Week 4: Human Performance Technology

Not all problems in learning and/or performance require an instructional solution. Many times a non-instructional approach is a more appropriate solution. This week's reading and reflection focuses on human performance, performance support systems, knowledge management systems, and the concept of informal learning.

Chapter 14 discusses the concept and evolution of human performance improvement. Several sections of chapter 14 present a variety of non-instructional solutions to performance problems. Identify a performance problem in your area of work and identify non-instructional solutions that may help solve the problem.

One performance problem many teachers encounter with students is in helping students learn independently with the teacher as facilitator, rather than the sole source of information. One way to achieve independent student learning is to train the students to use tools that will give them the access they need to locate and assimilate important content information on their own.

Knowledge management is one way to alleviate the problem of student access. As our course text points out, the amount of information that is available to students is overwhelming. They cannot sift through it alone. To that end, “direct, well-managed, and reliable access to content is essential.” (Reiser and Dempsey, 2011, p. 167.)

Chapter 15 presents performance support systems. Define performance support systems and explain how a performance support system might (or might not) help solve the problem you identified above.

The text defines performance support as “a system that provides performers with varying levels of access to support information and tools at the moment of need.” (Reiser and Dempsey, 2011, p. 155.)

An example of how you might put this system into action in a classroom is simple to imagine. If, say, I ask my students to do research on famous Supreme Court cases, I could provide a multitude of internet resources for them. It would be especially helpful to compile them into one list. In that way, the students (“performers”) have access to both support tools (my list) and information (the various internet research sources.)

Chapter 16 explains knowledge management: the way we manage information, share that information, and use it to solve organization problems. Organizations, such as schools, accumulate a great deal information/data, which must be organized in a way that we can make sense of it in order to use for making decisions. What knowledge would help solve the problem you identified above and how would that knowledge need to be collected and managed to help facilitate problem solving?

One thing that I have seen implemented before is to assess students to see what their learning style is. This is done early in the year with a quick survey the students complete in their homeroom class. The data could then be compiled into a document that organizes the students into categories. These categories (kinesthetic learners, auditory learners, etc) could then be used to place students into learning groups to complete the project I mentioned above. Having students work with others who learn differently would bring dynamism to their projects. 

Chapter 17 describes types of informal learning. What informal learning experiences have you participated in at your organization? Could those informal learning experiences be shared with others? Could the knowledge gained in those settings be codified and managed? And should it be managed or should the informal experiences be replicated or broadened for others?

 I had the opportunity to experience informal learning first hand this summer when our school administrators enrolled our entire faculty in a ropes team building course. At first, we didn’t see the point of this type of “training,” but it became much clearer as we did each activity. Each assignment was designed to show us our problem-solving and learning styles and to teach us how to apply that knowledge to issues within our classrooms and among faculty members. Obviously, this learning could be easily shared with others and often is. I think there are ways the information we obtained could be codified and managed. If we wanted to, it would be easy for us to come up with a set of “norms” or goals based on the things we learned at the course. Whether it could be codified is not a question. Whether it should be is debatable. I feel that type of experiential learning need not be so closely managed and quantified. The learning achieved during the activities are often more easily absorbed and understood when specifically approached in an unstructured manner.