Human Performance Technology

1. Human Performance Technology Understanding How Our Transferable Skills Translate in the Corporate Business Sector David Daniels, University of Washington Anton Zanotto, Western Washington University

2. Program Overview • Define Human Performance Technology • Foundational Aspects • Specific Concepts • Connections with Housing/Residence Life • Higher Education and Student Affairs • Staff and Student Training

3. Defining Human Performance Technology • Definition • Using an engineering approach to attaining desired accomplishments from human performers (staff members) • Systematic • Systemic • Grounded in Theory

4. HPT is Systematic • Organized and applied in a methodical manner meant to be: • Effective • Results-Oriented

5. Effective • Working to create performance improvements for desired results • Not necessarily focused on efficiency • Student Staff Supervision: • Focusing on individual development • Encouraging balance of academic, paraprofessional, and personal responsibilities

6. Results Oriented • Emphasis on obtaining results • Results come in very different formats • Residence Hall Environments • Encouraging being challenged AND creating a “safe” environment for students

7. HPT is Systemic • HPT focuses on how individuals and groups work within a system, and seeks to consider: • Ethical constraints • Organizations as well as individuals • Interventions • A comprehensive view of the parts of a system

8. Ethical Constraints • Existing ethical standards • Adding value to environment • Promoting the use of validated theories • Working collaboratively • Continually developing/improving self • Practicing integrity • Maintaining Confidentiality • Student Affairs • CAS Standards

9. Organizations and Individuals • Understanding that organizations are made up of people • Appreciation of organizational inertia in conjunction with individual influence • Departmental Policies • Managers vs. Staff • Professionals vs. Student Staff

10. Interventions • Interventions, both organizationally and individually, serve as targeted tools for specific issues • Student Affairs • Supervision • Conduct • Conflict Resolution/Counseling

11. Comprehensive • HPT considers the individual and the group together • Evaluation of various aspects of a situation/group • Student Development Theories • Overlaying Theories to get holistic perspective (Baxter Magolda, 2001; Jones & McEwen, 2000)

12. HPT is Grounded • HPT is grounded in scientific theory and empirical evidence, leading to: • Increased Productivity • Designed and Developed individuals and groups • Focus in Student Affairs on “Information Based Decision Making

13. Increased Productivity • Productivity includes quality and quantity • Provision of value added experiences • Justifying Staff Development • Better relationships • Clearer goals • Greater group unity

14. Design and Development • Includes preparation of clear plans based on theory and best practices • Student Staff Training • Developing a logical set of training objectives • Clearly laid out goals

15. Why does any of this matter? • Reframing the discussion • Seeing over the University walls • We’re not as different as we seem…

16. Take Aways • HPT offers a structured way of approaching our work in Housing/Student Affairs • Many of our current practices are similar to and can learn from those in the corporate world • Our skills are transferable!

17. Questions?

18. Resources Baxter Magolda, M. (2001). Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher education to promote self development. Sterling, VA: Stylus. Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Jones, S.R. and McEwen, M.K. (2000). A conceptual model for multiple dimensions of identity. Journal of College Student Development, 41, 4, 405-414. Pershing, J.A. (Ed.) (2006). Handbook of human performance technology. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.