this type, I'll be happy to consider it. But I know that shoehorning a training methodology into content that is not appropriate is a recipe for project disaster.

Hi KN -- in order to help examine appropriate modes of delivery for your course, could you please provide more information about the course and the desired outcome(s) for it? What should the learners be able to do?

Thanks, Fanatic.

They need to be able to define and identify 22 concepts related to digital information management. It is a survey course with the goal of developing a shared vocabulary and knowledge base level throughout the organization.

KN

Hi KN... Let's get more specific. What should a learner be able to do once they know those concepts? How will knowing those concepts impact their day to day lives on the job? Will they be doing anything with those concepts?

In other words -- What is the "WIIFM" for a learner to take this course?

Putting myself in the learners' shoes here (i.e. a full time employee with more important things to do...) Developing a shared vocabulary doesn't have a definitive meaning -- why should I share the vocabulary? How will I use it? What will I DO with that vocabulary? Why 22 concepts? Do all of those concepts impact me?

Perhaps you've already done this level of analysis, KN...but honestly, without really knowing what your learners need to be able to DO with the information when they've finished the learning event, it's difficult to say that any given delivery mode would be more or less appropriate than another... delivering a learning event that consists of "defining 22 concepts" seems unimpactful.

(What I'm suggesting is that you take another look at the goal of this learning and what a learner needs to do to "get it" before you even worry about what delivery modes should be used. As it stands -- vocabulary ... corporate speak... is usually best learned on the job from just working with the other people in your job and from the environment. I'm not so sure that you need "training" at all for this particular issue. A resource on your intranet and perhaps a fun treasure hunt checklist of each concept is all you need.)

Fanatic,

Your response pretty much encapsulates my issues with this project. Thanks for taking the time.