I commented on Group 5 Narrative Learning's Program Evaluation
Social
Cognitive Learning
Desiree M. Soptelean
Ball State University
Program Evaluation
EDAC 634
Professor Bo Chang
Professional #1
Name (May use a pseudonym if you desire): Mia Pebble
What are your roles, positions, qualifications?
Graduate Advisor
M.A. in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education
What do you like most about the program design?
I like that there is a breakdown for each day. A daily/weekly plan
allows the new hire to know exactly what is next on the agenda and can begin to
prepare for the next event of the day. This becomes especially important as the
training progresses so the new hire can reflect on what happened last time and
begin to think about what he/she could do differently or if there was something
they wanted to get clarification on, etc.
I like how the day is broken up into different areas they need to learn
about instead of spending a whole day on one particular area (this is
especially important during the first week)
What do you think should be improved? Why? And how?
I would like to see a full day of observations come a little later in
week 1 instead of on day 2. I’m concerned jumping into a full day of
observations may be overwhelming on day 2 especially if the new hire does not
prior experience as a therapist. It would be nice to see day 2 be half
observation and half staff/administrative training and then flip flop that
schedule for day 3.
During the first week I would like to time for discussion and reflection
immediately after each observation session, instead of waiting until the end of
the day. This allows questions or concerns to be addressed immediately after
the observation. Waiting until the end of the day, after two different
observations, opens the door for confusion and may cause the new hire to forget
what questions or concerns they have had earlier in the day.
I also believe the expectations of employee and supervisor should be
discussed/outlined upfront in the 1st or 2nd day and then
revisited as necessary throughout the remainder of the training. Knowing what
is expected at the beginning allows the new hire to be thinking about their
role as a therapist and how they can meet what is expected of them as they
progress though the different areas of training.
I would like to see more information about what type of staff members
the different sessions will be with. (observations, personality assessment,
discussion times, etc) This may help the new hire feel more comfortable about
what is coming up and to get more familiar with the different roles of the
staff members. Later in the training I would like to see 2-3 days of the new
hire running a therapy session with a seasoned therapist observing and offering
help/suggestions as needed. Allowing the new hire to actively participate in the
session with guided help will increase the new hires confidence and
Professional #2
Name (May use a pseudonym if you desire): Heather Ervin, BSW
What are your roles, positions, qualifications?
I am the Director of Social Services at Bethel Pointe Health and
Rehabilitation, a skilled nursing facility, in Muncie. I handle the discharges
and the psycho-social needs of the residents while they are at the facility. I
have a bachelor’s of social work.
What do you like most about the program design?- I like the idea of your
calendar that shows their weekly schedule. I think as a new hire you get so
nervous not knowing what the next day will hold. Having a schedule in front of
you helps ease nerves. I also thought it was a great idea to start shadowing so
early. I am a hands on learner and I learn best by being shown what I am to do,
and then showing right back that I can do what they just did. I hope that
makes sense. I like that you gave your new hires time to discuss what they’ve
just learned. Most trainers ask questions but don’t really give anyone a chance
to have a discussion of what they learned. I like asking questions and I get
more out of the experience by being able to ask why we are doing something we
are doing. It makes things click for me. So I like that you offer a session for
discussion times for new hires.
What do you think should be improved? Why? And how?- I think it would be cool
to have a couple of those discussion times held with the other seasoned
workers, not just the trainer. That way we can see first hand why the workers
are doing what they are doing, from them, not just from the trainer. I also
thought it might be a good idea to have a meet and greet with the new hires on
day one. Maybe during the tour they can go around and be introduced to
others…or they can have a morning session with bagels and just a quick intro
into everyone and what they do. When we have a new hire at Bethel we usually
have bagels in morning meeting and everyone goes around and says their name and
what they do. We also have the new person tell us their name, what they are
doing, and about their family, or other personal thing they want to add.
Student Response
I agree with many of the responses. I especially liked the suggestion by
Mia that there should be more opportunity for discussion earlier in the day
instead of waiting until the end of the day when the newcomer may have
forgotten the questions they had from earlier. In response to another
suggestion she had about having the discussion regarding expectations with the
supervisor on Day 1 or 2, I think that may potentially work, but I also think
it may be difficult. Sometimes that early in a new job a newcomer may not even
know what he or she even expects of either themselves or of the supervisor. So
it might be good to have an initial discussion, but it might also be good to
allow time for their expectations to be formed before voicing them with a
supervisor.
In response to Heather, I appreciate the positive
feedback on having a schedule available to the new hire. I have been in a
situation where I had no idea what I would be doing even later that afternoon
in a new job, and that was very overwhelming to me. I like the idea about
having bagels in the morning, and giving everyone an opportunity to meet one
another. Your facility and this one may hire new staff on about the same basis,
so this is definitely a possibility.
Group Reflection
I
liked having feedback from people who oversee workers and students so they are
familiar with a training background, but who have a little bit of a different technical
background and may have brought a little bit different perspective to the evaluation
that I did not think of. I especially liked Heather’s suggestions of having the
discussions with a seasoned worker and not just the trainer. I think that I
intended for that to happen initially, but I did not end up actually putting it
into my plan. I’m glad to hear that another practitioner thinks that is a
valuable tool.
I
actually started this process as I wrapping up my literature review. As I was
pulling out the points I wanted to make in my literature review from the
articles I had read, I began to think about the type of program I wanted to
develop. I wanted to be sure I was emotionally connected somehow to the topic,
so I could stay interested in it.
Evaluators
|
Ideas for Improving
Program Design
|
Revisions/Your responses
|
|
1
|
Mia
Pebble
|
·
Expectations should be discussed in Day 1 or 2
·
Time should be made for discussion throughout the day, not just at the
end of the day
|
·
May explore this idea, but may keep it where it is to allow newcomers
time to develop their own expectations before meeting with supervisor
·
Will make revision to schedule to allow time for discussion through
the day.
|
2
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Heather
Ervin
|
·
Discussion times could be made better by being held with seasoned
staff.
·
Host a meet and greet breakfast type of event to get to know staff and
newcomer
|
·
Will also schedule discussion time with different staff when possible
to allow for socialization.
·
Will include this in the plans, possibly on Friday morning
|
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