Personal Development Plan

Being proficient in your job is essential.  If you want to advance in the workforce, you also need to look at ways to develop professionally.

Image retrieved from https://www.businesstrainingweb.com/employee-development-training

Short Term Goal

• Earn my Master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology
• Continue to improve my skills in leadership and developing and evaluating training products

Long Term Goal

• Accept an instructional designer position
• Continue to build my skills for advancement and to mentor others  

Development Plan
Development Ideas	Rationale for Development
360 Degree Feedback	This would be a great tool to assess my strengths, weaknesses, and skills as viewed by my peers, supervisors, and clients (Noe, 2013).  This would allow me to see what areas I need to focus on in order to improve my performance, interpersonal skills, and skills needed for advancement.  These assessments could be effective when working in a different role or job assignment.
Mentoring	As a new person to the field of instructional design, a mentor would provide me with informal training and give me insight to common challenges in our organization.  A mentor can provide career support through coaching, providing challenging assignments, and exposure (Noe, 2013).  The mentor benefits as well by developing interpersonal skills and increased feeling of self-esteem and worth to the company (Noe, 2013).
Formal Education Master’s Degree in Instructional Design and Technology, emphasis in Training and Performance Improvement	Since I work for a training company, there would be several benefits. The new knowledge and skills learned can be used immediately and for future contracts. I will be able to apply theory to justify training models and lesson development. Knowing the benefits of using a systematic approach to training will help during the front-end-analysis process.
Temporary Assignments	Proposal writing is an essential aspect of my company.  The experience I gain from working with this department along with my aviation background could make me a great asset to my organization.  This assignment would help me see if I would enjoy this role.  According to Noe (2013), temporary assignments allow employees to try out positions to determine if they will be a good fit.

Reference

Noe, R. A. (2013). Employee training and development (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

A Case for Employee Development

Sometimes it's not all about the training companies provide for its employees.  Companies should develop employees to prepare for future success in customer service and productivity.





Below is a link to download the slides if you would like to view it as a true presentation.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByF7OTVkQy9bNzRqTS0xLV9DaVE

Employee Development from Robert Martinez

Technology in Learning and Training

Technology has really become a game changer in the way we learn and train.  These technologies have influenced the delivery of training, training administration, and training support (Noe, 2013).  This blog will discuss several technologies used in training and their impact in the field of training and learning.

E-Learning

With the advent of the Internet and affordability of computers and their common presence in the work place, organizations and individuals can take advantage of e-learning.  There are several benefits to e-learning like, its accessibility any time and any place, it can be delivered to geographically dispersed personnel, and it can be delivered to more employees in a shorter period of time (Noe, 2013).  Many organizations embrace e-learning because it cuts down on cost (i.e., equipment and travel expenses) and allows employees to complete any training at their own pace and convenient time.  For adult learners returning to college or seeking certifications, e-learning provides the flexibility for them to fit learning into their every day schedule.    

     

Wikis

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https://news.bitcoin.com/bitcoin-wiki-earn-money-educating-masses/

A wiki is a website that allows many members to create, edit, and share content (Noe, 2013).  Wikis are a good tool to use to share information so other can learn informally.  Since wikis can be accessed on the web, members can view and edit content at their leisure.  Some wikis allow visitors to leave comments which can foster deeper collaboration and insight in the topic.  Consider a wiki page for the medical field.  This would allow experts from around the world to share their knowledge and ideas about symptoms and surgical procedures.  These ideas could help brainstorm solutions for cures and improved procedures.    

Simulations

When it comes to simulation technologies, the most common application is flight simulators for training pilots.  Flight simulators allow pilots to train and practice their skills in a safe environment without the risk of damaging a multimillion dollar aircraft.  Simulators help trainees with the decision making process when presented with real-life scenarios.  The military uses simulator training methods to train a variety of skills.  There are simulators for convoy operations as well as counterinsurgency techniques.  Simulators are a powerful tool that provide realistic training and can be delivered via games on a computer or training devices.  These games and devices allow leaders and personnel to understand the immediate consequences of each decision as well as how each decision can contribute to or deter from the effectiveness of other actions (Noe, 2013).  

Mobile Technology

Who doesn’t have a smartphone nowadays?  Mobile learning refers to formal and informal learning delivered on a mobile device like a tablet or smartphone (Noe, 2013).  YouTube offers many short videos from how to do car repairs to tutorials on playing an instrument.  Apps are now being used to deliver training.  According to Noe (2013), combat medic teams use an approved App for details on specific medical procedures like controlling bleeding.  With everyone holding some sort of device these days, mobile technology can make access to information and training very easy.   

Virtual Reality

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http://www.basicknowledge101.com/categories/virtualreality.html

Is virtual reality (VR) technology just for entertainment or does it have value in the field of education?  VR is relatively new and making its way as a training tool.  Reynard (2017) states that VR technology is still evolving and moving more into the mainstream…but its effectiveness in classrooms is still being realized.  VR is very similar to simulators in that simulations become realistic and the user can interact with components (Noe, 2013).  The benefit of VR is that it can provide first-hand virtual experiences for students (Reynard, 2017).  When used with groups, participants can share learning and ideas from the shared virtual reality experience (Reynard, 2013).  Virtual reality equipment can be expensive so only time will tell if the benefits will out-weigh the costs.

References

Noe, R. A. (2013). Employee training and development (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Reynard, R. (2017). THE IMPACT OF VIRTUAL REALITY ON LEARNING: As virtual reality goes mainstream and provides new ways for students to interact and gain hands-on experience, it's important to experiment and demonstrate the technology's potential learning benefits. Campus Technology Magazine, 30(6), 33-36.