Boise State University’s Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning (OPWL) graduate program received high-praise in a shout-out from Indiana University professor emeritus James Pershing. Pershing, editor of Performance Improvement Journal (PIJ) wrote about the role universities play in preparing performance technologists and in advancing the field of human performance technology (HPT) in his farewell editorial in the October 2016 issue.
“The example at hand is Boise State University’s program in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning and its integration of field-based projects in its coursework. In so doing, the Boise State program addresses three important outcomes. First, the program is providing its students with authentic experiences in applying HPT principles and practices. Second, by having students convert their findings to a written and publishable case presentation, the program is requiring them to think clearly and analytically, a prerequisite to clear writing about HPT principles and practices. Third, the program is instilling in its students a standard of professionalism, advancing a field of study by having its members through publication share with their colleagues their experiences, knowledge, and skills.”
Pershing goes on to offer positive comments about a case presentation from Joel Bertrand, Trevor Sparrow, Sujatha Jagdeep, and Professor Donald Winiecki titled “Improving and Maintaining Torque Accuracy in Aerospace Manufacturing.”
“The case study focus is a needs-assessment project that addresses a performance gap in a critical manufacturing process involving tool usage in torquing processes. The project is data driven and uses well-known and well-tested HPT frameworks as well as data-gathering and data-analysis techniques in carrying out the project. The team details the processes involved and capstones their report explaining project challenges and lessons learned. The case is well presented and makes for an informative read.”
Read the complete editorial, the article and all of the October 2016 issue at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pfi.2016.55.issue-9/issuetoc