IPS Online Courses
Introduction to Adult Learning
90-min Self-Directed Web-based Training
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Description
When it comes to helping adults learn, what do you think works best…traditional classroom techniques, or something more personal and relevant? Adults bring a wealth of life experiences to their learning situations, as well as strong opinions and attitudes toward learning. If the differences between adult and other learners are not addressed, the learning experience will be far from optimum. This course helps you learn about those key differences and how to design and deliver effective learning experiences.
Who Should Participate
Performance Technologists, Instructional Designers, Trainers, Training and Human Resource Managers, Subject Matter Experts, as well as Educational and Instructional Technologists
Content
- WWhat Is Adult Learning — We define adult learning, and give you a little bit of history as to how it came about. We also give you the lowdown on the four different types of learning.
- Characteristics of Adult Learners — We discuss what makes an adult learner different from other types of learners, and show you the conditions that need to be in place for adults to learn effectively.
- Implications for Instructional Design — We give you tools and techniques to apply what you’ve learned to design great instruction for adult learners.
- Summary and Assessment — We wrap up and give you a chance to demonstrate your knowledge.
Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define adult learning.
- Describe key characteristics and assumptions about how adults learn.
- Based on how adults learn effectively, explain implications for designing instruction.
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Introduction to Learning Styles
90-min Self-Directed Web-based Training
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Description
Every person has a unique learning style. What is your learning style? Are you born with a style? Would you rather read something or be told about it? Do you like taking notes or would you prefer to practice something until it is learned? People think and learn differently. Most of us learned by one style – sitting in a classroom listening to lectures – but is that the best way for everyone? This course outlines different learning styles and illustrates how to design and deliver effective learning experiences that appeal to these styles. You’ll even have a chance to check out your own preferred styles!
Who Should Participate
Performance Technologists, Instructional Designers, Trainers, Training and Human Resource Managers, Subject Matter Experts, as well as Educational and Instructional Technologists
Content
- Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic — We all access and process information through all senses, but generally favor one. Which one dominates?
- Left and Right Brain — One side of the brain gives us analytic ability, and the other creativity and feelings. Does the left side of the brain know what the right side is doing?
- Multiple Intelligences — Intelligence is not, as it was believed for decades, a single entity that can be measured simply by an I.Q. test...think of it as intelligence in 3D.
- Summary and Assessment — We wrap up and give you a chance to demonstrate your knowledge.
Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define learning styles.
- Describe three classification models for learning styles.
- Explain implications of learning styles for instructional design.
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A Comparison of Learning Theories
90-min Self-Directed Web-based Training
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Description
How do people learn? It’s a natural process, right? Sometimes learning is as easy as breathing, other times as difficult as pulling teeth. The “why” of this is what we’ll explore in this course. And, we will examine how the insights gained through these learning theories can be applied in practice.
Who Should Participate
Performance Technologists, Instructional Designers, Trainers, Training and Human Resource Managers, Subject Matter Experts, as well as Educational and Instructional Technologists
Content
- Behaviorism — This theory says you can control and predict behavior, and that the mind doesn’t really play a role.
- Cognitivism — Backlash to Behaviorism, it’s all about the mind.
- Constructivism — This theory emphasizes that knowledge is ever changing and different for every person.
- Social Cognitive Theory — Explains how and why we imitate people...says that anything that can be observed can be learned.
- Summary and Assessment — We wrap up and give you a chance to demonstrate your knowledge.
Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Contrast key characteristics of four major learning theories.
- Explain the origin of each theory.
- Identify the researchers who were instrumental in the development of each theory.
- Provide strengths and weaknesses of each theory.
- Identify types of learning situations that are best suited to each theory.
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Models of Instruction
90-min Self-Directed Web-based Training
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Description
In this course you’ll get an overview of the field of instruction, and instructional design. It may surprise you that instructional design is a relatively new area of specialization, having been formalized as a discipline only during the latter part of the 20th century. Instructional design has become a diverse, multifaceted discipline the impact and use of which is becoming more and more widespread. We provide a strong foundation that you can use to design effective learning experiences. Although we cover several rather complex models in this course, we keep it simple and provide the “need-to-know” information that you can immediately apply.
Who Should Participate
Performance Technologists, Instructional Designers, Trainers, Training and Human Resource Managers, Subject Matter Experts, as well as Educational and Instructional Technologists
Content
- Instructional Design — We define the term, and then give you the interesting history of the field over the past eighty or so years. We think you’ll agree that instructional design has come a long way, baby!
- Taxonomy of Educational Objectives — Benjamin Bloom is a patron saint of objectives. He helped to put them on the map in 1956 with his groundbreaking book on levels of learning. Bloom set out to achieve a modest goal: to provide a practical tool that was based on what was understood at the time about the thinking process. Little did he know that his work would still be a gold standard a half century later.
- Conditions of Learning — Robert Gagne followed on the heels of Bloom with his own ideas about learning processes, conditions, and events that will add some real gems to your toolkit as an instructional designer.
- Component Display Theory — In this model, David Merrill, using Gagne’s ideas as a foundation, came up with a system that is probably still the most detailed theory on how to teach a single idea or concept.
- Summary and Assessment — We wrap up and give you a chance to demonstrate your knowledge.
Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define instruction and instructional design.
- Identify key individuals and events that have influenced the evolution of instructional design.
- Describe three models for classifying learning outcomes to determine optimal conditions for and ways to sequence instruction.
- Explain the significance of instructional models to the instructional design process.
- Locate available resources for learning theory and instructional models.
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How to Write Performance-based Objectives
90-min Self-Directed Web-based Training
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Description
When it comes to designing and developing learning experiences and resources for business and industry, what counts are tangible business results. How can you make sure that your learning objectives impact performance and generate desired business results? That’s what you can expect to take away from this course.
Who Should Participate
Performance Technologists, Instructional Designers, Trainers, Training and Human Resource Managers, Subject Matter Experts, as well as Educational and Instructional Technologists
Content
- Value Proposition — A brief overview of objectives, their history, and where you get the information to write them.
- Get SMART2 — A detailed look at the characteristics of objectives.
- Anatomy of an objective — A breakdown of the core elements and associated guidelines.
Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Distinguish terminal and enabling objectives.
- List information sources for performance-based learning objectives.
- Distinguish goals and learning objectives.
- Identify the ten characteristics of effective performance-based learning objectives (SMART2).
- Recognize the three essential elements of an effective performance-based learning objective.
- Identify common learning objective writing pitfalls.
- Critique learning objectives.
- Given a scenario, assemble performance-based learning objectives.
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How to Write Effective Knowledge and Performance Assessments
90-min Self-Directed Web-based Training
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Description
Quizzes, tests, exams, knowledge checks, challenges … by any name, assessments have been the cause of too many “bitten nails” and “chewed pencils”! Indeed, assessments (or “testing” if we are blatant about it) are an inevitable, but too often dreaded, part of learning…. not only for the student or participant, but for the instructional designers and trainers as well.
Yes…there’s plenty of “test anxiety” to go around! But, that’s about to change. With the right planning, guidelines, and tools, you can develop effective assessments that appropriately measure performance, build confidence all around, and make a positive impact on the business!
Who Should Participate
Performance Technologists, Instructional Designers, Trainers, Training and Human Resource Managers, Subject Matter Experts, as well as Educational and Instructional Technologists
Content
- The Value of Assessments — Quickly addresses how assessments are used along with an introduction to the three phases of assessment development.
- Planning Your Assessments — The first step in the development process is about gathering the requirements and information you need.
- Writing Your Assessments — The second step details what works and what doesn’t when it comes to writing assessments.
- Monitoring Your Assessments — The third step briefly reviews how to make sure your assessments stay on target.
- Summary and Challenge — Where we will wrap up key points and offer you an opportunity to confirm your knowledge.
Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify how assessments are used.
- Plan the development of assessments.
- Write knowledge-based and performance-based assessments.
- Recognize how to monitor assessments.
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Rapid Evaluation Planning – Making Informed Decisions
90-min Self-Directed Web-based Training
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Description
Was the course effective? Did the students meet the objectives? Were they satisfied? Did their knowledge and skills transfer? What was the impact and ROI? What is the gap in performance? Are we “adding value”? The true nature of evaluation is about first making sure you are asking the right questions…and then being able to make well-informed decisions. In this course you’ll have an opportunity to enhance your ability to quickly plan any type of evaluation you may need to conduct!
Who Should Participate
Performance Technologists, Instructional Designers, Trainers, Training and Human Resource Managers, Subject Matter Experts, as well as Educational and Instructional Technologists
Content
- When to Evaluate? — Highlights the nature of evaluation and provides a simple framework for the common types of evaluation most often conducted.
- How to Plan an Evaluation — Details an evaluation planning worksheet that will guide you through each element of the planning process.
- Case Study — Outlines a sample evaluation planning worksheet to help illustrate how the rapid planning process works in practice.
- Challenge — Where we will wrap up key points and offer you an opportunity to confirm your knowledge.
Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define evaluation.
- Recognize the value of evaluations.
- Identify the structure of an effective evaluation plan.
- Distinguish types of evaluation questions.
- Determine what information is needed to answer evaluation questions.
- Identify relevant sources of information.
- Select efficient methods to collect information.
- Anticipate the analysis of information to be collected.
- Identify how to report evaluation results.
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Maximizing Impact in the Virtual Classroom
90-min Self-Directed Web-based Training
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Description
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to help someone else learn, at various times you’ve probably been concerned that the learner is confused, struggling, fatigued, or in disagreement, or even if you’re helping them at all. In a formal setting we rely heavily on eye contact, facial expression, and body language. Effective instructors and facilitators use this visual feedback to dynamically adjust pacing, tone of voice, proximity to student, questioning, and other instructional techniques. But what if you have none of those cues to guide you? How can you design and deliver effective learning experiences when instructors and students are not face to face in the same room? That’s what this course is about.
Who Should Participate
Performance Technologists, Instructional Designers, Trainers, Training and Human Resource Managers, Subject Matter Experts, as well as Educational and Instructional Technologists
Content
- Going Virtual — Key characteristics and a central question: is it the method or the medium that makes the difference?
- Capabilities and Limitations — Virtual classrooms have both.
- Using Appropriate Instructional Methods — What works in practice for essential instructional elements.
- Motivation and Excitement — Virtual classrooms do not have to be slow and boring.
- Going Beyond Same Time — A combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities along with emerging technologies can infinitely expand the possibilities of the virtual classroom.
Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Differentiate traditional classroom and virtual classroom instruction.
- Recognize that instructional methods determine learning, not the medium.
- Identify instructional capabilities and limitations of virtual classrooms.
- Apply appropriate instructional methods for virtual classrooms.
- Identify practical strategies (principles and best practices) that can be used to create and sustain motivation and excitement.
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