Your Assignments and Final Project

Certificate in Training Practice Course GuideRussell Associates

Your assignments and final project

The briefs and requirements

Guide to writing assignments

Throughout the CTP programme, you are required to submit 2 written assignments and a work based project.

The purpose of the assignments is:

• to provide you with a focused medium to develop your learning in the major topics and themes which are developed through the programme.

• to develop your analytical, critical and evaluationskills by requiring you to link the theories and knowledge that you are gaining onthe programme with the policies, procedures, systems and practices which operate within your workplace.

• to help you to add value to your organisation by encouraging you to compare and contrast “best practice” elsewhere with the systems, procedures and activities used within your own organisation.

• to promote practical writing skills and interpersonal skills, (particularly informing, persuading, gathering information and negotiating).

• to develop your professional knowledge, skills and understanding for your future career.

Assignment Topics

Assignment topics are agreed with tutor and these are wide ranging, but on a set theme.

The topic you choose should have a corporate/organisational focus and should include investigative work (i.e. in other organisation or some form of literature search) beyond your own organisation.

Layout of assignments

The appropriate layout of a particular assignment is likely to vary, but we encourage you to produce your assignment in report form or structured as proposals to senior management.

These notes are intended to give some guidance on how an assignment should be presented.

Title Page

• it is important that you clearly state, at the beginning of the assignment, what its title is, which module it applies to, which tutor has set it and your name as the author.

• the only other things to go on the title page (if appropriate) are a file reference, date, and version number.

Summary

• if the report is more than about three pages long, a summary should be provided, so that people can see at a glance what the report is about.

• this summary is usually printed immediately after the title page, but if the summary is only a couple of sentences, there may be room to put it on the title page itself, below your name.

Contents Page

• page numbers as well as section/chapter titles should be included.

• if the report incorporates appendices, their titles should be listed.

Acknowledgements

• a list of names, roles and organisations (if relevant) of all those who helped you when compiling the report should be included.

Terms of Reference

• this section should answer the questions “What were you asked to do? and “What powers (i.e., access to others, budgets, etc) were you given?

• clarifying the terms of reference will show what the report is about, and also helps to define the report’s boundaries.

Introduction

• this section should provide some of the background of the subject, which forms the principal theme of your report.

• if the report is designed to solve a perceived “problem”, the history of the “problem” can be reviewed here, culminating in the situation, which prompted the report to be written.

Method(s) of Investigation

• this section is needed for the readers to judge the authenticity of the “evidence” which comprises the main body of the report. All sources should be mentioned and, if appropriate, describe how you put together your questionnaire or survey study.

• copies of the questionnaires themselves or any other research instruments should be included in the appendices.

• if any published documents were studied, this should be recorded, although the precise list of books, articles, etc should be included in the bibliography at the end of the report.

The main body of the report

• this part of the report is likely to comprise many paragraphs or sections, depending on the quantity of information to be presented. It is often useful to break up your assignment into sub-headings.

• in many cases you are not required to write a novel, and it is often easier and clearer to use a list of bullet points as long as there is sufficient information to explain and justify the point you are making.

• use tables, pie charts, graphs and bar charts if possible. Your presentation of data is important.

Conclusions

• in this section you should say what your facts or findings mean, i.e., discuss the key implications arising from the wealth of details you may have collected.

• the conclusions should not incorporate any new facts.

Recommendations

• your recommendations should clearly spell out your ideas to enable them to be acted upon.

• in particular, if your proposals involve expenditure, you must supply a cost/benefit evaluation to show what it costs and what your organisation will get from it.

Appendices

• all detailed statistical tabulations, graphs, lists, questionnaires, etc should be organised into separate appendices.

• nothing should be included as an appendix if it isn’t mentioned in the main body of the report.

Bibliography & References

• You also need to include a bibliography, this is a list of sources which you consulted but which are not directly quoted.Also list the reference sources which are actually cited in the report itself.

Length of Assignment

Written assignments specify a maximum of 2,000 words (1,500 – 2,000). Your final project has a maximum of 3,500 words (3,000 – 3,500).

You need to demonstrate your skill in arguing logically and concisely, as throughout your career you will be required to be succinct in your presentations to management or others.

1. Written Assignment Unit One: Training in context.

(1st Written – meets CIPD module 1: Training in context module)

Assignment Overview

The purpose of this assignment is for you to consider the influences on the success of a training and development event. You need to carry out research, and investigate how a number of influences contribute to the success of a training & development event.

Your research can extend beyond your company by drawing comparisons with other similar companies. You shouldreference learning from allsources.

Your research should enable you to draw conclusions and importantly put forward supported recommendations on how certain influences might be managed more effectively.Finally, before you send your assignment to your tutor, check your submission against the generic assessment criteria (appendix 1.)

2. Objectives

In undertaking this assignment you will demonstrate that you understand the followingKnowledge Indicators

1.2 The organisational context.

The factors that influence the effectiveness of training.

3. Scenario

Choose a training event/course you are familiar with to focus your research on. E.g. you could choose a presentation skills course or a customer service skills course.

4. Task

Written Assignment One: brief (2000 words)

Title: Factors that influence training in an organisation.

The following are major factors that influence training:

• The type of organisation, it’s environment and senior management (the sponsor)
• Line management
• The trainer
• The trainee

Choose a training course you are familiar with and investigate how these factors influence the effectiveness of that training.

Conduct both primary & secondary research to find out how each factor has an influence on the course, drawing conclusions and making detailed recommendations that would improve the effectiveness of that course.

5. Assessment Criteria

CIPD Certificate Programme Generic Assessment Criteria (GAC)

The assignment feedback sheet will help you identify what you have achieved & where you need to develop.

Maximum word limit for this assignment – 2,000 words.

Date of issue:Submission date:

By completing this assignment you satisfy the CIPD learning outcomes below

To demonstrate that you:

• Are able to build effective relationships with colleagues and customers.
• Can explain the contribution that training and development makes to organisational success and the factors that influence its effectiveness.
• Can explain organisational roles and relationships in relation to training and development.
• Can explain the effect of legislation and government influence on training practice.

Identifying and prioritising learning needs assignment brief

(2nd Written – meets CIPD module 2: Identifying and prioritising learning needs)

Assignment overview

The purpose of this assignment is for youto research a specific example of howlearning needs analysis is conducted within your organisation. You may find this wasas a result of a direct request by managers or in response to the identification of a performance indicator. There are a number of ways learning needs are identified and your job is to research how this was conducted in your organisation, draw conclusions and to recommend improvements for the future.

Be objective and analytical in deciding the most suitable methods of investigation. Justify why you are choosing one method ahead of another, and explain what factors have influenced your decision. It is important that to draw conclusions and put forward your recommendationsand that you consider how you would implement them. Finally, before you send your assignment to your tutor, check your submission against the generic assessment criteria (appendix 1.)

Aim

To provide evidence that you can demonstrate the knowledge and understanding necessary to

-identify and agree learning needs with individuals and groups using appropriate methods and analysis.

Objectives

In undertaking this assignment you will demonstrate that you understand the following:

o methods and sources of information for identifying learning needs

o factors affecting individual learning.

Assignment Task

You are required to research how the identification of training needs is currently conducted within your organisation or department, using a specific example to illustrate your investigation. You need to document and detail the research you carried out, how you conducted the research and your findings.

From your research and your reading you are then required to define and propose improvements and developments to the current approach in the form of systems and methods that you would like to adopt or see adopted.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

This assignment will be marked according to the CIPD Certificate Programme Generic Assessment Criteria (GAC). A copy is attached.

Date of issue: Submission date:

CIPD

By completing this assignment you satisfy the CIPD learning outcomes below

To demonstrate that you:

• Are able to identify, prioritise and agree learning needs with individuals and groups, using appropriate methods of analysis.
• Are able to explain methods and sources of information for identifying learning needs.
• Can explain factors affecting individual learning in and out of the workplace.

30 minute training event

(1st Skills – Meets CIPD module 3: Designing training and assessment)

Skills assessment brief

The reason for the assignment

You are doing this assignment to demonstrate that you can:

• design training and development sessions for a group of learners
• prepare and/or develop relevant materials and facilities for those sessions
• prepare, deliver and review a practical training and development session
• assess learners and give them constructive feedback
• explain the principles of adult learning and effective design, and the range of factors affecting design including:

–the range of training / learning methods, their advantages and disadvantages and the criteria for selecting them for use

–the range of audio, visual and technology-based learning aids and the criteria for selecting them for use

–the range of delivery styles and presentation techniques (including online learning) and the skills needed, along with advantages and disadvantages and the criteria for selecting them for use.

The activity

Your task is to prepare, deliver and review a 30 minute learning event for the learners in your group, using appropriate training methods and training aids. Your tutor will observe and assess your performance against the criteria in the 30 minute training event observation checklist.

1. You run the event on a training-related topic.
2. Your tutor will agree it with you and brief you in advance.
3. You will need to research the topic, but the methods and aids you choose are more important
4. You should study the 30 minute training event observation checklist, so you know what you are being assessed against.
5. You may of course draw on any personal experience, or what you have seen others do as they run their sessions.
6. We will give you face-to-face and written feedback before asking you to complete any further documents, or giving you a grade for this assignment.

Within 14 days of completing the exercise

You must submit all theseto your tutor electronically, clearly showing your name.

• A completed Knowledge statement (500–1000 words) (Appendix 5)

Remember to keep all your learning materials, slides, handouts and other material in case the CIPD moderator needs to see it.

Facilitation exercise

(2nd Skills – Meets CIPD module 4: Delivering and evaluating training)

Skills assessment brief

The reason for the assignment

You are doing this assignment to demonstrate that you can:

• prepare, facilitate and review a practical learning session for a group of learners
• create a climate that is conducive to learning
• provide feedback to learners.

The activity

Your task is to carry out a facilitated group work activity, & provide feedback to a group of learners. This will be observed and assessed against the criteria in the Feedback skills observation checklist

1.As these facilitation exercises will be taking place throughout the programme, your tutor will agree the timetable with you in advance.

2.Your tutor will brief you, at the workshop before the one you facilitate.

3.We agree the activity with you.

4.We are observing your facilitation & feedback skills not scoring your specialist knowledge, so do not worry even if you know little or nothing aboutthe subject.

5.You should study the Feedback skills observation checklist, so you know what you are being assessed against.

6.You may of course draw on any personal experience, or what you have seen others do as they facilitate a session.

1. We will give you face-to-face and written feedback before asking you to complete any further documents, or giving you a grade for this assignment.

Within 14 days of completing the exercise

You must submit all theseto your tutor electronically, clearly showing your name.

• A completed Knowledge statement (500–1000 words) (Appendix 5)

Remember to keep all your slides, handouts and other material in case the CIPD moderator needs to see it.

The final project

The reason for the project

The purpose of the project is to enable you to apply the knowledge and skills you have gained within the programme, and to give you an opportunity to contribute to your organisation’s effectiveness.

The activity

You first choose one of the project options from the list at the end of this brief, and identify a relevant part of your organisation to apply it to.

Then you produce a project plan. Once that’s approved you write your project report.

Your project plan

A project plan is a CIPD requirement. It’s also straightforward good practice, because it ensures the topic you choose is suitable, realistic and relevant in terms of:

• the scope and level of the certificate programme
• the real context you are producing it in
• the practicalities – time, support, resources, and potential difficulties and constraints
• validity and reliability, especially data-gathering methods and sources.

Before you start building your plan:

• identify your project topic from the options in the list
• discuss your choice with your tutor and an appropriate person from your organisation.

Assessing your project plan

Although you do have to produce a satisfactory project plan, it does not contribute to your final grade. You must submit your completed project plan to your tutor within 30 days of it being set.

You will receive feedback within 14 days of submitting your project plan.

If it is satisfactory, you move on to write the report.

If it’s unsatisfactory you may submit a second plan.

Your project report

Your project report is between 3000 and 3500 words, and must demonstratethat you can transfer and apply the knowledge and skills you have gained during the programme.

Your report should:

• give some background to the organisation – or the relevant part of it – and identify the issue or problem
• set out clear objectives
• explain and justify your investigative methods
• summarise the findings from your research
• draw relevant conclusions that include the evaluation of possible solutions, including the implications for financial and human resources and a cost/benefit analysis
• make appropriate recommendations to meet your stated objectives
• include relevant references to both practice and theory, from the open learning materials, theory from the workshops and your own research where appropriate.

When you have finished the report

Send it to your tutor electronically, along with your completed:

• Learning log (Appendix 6).

Make sure all documents clearly show your name and the word count.

Project options

In an area of your organisation…

1Carry out a training needs analysis

Carry out a training needs analysis, to identify and prioritise the development needs:

• arising from the implementation of a new framework, system or process, or
• in response to a group or team performance issue, or
• as a result of a management request.

2Design a training solution

Design and develop a training solution for a group to support the introduction of a new system or procedure, or in response to group or team performance issue.

Your solution must recommend a way forward, as a result of gathering and analysing the information.