Appendix D represents a checklist for use in the instructional design phase of EnterTech. General guiding principles to apply to the EnterTech Project design are delineated below.

Based upon the research from national, state and local sources, a set of learner characteristics emerges that provides insight into learner needs and issues that must be addressed for effective instruction.

While most people experience challenges in balancing the responsibilities of family and of work, welfare-assisted families tend to have more issues; issues endemic to the causes and conditions of poverty.

Among the most prevalent barriers to improving their conditions are the lack of job skills, of affordable childcare and transportation, of sustainable wages and full-time status for entry-level positions. Furthermore, individuals need to develop support networks of family and friends and community services that assist to alleviate or mitigate these barriers.

Guidelines

The EnterTech Project should develop a support model that can assist in connecting learners to the necessary resources within their community. The Texas system of local one-stop career centers is a ready-made tie-in for referrals to support resources. But an instructor guide should also provide generic descriptions of resources typically available to low-income families in communities. EnterTech instructional modules should be developed that encourage individual resourcefulness in seeking multiple options and solutions for problem-solving barriers and in creating and participating within natural networks of friends, family, and coworkers that enable self-sufficiency through mutual support.

Additionally, the targeted learner group has had sporadic work experience in mostly service-industry jobs. The world of work in technology companies is new and unknown. Learners need exposure to the environment and culture of these work places. They also need to practice the problem-solving and people skills that aid in retaining employment and building career ladders for themselves in these dynamic, customer-focused, and learning-oriented organizations.

Guidelines

The EnterTech Project should provide realistic simulations of high-tech work environments, incorporating the sights and sounds, language and culture of high-tech industry settings into video segments and the thematic content of the curriculum. Content should provide models for engaging in workplace culture and activities that foster successful behaviors within the work setting. Job-keeping skills and customer interaction scenarios should be incorporated across the curriculum. In exploring the world of work, learners should be exposed to a variety of job possibilities and entree points to career ladders and continuing education.

Employer surveys rank positive attitude and reliability as the most preferred qualities of job candidates; and the lack thereof, as the most common reasons for employee termination. Employers also report expectations for baseline skill levels in reading and writing paragraph-length material, doing basic arithmetic, using computers, and dealing with customers.

Guidelines

Whereas the specific knowledge, skills and abilities and their accompanying performance objectives for the EnterTech Project will be determined by employers and the Work Keys profiling of their entry-level positions, EnterTech should place strong emphasis on the collaborative and interpersonal skills required by all employers. While providing refresher exercises in the basic academic skills, the curriculum should further emphasize the intellectual skills of creative problem-solving and applying learning strategies to job tasks and life situations.

The target learner group represents a diverse group of individuals with various academic attainment and skills levels. More unilaterally, the target learners require associating new learning to previous life experiences. New information should be segmented into manageable portions so as to not discourage or overwhelm the learner. Mixed learning activities offered in discreet time segments work best according to instructors, and should include choices in individual and group instructional exercises. Creating relevant and useful knowledge that is directly applicable to a job or in managing their family responsibilities is the most motivating form of instruction.

Guidelines

The EnterTech instructional program should provide for individual differences among learners. Therefore pre-, iterative and post-assessment routines should be incorporated into both the computer-based and workbook components of the training program. Remedial, intermediate and advanced levels of instruction should be available for each skill set, allowing branching based on individual skill levels. Depth of materials that cannot be covered through the computer-based training segments, should be available in student workbooks. Modular components can be mixed-and-matched to accommodate individual need. A variety of learning styles – auditory, visual and kinesthetic – should be presented. New information should be presented in discreet and manageable blocks that build on learners’ existing knowledge structures.

The role of the instructor was a notable success factor in the instructional programs reviewed. Instructors reported best success when facilitating from learning environments that replace previous negative educational experiences with positive outcomes that nurture self-esteem and self-directed learning, and that model interpersonal skills and workplace etiquette.

Guideline

An instructor guidebook should accompany the computer-based and student workbook training materials. From classroom management to assessment and instruction, the guidebook should assist teachers to create a holistic environment addressing the training and support needs of learners. The guidebook should feature an array of teaching strategies, support services recommendations, and guidelines to facilitating partnerships with local employers for participation with the program and hiring of graduates.

The target learner characteristics analysis is but one component in the instructional design process (see Appendix E – Milestones of EnterTech Project). Integrated with the other processes of knowledge, skills and abilities identification and of the competencies, performance objectives and assessment strategies determination, each component links into the systematic and thoughtful creation of the EnterTech Project instructional design document.

Appendices & Bibliography