Training Preferences. Discuss the type of training you would prefer and why. Use Figure 3-6 on page 82 to help you start your discussion, but do not limit it to only those characteristics. When responding to at least two of your classmates’ postings, discuss what accounts for the differences and similarities in your training preferences.

Learning Theories. There are more theories of learning and motivation than have been described in the text. Do a search for a learning or a motivation theory that is not in the text. Write a summary of the theory and suggest how it could be used in training. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.

MHC Case Study. Read the “Strategic Planning at Multistate Health Corporation” case on pages 51-57 and answer the case questions on pages 56-57

Design Consulting. Conduct an Internet search to identify a company that provides training design consulting services. Discuss the design process. Respond to one of your classmates’ postings. In your response, compare and contrast the design process of the company you chose and the one your classmate chose. Do these comparisons in terms of the design process approach.

Domtar Case Study. Reread the Domtar Case Study (p.1-3) from Chapter 1. Answer Case Analysis question 1 on page 207.

Hardware Store Case Analysis. Read the Case Analysis on pages 147-148 and answer the questions that follow.

Games & Simulations. Do an Internet search to identify the types of games and business simulations that are available. Select one and provide a description and an analysis of it. Discuss the learning content objectives. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings

Classroom-based Learning Experience. Think about your best classroom-based learning experience and list the things that made it such a good experience. Then, think about your worst classroom-based experience and list the factors that made it such a bad experience. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.

CSS Case Analysis. Read the Case Analysis: Training for Customer Service Specialists on pages 258-260. Answer the case questions on page 260.

Tips for Trainers. Conduct a search of the Internet to identify tips for trainers in dealing with difficult trainees. Compare the types you find with the types identified in the text. If different, compare those you found with those in the text and offer an explanation as to why you think they were not included. If types are similar, compare how the text and Internet site suggest handling these types, noting any differences and explaining which method you prefer. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings

Review Questions. Answer one the following questions for review from the course text (p. 364):

a. Assume that you were the training manager in the Westcan case (Chapter 4, p.139). How would you suggest evaluating the training, assuming they were about to conduct it as suggested in the case? Be as specific as you can.

b. Of all the designs presented in Appendix 9-1, which one would you consider to be most effective while also being practical enough to convince an organization to adopt it? If your design involved representative sampling, how would you accomplish it?

Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.

Jim’s Case Analysis. Read the Case Analysis on pages 322-323 and answer the case questions on page 323.

Resistance to Training. The vice-president of human resources asked you, the director of training, to develop a sexual harassment training program for the company. During your needs analysis you discover that most of the executives do not believe they need this training and do not plan to attend. You identify a couple of instances in which an executive’s behavior seems bordering on sexual harassment. You discuss your findings with the VP, who asks you to come back with a strategy for dealing with the resistance to training. Develop your response and present it in your discussion forum. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.

KSAs. Find a recent article (no more than a year old) that identifies KSAs that will be critical for managers in the immediate future. Provide a summary of the article and discuss its management development implications in your discussion forum. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.

IMP Case Analysis. Read the Case Analysis: All it Takes is for Good Men to do Nothing on pages 421-422 and answer the case questions on page 422.

Evaluating Learning. Read the articles assigned for this week. Discuss the elements of evaluation and why they are important. Also, discuss the return on investment (ROI) for the organizations. Is training worth the cost? You may include your personal experiences in your response. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.

Final Paper Summary. Share the abstract of your Training and Development Paper in your discussion forum. When responding to your classmates’ postings, ask well thought-out questions and provide critical feedback that could help them make final improvements to the final draft of their paper. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.

Focus of the Final Paper

Each person must complete a research paper addressing one of the following topics or a mutually agreed upon topic between the student and instructor:

§ Training Needs Analysis

§ Training Strategies for Small and Medium Sized Businesses: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

§ Management Development Techniques

§ Training Evaluation: New Techniques and Strategies

§ The Learning Organization: Three Companies That Have Made it a Reality

§ Technical Training: A “How To” Guide to Enhancing Technical KSA’s

§ Other topic approved by instructor

These papers are to reflect the current “state of the art” in the area and should reflect both academic and professional (practical) orientations. The paper should review the available research, discuss the implications of that research for the topic area, and provide conclusions. The paper should be organized into the following areas:

1. Introduction: The area of research should be described and the purpose of the research. That is, describe the topic area in terms of (1) its relationship to training and (2) what you want to be able to contribute to the training literature by writing this paper.

2. Review of the literature: Organize the literature into logical streams of thought related to your topic area. Within each of these areas summarize what the literature has to say. Be sure to indicate in your discussion whether the information is based on empirical data or just the opinion of the author.

3. Implications of the literature: Again, organize the implications of the literature in a manner that logically builds the case for your conclusions (which you will present in the next section). For each of your implications be sure to reference the literature related to that implication. Be sure to indicate whether the implication is one that has already been made in the literature or if this is one that is original to you. You should identify in this section important areas related to your topic that are missing from the literature.

4. Conclusions: This is where you tie all the pieces together. Make sure your conclusions are organized in a logical order that states what you have concluded relative to the purpose of your paper. Be sure that these conclusions are justified. For example, conclusions based upon empirical fact have more weight than those based upon opinion. Opinions shared by many in the literature have more weight than those of only one author.