Section 4: Human Performance Technology

Chapter 14 -  A Human Performance Problem Where I Teach

I teach in a Title I predominately Economically Disadvantaged school district.  A problem was identified several years ago dealing with the continuing education of a majority of our students.  Many who were capable were not going on to college or vocational schools post high school.  I am not sure that this falls completely in line with non instructional strategies to deal with it, but the AVID program was looked at and implemented in our high school and middle school campuses.  We began at the high school level and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) began to make a difference in the lives of these kids.  Students were interviewed for acceptance into the program and had to meet some qualifications.  One was that the student did not have a parent who had completed a post secondary education.  Students had to take at least one Advanced (Pre-AP or AP) course as well.  They were monitored by AVID teachers, were provided tutors, mentors, and listened to guest speakers to motivate and encourage them to work hard and push themselves.  The support system that AVID provides falls into the non instructional category of strategies as far as I am concerned.  Grades are monitored; financial aid for college is discussed. Students feel like they are someone’s number one priority and achievement that they only dreamed of becomes POSSIBLE.  As you can tell, I am a big proponent of the AVID system.  Teachers are a large part of the success of the program and the AVID committee, of which I am a member, goes to summer institutes for teaching strategies but also for information on how to best help these students to achieve.

Chapter 15 – A performance support system (particularly an electronic performance support system) is a manner in which training and information can be relayed to workers in a timely and as needed basis.  It is specific to the company or tasks that it is created for.  It also allows new workers to have access to the same information and help systems that seasoned workers use.  It is made up of online reference materials,  interactive tutorials and help tools, an electronic adviser, and tools for productivity such as spread sheets, word processing, etc.

(http://www.jarche.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/performance-learning.jpg)

I am not sure that an electronic performance system would be needed in the AVID program, but I can see where a “one stop shop” for information would be useful and helpful.  If these college bound students had immediate access to FAFSA, college application essay tutorials, Apply Texas, online help for citing sources, etc. all in one location, it would save them time and trouble.  I am not quite sure if this would qualify as a performance system as much as it would be a central location for all their needs.  It would help to increase performance in areas such as essay writing if used properly.

(http://www.informationarchitected.com/training/integrated-knowledge-management/)

Chapter 16 – Knowledge Management

Having the knowledge readily accessible to help determine who would be best suited for the AVID program would be of great help.  Teacher recommendations are mainly how the students are placed in the program right now along with interviews of those who have heard of the program and are interested in becoming a part of it.  If there was a system in place to more easily identify them whether it be a combination of data from test scores, grades in classes, background, etc., it would potentially increase the size of the program and allow AVID to reach further than it does now.  On the same note, if there was a base of knowledge where students and parents could go to find out more information about the program (a centralized web page for a particular school and its AVID successes) the knowledge of the program could spread farther into the community.

Chapter 17 – Informal Learning

I am sorry to say that not many informal learning experiences readily come to mind when thinking of the high school where I teach.  Unfortunately it seems that the elementary and even middle school students are more privy to this type of  learning environment.  I say this because they take more field trips and have more museum type experiences outside the classroom.  These are the types of trips and experiences that my own children have taken part in whether to the aquarium or a hands on science museum.  I would LOVE to be able to take my English students to a production of Romeo and Juliet, for example, but it seems that monetary and time constraints play a big part in the scheduling of high school activities at present.  I think that all students should be able to see things such as this, but in practical terms, that may not be a possibility.  There are behavior concerns as well as monetary ones.  I think these experiences should be encouraged in order to expose our students to environments they would many times never have access to for a variety of reasons.  Online communities are an easier way to achieve these types of activities like virtual field trips, etc. but I do not think that they even remotely begin to come close to the experience of actually being somewhere and experiencing a museum or play first hand.