Ethics Statement

ETHICS OVERVIEW

All employees are expected to act as representatives of the company, in a legal, ethical, and appropriate manner. Newly hired employees must be aware of various ethics and compliance policies and expectations when they join the company.  Various ethical considerations are introduced during onboarding including Internet usage, code of conduct, business ethics, copyright, privacy, security awareness, information security, privacy, and social media best practices.  These topics will be covered in two ways:

1. Formal written policies and procedures related to each topic will be provided to all new hires and they will be responsible for acknowledging that they have reviewed and understand the content.
   
2. eLearning courses related to each of the topics will be included in the onboarding training program required for all new employees. New employees will need to demonstrate their understanding by completing and passing assessments in each of the topics.

The company has many shared values and principles, but it is up to each and every individual to own these core values and ethics.

LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES

Since the onboarding program consists of various eLearning/web-based courses as well as other forms of learning technologies, ethics topics relevant in the digital era are essential and need to be communicated to the new employees to increase their level of awareness. 

Learning technologies in the digital era offer benefits and variety to learners and teachers, but also carry exposure to new risks related to social and ethical issues. Technology greatly changes the way people learn. Everyone learns in a different way and technology offers the ability to offer different approaches and delivery methods to engage the learner.

The digital era and various new technologies have changed the way we live, how we learn, and how we interact with others. Technology has become a core part of our lives and our ability to learn. Online learning, collaboration, connectivity, and interactivity all take place using the Internet and socializing takes place through various online sources and methods. We utilize new forms of interaction and connectivity keeping us connected anytime, anywhere with applications and social networking tools like blogs, texting, instant messaging, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Netflix, and Instagram, to name a few.  We exchange information instantaneously, and share ideas, thoughts, pictures, and knowledge immediately to any number of people.  Training is necessary to help students and employees understand what is considered right and wrong, and what is considered socially and ethically correct in the digital era.  As time goes on, technology will continue to change, but there will still be a need for educators, students, business people, and everyone in between to act ethically. Current and future topics will be included within the onboarding program for new employees.   

COPYRIGHT

In today’s digital era, intellectual property and copyright issues are a significant concern.  This is largely due to the internet and just how easily content, resources, images, music, videos, and other material can be accessed, reused, downloaded, and shared online.

According to copyright.gov, "Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression" (2015).

EMAIL PRIVACY IN THE WORKPLACE

As technology usage grows, so does the ethical concerns related to email usage and privacy. In my workplace, employees are asked to acknowledge a policy related to email usage in the workplace.  It is part of a bigger policy addressing internet, email, electronic communications, and information security. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that employees use company computer systems and applications in a legal, ethical, and appropriate manner. The policy also aims to safeguard employees, company assets, and company information.

INFORMTION SECURITY

By informing students of the risks, they can be held accountable for making the best decision possible when facing an ethical decision/scenario. Some of the areas we are addressing in our policies related to information security include:

• Cyberbullying
• Sharing inappropriate content/images
• Hacking
• Systems access
• Password protection

INTERNET

Employees need be informed of expectations related to Internet usage in the workplace and must not use any technology in a manner that violates company policies.

CONCLUSION

In an attempt to improve collaboration, interaction, and communication, technology in the classroom is a requirement.  By offering policies and best practices, companies can leverage and balance technology in a classroom environment while mitigating risks.  This also allows the company to set standards and expectations related to employee behavior.

REFERENCES

Copyright.gov. (2015). Copyright in general. http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html

Final Project Script and Storboard

Hi everyone - below is a link to my script and storyboard document.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_jNvhZ_O7e3WVNxdWpkTmJxR2s/view?usp=sharing

Let me know if you are not able to access it.

Thanks!

Cathy

My Environment

Overview

I designed a WordPress site to serve as an electronic portfolio representing a collection of my project components for the final Advanced Design Seminar Portfolio Project. This course is a required core course for a MALET degree at Empire State College. As you view the collection of material contained in this site, you will learn about my final project and also be introduced to my preliminary plans for my final Capstone project. 

ePortfolio Environment Selection

For the creation of my ePortfolio environment, I have chosen to use WordPress to house all content, resources, and material related to my final project. My reason for selecting WordPress for my collection is primarily its configurable and flexible interface.  After selecting a clean and user-friendly template, I was able to incorporate all resources related to my project.

Within my WordPress portfolio, I will be including videos, blogs, images, Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, storyboards, as well as an interactive elearning course of the topic of Safety in the Workplace.  Some were developed specifically for this course and others were developed for prior MALET courses.  The WordPress can also support audio files, widgets, and many other tools.

Site Roadmap

• Home: Overview for my ePortfolio and environment selection information.
• About Me: Brief Biography

-         Personal Ethics Statement

• Advanced Design Seminar: Links to navigate to all project components.

-         Abstract

-         Literature Review

-         Scholarly Journals

-         Associations

-         Artifacts

-         Statement of Ethics

-         Final Project Link and Images 

(NOTE – the final project links to the actual Safety in the Workplace course that I have designed. This course will be required training for all new branch managers and will utilized as one of the courses within the Branch Manager Onboarding Program).

-         Assessment Plan

-         Final Reflective Paper

eLearning Course Development

The Safety in the Workplace course was developed using Lectora Inspire. 

eLearning Course Environment

The Safety in the Workplace course, along with all subsequent courses that will be developed as part of the onboarding program, will be made available to the employees at my workplace.  Learners will access the course via our learning management system (LMS) which is PeopleSoft Enterprise Learning Management (ELM).  Upon hire, all new branch managers will be automatically enrolled into the course on their first day. As part of their onboarding training requirements, this course will need to be completed within 30 days of hire.  Access to the ELM is available to employees from their branch location as well as outside of the network using their secure login credentials.

For the purposes of this course, learners can access the Safety in the Workplace course from the Final Project page of this ePortfolio.

Final Abstract

ABSTRACT - This project is a component of a larger 30-day onboarding program in which newly hired managers will receive training in a variety of formats and delivery methods including eLearning modules, simulations, and videos. The goal of this program is to support new managers as they adapt to the company and their own specific roles and responsibilities. They will have the opportunity to work both independently and collaboratively throughout the program. This current course final project will include a complete and interactive eLearning module on the topic of Safety in the Workplace that will be accessible to learners from a learning management system.  A detailed scaffold outlining the remaining components of the overall onboarding program including topics, modules, instructional videos, assessments, surveys, and evaluations will be presented. A timeline outlining the requirements for the 30 day period will provide structure for the program, while communicating goals and milestones to the learner.

Project Proposal

Below is a link to my project proposal. Please let me know if you have any trouble accessing it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_jNvhZ_O7e3STFmSXQyaF9TZVE/view?usp=sharing

Thanks!

Cathy

My Literature Review

Hi Everyone - Below is a link to the literature review for my final project.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_jNvhZ_O7e3TEpON1ZQNUZJUVU

Please let me know if you are not able to view it.

Thanks!

Cathy

Concept Proposal: Onboarding Program for Branch Managers

Scope of my Advanced Design project

I would like to develop a new hire training orientation program for my workplace focusing on the needs of branch managers.  This program is needed to enhance the existing offerings available to new branch managers. This training will provide more inclusive and cohesive learning opportunities to help these managers adapt to the company as well as their own specific roles and responsibilities. There are approximately 5,000 employees in this role today.

Courses will focus on topic areas such as policies, standard operating procedures, ethics, computer system, and professional skills.  A new hire program of this nature will immerse the learner into their role from their first day on the job and will help to guide them through their first 30 days of employment.  

Today, we have a much less formal orientation program.  It is somewhat inconsistent and also difficult to track and manage.  Through our companywide learning management system (LMS), we can track completion of the various onboarding tasks.  My goal is to have a core group of courses suitable for all branch managers, consisting of role-specific training to help the new manager adjust to their critical role.  These courses will also help them learn about the company, adapt to the culture, understand their goals and objectives, and branch operations. Through the various activities offered, learners receive training in a variety of formats and delivery methods.

As part of the new hire training program, branch managers will be introduced to training in the areas of safety, sales, product knowledge, systems/technology, ethics/compliance, and leadership, to name a few.  Training for these new hire requirements consists of eLearning courses, simulations, videos, and other interactive learning opportunities.  Some videos are stand-alone and others are embedded within eLearning courses. 

A strong new hire program will help with retention in the branch manager role as well as employee satisfaction. It will also improve retention in this critical role by developing our managers and grooming them to be successful leaders.

The Blended Learning Environment

To best learn these skills, new employees will complete a series of eLearning courses including simulations, sound, images, videos, assessments, quizzes, and evaluations. These courses will provide an interactive and hands-on learning experience for the new employee, exposing them to many areas of interest for their new role.

The program will offer the following benefits:

1. It allows for a consistent delivery of information to the new branch manager.

2. Through our LMS, we can track and manage the progress of the new manager as they complete the various course requirements.

3. It allows new managers to begin orientation on their first day at the branch and not have to wait to start their development. Blogs can be used to communicate additional content to the learners and allow for collaboration. Webinars and synchronous sessions may also be scheduled as part of the program as well.

Blogs can be used to communicate additional content to the learners and allow for collaboration. Webinars and synchronous sessions may also be scheduled as part of the program as well.

Through web based experiential learning simulations and activities, learners are able to use their critical thinking and problem solving techniques while directly applying what they learn to their real life.  Using pre-existing knowledge, experiences, and competencies, learners can use what they already know and build upon those existing skills. Handouts, videos, and program assessment tools will be included to help support the training initiative.

Following the completion of the 90 day new hire orientation and onboarding, new branch managers should be able to successfully oversee branch operations and improved branch performance.  In addition, the company should see an increase in employee satisfaction in the role of branch manager, as well as improved retention.  These are both measurable statistics.

Through employee feedback and evaluations of the program, we will be able to consistently improve our offerings to employees to provide the best new hire orientation possible.

My eLearning components will be developed primarily using an application called Lectora Inspire (http://trivantis.com/products/inspire-e-learning-software/).  Course(s) will be available to our class within an instance of Moodle that I set up recently.  I will be referring to content and resources from Society for Human Resource Management (www.shrm.org), Association for Talent Development (www.td.org), and The eLearning Guild (www.elearningguild.com) to name a few.

In our Wankel and Blessinger textbook, the authors stated, “advancement in both digital technologies and learning theories are transforming the way we teach and learn and those advancements are refining our views of what it means to learn in the contemporary post-industrial age: (Wankel, 3). Through the use of various forms of learning technology, I hope to improve my current workplace learning environment by improving overall learner experience, employee engagement, retention, and motivation. The authors further stated that immersive environments “have the potential to foster a sense of progressing, which is important in motivation and developing competence. (Wankel, 8).

References

ATD, Retrieved September 19, 2015. https://www.td.org/

eLearning Guild. Retrieved September 19, 2015. http://www.elearningguild.com/

SHRM. Retrieved September 19, 2015. http://www.shrm.org/pages/default.aspx

Trivantis. Lectora Inspire. Retrieved September 19, 2015.  http://trivantis.com/products/inspire-e-learning-software/

Wankel & Blessinger. Increasing Student Engagement and Retention Using Immersive Interfaces: Virtual Worlds, Gaming, and Simulation. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. UK. 2012.