Exam+Preparation

=Exam Preparation:=

Dear HPT Learners,

Imagine you are in my shoes and have to prepare exam questions. Pls post an example of a question that you would give to find out whether the students have learned the underlying principals of HPT and are able to design some materials.

Identify the steps involved in the HPT process and write short notes on each step showing your understanding of each step with relevant examples. (Olubiyi)

Good thinking Olubiyi! The answer would be too long for the exam. Perhaps the question would ask to explain TWO or THREE out of the Five steps. How about asking questions on the Case Study? What type of questions could be asked on the Case Study?

You can ask us to evaluate the case study using our understanding of the steps to be taken in the HPT process, In other words, did the case study reflect the HPT process? (Olubiyi)

What about giving a case study and ask the students to apply their HPT skills to identify the performance gap. In addition the students should write down the steps they will follow in identifying the performance gap. Good! See below. The second objective in our course states that students should be able to apply a systematic approach to solving performance problems. (Wynand) // The following is given in the Course Frame, lets develop the idea by asking questions. // // Design of an HPT Intervention: // For the case study in reference, be able to design implementation steps together with suitable examples of Instructional Design materials for one of the interventions suggested. Review Chapters 15, 16, 20 and 21 in reference 3 as well as the three articles by Watkins in references 6, 7 and 8.

Compare Van Tiem et al’s (2004) HPT model with that of Pershing’s Performance Improvement Process. (Jesvin)

State the role of a HPT in ensuring that an organisation overcomes its challenges faced. (Jesvin)

Ok, good! We need to think a bit deeper. For example, it is very important to understand the relationship of the Performance Gap to each of the steps in each model. Also to decide on a numerical gap ratio at the beginning of the analysis and refer to the effect on the gap at each stage. What kind of question can be asked on performance gap?

Hi Prof, I understand that you are preparing us step by step. But, as you already know exams are in 3 days. Please guide on which area do we start preparing for. (Jesvin)

Jesvin, I was wondering when you would get around to saying just what you have written. The answer is in the discussion above and what we have done throughout the semester. The exam will test your ability to apply whatever we have done. In particular,
 * 1) You should be able to apply the FIVE steps of any HPT model to the Kayak case, this includes the expected outputs from each stage (step) and design of both manual and computerised interventions. Design means the step-by-step outline of the material to be produced and not the actual material.
 * 2) You should be able to specify the "performance gap" to all the steps of an HPT model and apply this.
 * 3) You should be able to practically apply the lessons of Table 16.1 and discuss design with examples.

> Dear Prof.,

I have gone through the exam preparation page and the following are my questions: 1. I had always thought that the performance gap is only limited to the analysis stage. Can you please give a hint on how it applies to the other stages?

As a professional, an HPT expert must use and at the same time provide a scale to measure the usefulness or success/failure of the intervention. In essence, the organization must have something to get feedback and monitor the intervention. So, as examples, to relate to the performance gap to ADDIE So the whole purpose of the HPT intervention is to reduce the performance gap and every stage everyone must be geared and tuned to reducing it, in effect, all the people involved must take ownership of the processes and factors in the intervention to reduce the performance gap. > 2. Point three on applying the lessons of table 16.1 and discuss design with examples is a little bit vague. Can you be more precise?
 * in the analysis stage, the question would be what processes, factors, etc., affect the performance gap?
 * in the design stage, the question would be how do we re-design processes and factors so that the performance gap is reduced?
 * in the development stage, put in processes by which the performance gap can be measured/monitored
 * in the implementation stage, train on how to have an eye on the performance gap and measure it
 * in the evaluation stage, how to report the changes in the performance gap

For example, the first entry in Table 16.1 is: 1. Select the information to attend to For this, THREE lesson elements are given on the right column for consideration during lesson design: * attention, * what's in it for me (WIIFM), * you can do it (YCDI). //I want you to demonstrate your understanding of these elements through the use of an ID example.// If we take the Course Frame to help demonstrate understanding the following three questions may help you answer Similarly, the remaining FOUR parts of "What the Learners must do to learn" may be shown using examples of manual or computerized interventions for the Kayak Case Study or for your own organizational problem. > 3. Finally, can we have an idea about the number of questions and the number to attempt as well as the duration of the examination.
 * At the beginning of the course, what helped gain your attention? Did asking for examples from your own experience help gain your attention?
 * Were you asked whether you would like to solve the problem? By solving it, would there be anything in it for you?
 * By discussing something that you were familiar with, did you feel you may be able to get to grips with the HPT course?
 * Overall, as written in the left column, did you view the HPT course as something that could be useful to you or progress in your job?

The question paper will have TWO parts. The first part will have TWO compulsory questions. Parts of the Case Study will be given. Both questions will be on the Kayak Case Study. The purpose of the case study will be to see whether you can deliver the learning outcomes of the course.

The second part will have TWO questions of which you would have to answer only ONE. The total duration of the exam will be TWO hours. So you should allocate 30 mins for each question and use the balance to solve difficult parts and review.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any further questions.

Hi Prof, do think applying Pershing’s Performance Improvement Process will be a good idea? (Jesvin)

Jesvin, any model is acceptable, as long as you know how to apply it properly.

Dear Prof,

I have forgotten how to determine numerical gap ratio. Can you direct me (or anyone here) to the page which explains this? If you ask us to identify the steps in HPT process, I will honestly stick to ADDIE.

Enna, can you look at the page Performance Measure. If you have further questions, please let me know. Also, there is no reason to panic. You will InshaAllah do well. Just put your mind into the work.

Perhaps drawing a mind map may be in the exam? (Enna). A mind map is a tool to aid understanding. If you choose to explain something using a mind map, it would be acceptable if appropriate.

Dear Prof, I read that on measuring business results, the ideal is for the HPT to ask the company's stakeholders to identify the business methrics they want to improve during the analysis stage. Then, some courses (e-learning) may have immediate effect on a metric that's measured daily or weekly, but many courses affect metrics that take longer to measure and detect a change, and the company has to wait longer e.g. an entire quarter or more before it can measure the course's impact on the business results. How would the performance be measured in this case? I thought it is by making sure learners take an assessment at the end of the courseware, and the result is looked into monthly to see result. What do you think? (Enna)

This is how I would look at it. A course is a means to achieving an end. The end is improving the Performance Gap. Part of an ID course should have practicals in which students get the experience of affecting the part that leads to changing the Gap. If course assessment is based on practical results, what you are suggesting may work. Yousuf

Thank you for your patience and guidance in teaching us this semester Dear Professor. I appreciate it. I've learned HPT, and a lot more. I am aAlso thankful my exam is not until 8pm today. so I have more time to study. :-)

To all my colleges, your comments and suggestions have helped me a lot and I have learned a lot from all of you. Good Luck and all the best! (Enna)