Active Learning with Technology and Writing Study in the Workplace

Cornelia Ross

EDU 671 Fundamentals of Educational Research

Dr. Kathleen Lunsford

May 4, 2015

Intervention

          This study proposes to add active learning through gaming and constructive writing to training for employees to improve retention of new policies. Currently only absorb-activities are being presented to employees for training via a written document and a video presentation. The written document informs the employee of all the changes and the timeline for changes to take place. The video presents information such as how to build the new product. The videos are long and boring causing employees to lose focus during viewing. Active learning on the other hand would involve the participation of the employee.

          The first part of the intervention would involve a jeopardy game that would connect the viewed and read material to playing the game. Jeopardy is a popular television game show and can be easily constructed through PowerPoint. A grid presentation displays categories and several numerical values in each category. The players choose a numerical category and are presented with an answer. The contestants then have to think of the question that relates to the answer that was revealed.

          The second intervention would be creative writing for each employee on how they would apply the learned material in a life scenario. Each employee is given a scenario and they are tasked with explaining in writing how they would handle each situation. This process gives each employee time to consider the problem before actually being placed in a situation with a real customer. The purpose of the writing assignment is for employees to reflect on the changes in menu and policy and how these affect employee and customers.

Literature Review

            Active learning helps with the cognitive process for retention of educational materials. In a research study by Aljezawi & Albashtawy (2015) results showed support for active learning. The results showed a better attitude in student and” an improvement in thinking and writing” Aljezawi & Albashtawy (2015, p. 3). The idea is not to take away traditional learning but to add and thus enhance learning by adding active learning. The study showed that pauses in lectures would increase student engagement and Aljezawi & Albashtawy cite Hake showing that pre and post-test showed a significant improvement when interactive engagement as is done in active learning is added to traditional style education. The study reports that post tests show an increase in retention when compared with traditional teaching methods.

            Although the study by Gyllensten & Palmer (2014) relates to confidence and job coaching, the study applies here because improved knowledge leads to improved self-efficacy.  The improved attitude can be explained by the self-efficacy of an employee, due to the enriched training. Gyllensten & Palmer (2014) report that employee confidence translates to an increase in job performance.

            The use of several different methods as a teaching strategy to improve learning can help student retention, which Čonková (2013) explains in her study. The study showed positive results for a combined traditional training and e-learning setting states Čonková. Students showed a preference for the combined teaching method of Čonková’s study over the other methods use in the study.

Benefits

            The population of this study, are currently employed with the company. The age range of the participants spans from 17 to 50. The sample is comprised of ten employees, three are female and seven are male. Two employees are under 20, seven are under 30, and one is aged 50. The population includes three foreign workers, two of which have legal residence and one has achieved citizenship. One employee is a head of household providing for a family of six including himself. Three participants work full time and support themselves and others, while seven of the participants live with family and do not pay for support.

             Eight of the participants are currently enrolled in school, one in high school and seven in college classes. Four of the study subjects are part time employees and the remaining six are employed on a full time basis. The tenure of employees range from three month to seven and a half years. Three have been employed approximately for nine month, two for less than nine month, three for approximately 3 years, one for four and one for more than seven years. While the full time and tenured employees have the advantage of experience, the part time employees can benefit by the added training techniques.

            These part time employees have about half of the chance for practice. They feel uncomfortable because they lack experience. The added training will help employees to gain self-efficacy, because they will be able to converse with customers of their knowledge. The full time employees will gain freedom and time to do other pertinent jobs because they are less likely to look for job aids and managers to answer questions. The job experience will improve for all participants including management. The company will benefit because customers are helped in more productive fashion.

Intervention Plan

            Each quarter there is a new deployment with new menu items and policies. Training materials are usually downloaded to the individual stores four weeks before the deployment date. At this point the employees will start the training as usual with watching the video and reading the deployment guide. This all takes place in the first week of training. Each employee will receive a chance to complete a test at the end of week two in order to gage knowledge before the added active training is completed.

            The second week the employees will be split into two groups. One group then will continue to discuss the things they find interesting about the deployment and ask questions in regards to items they do not understand. The second group will be split into groups of two in week two in order to compete against each other in the jeopardy game. Each group will have a chance to complete the jeopardy game.

                         In week three the study group will continue their training with creative writing that will be guided by giving several scenarios that needs to be answered. This could be a number of customer service scenarios involving the new policy or menu item and the employee would write their solution in a short story. The different answers would then be discussed to connect the material with their solutions.

            In week four, the week before the deployment both groups would take a posttest to determine if there is a difference in retention. In week five and six observations and survey would be conducted by members of the management team.

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Philosophy

            As educators it is our responsibility to teach and assure we take every possible step to ensure we facilitate learning to as many students as possible. I do not prescribe to just one learning theory, I believe that all leaning theories have validity. Each situation and context determines it’s theory so to speak. If I would have to pick one theory, I would choose the constructivist theory. We construct our knowledge by relating new information and assimilating it with what we already know.

            Our social interactions and what we read and write shapes our knowledge. As we go about our daily lives we construct and compare old knowledge with new knowledge. In the instance of the creative writing for this study the employee will construct his statement from what he has learned and add his previously acquired knowledge to his/her answer

Social Principles

            Educators have the means to narrow the gap of education. As educators it is our responsibility to achieve an equal playing field for all students.  We have the means to adjust our teaching strategies to fit student learning. Students may have disabilities and it is up to us to adjust the teaching strategy to accommodate those disabilities. This study does not involve persons with disabilities, but due to the nature of the stressful work environment and the fact that some employees are only employed part time the added instruction will help to decrease the educational gap in the work environment.

            Training time is limited, thus the proposed intervention will help because it can be used at any time during regular scheduled shifts. The budget for stores only receive two hours maximum for training all employees on new deployment materials, which is not nearly enough to teach the materials presented. Adding the game and writing to the employees regular scheduled time will not cost extra time, and the all involved parties will benefit.

Harm

The benefits outweigh the harm for this study, because cautions are taken to assure everyone’s privacy. Results will show only group information and will not reveal any one individuals data. Employees will benefit because they will feel more confident in their knowledge and gain self-efficacy. In their study on employee confidence Gyllensten & Palmer (2014) noted that often times knowledge was present but the employee lacked confidence to utilize the knowledge. The writing scenario will enable employees to practice solving problems before they are confronted with a real situation.  Employees would before the study begins sign a consent form and they would be informed of their ability to exit the study at any time.

Protection

            The study will require to have a pre-test and a post-test. The tests will be divided into two groups but there will be no markings for individual tests. This will keep the anonymity of each participant and only group scores will be revealed. The post observations will be done by the management staff to eliminate bias. These evaluations are already part of procedural policy so employees will expect them. Individual results will be discussed with only the employee in question as is policy. The only scores published are the scores of the groups, not individual scores.

            Participants of the study will be asked to complete a survey on surveymonkey.com the results will be anonymous and thus no individual will be singled out. The survey should reveal the perspective of the employees to the training.

Bias

            Observations will be done by two management member, who will have a checklist to check off the items the employee passed. This is not a new practice and it will show me the employee engagement. At the end of the study in week six the employees will take a participant survey on surveymonkey.com in regards to their perception of the training. This survey will be anonymous and confidential. Test will be graded by me but it will not have any distinguishing features for me to identify the individuals. The tests will be grouped by control or participant group.

            The individual anonymity with tests will help with staying unbiased. Keeping only group records will help to see the larger picture of the study rather than focusing on individual subjects. Having members of the management team continue to do the observation will also limit bias, because the other managers are not involved in the study.

Data Collection Procedures

Research Questions	Data Collection Tool			Why this tool? Justify its use in your study. How does it match to what you are attempting to find and to measure?	How is data collected?	When is data collected?
1. How will the inclusion of interactive technology used during training improve employee productivity	1 Observation	2	3	The question must be answered through observation. This question can only be answered once the new policies are in place and the management team observes the employees implementation.	Members of the management team will use the company checklist to establish employee knowledge.	The observations are completed in week five.
2. How does employees’ exploratory writing help to impact the quality of student learning		Pretest And Posttest		Pretests and posttests will give me quantitative data to see the impact in the quality of student learning. The difference between the control group and the study group should show a difference in the improvement from the pre to the post test.	The tests will be administered by the researcher. No identifying markers will be on the test except for which group the employee belonged to.	Pre-test are administered in week two and the post-test will commence in week four.
3.  How will the inclusion of technology training for review of updated practices help student perception of job performance?			Survey	The question needs a first-hand account, thus the qualitative nature of the question needs a questionnaire.  Only the employees can answer if they feel more confident after the training.	The participants will be given a link to surveymonky.com so they can answer questions in regards to their perception of the training	Participants will do the survey in week five and six.

References

Aljezawi M, Albashtawy, M. (2015). Quiz game teaching format versus didactic lectures. British  Journal of          Nursing [serial online]. 2015;24(2):86-92. Available from: CINAHL with Full          Text, Ipswich, MA.          Accessed April 15, 2015

Čonková, M. (2013). Analysis of Perceptions of Conventional and E-Learning Education in         Corporate          Training. Journal Of Competitiveness, 5(4), 73-97

Critchley, K. (2012). Managing Change. British Journal Of Medical Practitioners, 5(3), 40-43.

Gyllensten, K., & Palmer, S. (2014). Increased employee confidence: A benefit of coaching.         Coaching          Psychologist, 10(1), 36-39.

Hearns, M., Miller, B., & Nelson, D. (2010). Hands-on learning versus learning by demonstration at three            recall points in university students. OTJR: Occupation,      Participation & Health, 30(4), 169-171.          doi:10.3928/15394492-20090825-01

Hake, R. (1998). "Interactive-Engagement Vs. Traditional Methods: A Six-Thousand-Student Survey Of          Mechanics Test Data For Introductory Physics Courses." (1998): ERIC. Web. 2 May 2015

Hung, D. (2001). Theories of Learning and Computer-Mediated Instructional Technologies.         Educational     Media International, 38(4), 281-287. doi:10.1080/

Linton, D. L., Pangle, W. M., Wyatt, K. H., Powell, K. N., & Sherwood, R. E. (2014).      Identifying Key          Features of Effective Active Learning: The Effects of Writing and Peer        Discussion. CBE Life Sciences          Education, 13(3), 469–477. doi:10.1187/cbe.13-12-0242

Hake, R. (1998). "Interactive-Engagement Vs. Traditional Methods: A Six-Thousand-Student Survey Of          Mechanics Test Data For Introductory Physics Courses." (1998): ERIC. Web. 2 May 2015