NavyShore Infrastructure Transformation (NSIT)

Collaborative Health Training

for Federal Organizations

“Prevention and Management

of Disruptive Behavior” (PMDB)

Design Concept Report

Version: 0.5

January 23, 2006

5780 W. Werner Road

Bremerton, WA 98312

PMDB Design Concept Report

FileNet ID: 003706055

January 23, 20061

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0Introduction

1.1Project Background

1.2Design Task

1.3Functional Prototype

2.0COntent COnsiderations

2.1Audience Characteristics

2.1.1Demographics

2.1.2Environment

2.2Course Structure

2.2.1Content Sources

2.2.2Course Guide

2.3Activity Practice Structure

2.3.1Module 1 – Identifying Factors

2.3.2Module 2 – Analyzing Stress Levels

2.3.3Module 3 – Responding On-the-Job

2.4Component Structure Details

2.4.1Activity Tree

2.4.2Reusable Learning Object Tree

2.5Learning Objectives

2.5.1Overall Course Objective

2.5.2Specific Objectives

2.6Instructional Strategies

2.7Assessment Design

2.8Assessment Strategies

2.9SCORM 2004

3.0Technical Considerations

3.1Course Functions

3.2Navigation Elements

3.3Navigation Scheme

3.4Screen Design

3.4.1Sample Screen Design – Tutorial Interface

3.4.2Sample Screen Design – Scenario Interface

3.4.3Sample Screen Design – Video Interface

3.5Assessment Scoring

3.6Accreditation and Continuing Education Units

3.7VA Directive 6102 Handbook

3.8Software Design

3.9Media Selection

3.10Development Tools and Methodologies

3.11Delivery Environment

3.12Computer Configuration

3.13Section 508 Compliance

4.0EvaluationInstrument

5.0Life Cycle Management

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Design Topics

Table 2. Component Structure

Table 3. Activity Objectives

LIST OF Figures

Figure 1. PMDB Activity Tree

Figure 2. PMDB RLO Tree

Figure 3. Sample Content Screen – Tutorial Interface

Figure 4. Sample Content Screen – Scenario Interface

Figure 5. Sample Content Screen – Video Clip Interface

LIST OF APPENDICES

AcronymS...... A-1

PMDB Design Concept Report

FileNet ID: 003706055

January 23, 20061

1.0Introduction

This document delineates the process Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) will follow in designing, developing, and delivering the web-based component of the Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB) Training Program. It explains, in detail, concepts for instructional content, product design, information layout, and interactive capabilities of the final product.

The contents of this document are based upon the data collected during the Design Workshop attended by CTC and client Design Team members from the Navy, Air Force, and Veterans’ Administration (VA),including decisions documented in the Requirements Analysis Report. Clarification and expansion of this data was accomplished by email and telephone communications.

Once reviewed and approved, this document will become the design specification for both content and software architecture of the PMDBweb-based course application. For ease of understanding, this report will refer to “the course” to mean the web-based component of the PMDB Training Program.

1.1Project Background

The purpose of this project is to develop a Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM®)-conformant health course that can be shared across multiple federal agencies. It is part of the Collaborative Health Training for Federal Organizations design and development project that CTC is performing for the VA Employee Education Services (EES) under the Navy Shore Infrastructure Transformation (NSIT) Program.

1.2Design Task

As noted in theTechnical Proposal, Section 2.4.3, the Design task follows the Requirements task and consists of a Design Concept Report, a functional Prototype, Content Outline, and Storyboards. Table 1 lists the topics covered in the Design Concept Report.

Table 1. Design Topics

Design Aspect / Description
Audience characteristics / Aspects of the audience that impact design, including experience, demographics, aesthetic preferences, and training environment.
Course functions / Functionality separate from the training program content, such as registration and logon, “Help” navigation, and certificates of completion.
Learning objectives / Performance criteria that the student will be able to meet after completing the course and the objectives that relate to each segment of the course.
Course structure / Key topics or activities (and their titles) that will make up the course and sequence(s) in which the activities will be presented.
Activity structure / Sub-topics, activities, and their associated titles and the sequence in which they will be presented for each lesson.
Content design / Instructional strategies for organizing content into learning activities.
Assessment design / Scoring and completion requirements for any knowledge checks,quizzes, tests and/or scored activities.
Media selection / Types of media that will be utilized: audio, video, animation, graphics, text, etc.
Aesthetic design / Color scheme, text size, font style, and graphic style as well as any other visual elements.
Navigation scheme / Buttons, menus, and the relational logic used to move between functions and the various modules of the training program.
System architecture/software design / Relational logic and interactions among hardware and software components of the system.
Development tools / Purpose for each development tool and its version number.
Delivery methodology / Delivery environment and delivery methods. Potential delivery methods include instructor-led training, WBT, e-learning, job aids, self-paced instruction, videos, and other mixed methods of delivery.
Life cycle management / Identification of ownership, the responsibility for updates, and any labeling guidelines of the final product(s).
Other / Throughout the analysis process, it may be necessary to incorporate requirements beyond those described above. These requirements will be incorporated into the design documentation as necessary.

1.3Functional Prototype

In order to deal with user experience and technical issues as early as possible in the development cycle, and to give the Design Team a feel for what is being proposed, a functional prototype will accompany the final delivery of the Design Concept Report, on February 24, 2006.

It will demonstrate the interface, navigation, and activity flow of the entire course. Sample content will be included for the introduction, one activity in each practice module, and one tutorial. Comments received on this Design Concept Report during the review phase may impact the prototyping process, as the two phases overlap.

2.0COntent COnsiderations

Considerations such as audience characteristics, learning objectives, course structure, and screen design, impact choices about content and how it will be organized for presentation. These decisions are detailed in this section of the report.

2.1Audience Characteristics

One of the most important aspects of designing training is an understanding of the audience. This helps to develop accurate learning goals and appropriate training solutions.

In the case of training which is being designed to maximize potential reuse, a balance between the identified current audience and the profile of potential future audience(s) needs to be reached. This may entail identifying and making concessions to increase the likelihood of reusability in the future, as long as they do not negatively impact the user experience of the known trainee.

2.1.1Demographics

  • Traineesprovide direct patient care in a wide variety of staff positions within medical facilities: physicians, nurses, medical technicians, receptionists, cafeteria workers, office staff, etc.
    Design Impact: Scenarios developed for use in the training will depict situations in which patients interact with various staff members.
  • Trainees (medical center employees) at the VA range in age from 20 to 75. Comparable employees in the Navy and Air Force range in age from 20 to 60.
    Design Impact: Employees represented in the training will range in age from 20 to 75.
  • Medical center employees are held to a professional dress code, and may appear in service-specific uniforms in their work environment.
    Design Impact: Employees represented in the training will be well-groomed and wearing generic white technician jackets or regular street clothes.
  • Patients at medical centers range in age from new-born to elderly.
    Design Impact: Patients represented in the training will range in age from new-born to elderly.
  • Trainees have at least basic computer skills. They are able to use a keyboard and mouse to open, navigate through, and close applications.
    Design Impact: Operation of the computer and software program will not be addressed.
  • Trainees may require the design accommodations set forth in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as amended by Congress in 1998. This requires that Federal agencies developing electronic information make that information accessible to Federal employees with disabilities.
    Design Impact: Colors not easily distinguished by color-blind trainees will not be part of any design in which decision-making relies on color recognition.
    Design Impact: Video clips will be supported by closed captioning.
    Design Impact: All images will be supported with descriptive tagging.
    Design Impact: A text-only version of the concepts and facts that comprise the core content will be available in a form that can be read by assistive technologies.
    Experience
  • Trainees will have widely varying degrees of familiarity and experience with the topic of preventing and managing disruptive behavior.
    Design Impact: The training will be designed toengage the trainee in problem-based scenarios immediately following course orientation material.
    Design Impact: The training will be structured to provide access at any time to reference materials needed for a less experienced trainee.
    Design Impact: The training reference materials will include short tutorials for use either as initial exposure or review, and practice activities.

2.1.2Environment

  • Training will be accomplished whenever a trainee has time available during scheduled work hours or free time, and in various settings, such as offices, nurses’ workstations, and medical library study rooms. Interruptions and distractions will be inevitable.
    Design Impact: Content will be organized into segments that can be completed in a maximum of 20-30 minutes.
    Design Impact: If the application is exited prior to completion of the final assessment, bookmarking will allow for resumption in the same activity that was closed out.
  • Sinceall potential training hardware support cannot be determined, the Design Team reached consensus that the training will be designed for workstationscontaining audio speakersand headphones.
    Design Impact: The training will contain minimal audio content, but make use of audio when appropriate to do so, such as in video clips.
    Design Impact: All narration will be available as on-screen text, or summarized in closed captioning.

2.2Course Structure

The current 2-day live training will be redesigned to include self-paced instruction via web delivery, but will retain the live classroom segments that provide guidance and practice in physical skills and therapeutic containment. No changes will be made to the existing materials for the live classroom segments.

Adult learners, as a general rule, prefer to be presented with the opportunity to discover how much they already know, and tap into resources only as they become needed. The course will be designed to reflect this preference.

The course will consist of sevencomponents:an introduction, a group of tutorials, three activity modules, a game, and a final assessment. The tutorials will function as resource material for all other components and be accessible at any time, except during the final assessment.

Details on each component of the course follow:

  • Introduction
    An introductory module will orient the trainee to the software application, its functionality, and address typical trainee questions, such as learning objectives, assessments, and records of completion. It will also include an introduction to the concept of prevention as the foundation of the course.
    In order for it to be effective, training for adult learners must make connections between the material to be learned and the trainees’ daily work world. In support of this critical motivational imperative, the introduction may also include testimony by employees of how the PMDB training might have made, or actually did make, a significant difference in their own safety and/or the safety of patients and co-workers.
  • Tutorials
    A trainee will be able to access all the concepts and facts that comprise the current course’s core content. They will be organized into short tutorials, each with a knowledge check. Both a table of contents and a search feature will facilitate the use of the tutorials, and they will be clearly linked within each of the activity modules as well.
  • Practice Modules
    Three modules will be developed to provide practice using the understanding and knowledge acquired by taking the tutorials.
  • Game – SimIntake
    The game takes place in a waiting room/reception area of a medical facility. The player is the person working at the counter. The object of the game is to make the best decisions for dealing with a variety of patients who present themselves at the counter, working against a clock. In addition to the element of time, there will also be an indication of the level of stress escalating or de-escalating within the staff and the patients. Various choices will be available for dealing with each situation. Players who do not make the best choices quickly enough to beat the clock may find that the situation spirals out of control. The game can be played as many times as the trainee wishes.
  • Assessment
    There will be knowledge checks throughout the training, and one scored assessment that serves as a final evaluation. A screen will display the numerical score (on a scale of 1-100) of this final assessment each time it is completed. Making use of numerical scoring rather than a grade allows for the same assessment to be employed for more than one passing equivalency, a determination that can be made by the accrediting authority, independent of the course itself.

2.2.1Content Sources

The lead Subject Matter Expert (SME) for this effort is Dr. Daniel McDonald, the VA’s National Program Manager for PMDB. Initial content for the PMDB training course will be provided by the VA, and partnering agencies will work with the VA SME to either approve or modify specific content within the agreed-upon schedule parameters. The VA SME holds final authority for content approval.

2.2.2Course Guide

A printable course guide will be available from the Introduction as well as from the Help function, and cover how to use the course software,including navigation tips.

2.3Activity Practice Structure

The structure of each practice activity will depend on the module it is in.

2.3.1Module 1 – Identifying Factors

The first module will consist of a series of short stories appearing as text onscreen. Each story will present a scenario between staff and patient in a medical center setting. An activity will accompany each story. In some cases, the activity will be to identify both predisposing and precipitating factors identifiable from the story. In other cases, the activity will be to identify potential hazards in the environment that could be removed, rearranged, or otherwise rendered less dangerous in the event of disruptive behavior. Some stories may have both activities and/or other activities associated with them.

2.3.2Module 2 – Analyzing Stress Levels

The second module willconsist of a series of video clips. If applicable, information may accompany a clip, either before or after it is played. The activities associated with these clips will be to identify the likely levelsof stress and the type of action appropriate to the level selected.

2.3.3Module 3 –Responding On-the-Job

The third module will consist of complex, multi-stage scenarios. At each stage, the trainee will choose actions to take and will be presented with the consequences of that action and feedback to reinforce learning. Each scenario will “drill down” several levels. The trainee will be able to follow any of the decision paths to discover consequences for various types of responses. In addition, some scenariosmay be “played out” from either the staff or the patient perspective.

2.4Component Structure Details

Table 2displays the structure of each component of the training.

Table 2. Component Structure

Module / Structure
Introduction /
  • Orientation to the course, including notes on navigation, and the various components of the course.
  • Series of “talking heads” (photos and text) developing motivation for taking the course.
  • Brief description of hands-on portions of the PMDB Training Program.
  • Mini-lecture introducing the concept of prevention and the triangle of self, other, and environment.
  • Knowledge check.

Tutorials /
  • A series of mini-lectures on PMDB facts and concepts.
  • Knowledge checks for each tutorial – multiple choice, drag and drop, etc.

Practice Module 1Identifying Factors /
  • Short stories.
  • Activities in identifying predisposing and precipitating factors.
  • Activities in modifying the animated physical environment.

Practice Module 2 Analyzing Stress Levels /
  • Video clips and accompanying information.
  • Activities in analyzing the stress levels depicted.
  • Activities in choosing appropriate types of interventions.

Practice Module 3 On-the-Job Responses /
  • Complex, multi-stage scenarios.
  • Activities in choosing appropriate responses.
  • May include option to navigate each scenario from either the staff or the patient perspective.

Game SimIntake /
  • Time-limited, animation-based activity that allows for quick responses and rapid decision-making practice in a medical center reception environment.

Assessment /
  • All knowledge checks from the tutorials and a complex scenario with no option for changing choices once choices are made. Scored on a scale of 1-100, to allow for varying levels of pass/fail.

PMDB Design Concept Report

FileNet ID: 003706055 V10

January 23, 20061

2.4.1Activity Tree

The following figure displays the course structure as an activity tree. It details the flow of the user experience.

Figure 1. PMDB Activity Tree

2.4.2Reusable Learning Object Tree

The following figure displays the course structure in terms of the number of reusable learning objects (RLOs) and their navigational relationship to each other.