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Indiana Partnership for Statewide Education Course Development Grant Proposal
CD ROM Based Delivery of an Industrial Organization Course
Purdue University

Abstract

This proposal is requesting $12,000 to develop a new distance delivery system (CD-ROM based) for an existing introductory Industrial Technology course. This course is currently offered as credit for degree and non-degree programs at local industry. The proposed delivery system will serve two purposes: increase learning opportunities for adult learners via flexible scheduling and facilitate deeper learning via simulated experiences. The current method of providing weekly on-site classes requires that companies allow multiple employees work-release time. Offering this course via distance learning will enhance accessibility to the course for industrial workers. The distance approach is appropriate because the student audience will likely have access to computer resources and can complete the course at times that do not conflict with working hours. One component of the distance education, the CD-ROM, will include virtual plant tours, interviews and audio clips from professionals and practitioners in industrial technology. This will enhance student learning through simulated experiences. The CD-ROM will be supplemented with scheduled chat sessions via Internet technology or conferences with faculty members. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the delivery system will be done through student outcomes assessment.

Proposal Description

1. Evidence of Significant Need

The current interest in distance learning has resulted from companies wanting increased opportunities to educate their workers, as well as the flexibility of achieving this education through various media and at convenient times to both the employees and employers. The emphasis on life-long learning in the workplace, in conjunction with the need for workplace flexibility drives the need for Indiana companies to be able to provide education via distance learning. Many Indiana companies now educate their workers through Statewide Technology sites, but these ‘normal’ courses are still not available to workers on second and third shifts. Industrial Technology 104 (IT 104 – The Industrial Organization) is a survey course covering a broad range of topics (such as the manufacturing environment and materials flow control) in detail. As such, adult students with varied work experience have a difficult time making meaningful connections. This course is very important for industrial employees because it provides education and training in different functional areas within industry. The CD-ROM based instructional materials will provide the students a common starting point with the goal of increasing student understanding of complex concepts through simulated experiences. In addition, organizations will have the flexibility of providing continuing education at both the convenience of the employee and employer.

2. Evidence that Need is Not Currently Being Met Most companies have first, second and third shifts, so scheduling classes on-site does not accommodate all workers wanting to continue their education. One of the PIs on this grant is currently teaching this course on-site at Fairfield Manufacturing. The on-site class meets from noon – 3:00 pm once a week. Students enrolled in the course consist of only second shift employees. According to the human resources managers at Fairfield and SIA, and the Purdue academic counselor, three times more employees could be educated if the course were offered in a flexible manner. For these reasons, computer based instruction (CBI) is an appropriate delivery technology for IT 104. Most corporate employees have adequate access to computer resources, and physically taking the employee from the job weekly at set hours and locating a faculty member on-site weekly is difficult. Also included in the appendix are support letters from Fairfield Manufacturing, and Subaru-Isuzu Automotives showing their encouragement for developing distance-learning delivery for IT 104. A multimedia CD-ROM based computer based training tool is ideal for IT104 as the course covers manufacturing methods, processes, historical perspective, and various other topics that do not change significantly over time. We propose to develop a CD-ROM for delivery of the existing IT104 course, made available to companies pursuing distance learning as an educational option.

3. Use of the Technology to Meet the Instructional Goals

The IT104 class is a survey class that covers a wide variety of topics in detail. IT 104 is a foundation course preparing learners for future coursework and also for post-graduation careers, both of which will require the attainment of knowledge that goes beyond acquisition of facts and skills. Because intellectual capabilities and systems knowledge are valued assets in the information age (Quinn, Anderson and Finkelstein, 1996, p. 182), educational institutions must be concerned with their development. The primary instructional goal of this course is to develop deeper understanding of organizational systems, including their elements, relationships, and the rules and patterns that govern them.


If students are to develop systems understanding, then they must engage in all aspects of the system which includes elements, relationships among elements, operations that describe how the elements interact and patterns or rules that govern the preceding relationships and operations (Lesh, Hoover, Hole, Post and Kelly, 1999). For example, topics in IT 104 include: the manufacturing environment, engineering considerations, the manufacturing system, materials flow control, quality, human resources, financial considerations, marketing management and so on. Each topic listed above is in itself a subsystem. These subsystems comprise the Industrial Organization, which is the larger system. Each topic must be understood along with the relationships to other topics and the rules and patterns that govern the complex industrial organization.

A multimedia (CD-ROM and Internet technology) based computer based instruction tool is ideal for facilitating deeper understanding and higher-order thinking in the IT104 class. The CD-ROM will include virtual plant tours, demonstrations of complex systems, case studies, interviews and audio clips from professionals and practitioners in industrial technology with the goal of increasing students understanding of complex concepts through simulated experiences. The CD-ROM instruction will be augmented by periodic faculty interaction, either through on-site visits or scheduled chat sessions using Internet technology.

The principal investigators have extensive background in Industrial Technology and educational course design and development. In addition, expertise in CD-ROM technology is readily available in the Computer Graphics Technology (CGT) faculty and graduate students. We will be hiring graduate students or providing an opportunity for course credit for a CGT student to develop the CD-ROM technology aspects.

4. Strength and Breadth of Institutional Commitment

Please refer to the letter from Dr. Niaz Latif, Department Head, Industrial Technology included in the appendix.

5. Instructional Design Plan

To achieve deep understanding of complex systems and their subsystems, we developed an instructional design plan to ensure successful development and delivery of course content. Following are more detailed descriptions of the topics that will be covered in the Industrial Organization class.

The Manufacturing Environment section covers productivity, a historical perspective including the Industrial Revolution, and definitions of Management. This section is text information, which will be organized into a menu structure with pop-ups and scrollable boxes. Cases studies and problems will be used to enhance the material.

The Engineering Considerations section will cover Engineering functions and activities and description of Research and Development. Again, this section is text information, supplemented with cases and video examples of these considerations.

Organization and Planning for Manufacturing will cover organizational principles and structures, including new organizational designs. This section also covers Manufacturing Processes, Industrial Equipment and Maintenance, and Materials Handling principles. This section will include visuals of Manufacturing Processes, and a series of plant tour videos of different companies and their processes.

Manufacturing Cost Control includes fundamentals of control and basic rules of cost accounting. This section is mostly text with problems and cases assigned. Materials Flow Control includes objectives of inventory management, purchasing and production planning and control. Along with the text, sample problems and solutions will be provided in plant tour videos and interviews with plant managers.

Quality includes basic definitions of quality and Statistical Quality Control principles and practical problems. This section will contain quality examples, videos of corporate quality programs and quality product design information.

Human Resource Management includes the role of people in Industrial Organization, Labor Relations, and Wage and Salary Administration. Along with the text, video clips will show the topics in a real organization. Lastly, Financial Considerations covers forms of ownership and financial management topics. Marketing Management includes marketing and sales principles in a text format.

The student will be required to respond to a series of checklists and quizzes until 100% proficiency of the material is attained. The responses can be recorded electronically and returned to faculty support members for validation and to obtain continuing education credit.

In addition to current methods of enhancing course material, we will identify current course outcomes not being met that would best be served by simulated experiential learning. We will augment the course material with plant tour videos, computer-based exercises, case studies and interviews with industrial managers.

6. CD-ROM Effectiveness for Employee Education

See section 2, paragraph 2 and section 3, paragraph 3.


7. Course Evaluation Plan

We plan to conduct both formative and summative evaluation. It will be important to assess the new materials for purposes of improving them. We plan to pilot the CD-ROM materials first. Cognitive objectives will be written for materials. Subsequently, test items will be developed and reviewed by other content experts for content validity. Pilot learners will take the test and the results will be used not only to assess their learning but also the effectiveness of the instructional materials. We will evaluate the effectiveness of the materials with an item- by-objective analysis (Dick & Carey, 1990) to determine areas for improvement on the pilot CD-ROM and ultimately to ensure a quality course.

In addition to assessing the instructional effectiveness of the materials, we want to assess learners’ affective response to the materials. A course evaluation survey will be included on the CD-ROM and learners will self-report experiences with CD-ROM and Internet technology-delivered instructional materials on end-of-course evaluations.

Selected course evaluation items will be used from Fall 1999, Spring 2000, and then Fall 2000. We will compare the treatment and control groups using a two-sample t test to establish effect size and significance.

In addition, we will receive qualitative evaluation from instructors providing on-line chat sessions or other interaction with students.

Lastly, we will conduct a post-test comparison between control and treatment groups to determine if CD-ROM experiential learning increases learning as measured using a two- sample t test.


8. Potential Contribution to Other Instructional Efforts

The potential target audience for this CBI is adult professionals in industry. The potential audience is enormous, given the number of industrial companies in the Industrial Technology area. Industrial Technology has several active national professional associations. These include IDA, the Industrial Distributors Association, and NAIT, the National Association of Industrial Technology. Both associations have hundreds of companies that actively participate in national and local conferences. We propose to promote the CD-ROM course through the NAIT and IDA newsletters and conferences. Additionally, the School of Technology is developing a Continuing Education office for the near future, which will also be a method of promoting the CD-ROM IT104 course. Then, a distance-learning version of the IT104 course might be made available to Indiana businesses as a credit option for employee’s continuing education pursuits.

Moreover, the CBI will also be beneficial for the current large number of students who take IT104 on site at Purdue campuses. There are over 400 students who take this course each semester, at Statewide Technology locations and at the West Lafayette campus. Given the variety of majors, classifications and age levels of students, along with the diverse nature of the course content, it is a challenging class for learners. This CBI will enhance learning for this group of learners as well.

9. Statewide Need

See section 1 and section 2.

10. Marketing Plan

See section 8.


11. Project Schedule

The schedule contains six major activities beginning with developing a detailed of the course and supplementary materials for each major chapter. We will then collect video footage, permission to use established videos, and gather plant tour and speaker information. Development of the multimedia elements involves formatting and inputting text information and tables, digitizing images, editing video clips and editing any other materials to improve the quality and delivery of the course. The CD-ROM development can begin before all the multimedia elements are collected. The development entails developing the user interface, organizing the material and structuring the information, and creating a master program. The pilot will incorporate industry students over the shortened summer session to provide feedback before the final course materials are produced. Once this feedback is incorporated, the master CD-ROM will be created and we will produce any supplemental course materials such as a workbook to accompany the CD-ROM.

 

12. Personnel

will be the co-principal investigator.

Please refer to the appendix for qualification summaries.


13. Budget (completed form attached)

The total budget for this project is $24,451. This proposal is for the development of a technology-based delivery for an existing Industrial Technology course. The proposal requests that IHETS/IPSE provide $12,000. The School of Technology will contribute $10,553 toward the project. The University has waived the indirect costs and is providing $1,898 in fringe benefits. The salaries and wages include 5 months at ¼ time for a graduate student and approximately one month each for the principal investigators. Tuition fee remission of $1,116 is included for the graduate student. The remainder of the funds, $3,000 will be used for supplies and expenses including graphics production, master CD-ROM production and replication (100 copies minimum)

 

References

Dick & Carey (1990). The systematic design of instruction. Harper Collins Publishers.

Quinn, Anderson and Finkelstein, (1996). Managing professional intellect. Knowledge Management: Harvard Business Review.

Lesh, Hoover, Hole, Post, & Kelly. (1999). Handbook of research design in mathematics and science education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Appendices

A CD-ROM Based Delivery of an Introductory Industrial Organization Course for Employee Education

EDIE K. SCHMIDT

Edie K. Schmidt, PhD., is an assistant professor in the School of Technology in the Industrial Technology department. She teaches courses in Industrial Organization and Industrial Distribution and Production Cost Analysis. Professor Schmidt is new to Purdue University in the Fall of 1999. She has spent the previous four years developing teaching expertise at Saint Joseph’s College.

Professor Schmidt has worked on several research projects that are relevant to the Industrial Organization (IT 104) class. Her dissertation was an applied research project with ALCOA, the Aluminum Company of America to implement cyclic planning in their tube mill.

Professor Schmidt’s industry experience has been in related manufacturing areas, which will support the current project proposal. These include:

Certifications

1988 Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)

Associations

Melissa Jane Dark

Education:

B.A. Foreign Language Education and Communications, Purdue University, 1983
M.S. Instructional Research and Development, Purdue University, 1993
Ph.D. Educational Technology, Purdue University, to be completed August 2000


Professional Experience:

1996 - Present Purdue University
Midwest Center for Advanced Technology Education (MCATE)
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Title: Acting Director

1998-Present Purdue University
School of Technology
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Title: Adjunct Faculty

1996 - Purdue University
Office of Admissions
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Title: Senior Assistant Director for Admissions

1991 - Andover Incorporated
Lafayette, IN 47905
Title: Human Resource Director, Safety Program Manager, Office Manager (including purchasing and inside sales)

 

Publications and Presentations:

Dark, M.J. & Depew, D.R. (1999) Economic viability, workforce development and curricula. Reviewed presentation, American Society of Engineering Education Annual Conference, June, 1999.

Dark, M.J., & Depew, D.R. (1998). Improving the quality of student learning with faculty and curriculum development. Presentation, International Technology Educators Association Annual Conference, March, 1998.

Dark, M.J. & Depew, D.R. (1998). Creating a competitive edge with faculty and curriculum development. Reviewed presentation, American Society of Engineering Education Annual Conference, June, 1998.

Dark, M.J. (1998). Best practices in program evaluation. Presentation, Best Practices in Manufacturing Conference, May, 1998.

Dark, M.J. & Castellon, C. (1998). Curriculum integration - technology, math and science education, Purdue School Math Science Center Conference, May 1998.


Professional Associations:

American Evaluation Association, 1997 - present

Phi Delta Kappa (Honorary Society), 1998 - present

American Society for Engineering Education, 1997 - present

International Technology Educators Association, 1997 - present

 



Last updated: July 01, 2006