Leader Coach Program
Design of Learning Environment
The learning environment is designed to support the typologies, goals and learning for young and aspiring leaders of the
Leader Coach course.
Physical Learning Environment
- The learners and instructor will be physically present in a large conference room
- 20 learners and two instructors
The Objective of the Learning Environment
The objective is to provide leaders with an immersive learning environment where they can learn coaching concepts from a live instructor, collaborate with peers during hands-on activities, and receive timely feedback and support from instructors and peers. Since leaders will be conducting coaching sessions in person at the workplace, it is crucial that the learning environment is in person as well.
Typologies
Instruction is synchronous and non-adaptive in that the agenda is determined by the instructor, and activities involve practicing a technique with another learner. The environment is closed since there is a cost to enroll in the program and there is a minimum grade needed on the final exam in order to receive a certification.
Synchronous and Non-adaptive
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Learners will facilitate in-person discussions with instructors and their peers.
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Learners will receive prompt feedback from peers to quickly learn from mistakes and improve their coaching techniques.
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The instructor will follow course topics covered from the predetermined agenda (non-adaptive).
Closed
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MCG will pay for each learner to take this course.
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A minimum score of 80% is needed on the final exam to receive a certificate of completion.
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The employer, partners at MCG, expects all learners to participate in the course and pass the final exam.
Resources
Furniture
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Tables are fairly small to foster communication and collaboration
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Some tables and chairs will be positioned closer to the instructor and presentation to provide access to those with limited mobility and low vision
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Chairs will face each other so learners can share materials and have discussions with ease
Materials
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Post-its and markers will be provided to learners to use in group activities
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Reference sheets will be printed out and provided to students to use while practicing coaching techniques. The reference sheet will be used to scaffold learning and gradually build fluency in the technique (CAST, 2018)
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Those taking an online exam immediately after instruction will be prompted to bring their own laptop
Peer Model
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A guest speaker, who is an experienced management consultant and a similar age as the learners, will be invited to give a brief talk about her experience using coaching in the workplace
Design Features
These design features aim to promote learning during immersive peer discussions and group activities.
Human-centric
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Using tools such as post-its and markers align well with the low physical effort principle (IHCD, 2019).
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Learners can use these rather simple tools to quickly write down ideas, and layout each idea in different ways, such as in a cluster or linearly, to present the relationships between coaching concepts. This principle states that the design, or in this case the tool, can be used efficiently and comfortably, and with minimum fatigue (IHCD, 2019).
Collaborative
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Chairs will be facing one another and tables will be small enough to make it easier to reflect and share ideas.
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Since learners are management consultants, who are used to and have prior experience sharing ideas and communicating frequently with clients in person, learners may feel more comfortable with a similar environment for learning. Oblinger (2006) states that to remove roadblock and find common groups, spaces should be designed to accommodate for people’s values and communication styles.
References
CAST. (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org
IHCD. (2019). Inclusive design: Principles. Retrieved from https://www.humancentereddesign.org/inclusive-
design/principles
Oblinger, D. (2006). Learning spaces. Louisville, CO: Educause.