USGS Fouling | My Site

The Design Process

Analyze

The USGS relies on Hydrological Technicians (Hydrotechs) to gather and evaluate information about all things water related. The training process for the hydro techs is a time consuming activity, typically a year or more. Prior to this training, USGS Hydrotechs were taught in person by various experienced hydro techs which was both time consuming and provided inconsistent trainings. The proposed solution for this was to provide online training that can be taken at any time, in bite sized pieces.

This project was completed with 4 SMEs from the USGS, 1 scientist from COMET and myself as the instructional designer.

In this analysis phase, we began by drafting a "Project Plan" where we outlined key components of the project with the SMEs to guide us as we worked through the lesson development. This includes: organizational needs, audience, performance, resources, risks, instructional approach, draft learning objectives, and a rough timeline.

Design

To guide the design of this training, we used adult learning principles such as emphasizing relevance and problem solving. as well as CCAF (Content, Challenge, Activity, and Feedback) by Michael Allen. We worked with SMES to define each of these items:

Context: During a continuous site visit, a hydrologic technician is responsible for reviewing readings from the site monitor and field monitor before and after cleaning (known as the fouling check), investigating flagged warnings in SVMAQ, and documenting their findings and actions taken to resolve the flagged warnings. In this training following a fouling check, evidence suggests your colleague has several flagged warnings to identify the cause of and resolve. Flagged warnings could be types, instrument errors, bad readings etc.

Challenge: Investigate your environment, instrumentation, and recorded data to determine what the cause of the flagged warnings are, and what steps need to be taken to resolve the error.

Activity: This is a multistep activity requiring learners first to explore their environment, the instrumentation (i.e. the site meter) and recorded data collected during the visit (before/after cleaning readings), and identify what is most likely causing the flagged warnings.

Extra step if we can fit it: Once the source of the flagged warning has been identified, learners will see a list of steps they can take, and select the steps they would take to resolve the problem. Extra step if we can fit it: Determine what is necessary to document from assessing flagged warnings

Feedback: The interaction will include feedback guidance on sources of flagged warnings.

From here, I began working on prototyping out interactions that would be act as the "Activity" for this lesson. We knew we wanted the learner to interact with the software they use when they are out in the field, but programming a full mock up of that for them to work in wasn't reasonable with the scope and budget we had to operate in. My proposal was to mock up single pages of the software in Articulate 360 that looked and behaved as their software, SVMAQ would.

Once we had our prototype, we began to talk through it with the SMES. This prototype allowed us to work through questions and learn more about the process of troubleshooting fouling errors with the SMEs to really understand what the learner needs. As we worked through the discussion around the prototype, we were able to develop our our storyboard for the lesson. My project scientist and I worked through the storyboard together and worked with the SMEs in weekly meetings to refine it.

As we worked to develop the storyboard, we incorporated a story throughout the lesson that allowed the learner to assume the role of the "knowledgable other" supporting a colleague to work through problems. As the learner worked through the lesson, they collected "tips" that would be helpful when troubleshooting fouling errors that were summarized into a helpful "Take away" at the end of the lesson.

Develop

In the development stage, we took the various components of the storyboard we built in the design phase and brought it to life. Some of the more unique and innovative pieces that we developed in this phase include:

Software Interface Mock up

Due to the complexity of the software the USGS uses, it wasn't realistic to

have a fully functioning software so we focused on developing mock ups

of key screens learners will interact with when performing water quality

checks and troubleshooting fouling errors.