Training and Development INP6325

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Steve Kass

Office: Building 41, Room 230

Phone: 474-2107

Email: skass@uwf.edu

Useful websites: www.siop.org, www.astd.org, www.shrm.org, www.learnativity.com, www.t2ed.com

Class meets: Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., Bldg 41 / Room 136

Office Hours: T & R: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; M & W: 10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and by appointment

Textbook: Training in Organizations, 4th Edition, Goldstein & Ford, Brooks/Cole Publishing

Additional Readings are on reserve.

Learning Outcomes: This course is intended to be a “hands-on” course providing students with the knowledge and tools necessary to develop, implement, and evaluate an organizational training program. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to employ a model of training that enables them to conduct front end analyses such as a needs assessment; develop a training program using knowledge of various types of training media, and plan and carry out an evaluation program.

Requirements: Students will work in groups to develop a training program in an actual organizational setting. Each group will form a consulting firm that will provide me (and the client) with 2 deliverables (described later). Dr. Steve will provide the consulting firms with a point of contact from an area organization. From that point on, each group is on their own to conduct business in a professional manner (minus the pay). Each consulting firm should find out from their point of contact if there are any additional deliverables the organization would like to receive. Groups are encouraged to meet with Dr. Steve for additional consultation to ensure that they are on the right track.

Deliverable #1. Each consulting firm will conduct a complete needs assessment and present it to the class. The group should present the information as if they were presenting it to the client (the client may actually attend the presentation). You will describe how you conducted the needs assessment, explain the results, and make a training recommendation that will meet the organization’s objectives. Each group may use the medium of their choice to provide a professional-appearing presentation. Presentations will be limited to 30 min. The time limit will be strictly enforced. Groups will be stopped at 30 min and graded on what they presented in that time period. At the time of the presentation, each consulting firm will provide a written and professional-appearing report documenting the results of the needs assessment and recommendations for training and a plan for evaluating the training. See Evaluation Form 1 linked off schedule for grading criteria.

Deliverable #2. Each consulting firm will present their training program to the class (treating the rest of the class as trainees) or they may choose to create a professional-appearing video or demonstration that highlights their training program if the proposed training segment takes longer that the time allotted per group (30 min – strictly enforced). The training may take the form of any medium discussed in class (lecture, video, CBT, workbook, etc.). See Evaluation Form 2 linked off schedule for grading criteria.

Exams: Students will take a mid-term and a final exam. Exams will be in-class short answer essay tests and will cover materials in the book and in the lectures, and may cover supplemental reading materials that are assigned to the class.

Rules: Each consulting firm is expected to manage themselves. Conflict may sometimes occur in groups, but it is up to the group members to make sure it does not affect their performance. You may want to establish ground rules or develop contracts for the partners in the consulting firm to follow. I will serve as a facilitator to resolve conflicts only as a last resort. Students are expected to follow the University’s Rules of Academic Conduct (see student handbook: http://www.uwf.edu/uwfmain/stuHandbk/ ).

Grading: Each exam is worth 20% of your grade. Each deliverable is worth 25%. All members of a consulting firm will receive the same grade on their deliverables. However, the final 10% of your grade will be an individual grade based on peer evaluations from the rest of your consulting firm (see Peer Evaluation Form linked off schedule for grading criteria). Students will also be expected to participate in class discussions. Periodically, groups will be asked in class to provide status updates on their projects.

Grading Scale:

A: 93 or above

A-: 90 – 92

B+: 88 – 89

B: 83 – 87

B-: 80 – 82

C+: 78 – 79

C: 73 – 77

C-: 70 – 72

D: 60 – 69

F: < 60

Assistance: If you have a need for any in-class accommodations, or special test-taking arrangements because of physical and/or perceptual limitations, please contact the instructor or the Psychology Department secretary before class begins or as soon as possible.

	Tentative Schedule (Fall 2004)
Date	Topic	Have Read
Aug 24	Introduction to Course	-----
Aug 26	Break into groups, establish consulting firms	-----
Aug 31	Needs Assessment and Learning Environment: Introduction (slides) (printable slides)	Chapter 1
Sep 2	A Systematic Approach to Training (slides) (printable slides)	Chapter 2
Sep 7	“”
Sep 9	The Needs Assessment Phase (slides) (printable slides)	Chapter 3
Sep 14	“”
Sep 16	Needs Assessment Example (slides) (printable slides)
Sep 21	The Learning Environment (slides) (printable slides)	Chapter 4
Sep 23	Class time to work in groups
Sep 28	The Learning Environment (cont’d)
Sep 30	Evaluation: The Criterion Choices (slides) (printable slides)	Chapter 5
Oct 5	“”
Oct 7	Midterm	chps 1-5
Oct 12	Evaluation Procedures (slides) (printable slides)	Chapter 6
Oct 14	“”
Oct 19	Instructional Approaches: Training Delivery (slides) (printable slides)	Chapter 7
Oct 21	“”
Oct 26	A Variety of Training Interventions and Learning Experiences (slides) (printable slides)	Chapter 8
Oct 28	“”
Nov 2	Deliverable #1: Needs Assessment Presentations (Evaluation Form 1)
Nov 4	“”
Nov 9	Learning Systems (slides) (printable slides)	Chapter 9
Nov 11	Veterans Day -- No Class!
Nov 16	Team Training (slides) (printable slides)	Reserve Article
Nov 18	Wiggle room
Nov 23	Class time to work in groups
Nov 25	Thanksgiving Break -- No Class!
Nov 30	Deliverable #2: Training Intervention Presentations (Evaluation Form 2)
Dec 2	“”
Dec 7	Final Exam 2:00 pm; Peer evaluations due (Peer Evaluation Form)	chps 6-9 & article

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Notes. Schedule subject to change at instructor’s discretion. Readings listed above do not include additional readings placed on reserve. Instructor may decide to substitute a chapter in the text with an outside source. Students will be notified of all changes.