Quality
Educational Design of San Diego
Design Concept
for Module 1 of the Instructional
Helping Entrepreneurs
Get Online
Prepared by
Joshua Bleier
for
Gabriel Ozgood,
President and Chief Creative Officer
Helping
Entrepreneurs
Get Online
|
|
April 25th, 2003
Overview
Helping Entrepreneurs
Get Online
is intended as a tool for small business loan officers who must help
entrepreneurs decide if an online presence will be beneficial to their growing
business, and if so, which type of web site would be most suitable for the
developing business. This instructional product is web-based, and will provide
lesson modules on
· why web sites are
beneficial to businesses,
· how to identify the
different types of web sites, and
· how to identify the right
web site type for a particular business.
As noted in the System Specification, a revision was
made to design a tool that focuses on the small business loan officer rather
than on the entrepreneur directly. Loan officers were chosen because, contrary
to entrepreneurs, they consistently have
· Strong verbal and written
English communication skills
· A reasonable technical
background in general, and good overall computer skills in particular
· A strong formal business
background with the ability to differentiate between various business models
and practices.
Entrepreneur’s skills in the above areas vary
greatly, and developing an instructional tool to work well with that population
would have been a difficult endeavor.
There are a number of constraints associated with
the targeted learner population that must be addressed for a successful product
design. First, while loan officers have good overall technical skills, their
knowledge of web-based products in particular will vary. Additionally, it is
unlikely that loan officers will be able to devote 3 consecutive hours solely
to instruction. Finally, computer-based instruction alone does not facilitate
peer dialog or communication of ideas well.
This instructional product has been augmented to
effectively handle these constraints; to compensate for the learners lack of
access to direct peer-to-peer communication, this tool will include access to
chat rooms and discussion boards. To take into account the learner’s varying
technical background with respect to web sites and web site types, this product
will be modular in nature; learners will not be forced to step through a
programmed set of instructions, but will be able to select which component to
work with as their skills and background dictate. Finally, the instructional
product will be broken up into three distinct components or modules, which in
turn will be chunked into coherent educational segments. This will allow
learners without large blocks of time to work on small pieces of the lessons as
time permits.
The objectives of this web-based instructional tool
were extracted and formalized from the Revised Instructional Goals listed in
the System Specification. Due to changes in the Iuvo web site that has acted as the primary reference for
this product, the first objective has been updated to refer to a new site with
a similar list of benefits.
The 3 critical objectives
for this instructional product are:
1. The small business loan
officer will be able to name the 5 of the 7 benefits of an online presence for
a small business and accurately paraphrase the rationale for each from the data
provided by the Web Presence Benefits page of the Radicon Web Site.
2. Given 10 Web sites, the
SBLO will be able to identify the category of each Web site as described by the
Iuvo
Web site type taxonomy.
3. The SBLO will be able to
correctly employ the critical decision factors required to determine which Web
site type would best suit any given set of business goals, based on the Iuvo Web site type taxonomy.
This document chronicles
the design concept of Module 1, which satisfies the requirements of objective 1
listed below. After navigating this lesson module, the loan officer will be
able to name the benefits of an online presence for a small business and
accurately summarize the rationale of those benefits, as described by
information gathered from the Radicon Web Site.
Outline and Justification for
Instructional Strategies of Module 1
The instructional strategy for this module will rely
on several methods for successful instruction;
·
the ICARE model, short for
·
Introduce
·
Connect
·
Apply
·
Reflect and
·
Extend,
and a method employed
heavily within the Educational Technology courses at San Diego State University
and elsewhere),
·
Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction (Particularly the events
concerning the stimulation of the recall of prior learning and the enhancement
of knowledge transfer), and
·
Ruth Clark’s discussion on far-transfer training for the
instruction of principles (In this case, the principles of good business models
and practice and how a web presence facilitates those principles).
Unlike the other modules
within this Instructional product which are more conceptual in nature, this
module relies on the principles of business methods and practice and how a web
presence applies to those principles. Clark calls the instruction of principles
‘far-transfer’ training, and she introduces a number of key features that are
effective in the instruction of these far-transfer principles. The following
features established by Clark will be incorporated into the design of module 1:
·
An early introduction of the relevant guidelines of the principle
with subsequent reinforcement. An initial introductory page for the module will
establish the crucial guidelines in this design.
·
The use of analogies when the guidelines are unfamiliar to the intended
population. This design will allow users to delve further into analogous
scenarios if they are uncomfortable with the particular idea, or to move
forward if they feel their background with that principle is sufficient.
·
Talk about simulations as a method for instruction.
·
Challenges of testing acquisition.
Module Introduction Page
The learner will access Module
1 via an introductory page that provides the loan officer with the following:
·
a brief summary of the contents of the module,
·
how it connects with the learner’s prior knowledge,
·
what the user will come away with after going through the module,
and
·
how the user can navigate through the module’s most critical
portions.
In this module, the key
business guideline is improving the bottom line; making the business as
profitable as possible. The key aspects of this main goal are formally
developed in the Cognitive Task Analysis for this module that accompanies this
document and a PowerPoint slide.
The two ways of improving a
company’s bottom line are by
1.
Increasing Revenue, and
2.
Decreasing Costs.
These 2 main components
will be represented (Probably as graphic icons) on the introductory page for
the user to select in any order to find out how a web presence effectively
applies to each.
The introductory page, and
all subordinate pages for the module, will include a method of navigation (Most
likely in the form of a navigation bar running across the top or along the left
side of the page) that allows the learner to quickly access any component of
the module at any time.
Increasing Revenue Component
Within the Increasing Revenue component, the factors
involved in increasing revenue will be introduced, and a web presence will be
connected to these features. This will be accomplished by presenting a set of
scenarios that involve web pages directly or indirectly affecting the revenue
of a growing business. Those scenarios will at least include:
·
Increasing Brand Awareness via Informational Web Pages
·
Increasing Brand Awareness via Increased Web Traffic from search
engines
·
Increased Revenue through online transactions via Transactional
Web Pages
These scenarios will be displayed on the page as
dual-coded linked graphic icons will short, descriptive sentences indicating
their content. Users will be able to select them an enter a page for each that
provides a detailed description of the principle and the role the web site
plays in achieving the principle’s underlying goals. Clark recommends using
analogies to help anchor the information for a far-transfer guideline with the
learner, and links to analogous situations can be provided here for learners
who wish to follow them.
In addition, the page will include a link for the
learner to Apply their understanding of the principle. Clark recommends
practice of the understanding of far-transfer guidelines in the form of short,
‘real-world’ simulations. This can be accomplished through web pages that
graphically depict the following situations:
·
A business owner working with a technical writer and graphic
designer to develop literature describing the products and services of the
business. Questions concerning the appropriateness of the information for the
web will be directed toward the learner, who answers them via multiple choice
and true or false fields, and receives immediate feedback on their selections.
·
An entrepreneur working with an advertiser to get ‘preferred’ ad
placement in a yellow pages print journal, and working with executives at a web
search engine to get ‘preferred’ link position on the search engine’s results
pages.
·
A small businessperson working to add credit card payment options
at their place of business, and working with a web page developer to
incorporate online transactions for their web site.
Decreasing Costs Component
The component that provides lessons on Decreasing
Business Costs will show be structurally consistent with the Increasing Revenue
section. It will also provide an introductory explanation of the guideline and
brief summaries on how a web presence helps accomplish this goal. In addition,
a set of scenarios for the learner to connect the guidelines with a web
presence will be depicted via dual-coded graphic icons with short, descriptive
statements on:
·
Decreasing Collection Costs through the Immediate Transaction of
online credit card transactions through a Transactional Web Page
·
Decreasing Personnel Costs through Informational and Combination
Web Pages.
·
Decreased Technical Support Costs using Support Web Pages.
Here, as in the Increasing
Revenue section, the user can Apply the information of these subsections by
linking to a series of simulations that graphically portray the following
scenarios, along with multiple choice and true/false questions for anchoring
the information received:
·
A scenario describing how credit card transactions are immediate,
and a customer being directed by a business owner to work through the credit
card company to resolve card purchase discrepancies. Information is displayed
that shows how this scenario is consistent with how payments are made via
Transactional Web Sites, and questions are then presented to the user to help assure
knowledge transfer.
·
A scene presenting a customer using a job aid provided with the
product to resolve issues on product usage rather than going to the business
and working through a technical support professional employed by the business.
A series of questions showing how this analogy would work using Support Web
pages are presented for the user to work through.
·
Another situation graphically portraying a potential customer
referring to an informational brochure on product features rather than
questioning a sales representative of the business. Information is provided
that links this analogy with Informational Web Pages, and questions are then
presented for the learner to work through to further anchor learning.
Reflecting and Extending
In keeping with the ICARE
model, all scenarios in both the Increasing Revenue and Decreasing Costs
components will provide learners with links that allow them to Reflect on the
provided information through short summaries of scenarios and their
accompanying analogies in the Apply subsections. In addition, the learners will
have a chance to Extend their knowledge (This is also in keeping with the
enhancing of knowledge transfer portion of Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction)
through appropriate discussions on other methods that help Increase Revenue,
Decrease Cost, and therefore Increase Business Profit.
Summary
Module 1 of Helping
Entrepreneurs Get Online is based on presenting a set of business principles to
the small business loan officer and showing how a web presence helps facilitate
those principles and the businesses ultimate goal of Maximizing Profit through
Increased Revenue and Decreased Costs. The module attempts to accomplish this
by employing a combination of Clark’s far-transfer Training methods, the ICARE
instructional methodology, and portions of Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction
that focus on recall of prior learning and the enhancement of knowledge
transfer.
Questions for Formative Evaluation
In order to effectively evaluate the success of
Module 1’s design, a prototype of product incorporating the design strategy
will be produced, participants will run through it’s components in a structured
environment. The participant’s ability to navigate through the module and
access and learn from the lesson components will be assessed. This assessment
should include the following questions:
1.
Are all components easily accessible?
2.
Can the participant successfully navigate each component to identify and
retrieve the desired lesson information?
3.
After reviewing lesson material, can the participant correctly answer
the questions in the Apply portion of each component?
4.
Does the product provide clear feedback on the participant’s performance
in the Apply section?
5.
Do the provided examples have “real-world” application?
6.
Is the instructional product engaging? Will the learner be stimulated
enough to come back for further learning?
7.
Is there “buy-in” by the learner, i.e., after going through the
instructional material, does the learner agree with the fundamental principles
and guidelines outlined by the tool?
References
Clark, R.C. (1999).
Developing Technical Training (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD:
International Society for Performance Improvement.
PromoteMaster, (2002). Benefits
of a Web Presence.
Retrieved from the World Wide Web April 23rd, 2003: http://www.radicon.com/benefits.htm
Iuvo, (2003). Web Site
Types.
Retrieved from the World Wide Web March 15th, 2003: http://www.iuvollc.com/websites2.htm
The
Encyclopedia of Educational Technology - Killpatrick, L. (2003). Gagne’s Nine Events of
Instruction.
Retrieved from the World Wide Web April 23rd, 2003: http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/
Integrating
Instructional Design in Distance Education - Paivio, A. (2002). The Nine Events of
Instruction.
Retrieved from the World Wide Web April 24th, 2003:
http://ide.ed.psu.edu/idde/9events.htm
The Theory into Practice
(TIP) Database - Paivio, A. (2002). Dual Coding Theory. Retrieved from the World
Wide Web April 21, 2003: http://tip.psychology.org/paivio.html
Small Business Development
Center – S.W.S.B.D.C., (2002). Entrepreneur Profile. Retrieved from the World
Wide Web March 20th, 2003: http://www.uwplatt.edu/~swsbdc/textonly/txtStart/txtprofile.html