Abstract:

This paper discusses a performance analysis and improvement project designed to positively impact motivational levels and counseling techniques utilized within a higher education admissions department, at a private, non-profit, multi-campus, higher education institution in the southeast United States. The problem identified was the lack of motivation as well well as poor performance within the current team of admissions counselors at one of the University's campuses. The paper describes the process of design and development of a training program addressing this problem. It begins by providing an overview of applicable learning and motivation theories to the identified problem, as well as a discussion on administrative management and employment related theories that were considered prior to the design and development of the described intervention. Furthermore, applicable instructional design background in terms of the philosophical backdrop and instructional design model is presented, including a learner-centered approach to permeate the instructional design process and the selection of the ASSURE model and Wiggins and McTighe’s backward design model for implementing the design of the intervention. The final phase of the performance intervention plan provides the actual tools and training products designed to solve this performance problem, along with an evaluation plan that offers both short and long term assessments of counselors’ learning and performance levels.

Keywords:

Instructional design, educational technology, e-learning, learning and development, performance improvement.