EPOL 483 | Design Case Study: Scenario #1, Team 5
Converting company regulations and policies into interactive E-Learning environments (absorb-type activity)
Team Members and Task Assignment
The team worked collaboratively to brainstorm ideas for the project and determine team member assignments.
Andrew (Emilio) Serrano completed the Problem Statement and Target Audience. The rest of the team each
completed one objective: Bryant Ramirez completed Objective 1, Kim Pike completed Objective 2, Katie
Morrissey completed Objective 3 and the Resource Implications. The team collectively edited all sections to
create a cohesive plan.
Learning and Performance Problem Statement
As Innovation and Technology Insight (ITI) continues its aggressive expansion both domestically and
internationally, the organization faces significant challenges in ensuring a unified culture of inclusivity and
enforcing company policies effectively. With offices spread across the globe and an increasing remote
workforce, maintaining consistent inclusivity practices and adhering to company policies becomes paramount.
Furthermore, the diverse nature of ITI's workforce, interacting with clients and colleagues from different cultural
backgrounds, necessitates a high degree of cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity.
Newly hired Project Managers (PMs) play a crucial role in representing ITI's commitment to a safe and inclusive
workplace. They must not only understand and articulate ITI's inclusivity policies but also be adept at
recognizing and addressing instances of cross-cultural miscommunication within their teams and with clients.
To address these challenges and ensure a harmonious work environment, ITI has designed a course to equip
PMs with foundational knowledge regarding inclusivity policies and the skills needed to advance inclusive
workplace cultures. To have the most reach, most of this new learning system will incorporate a TEELE.
Target Audience
The target audience for this case study and the corresponding absorb-type activity should be the recently hired
Project Managers (PMs) at Innovation and Technology Insight (ITI). These PMs include both external candidates
who are new to the ITI organization and internal candidates who are new to the PM role.
The rationale for selecting this target audience is that they are the primary stakeholders who will benefit from the
learning and development efforts aimed at familiarizing them with ITI's inclusivity policies and practices, as well
as enhancing their cross-cultural awareness and communication skills. These newly hired PMs are in a pivotal
position to uphold and promote ITI's commitment to a safe and inclusive workplace, making them a crucial
audience for this training.
Course Background & Learning Objectives
The onboarding course for newly hired PMs will span 3 modules. Module 1 focuses on cross-cultural
collaboration, Module 2 focuses on safety policies, and Module 3 focuses on conducting performance
evaluations. All 3 Modules will be completed within 3 months of the PM new hire start date. The learning
technologies required to create this course are Articulate 360, Microsoft 365 (PowerPoint, Word, Teams), and
all tools used by the video production team. PMs will be given access to the LMS on day one of the onboarding
process. Each module will engage PMs in the learning process and promote learning transfer with a systematic
approach.
Objective 1: After being presented best practices and case studies on team collaboration approaches
and methodologies, newly hired project managers (PMs) will be able to recognize when cultural
challenges arise and identify strategies for fostering cross-cultural collaboration with diverse project
teams, assessed by completing a knowledge check containing 5 scenario analyses and answering at an
80% criterion level.
Objective 2: After reviewing the company’s safety polices in Module 2 on a web linked document, newly
hired project managers will be able to go through a designed segment of learning, referencing these
policies to answer at least 80% of that segment correctly.
Objective 3: After being presented with ITI’s performance evaluation framework PMs will be able to
facilitate performance evaluations, utilize constructive feedback, and assist in defining career
development goals as shown in post assessment and peer evaluation at an 80% criterion level.
Articulate 360 will be utilized to create and deliver eLearning courses
Microsoft 365 will be utilized throughout course design
Module 1
Objective 1: After being presented best practices and case studies on team collaboration approaches and
methodologies, newly hired project managers (PMs) will be able to recognize when cultural challenges arise and
identify strategies for fostering cross-cultural collaboration with diverse project teams, assessed by completing
a knowledge check containing 5 scenario analyses and answering at an 80% criterion level.
Background: This will be a 45-minute asynchronous activity to introduce the role PMs play a critical role in
fostering cross-cultural collaboration, which contribute to seamless team execution and efficiency, enhanced
project outcomes, reduced conflicts, and improved team dynamics.
The training sequence as follows:
• Read this article, “From Conflict to Cooperation: Building Stronger Cross-Cultural Teams” (10 min)
• Focused lecture on foundations for cross-cultural collaboration (5 min)
• Role-played video with actors who showcase common cross-cultural collaboration challenges (10 min)
• In-video Q – Tell us about a time when you faced a challenge in cross-cultural collaboration. (5 min)
• Roundtable with PMs discussing their role in promoting cross-cultural collaboration, including effective
strategies and other collaboration techniques (10 min)
• Knowledge check with 5 questions asking about situations discussed and potential solutions (5 min)
Approach: The instructional approach for this objective will involve a combination of self-paced e-learning
modules, including reading an article from a source with high volume of readership, reviewing a staged roleplay
to tell the story of common cross-cultural collaboration challenges, and watching a roundtable discussion of
PMs who discuss their role in cross-cultural collaboration. The PMs will engage with e-learning modules hosted
on a Learning Management System (LMS), which will deliver content, videos, and interactive materials to provide
a foundational understanding of collaboration strategies.
Justification: Module 1 of this course will use absorb-type activities to familiarize learners with ITI's inclusivity
policies and practices. The focus will be on helping PMs recognize circumstances where language or behaviors
may be misconstrued due to cultural differences and providing them with the skills to rectify such situations
effectively. The reading assignment will provide a common foundation for PMs to gain “deeper knowledge of the
subject” which if read in full, could be a “more active learning experience” given that the PM is engaged in
reviewing action-oriented guidance in the article (Horton 94). This transitions into a focused lecture
(presentation) which would start as a slideshow with narration with heavy use of graphics to “replace wordy
bullet lists with illustrations” and a transcription readily available (Horton 72). A second type of presentation, a
drama, will be used to “illustrate desirable and undesirable human behaviors and styles of interactions”, which
is the best medium to depict common challenges in cross-cultural collaboration (Horton 82). Then, the in-video
question and the roundtable with PMs serve as storytelling and storysharing that “humanize a subject by
showing its effects on people the learner cares about” and “encourage and motivate learners to overcome
difficulties” (Horton 106). The integration of multiple types of absorb-type activities within Module 1 will make a
very human topic about working better across cultural differences much more tangible and realistic.
Article for learners to read at the start of the module
Video to showcase cross-cultural collaboration challenges
Module 2
Objective 2: After reviewing the company’s safety polices in Module 2 on a web linked document, newly hired
project managers will be able to go through a designed segment of learning, referencing these policies to answer
at least 80% of that segment correctly.
Background: Each segment of learning will be over one specific policy and take roughly 30-40 minutes to
complete. Policies can be dry and difficult to digest. It is easy to skim over policies and not have a clear
understanding of what policies are really about. To absorb more carefully, each section will begin with a policy
that the learner will be reading, or they can listen to the policy if they want to. Then they will be presented with
different scenarios. After each scenario they will be asked to find answers in the policy. This helps in the absorb
activity to read more than at the superficial level. The learner will need to go back into the policy and find the
answer to the questions asked in the scenario. The learner will need to answer that section with at least 80%
accuracy. Each section is designed for a 30 to 40 min session including reading the policy and answering the
questions.
• Introduction 2 min.
• Safety Compliance policy read through 20 min.
• Dramatized video of Safety Compliance videos 5 min.
• Answering Safety Compliance questions 5 min.
• Sexual Harassment policy read through 20 min.
• Dramatized video of sexual harassment 5 min. (that already exists on YouTube)
• Answering Sexual Harassment questions 5 min.
• Whistle Blowing Policy read through 20 min.
• Dramatized video of Whistle Blowing policy 5 min. (that already exists on YouTube).
• Answering Whistle Blowing Policy questions 5 min.
Approach & Justification: The instructional approach for this objective will involve only absorb activities with
concentrated sections of reading with the option of listening. This will give the PMs a chance to really absorb the
content of the policies. It is easy to put the brain on autopilot in long documents, and so with the presentation of
scenarios, PMs will not only be presented with possibly scenarios that they made need to deal with in the future,
but also have a chance to dig in more deeply to parts of the policy that they might have read on “autopilot”.
Reading activities are used when the “learner needs to have a deeper knowledge of the subject...we need to
teach them to find, read and understand information” (Horton 2012).
ITI policies created in Word, embedded in Absorb
Dramatization of policies in video format
Module 3
Objective 3: After being presented with ITI’s performance evaluation framework PMs will be able to facilitate
performance evaluations, utilize constructive feedback, and assist in defining career development goals as
shown in post assessment and peer evaluation at an 80% criterion level.
Background: The Absorb-Type activities for Module 3 will commence at the beginning of the module to establish
a strong foundation for performance evaluation. The asynchronous activities will take about one hour to
complete. This section of the module consists of 30 minutes of videos, 5 minutes to explore an infographic, and
20 minutes of slides that includes a recorded voice to narrate the slides. Learners will show their learning in a
post assessment. The slides outline ITI’s systematic approach to facilitating effective performance evaluations
and dives deeper into best practices for constructive feedback and assisting in goal setting.
• Introduction (2 min)
• Video 1: Shows an example of a performance evaluation in which the PM is not engaged and approaches
the performance evaluation with a checklist instead of a collaborative effort. The video ends with a
prompt to consider what was effective and ineffective in this example. The video will include closed
captions. (10 min)
• Video 2: Shows an example of a performance evaluation in which the PM is engaged with the individual
contributor (IC) and only focuses on performance. The PM gives constructive feedback and has good
rapport with the IC but does not discuss and assist in future career goals. The video ends with a prompt
to consider what was effective and ineffective in this example. The video will include closed captions.
(10 min)
• Video 3: Shows an example of a performance evaluation in which the PM and IC are both prepared for
the framework of the evaluation. The PM and IC discuss collaboratively past performance, future goals,
and constructive feedback. The video ends with a prompt to consider what was effective and ineffective
in this example. The video will include closed captions. (10 min)
• Interactive infographic outlining ITI’s performance evaluation framework. Learners are able to click each
section of the infographic to learn more. (5 min)
• Slides with recorded voice to narrate outlining ITI’s performance evaluation framework focused on
effective communication, constructive feedback, defining career development goals (20 min)
• Conclusion (3 min)
• Post Assessment (10 min)
Approach: To equip PMs with the skills needed to conduct performance evaluations effectively, a suite of
learning technologies will be employed. E-learning modules hosted on an LMS will serve as the foundation,
delivering content related to performance evaluation principles. All content (videos, diagrams, slides) will be
embedded into the LMS. The first part of this module will be completed asynchronously, but later the PMs will
be grouped in cohorts for collaboration activities. This module utilizes video dramas to deliver examples of
performance evaluations. Dramas can showcase favorable and unfavorable human behavior and assist in
preparing learners for role playing activities (Horton 82). Role play activities will be implemented later in the
module. The PMs will start with watching three videos, 10 minutes each, of example performance evaluations.
PMs will be prompted at the end of each video to consider which approaches in each scenario are effective and
ineffective. They will be prompted to also note down specifics for each scenario to refer to throughout the
course. Following the videos is an interactive info graphic to outline the ITI performance evaluation framework.
Next, a slides presentation will provide additional information regarding ITI’s approach to implementing the
performance evaluation framework. The presentation will be narrated, and learners will have access to pause
and rewatch when necessary (Horton 84). Learners will see examples and nonexamples of best practices to
provide concrete, specific, and realistic examples (Horton 85). Following the videos, infographic and slides, PMs
will take a 10-question post assessment with a combination of multiple choice and drag and drop questions.
Learners will need to score 80% to pass this module of the course.
Justification: Effective performance evaluations are pivotal for team development and project success. PMs
play a vital role in providing constructive feedback, setting clear development goals, and fostering team
improvement. The rationale behind this objective is rooted in the impact of robust performance evaluations on
employee morale, productivity, and overall project outcomes. PMs need this skill to lead and motivate their
teams effectively, ultimately contributing to ITI's long-term success and a positive workplace culture. This
course will ensure all PMs have a common foundational approach to conducting performance evaluations
aligned with ITI’s performance evaluation framework.
Dramatizations of different performance evaluation scenarios
Interactive infographic
Self-paced, narrated slides – created in PowerPoint, embedded in Articulate
Resource Implications
Staff Role/Responsibility Estimated Cost of Service Total
Hours
Senior Learning Technologist: Aide 10 $57/hour $570
initial plan for technology selection
for the project
Learning Technologist: Implement 80 $45/hour $3,600
technology across project
Associate Learning Technologist: 80 $28/hour $2,240
assist Learning Technologist
Video Production Team: Record, 20 $47/hour x 3 people $2,820
edit, and deliver videos for course
HRD Director: Assist in initial plans 24 $74/hour $1,176
for project and give final sign off for
project implementation
Project Managers (3): (SMEs) 8 $57/hour x 3 people $1,368
Assist with needs analysis, content
specific information, and piloting
course
Resource Cost Total
LMS: Articulate 360 Already in use at ITI for $0
the last 4 years
Microsoft 365 Already in use at ITI for $0
several years
$11,774
References
Henman, M. (2016, August 22). From Conflict to Cooperation: Building Stronger Cross Cultural Teams.
Business.com; business.com. https://www.business.com/articles/from-conflict-to-cooperation-
building-stronger-cross-cultural-teams/
Horton, W. (2012). E-learning by Design, 2nd edition. John Wiley & Sons.
