• This post is for the Human Performance Technology class I am taking at Purdue University. EDCI 528 is my final class before receiving my Masters degree in Learning Design and Technology.

EDCI 528: Human Performance Technology

Goals and expectations

I am writing this prior to diving into human performance technology and the book “Training Ain’t Performance” by Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps. When I hear “human performance technology”, I think about performance goals and ways to help people reach their goals. This could be a knowledge database, printable job aid, simulations, etc. Training isn’t always the best solution for a problem. Someone who works in the human performance and technology field needs to find the root of a performance problem and develop a solution based on that. This can be difficult because when a problem occurs, everyone will have an opinion about what the issue is, usually what is seen on the surface as a “symptom” of the larger problem beneath.

What skills and knowledge do you already have that you feel relate to the content of this course?

As a learning designer, I have knowledge and experience analyzing performance problems to determine what the root causes are. A few of the models I have used in the past to accomplish this are Action Mapping, Dick and Carey, and Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation. Each of these takes a look at a problem an organization is having and attempts to determine the root cause of the problem to provide an effective solution for the organization.

What do you hope to gain from this course?

I hope to gain a better understanding of how human performance technology relates to learning design. Based on what I understand now, it seems like they are one in-the-same. I wonder if the difference comes down to a stereotype of what, historically, each professional group has done. I also hope to gain more experience designing solutions that don’t center on a training course necessarily.

What do you expect to contribute to this course?

As a part of the learning community with my Masters degree cohort, I will contribute my own experiences as an educator and a learning designer. People learn more when we share our knowledge and skills, and this is no exception. I have learned a lot from my colleagues as I hope they have learned as much from me.

How do you believe you will use what you learn in this course in your future career?

I am a learning designer whose job is to design solutions to problems organizations have centered around performance. This could be a larger solutions like a learning opportunity through training and an evaluation of current programs, or it could be a smaller solution like a job aid. I will use the information and skills I gain through this course to improve my own professional practice. I want to ensure that solutions I am recommending to an organization are the best fit for the problem they are having.