management

Josh Minzer

Dr. Megan Todd

OGL 554: Learning & Development in Organizations

September 5th, 2021

Milestone 2: Curriculum and Learning Outcomes

I. Introduction and Rationale

In my needs assessment, I analyzed BBYO’s mission and core values as they relate to an

advisor’s role and responsibilities. I then created and completed an observational needs

assessment form that identified four core areas of improvement to focus on with the Mountain

Region Advisors. In the following paper, I will reflect on the results of the needs assessment and

address my intentions behind the learning objectives and activities planned in the curriculum

that focusses on increasing advisor mentorship and engagement. These topics were selected

due to their direct alignment with BBYO’s mission statements and core values, as well as their

relevancy to the challenges of the training participants.

II. Three Phases

Pretraining:

Preparing, motivating and energizing trainees to attend the learning event; involves ensuring that the work

environment (i.e., climate, managers, and peers) supports learning and transfer.

Before the training occurs, the advisors will be provided with an overview of the course.

This will include the purpose of the course, the learning objectives, and how the course will be

meaningful for them. I will send the course overview out in an e-mail out to them as a group so

they know who will be attending and where and when the event will occur. Furthermore,

contained in the e-mail will be a prerequisite that will require the advisors to share a chapter-

related need so we can use it as a work-related problem example in our discussions.

Learning Event:

Focuses on creating a positive learning environment, including planning the activities that occur during the training,

selecting a high-quality instructor or trainer, choosing a training room and creating positive interactions with learners,

and having proper program design.

For the training site, the training will preferably occur in a private room of a restaurant. If I

cannot find one available, I will cater food to one of the conference rooms in the JCC where the

BBYO offices are located. As the desired environment for the training will be one that contains

high collaboration and high self-direction, a conference-type seating arrangement will be most

suitable.

I will be personally conducting the training since it is in my job description to do so, and I

am the among the most qualified persons to discuss the content encapsulating the advisors’ roles

within the organization given my experience. However, my supervisor who is the Senior Regional

Director will be asked to sit in on the training to observe and give feedback if necessary. In

addition, the curriculum outline will identify areas of the training where facilitating discussion is

beneficial; however, the facilitation will be contextual to accommodate the pace of the training.

To prepare the materials, I will meet with my Senior Regional Director beforehand to

briefly run through the training in an effort to rehearse the material. I will also ask if she feels any

modifications are necessary to the training that is planned. As the training will not require any

technology, printouts of any necessary materials will be made beforehand and stored in an easily

accessible area to ensure they are brought to the training location.

There are 10 advisors in the Scottsdale, East Valley, and West Valley region; thus, a smaller

setting is necessary to ensure a personal feeling and a greater sense of significance. Every advisor

falls under the millennial age group and, therefore, the training will consist of short and engaging

learning modules that hold an emphasis on engagement with their peers, and a space designated

for socialization.

Lastly, the training will strategically be chunked into 20-minutes sessions with optional

social breaks in-between in an attempt to help retail the session’s content.

Post-training:

Refers to transfer of training, or getting learners to apply what they have learned to their work.

For about a month after the training occurs, I will provide the advisors with feedback

based off observations I’ve made relevant to the training. After, I will create a survey to be

completed that discusses acquiring feedback for the training, as well as asking how they have

applied the training to their role as an advisor.

III. Course Objectives and Curriculum Outline

In How to Write Learning Objectives Using Bloom's Taxonomy, the narrator discusses

each increased level of thinking as it aligns with a specific learning objective. In addition to

discussing the structure of a learning objective, the narrator explains that curriculum planners

should be asking themselves what they want the trainees to be demonstrating after they’ve

mastered the concept.

In my needs assessment, I highlighted four critical categories for development being

leadership promotion, attendance, administrative, and advisor experiences. Consequently, I

created an observational needs assessment form that identified the relevant roles of an advisor

within each category. After completing the observational needs assessment form, I identified

multiple areas of improvement among the advisors to be discussed in a training setting.

In the leadership promotion category, I identified that advisors should be more engaged

with their teens by helping them write their speeches and platforms when running for

leadership positions, and checking in with the chapter boards on a more consistent basis. In the

attendance category, I said that advisors could increase involvement in the chapters by showing

up to chapter and regional events more consistently, and increasing their engagement and

participation during weekly programming. In the administrative category, I stated that advisors

should be more engaged with their teens during the program planning process. In the advisor

experience category, I discuss that both the advisors and myself must create a system in which I

can support them better. Thus, the following learning objectives were created from the specific

actions I would like to see the advisors demonstrate after the training:

Learning Objectives

“After completing this module, advisors will be able to…”

1. Identify three strategies for assisting teens in running for a board position.

2. Schedule a weekly time to check in with the chapter board via call or text.

3. Choose one regional event to attend this year.

4. Identify two strategies to increase personal engagement during weekly chapter

programming.

5. Identify two tools they can use to assist in program planning.

6. Develop a support system with the Associate Regional Director that will increase

engagement throughout the organization.

Few of the learning objectives fall under Bloom’s lower order of thinking as most of the

advisors are fairly experienced in their roles. Consequently, I have assumed that there is an

understanding that the advisors know their roles, and have planned on reiterating them in the

introduction to the training. Thus, scheduling a weekly time to check in with the boards and

choosing one regional event to attend are more for the purpose of creating a written or verbal

commitment with the objective of increasing the advisors’ engagement. This is only contextual

to my organization since the advisors are volunteers.

Many of the learning objectives fall under the analysis category on Bloom’s wheel. I found

this category to be the most relevant since it dissects the material into smaller pieces, which I

believe can make the learning process more easily applicable.

The last learning objective falls under the creating category on Bloom’s taxonomy as I

wanted the training to hold a greater emphasis on andragogy, or adult learning theory. Given

the advisors’ lived experiences, I believe they can first identify and then develop a system in

which they will best receive support and feedback. Additionally, the only way that this can be

created is through an informal discussion between the advisors and myself. The learning

objectives asks as almost a placeholder to ensure it gets addressed during the training.

Training Outline Course Title: Advisor Session on Increasing Mentorship and Engagement Lesson Length: Two days, 1 hour per day Learning Objectives: “After completing this module, advisors will be able to…”

1. Identify three strategies for assisting teens in running for a board position. 2. Schedule a weekly time to check in with the chapter board via call or text. 3. Choose one regional event to attend this year. 4. Identify two strategies to increase personal engagement during weekly chapter

programming. 5. Identify two tools they can use to assist in program planning. 6. Develop a support system with the Associate Regional Director that will increase

engagement throughout the organization. Target Audience: BBYO Advisors Prerequisites: Advisors: Read course overview before arriving at the training. Have one advisor per chapter bring their laptops.

Instructor: Familiarize themselves with structure of the program, learning objectives, and discussion strategies that will scaffold advisors in learning the content.

Room Arrangement: Private room at selected restaurant or conference room in Jewish Community Center Materials: 11 BBYO Advisor Manuals, 11 printouts of BBYO Mission Statement, Mountain Region FY22 Calendar, 20 sheets of paper, 20 pens, sample speeches and platforms, computer and projector. Timed Outline Day 1 00:00 – 00:10 Introduction 00:10 – 00:30 Activity 1: Leadership Promotion 00:40 – 01:00 Activity 2: Administrative 01:00 – 01:05 Conclusion/Wrap-up Day 2 00:00 – 00:10 Introduction 00:10 – 00:30 Activity 3: Attendance 00:40 – 01:00 Activity 4: Advisor Experience 01:00 – 01:05 Conclusion/Wrap-up

Lesson Outline Instructor Activity Trainee Activity Introduction Presentation Listening and answering questions Activity 1: Leadership Promotion Questioning Participation Activity 2: Administrative Presentation/Questioning Scheduling/Participation Activity 3: Attendance Questioning Participation Activity 4: Advisor Experience Questioning Participation/Development Conclusion/Wrap-up Answer Questions Ask Questions

IV. Final Project Learning Plan

Since I have broken the training down into two days, for my final project I will focus just

on the first day in more detail:

Detailed Procedure Day 1 00:00 – 00:10 Introduction After having a meal with the advisors, the advisors will be instructed to sit around the conference table next to their chapter cos. The instructor will introduce the session and briefly explain the timeline and learning objectives.

The instructor will first ask the advisors if any of them has ever read BBYO’s mission statement and the four core values stated beneath. After their response, the advisor will ask if any of them can guess. Then, the instructor will explain the importance of the mission as it relates to their roles and responsibilities. The instructor will ask the advisors to read the listed BBYO advisors’ roles and responsibilities and rotate clockwise for every bullet point. The instructor will then ask why knowing the responsibilities is important and what aspects of their role relates to the mission and the four core values. 00:10 – 00:30 Activity 1: Leadership Promotion Learning Objectives:

1. Identify three strategies for assisting teens in running for a board position. 2. Schedule a weekly time to check in with the chapter board via call or text.

BBYO Toolbox Scavenger Hunt

The advisors will be instructed to take out their laptops and open up to BBYO’s website that contains the “BBYO Toolbox.” The advisors will be given ten minutes with their cos to navigate the BBYO toolbox to find three resources that would assist them during the chapter election process. If they do not believe the resources are sufficient enough, the advisors will be instructed to discuss strategies they’ve used in the past that would help with the election process. Advisors who do not have cos may join another group. The advisors will take five minutes share out their findings once finished.

After, the instructor will ask the advisors to pull out the BBYO advisor manual and reread the roles that fall under leadership promotion. The instructor will then stress how important it is that this occurs on a weekly basis and have the cos commit to a day that works for each of them to check in with the chapter board. 00:40 – 01:00 Activity 2: Administrative Learning Objective:

1. Identify two tools they can use to assist in program planning.

2. Identify two strategies to increase personal engagement during weekly chapter programming.

Mock Program Planning and Engagement The structure of this program is going to be a lot more discussion-based than the previous program. The instructor will first ask the advisors to share in their experience, as being a former member of BBYO or an advisor, what is the most memorable program they’ve attended and why? After a bit of discussion, the instructor will then ask, “What are some common aspects of a good program?” The instructor will reiterate the learning objectives of the program and pass out a BBYO Programming form located in the BBYO Toolbox. Although the form is not required to fill out prior to a program, it serves as a useful tool to reference to. The instructor will take some time brushing through the programming form and discussing how each part relates to the common aspects of a good program the advisors previously identified. After, the instructor will project their computer in the front of the room and show the advisors how to access the Mountain Region Program Bank that is located on the shared Google Drive and the BBYO program bank that’s located in the BBYO Toolbox. Once the instructor has brushed through all the resources, they will ask how they can support their teens in planning programs during the week. In addition, the instructor will ask to discuss with their cos strategies for increasing engagement during programs. After, they will share out with their peers. The advisor will finish by asking what benefits any of the advisors have experienced by being more engaged during weekly programming. 01:00 – 01:05 Conclusion/Wrap-up The instructor will complete the training session by reiterating the learning objectives and randomly select advisors to share one thing that they learned from the training. The instructor will close by asking if there’s any questions regarding any of the content they covered over the training course and thanking the advisors for coming to the training. V. Draft Evaluation

In the first part of my draft evaluation, I intend on sending out an anonymous survey

that will ask the advisors for their personal feedback. In Employee Training & Development, Noe

provides a great sample reaction measure that I have based my own off of. The following was

created with an emphasis on the learning environment and the planned activities.

Advisor Session on Increasing Mentorship and Engagement Reaction Measure Read each statement below. Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each statement using the scales below.

Strongly Disagree Disagree Neither Agree Strongly Agree 1 2 3 4 5

Activity 1: Leadership Promotion – BBYO Toolbox Scavenger Hunt

1. The skills I learned in this course are relevant to my role as an advisor. 2. I found the materials provided in this course to be useful in my role as an advisor. 3. I clearly understood the course objectives. 4. I enjoyed the way the course was delivered.

Activity 2: Administrative – Mock Program Planning and Engagement

5. The skills I learned in this course are relevant to my role as an advisor. 6. I found the materials provided in this course to be useful in my role as an advisor. 7. I clearly understood the course objectives. 8. I enjoyed the way the course was delivered.

General Training

9. The instructor was prepared. 10. The instructor was knowledgeable about the course content. 11. Overall, I was satisfied with the instructor. 12. Overall, I was satisfied with the course.

Is there any other feedback you would like to give regarding the training?

The results of the reaction measure will be taken and evaluated to ensure the advisors

find the training to be relevant and useful for them. After, I will design a post-test only

evaluation around the learning objectives that observes if the advisors have truly increased

their mentorship and engagement. The post-test will be delivered 45 days after the training in

the form of a personal observation from the Associate Regional Director (ARD). Similar to the

first observational needs assessment, the ARD will use the four categories to evaluate if the

advisors’ performance has increased.