Week 14 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Assorted content production (updated narration, animation, quizzes, assorted adjustment and review of beta-1 prototype): 100%, took 12 hours
Prepared for Project Showcase: 100%, took 4 hours
Presented at Project Showcase: 100%, took 0.5 hours
Implemented Formative Evaluation Plan: 50% complete, took 4.0 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics.  This week, I heard back from the SME, scheduled meetings for formative evaluators, and met with two students for the One-to-One portion of the formative evaluation. SME suggestions led to development of the beta-2 prototype, of which I made updates to narrations, quizzes, animations and videos. I helped plan for the Project Showcase, and participated in it. I produced a demonstration product for the showcase. I also communicated with my team, the sponsor, and client.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

The importance of this week's work was to the improvement process and presentation process. My goals were to make improvements to the beta-1 prototype (which we were able to do well), schedule the remainder of the formative evaluation interviews, and present a thorough review of our project in the Project Showcase. I feel that these goals were met mostly, though the Project Showcase review could have done with a little more structure in retrospect.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

The updates made were similar to last week's activities. The Project Showcase presentation was similar to other such proposals I have made in the past. I would imagine that both are similar to what I will do in the future, many times throughout my career.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

There is a relationship between quality of presentation and the amount of time spent preparing, though I would suspect it is not linear. It is likely a curve that begins as a positive relationship, levels off at a certain point, and perhaps becomes inverse near the end.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

This week's production went well. Updates to the project were positive and easy to make. I could improve on my preparation for presentations.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

This week is the final week of work, so I will complete the project.
I will meet with one more one-to-one evaluator, and have the team create a resulting beta-3 prototype.
I will meet with a small group of evaluators, and have the team create the final product,
I will return all project materials to the client.
I will deliver the final product materials to the client.
I will complete the formative evaluation and final project evaluation documents.

Week 13 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Assorted content production (narration, animation, quizzes, video production, assorted adjustment and review of alpha-1 prototype): 100%, took 21 hours
Created Formative Evaluation Plan: 100% complete, took 0.25 hours
Implemented Formative Evaluation Plan: 10% complete, took 0.50 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. I also completed the assigned reading for the week. The vast majority of my work this week was on production of the alpha and beta-1 prototypes, along with beginning to implement the Formative Evaluation process. I also communicated with my team, the sponsor, and client.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

The importance of this week's tasks are obvious: they help build the actual project, and assure that it is effective. Most of my goals were met, though the birth of my daughter caused me to miss the deadline for completion of the alpha prototype by 24 hours.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

Though I seem to be repeating myself, to answer both questions, other projects.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

Apart from the inverse relationship of the age of my computers and the relative efficiency of production, no.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

Quite well, this week. In what could have been a very chaotic experience, I found time to produce high quality content. My teammates also did so, allowing for the production of a solid beta-1 prototype.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

I will send the beta-1 prototype to the SME for review. My team and I will receive the SME recommendations and create a beta-2 prototype from them. I will continue to schedule student evaluators for the remaining portions of the formative evaluation.
I will prepare for the meeting on Tuesday with my team, and the Project Showcase on Thursday.

Week 12 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Recorded narration for course site: 40% complete, took 1 hour.
Added narration and content to Lead eLearning Developer's Articulate Course: 40% complete, took 3 hours.
Recorded video for eLearning course with Lead Instructional Designer: 100% complete, took 0.75 hours.
Created Formative Evaluation Plan: 90% complete, took 4 hours
Created Formative Evaluation Plan screencast: 100% complete, took 0.25 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. Contained within this list is a considerable amount of development of narration and eLearning content, through Articulate Studio 2. I also communicated with my team, the sponsor, and client.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

This week, many disparate requirements came due. Some were involved in producing parts of the content, while others were involved in planning the formative evaluation. These were important because they have direct implications to the satisfactory completion of the course.
I was able to meet my goals, with the exception of sending the formative evaluation plan for Sponsor and Client send off by Friday.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

In other projects, in both cases. Also, the content production activities were similar to some of what I did last week.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

Not so much, apart from a regrettable procrastination (i.e., waiting for the weekend to complete the Formative Evaluation Plan), which seems to come up more often than I would like.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

I feel that most of my assignments were done well (other than the lateness of the Formative Evaluation Plan, as noted above). The narration came out very nicely, and the content I produced worked well, minus a technical hiccup that will be fixed in the next iteration. The formative evaluation plan is solid and useful, I think.

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

This week, I will receive Client and Sponsor sign-off on the formative evaluation plan, and communicate with the Client regarding the identification of eight to eleven candidates for one-to-one and small group trials.
I will record remaining narration, based upon the Lead Instructional Designer's content requests; create web-streaming video from the video clips we recorded on Thursday, and add these learning objects to the Lead eLearning Developer's Articulate course.
This alpha prototype should be uploaded on Tuesday, giving my teammates and I the better part of the week to perform design review and finalize a beta-1 prototype.
As soon as the beta-1 prototype is completed, I'll send it on to the Client for SME evaluation.

Week 11 15/5

Team-Assigned Tasks

Uploaded Lead eLearning Developer's course skeleton: 100% complete, took 0.25 hours
Reviewed Lead eLearning Developer's treatment and course skeleton: 100% complete, took 2 hours
Created narration proof-of-concept: 15% complete, took 2 hours
Completed Team 15/5: 100% complete, took 15 minutes. See the team site for details.

Reflection

Remembering: What did I do?

See the Team-Assigned Tasks for specifics. Additionally, I completed the assigned readings for this week. I also communicated with my team and our instructor several times throughout this week via email. Overall, it was a light week for me in terms of course work.

Understanding: What was important about what I did? Did I meet my goals?

Most important this week were my communication and collaboration activities, which helped bring the course content along very smoothly. Also, the proof-of-concept I created helped bring some definition to a previously ethereal concept.
I did not meet my goal of recording all the narration. What I did record had an annoying hum in the background due to a low quality microphone. I plan on recording in the IDT Studio this week with better equipment.

Application: When did I do this before? Where could I do this again?

These collaborative and communicative actions are similar to what I have been doing this entire semester, with variable levels of success. I'm sure it will continue throughout the semester, and into future projects as well.

Analysis: Did I see any patterns or relationships in what I did?

As I indicated above, I think I'm getting better at communication and leadership in general.

Evaluation: How well did I do? What worked? What do I need to improve?

What I did this week was done well. The audio recording did not work due to technical problems, and will be improved with better facilities this week. I did fail to identify that the Content Analysis was coming due and remind the Lead eLearning Developer. This oversight in my Project Management responsibilities led to her having to put in some late hours to complete the project,

Creation: What should I do next? What is my plan/design?

Next, I will contact the Lead Instructional Designer about having more content approved, record narrations, and work with the Lead eLearning Developer to update the presentation with the new content. As Lead Evaluator, I will create the course evaluations that have been approved, and develop the Formative Evaluation plan. I will likely request that the client identify 15 TAs or PIMs who would be willing to review the first prototype.