Overview
REASON FOR INTERVENTION
Incoming student assistants to the instructional design team regularly require individual instruction to bring them up to an acceptable performance level in relation to existing co-workers. Currently, this process is done piecemeal over the first 4-6 weeks of their employment on an ‘as-needed’ basis. Direct observation over the last 6 months indicates regular loss of productivity during the on-boarding period. As new team members are brought on sporadically and often have work schedules with little to no overlap, these individual training sessions are repeated for each employee as needs arise and schedules allow.
We anticipate our team will experience further growth in the number of employees over the next 12-18 months, as well as a regular turnover in employees due to their fluctuating needs and availability. With the possibility of 4-6 new hires every six months, there is a need to develop an intervention strategy to meet the anticipated needs of on-boarding future employees in an efficient and consistent manner. Currently there is no instruction program, or training materials for new hires. An instruction strategy in the form of an on-boarding course would provide significant and direct impact towards our need.
AUDIENCE
Our target audience are undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 24, and adult learners or graduate students approximately 24 – 50 years old. Learners are expected to have basic computer skills, college level reading and writing comprehension in English, and the ability to work on a computer in 4-hour shifts. Instruction will cover employee expectations, team workflow process, use and application of necessary programs, and the process necessary to perform literary research that meets department standards.
Instruction will take place during the first two weeks of employment and delivered via online coursework including reading materials, video demonstrations, flowcharts, and simulated tasks. Instruction will take place in office with team workstations, with supervisors available for detailed explanations and guidance. Assessment is constructed response followed by practical demonstration of the student’s mastery of both the workflow process, and literature review process with immediate feedback provided. Learners will have multiple opportunities to review the content and reassess as needed.