ADE 5083 HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (3 HOURS)

The Florida State University
College of Education

Instructor: John A. Sample, Ph.D.
E-mail: sample@coe.fsu.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION

To develop a greater understanding of the professional field of human resource development (HRD) by examining the historical and theoretical foundations of HRD, professional areas of practice in HRD, and the role of HRD in adult learning and performance improvement.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of the semester, you should be able to:

1. Describe the historical evolution of HRD.
2. Identify and discuss the disciplines contributing to HRD as a field of practice.
3. Synthesize the theoretical foundations of HRD knowledge and theory.
4. Explain how HRD activities support employee learning and performance improvement.
5. Define the components of HRD and explain the work tasks, roles, responsibilities or HRD responsibilities.
6. Compare and contrast the practice of HRD with organization development, human resource management, instructional systems, and adult education.
7. Identify and analyze critical issues and concerns that confront the practice of HRD.

COURSE MATERIALS

Required text

DeSimone, R.L., & Harris, D.M. (2001). Human Resource Development. Orlando: Dryden Press.

Corollary Readings

Kolb, D. 1999. The Kolb Learning Style Inventor (version 3). Boston: The Hay Group. (Available from the instructor at cost. This survey instrument and workbook is used in one of the Application Exercises.)

Class members are able to access corollary readings by left clicking on the blue colored citations and web addresses in. These readings are found in the Assignments section for each of the thirteen weeks. Adobe Acrobat is required to view some of the journal articles and Internet web sites. This application can be downloaded at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html .

COURSE EXPECTATIONS

• We will endeavor to create democratic and inclusive learning climate and community that allows for freedom of expression, critical reflection, enhanced listening, constructive dialogue, meaningful participation and enhanced understanding.
• It is expected that you will actively participate in all class activities, conversations and assignments. Active participation includes raising thoughtful questions, making useful observations about the course content and process, engaging in critical reflection on your own and others' assumptions in a respectful manner, sharing ideas, providing useful feedback, and undertaking ongoing evaluation of different aspects of the course and your own learning.
• Online courses offer flexibility for learners' schedules, but this does not make them easier than traditional face-to-face courses. You should expect to spend at least 10 to 12 hours per week on this course-the same amount you would typically spend in a classroom and at home doing assignments.
• It is expected that everyone will provide constructive feedback on the quality of the course content, methods of instruction and learning processes. Efforts will be made to accommodate suggestions and resolve concerns. In the event that you must miss a week, it is your responsibility to review the material that you missed.
• You are expected to complete the assigned readings prior to class and submit written assignments on time. Written assignments are to be submitted via the Digital Dropbox.
• In terms of technology requirements for the course, or for technical assistance, please refer to the Office of Distributed and Distance Learning's website:

  http://online.fsu.edu/onlinesupport/student/assistance/.

  You may also call (850) 644-8004 for any problems with course websites.

COURSE OUTLINE (Assignments subject to change at the discretion of the instructor)

CONTINUAL ACTIVITIES>

Class members will be doing much of their work on the FSU Intranet to access Black Board 6. Most of the ongoing weekly activities include reading, writing, and participating in discussions. Below are some frequently asked questions about participation in discussion boards and guidelines for writing?

How often should I log on to the Discussion Boards?

Attendance and online presence are required for this class. Students are expected to log on at least five times per week and contribute to class discussions online. Simply saying "hello" or "I agree" is not considered a substantive contribution. Students must support their position when posting to the discussion. At the same time, however, short comments are a natural part of any discussion-you won't be penalized for this-but in terms of your participation grade, if most of your posts are short and lack substance, this will affect your grade.

What is a post?

A post is a message in the Discussions area. It is simply your part of the conversation about a particular topic. A post may be a question, response to a question, or a comment.

How long should my posts be?

A post can be as long as you like, however it is best to keep them fairly short and succinct. This makes your post easier for others to read and respond to. A good general rule is 1/2 to 1 page of writing (125 to 250 words) for a substantial post. Of course, in some discussions, it may be more appropriate to write a series of very short posts, rather than one or two longer ones. You may wish to compose your posts in a word processor then copy and paste to a discussion message. The main idea here is that the discussion board should be a discussion! In other words, it's okay, and quite natural, to make short and long posts.

What is "netiquette"?

Netiquette refers to how you participate in online exchanges. Here are some examples of good netiquette:

• Check the discussion frequently and respond appropriately and on topic.
• Focus on one subject per message and use meaningful subject lines when beginning new messages.
• Use appropriate sentence case and capitalize additional words only to highlight a point. Capitalizing otherwise is known as shouting.
• Be professional and respectful in your online interaction.
• Cite all quotes, references, and sources-this way everyone can have access to good information.
• Ask permission before forwarding a class message to someone outside of the class.
• It is fine to use humor, but use it carefully. The absence of face-to-face cues can cause humor to be misinterpreted as criticism or flaming (angry, antagonistic criticism). Emoticon symbols such as :-) or ;-) will let others know when you are being humorous.
• The class discussion area is not an appropriate place for forwarding ads, chain letters, or other unrelated e-mail.

General Guidelines for Written Assignments:

Below are some guidelines for writing and some links to writing resources. But before reading this, you need to understand my personal philosophy about writing. Writing is not something you learned in sixth grade and "got." Writing is a process and learning to write well is a continual process, too. In other words, there is always room for improvement. I ask that you adopt the attitude of viewing writing as a professional skill that can always benefit from additional practice. There is no need to fear writing in this course! I will provide opportunities for feedback and revision in written assignments-good writing is not about "getting it right the first time;" good writing is about developing a critical eye and learning to revise, revise, revise. We will discuss writing more in the online forums, but here are some general guidelines for assignments:

1. Double-space type all academically written material (i.e. reflection papers, critical incident paper, learning project, etc).
2. Follow the APA Manual, 5th Edition for style and citation guidelines.
3. Use inclusive language (that means avoiding the exclusive use of masculine pronouns when referring to women and men) in your writing.
4. Many people have been led to believe that academic writing never uses the word "I." This is true in some cases, but we will be doing a lot of work that draws on personal experience, so the "I's" have it! Academic writing should not be overly formal for formality's sake. Good academic writing is carefully planned and yields a well-crafted argument or position.
5. Ensure that the quality of your written work reflects the quality of your paper's content. Correct grammar and spelling errors, as well as awkward or unclear sentences and paragraphs before the final paper is submitted.

   Quality written assignments generally meet the following criteria:

   • Includes the title, name of the author, date, course number (ADE 5385), and the instructor's name, and the students name at the beginning of the paper.
   • Clearly identifies the question being addressed or the purpose of the paper.
   • Provides an overview of the structure and organization in the introductory section of the paper.
   • Defines key terms, concepts and slogans.
   • Gives examples when they enhance the understanding of the concept being discussed.
   • Applies theory from the assigned readings or elsewhere.
   • Demonstrates the ability to self-reflect and discover core values and beliefs.
   • Considers implications and/or consequences.
   • Provides a strong summary or conclusion.

ASSIGNMENTS

Complete Five Application Projects. The application projects are designed to provide practical applications to the theories that guide the practice of human resource development professionals. Instructions for each project are provided in the weekly Study Guide. Each project is worth 5 points for a total of 25 points. Application projects are due by Sunday midnight of the week they are assigned.

• Application Project # 1. Analyze your learning style based on Kolb's Learning Style Inventory.
• Application Project # 2. Analyze the performance of a problem performer using the Mager-Pipe flowchart.
• Application Project # 3. Compute the return on investment (ROI) for a HRD program.
• Application Project # 4. Analyze training style.
• Application Project # 5. Conduct HRD research project on the WWW.

Complete Five Journal Critiques

It is important that graduate students become consumers of quality research. Relying only ones personal experiences, conventional wisdom, or "what works today" will impede the development of HRD as a discipline and a practice. Class members will complete critiques of five scholarly journal articles. Guidelines for writing critiques will be found at the end of the Study Guide for Week 2. Each critique is worth 5 points, for a total of 25 points.

APPLIED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Each class member will complete one applied research project. This assignment is designed to allow class members to select an option of interest to pursue.

1. Examination of an HRD Issue

Students will prepare a written paper of an issue confronting HRD. The student, with the consent of the instructor, chooses the issue. Students who are searching for issues to research might want to consult Noe, Chapter 10 (see readings package) for a review of issues in HRD. For this assignment, students are required to review theoretical, empirical, and conceptual articles in the HRD literature. Be sure to search the scholarly journals, as they are your most reliable source of timely and relevant state of the-art thinking on issues of importance. Note that although description is the first step in your investigation, it is also very important that you analyze and synthesize the information found in the literature. Make recommendations you feel appropriate. Recommendations should clearly grow out of established HRD theories, models and principles. Deadlines for the selection of an HRD issue and the final paper are specified in the course schedule. The completed work must follow APA style guidelines and be approximately ten to twelve pages in length, excluding the list of references. An example of the paper (format and content) is on file in the CRC.

2. Conduct a Review of a HRD Program

Students who do not have practical experience in HRD may want to consider conducting an HRD review within a business, governmental agency, or not-for profit association. This "first-hand-look" in a field context will provide the student with the applications side of HRD.

Sources for the HRD audit include any organization that has a training and development function. Be aware that many human resources professionals wear multiple hats, and that the HRD function may be a part-time one. Some of your classmates can direct you to the HRD person in their organization, and you may certainly interview the person responsible for training and development in your own organization. Contact the instructor if you require assistance in locating an organization to audit.

Step. 1. Make an appointment with the highest level person in a business or governmental agency that has policy and/or operational authority for the HRD function. Request approximately one hour of this person's time.

Step 2. Use the following questions to guide your interview, and add any that you feel will illuminate the audit:

1. Describe how the training and development and career planning activities drive performance in this business.
2. Describe how the organization conducts needs and performance analysis at the individual, group and business unit level.
3. Describe how the employee appraisal process works in identifying developmental needs of individuals to guide training, development, and career planning.
4. Determine what methods and techniques (other than classroom based instruction) are used to facilitate learning in the organization.
5. Describe how training, development, and career planning activities are used to prepare people for selection and placement in new positions.
6. Describe how the organization evaluates the worth and contribution made by training and development programs.
7. Any additional questions that will illuminate the effectiveness of the organizations training and development system, processes and contributions.

Step 3. As the interview comes to a close, request any documentation that will assist you in understanding the human resource management function in the organization.

Step 4. Discuss any insights that you might have about this organization, especially in terms of course content and class discussions. What are the strengths and limitations of the HRD program relative to the mission and vision of the organization. What recommendations might you have about improving performance at the individual and group level? It is very important that you supplement your observations, findings and conclusions with relevant literature from the HRD knowledge base.

Final Product: Write an eight to ten page typed (double-spaced) document that responds to the questions. Be sure to gather information for each of the questions. Begin your report with a one to two page overview of the organization that describes the mission, type of organization (service, manufacturing, and retail), summary of the structure of the organization, number of levels and employees and managers. Attach only those documents that are directly related to your summary. The completed work must follow APA style guidelines and be approximately ten to twelve pages in length, excluding the list of references. An example of the paper (format and content) is on file in the CRC.

3. Service Learning Project

Students are encouraged to directly apply concepts and practices gleaned from the course through a service learning experience. Service learning occurs when a student, individually or in a team, provides a service to a community agency or local school system. Students in ADE 5083 could provide a myriad of services, such as conduct a needs assessment, design a workshop or program, conduct a training program, prepare an evaluation of an existing program, develop a database for tracking training functions, etc. Reflection on the experience through a journal process converts the service experience into a learning experience. Students who are interested in a service learning project are expected to (1) spend minimally two to three hours per week over a ten to twelve week period providing service, (2) keep an in-depth reflective journal that chronicles your service and learning, and (3) brief presentation to the class describing the experience.

Mid-Term and Final Examination

The mid-term and final examination will require students to apply, synthesize and evaluate the content covered in the class and the assigned readings during the semester.

COURSE GRADES

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Any student with a disability that may require a reasonable accommodation (seating, hearing, reading, testing, etc.) should contact the instructor early in the course for assistance. Please see me after class or schedule an appointment or call during the day (1-850-385-2279).

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY POLICY

Cheating is defined as the attempt, successful or not, to give or obtain aid and/or information by illicit means in meeting any academic requirements, including examinations. Cheating includes falsifying reports and documents.

Plagiarism is defined as the use, without proper acknowledgements, of the ideas, phrases, sentences, or larger units of discourse from another writer or speaker. Plagiarism includes the unauthorized copying of software and the violation of copyright laws.

GRADE OF INCOMPLETE

Incomplete grades are to be given only to students who have been regularly submitting assignments and who have completed most of the work for the course but who have a serious emergency at the end of the term. An incomplete is a privilege to be decided by the instructor, not a right exercised by the student.

Corollary Reading Assignments

The corollary readings may be accessed from the weekly assignment page. Simply click on the blue citation to access the reading for the week. This reading list is subject to change during the semester, including additional readings.

Baptiste, I. (2001). Educating lone wolves. Pedagogical implications of human capital theory. Adult Education Quarterly. 51(3), 184-201.

Bretz, R. D. & Thompsett, R. E. (1992). Comparing traditional and integrative learning methods in organizational training programs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77 (6), 941-951.

Brinkerhoff, R. O. (1987). The six stages of effective HRD evaluation. In Achieving results from training. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, pp. 9-38.

Brostrom, R. (1975). Training Style Inventory (TSI)

Carnevale, A. P., Gainer, L., & Meltzer, A. S. (1991). The skills employers want. In Workplace basics. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, pp. 17-37.

Finegold, D, Benson, G. S. & Mohrman, S. A. (2002). Harvesting what they grow: Can firms get a return on investment in general skills? Organizational Dynamics, 31(2), 151-164.

Foxon, M. (1993). A process approach to transfer of learning. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 9(2), http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet9/foxon.html & http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet10/foxon.html

Huck, S. W. and Cromier, W. H. (1996). Chapter 1 The typical format of a journal article. Reading statistics and research. New York: Harper-Collins.

Jacobs, R. L. (1990). Human resource development as an interdisciplinary body of knowledge. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 1 (1), 65-71.

Kaufman, R. & Keller, J. (1994). Levels of evaluation: Beyond Kirkpatrick. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 5, 371-380.

Klein, H. J. & Weaver, N. A. (2000). The effectiveness of an organizational level orientation training program in the socialization of new hires. Personnel Psychology, 53, 47-66.

Langdon, D. (1999, February). Objectives? Get Over Them. Training and Development, 54-58.

Leach, J. A. (1996). Distinguishing characteristics among exemplary trainers in business and industry. Journal of Vocational and Technical Education, 12 (2) http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JVTE/v12n2/leach.html

McCleron, T. R. and Swanson, R. A. (1995). Team building: An experiential investigation of the effects of computer-based and facilitator based interventions in work groups. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 6(1), 39-58

Marsick, V. & Watkins, K. (2001). Informal and Incidental learning. In The new update on adult learning theory. New directions in adult and continuing learning, # 89. Jossey-Bass.

Mager-Pipe Flowchart

Noe, R. A. (1999). Employee training and development. New York: McGraw Hill.

Noe, R. A. & Schmitt, N. (1986). The influence of trainee attitudes on training effectiveness. Test of a model. Personnel Psychology, 39, 497-523.

Ollander-Krane, J. & Johnson, N. (1993). Growing by leaps and bounds: Management development through key growth experiences. The 1993 annual: Developing human resources. San Diego, CA: Pfeiffer & Company, 231-246.

Robinson, D. G. & Robinson, J. C. (1991). Chapter 2 - The training-for-impact approach. In Training for impact. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, pp. 10-29.

Rouiller & Goldstein (1993). The relationship between organizational transfer climate and positive transfer of training. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 4(4), 377-390.

Sample, J. A. & Hylton, R. (1996). Falling off a log and - landing in court. Training, 33(5), 66-69.

Sample, J. & Kaufman, R. (1986). A holistic program development model for adult educators - Part 1& 2 Lifelong Learning: An Omnibus of Practice and Research, 9(4), 18-23.

Sample, J. (1995). Liability and the technical trainer: An overview of issues and prevention strategies. In L. Kelly (Ed.), ASTD technical & skills training handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 176-210.

Sample J. (1984) The Expectancy Theory of Motivation: Implications for Training. In J. William Preiffer and L. D. Goodstein, Editors, The 1984 annual: Developing human resources. San Diego, CA: University Associates, 257-261.

Siriporn, Y & McLean, G. (2001). Theories supporting transfer of training. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 12(2), 195-208.

Swanson, R. A. (1998). Demonstrating the financial benefit of human resource development: Status and update on the theory and practice. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 9(3), 285-295.

Watad, M. & Ospina, S. (1999). Integrated managerial training: A program for strategic managerial development. Public Personnel Management, 28(2),

VandeWalle, D. (2001). Goal orientation: Why wanting to look successful doesn't always lead to success. Organizational Dynamics, 38 (2), 162-171.

Watkins, R., Leigh, D., Platt, W., Kaufman, R, (1998). Needs assessment - A digest, review, and comparison of needs assessment literature. Performance Improvement , 40-50.

Rossett, A. How real is this needs assessment thing anyway? http://www.gwu.edu/~lto/rossett.html

Adult Education and Human Resource Development Program
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
114 Stone Building - Tallahassee, FL 32306-4452
Phone: (850) 644-8165 ♦ Fax: (850) 644-6401
E-mail: adult-ed@garnet.acns.fsu.edu