Primary Course
Work
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These courses were extremely impactful towards my personal, professional, and educational growth. For that reason, here is where I have taken the time to dive deeper into the applications and lessons learned during these courses.
EHRD 612 EHRD 622 EHRD 624
“Sometimes the future changes quickly and completely and we’re left with only the choice of what to do next. We can choose to be afraid of it, to stand there trembling, not moving, assuming the worst that can happen or we can step forward into the unknown and assume it will be brilliant.”
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-Cristina Yang
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Spring 2021​
Dr. Lundgren
EHRD 612: Training and Development in Human Resource Development
This course proved to be one of the most applicable and inspirational classes I took over my time in the program. With the help and guidance of Dr. Lundgren, this class was the only one in the program that required weekly attendance and I am thankful for such requirement because it really did help me retain the information learned from the course. This class taught me how to evaluate, design, and deliver an effective and professional training and development program. It was also in this class I learned how to gather new information through learned programs and software provided to me by other members in the course.
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This course really gave me a practical application in regard to training assessment, design, delivery, implementation, and evaluation. This course also through group presentations provided me with a number of different training modalities that I will take with me throughout my professional development. The basic skills acquired within this course include a deeper understanding of training objectives, speaking skills, teamwork, and overall organizational understanding. It is these skills that have better prepared me for the contemporary organizational environment.
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During this course, there were two separate training groups students were divided into. One group was to research and develop a training presentation on how to use a software designed for the betterment of training and HRD practices. And the other was to create and implement a training program and manual. During the training strategy presentation, we demonstrated competencies in the application of each component of the ADDIE model. We chose to train on the applicability of the Socrative training program to the class. This was a learning curve for me because I am not tech-savvy in the slightest. Technology has never been my strong suit but, after much research and practice, I soon relied on Socrative for other training and implement it within my current profession. This proved to be a stepping stone to the larger group project where we conducted an organizational training needs assessment for the University Center and Special Events division, design a training and development program, deliver a training and development program and, evaluate an existing training program.
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The attached assignment is one that represents true growth in the program. My team was able to effectively and efficiently execute a training program for our class on how to be effective "Zoners." We began the training with an exercise on communication, developed specific and obtainable objectives, and guided the class through a multitude of exercises and scenarios to better apply the teachings to help with the overall retention of the material. We also incorporated role-play situations where we broke off into smaller group settings and applied the training in "real world" situations. Afterward, we completed the training with a debriefing exercise through Padelt and submitted a physical manual as well with further detail for future training.
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Although not necessarily reflected on this site, this course provided me with ample opportunities to better my skills in other areas in my career as well as HRD. For example, we had to do a project titled, "Platform Skills Video," that I found incredibly enriching. The project was to explain a complex topic in simple terms. To do so is a fundamental component of mastery as a training professional in HRD. This assignment gave me the opportunity to practice and demonstrate my communication skills as a training professional. The emphasis in this assignment was my platform skills, such as eye contact, clarity of speech, organization of topic, and the delivery of content. The project was fun and took me back to basic skills that I would need to re-apply for future assignments in the course.
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This class laid the foundation for many HRD core competencies as well as gave me the courage to apply my skill in my own career. This course helped me with the creation of an Event Coordinator III training program and manual that University Center and Special Events will continue to utilize and implement for all future hires.
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“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
– Benjamin Franklin
“Wisdom…. comes not from age, but from education and learning.”
― Anton Chekhov
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
― Dr. Seuss
“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.”
― Phil Collins
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
– Benjamin Franklin
May-mester 2021
Dr. Jia Wang
EHRD 622: Training Task Analysis
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“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, it is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
— Marianne Williamson
“Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it”
― Confucius
“The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.”
― B.B. King
“Success in management requires learning as fast as the world is changing.”
– Warren Bennis
“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.”
― Pablo Picasso
EHRD 622 was one of the hardest courses in the program but it challenged me in the best of ways. With the firm yet fair guidance from Dr. Wang, I was able to produce one of my most promising pieces of educational work from the entire program
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It was in this course I learned how to conduct a needs assessment, create a variety of analyses, and develop and present a training plan. However, it was learning how to complete a job/task analysis that really sparked my interest in the implementation of training and the respect for the responsibility of creating a job/task analysis.
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To develop an effective job/task analysis I turned to the text from this course, "Training needs assessment: Methods, tools, and techniques." It was within this text I learned the value of task analysis, the difference between a task and job analysis, and how to conduct an efficient analysis to gain desired results needed for training.
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In this course, we had to conduct our own job/task analysis and I chose to do the analysis on my supervisor and his role within University Center and Special Events as an assistant director. I first began with a job description and a task inventory. After, I divided all the tasks into three categories; procedural, system, and knowledge, it was time to create a tasks analysis observation for the procedural tasks based on "people-thing interactions." This process was incredibly taxing but, in the end, I gained an appreciation for procedural tasks and was able to identify how to effectively train these tasks for the future. Once the observation portion had been completed, I then moved to the procedural task analysis where I broke down the major heading, subheading, and sequential steps in performing the work. This section of the assignment proved enlightening because I was able to really analyze the tasks and see what the learning domain and estimated difficulty was for each task. This was when I decided if a task was primarily cognitive, affective, or psychomotor.
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When analyzing my supervisor's learning domains, I noticed many consists of cognitive and psychomotor domains. The difference when analyzing my supervisor versus the new hire is the extensive experience, and present heightened sensory abilities during events. My results indicate that years of experience and cognitive and psychomotor abilities can positively contribute to one’s overall work performance. I also learned that by analyzing and acting as the “subject expert” by asking questions, there could potentially be even further detail when analyzing procedural tasks.
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This assignment really set me up for true success in what I want to do in the future and with this degree. I want to one day design and implement training for organizations and their employees. Our text for the class indicated that perspectives are not just analysis but, a trainer and a manager to better encourage future analysis. Such as, “If you are a trainer, you may decide to offer additional time during training for difficult-to-learn tasks (Swanson, 2007 p. 169).” Likewise, “If you are a manager, you may want to redesign a boring task to make the work more challenging (Swanson, 2007 p. 169).” I truly took those lessons and applied them within my department in University Center and Special Events. The training we had prior to my introduction was boring and inefficient. I then offered additional training over the course of multiple days to help overall development retention.
This assignment helped me understand the deep and detailed process that is task analysis and specifically procedural task analysis. I learned so much and am excited to continue to do task analysis to continue to better my own department. In the future, I plan on creating a task analysis prior to every training to better understand the position and the most beneficial methods to train on the tasks that make the position unique and promising to the overall organization.
Dr. Rose Opengart
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Spring 2021
EHRD 624: Change Theory
This course by far set me up for one of the harshest realities in which the world will ever bring humankind, and that's change.
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This assignment as well as the group work for the duration of the class proved both difficult and rewarding. The assignment submitted, "Branching Paths: A Novel Teacher Evaluation Model for Faculty Development" was both enlightening and incredibly difficult to produce due to a lack of communication within the group and change itself rearing its unexpected head.
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Despite change and a difficult group experience, this course was my first introduction to "Internal Organizational Change Drivers", and "The 7-S Framework." Both are incredibly valuable tools to which I have continued to utilize in my own career when implementing change. As an Event Coordinator with University Center and Special Events at Texas A&M, change is constant. Within my division, I have been able to implement the "Internal Organizational Change Driver" to ensure that the implementation of change and suggestions moving forward are accepted and retained. With Covid-19 drastically reducing our staff and at the same time moving back into a full 4 million dollar operation, "growth" and "division identity" were at the forefront of our internal organizational change drivers. With change often comes a fresh start mentality, and given that opportunity, we tried to take full advantage of new training policies and implementation to ensure the fresh start was well received and everyone moving forward had the same goals and understanding. With this fresh start, I was able to plan and execute a "Student Lead Retreat" for the division, a new "Customer Service Protocol", and institute a new manual and training program for the Event Coordinator III position. These new training programs gave our students the confidence to do their job in an ever-changing environment and an opportunity to grow within our division.
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The 7-S Framework argues that organizational effectiveness is influenced by many factors and that successful change depends on the relationships between those factors. During my time as the new regional Manager of My Magical Memory, I was able to use the 7-S Framework model to assist the company in its goals to identify the areas in which to focus change, the questions to ask, and the relationships to build upon, and alignments to consider when planning organizational change during the aftermath of Covid-19. For My Magical Memory, I had to first discover the superordinate goal which was to provide additional options for customers implementing Covid-19 safe protocols, alter in-person packages to also consider Covid-19 protocol, enhance character performance guidelines, and market the changes via social media platforms to ensure our audience and stakeholders can see the positive changes. Our primary focus amongst the 7-S model was on "strategy" and "structure." By focusing on the strategy, My Magical Memory was able to introduce a variety of virtual package options for consumers and alter packages to include Covid-19 protocol while still creating a magical experience for children. When focusing on structure, it was important that My Magical Memory over-communicate their need to assist others during the pandemic and make it very well known to others what they intend to do for the consumer such as wear masks, check temperatures before the event, and remain socially distant. By over-communicating these actions via a variety of social media platforms, My Magical Memory will be held accountable for their actions and ultimately received very positive feedback and support during the time of the pandemic.
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This course also allowed me to embrace past HRD models I have learned from previous courses such as the ADDIE Model and Cohens 8 Steps for Successful Large-Scale Change. The ADDIE model seems to be a staple in the HRD community and for great reason. It is a common approach widely used in the development of instructional courses and training programs. This approach provides educators with useful, clearly defined stages for the effective implementation of instruction. Likewise, Cohens 8 Steps for Successful Large-Scale Change teaches us that we must engage employees and provide a sense of urgency, build the team, gain a common vision, promote buy-in, empower action, create short-term wins, continue to encourage and make change stick.
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This class presented its challenges but inevitably prepared me for the changes life will bring in this line of work. After having multiple conversations with Dr. Rose as she likes to be called, I learned to express my feelings and frustrations early on in both the classroom and in the office. I learned not to carry the burdens and slack of my teammates but bring the frustrations and struggles to light so that we can work through them together. I learned more than I could have ever hoped in this class and the lessons I will take with me as my life changes and my professional career grows. Personally, Dr. Rose helped encourage me to stay strong in my educational growth and taught me lessons of communication when working in groups. In this class I did not have a great group experience but, with the help of Dr. Rose, I learned more about change from real-world communication issues within my group right there in the classroom which proved to be one of the most valuable lessons from the course.
Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
There is nothing permanent except change.
- Heraclitus