Rochell R. McWhorter

Exploring the emergence of virtual human resource development

Technology is permeating our personal and professional lives and is having an enormous impact on the field of human resource development (HRD). Given the growing interest that scholars have had for integrating technology into HRD practice and research, Virtual HRD (VHRD) has emerged as a new area of inquiry in the field of HRD. This article begins by defining and exploring the emergence of the construct of VHRD. It reviews the evolution of technology from the inception of the Academy of Human Resource Development and integrates selected literature that supports the emergence of VHRD in the field of HRD to include sophisticated, immersive environments appropriate for HRD practice. This article then introduces the contents of this special issue and articulates the four-part format that will be used to do so. Lastly, a summary is provided that serves as a call to action for HRD scholars and practitioners to more thoughtfully consider the impact of VHRD on the future of the HRD field, to disseminate the accumulated research that has been done thus far, as well as to promote awareness of VHRD as a compelling HRD construct before other fields lay claim to this territory and obfuscate the contributions that have already been made toward understanding, defining, and researching this emergent construct.

A study of adult learning in a virtual world

It is crucial that employees and students become astute adult learners. Due to rapidly changing technology in both the workplace and instructional venues, organizations are challenged to find new and useful tools for adapting to these advances in both content and processes of work. Therefore, understanding how virtual worlds function as sites of adult learning (including enablers and barriers to successful adult learning experiences) becomes an important task for developing the construct of virtual human resource development (VHRD). In this empirical exploratory study, adult learning was conducted within the virtual world of Second Life (SL), both for its popularity and afforded opportunities for collaboration. The findings in this study indicate there are important enablers and barriers for adult learning in this virtual world that may prove useful for HRD professionals when designing learning experiences in virtual environments.

Reducing the Digital Divide: Connecting Older Adults to iPad Technology

America’s older adult population is increasing at a dramatic rate due to better health care, technology, and improved living conditions. However, as individuals 65 years and older begin to live longer and experience multiple life changes, there is a larger incidence of social isolation leading to loneliness, depression, and a general decline in health. This mixed-method study aimed to explore whether information and communication technologies, specifically iPads, improved the lives of older adults. Our findings suggest that the use of technology increased knowledge, elicited closer family ties, and led to a greater overall connection to society.

An Initial Conceptualization of Virtual Scenario Planning

The Problem Recent disruptive events introduced high volatility and uncertainty into the contemporary organizational environment whereby well-established organizations found scenario planning (SP) useful to craft strategy. However, because SP is typically a very costly endeavor, it is less accessible to new startups, small businesses, nonprofits, and large-scale organizations that could greatly benefit. The Solution We propose an initial conceptual model whereby sophisticated technologies that typically enable virtual events be utilized to facilitate virtual SP activities for real-time participation from geographically disbursed locations reducing expenses and providing access to one of human resource development’s (HRD’s) strategic learning tools. We posit that HRD professionals be involved in planning and implementation through the scope of technology development within the context of virtual HRD. The Stakeholders This article provides researchers and scholar-practitioners with a conceptualization of current thinking around the notion of utilizing technology to create an online environment conducive for SP. This article will be of particular interest to those involved in formulating organizational strategy including those where costs of face-to-face SP and other forms of strategic initiatives are either time or cost prohibitive.

A Synthesis of New Perspectives on Virtual HRD

The Problem A number of new perspectives of virtual human resource development (VHRD) have been provided in this issue of Advances in Developing Human Resources (ADHR) that warrant further discussion. As VHRD is still a nascent area of inquiry in HRD, professionals need more explanatory examples and solutions to consider for determining their own role in working with people and technology. The Solution This article offers a synthesis of key constructs of VHRD from the articles in this special issue. Also, it provides a discussion around two different modes of technology development (TD) needed by HRD professionals in the contemporary technology-enabled environment afforded by VHRD. And, the integration of TD in addition to career development, training and development, and organization development is essential to the future of HRD and is discussed herein. The Stakeholders This article targets primarily practitioners interested in VHRD interventions and processes. It encourages the reader to examine the commonalities across the articles in this issue of ADHR and also to consider the new skills required for HRD professionals when seeking to align organizational mission with all levels of the organization.

Scenario Planning as Developing Leadership Capability and Capacity

Documented scenario planning projects report a diverse cross section of organizational members. Yet most projects involve executive and senior management teams as their primary participants. Given the participation of higher-level organizational members, a question arises as to whether the scenario planning process is useful in developing leadership capability and capacity within an organization. The implied link between scenario planning and the development of leadership capability must first be described, understood, and substantiated before it can be assumed to be of strategic utility to organizations and fields of practice. This article presents the outcomes of an exploratory inquiry into the association between scenario planning and leadership. Initial discoveries suggest that the development of leadership capability and capacity are reasonable expected outcomes of scenario planning and tentatively positions scenario planning as a strategic tool in human resource development.

A Cross-Case Analysis of the Use of Web-Based ePortfolios in Higher Education.

Higher education is mandated to document student learning outcomes and ePortfolios have been offered as a panacea for assessment, evaluation, and accreditation. However, the student voice regarding the value students construct from building and utilizing web-based electronic portfolios (ePortfolios) in higher education has been sparse or non-existent in a number of disciplines. In the current study, a total of 459 undergraduate and graduate students’ perceptions were collected through structured surveys, reflective journals, emails, and reflection papers. This mixed methods study reviews the historical foundations of contemporary web-based ePortfolios within a constructivist theoretical frame and presents four case studies from two universities in southwest USA from four disciplines (education, industrial technology, chemical engineering, and human resource development). A compilation of research findings from the four case studies yielded 27 categories that were later condensed through cross-case analysis resulting in five emerging themes: career-focused, big picture of learning, social and visual learning, enablers of ePortfolios, and barriers of ePortfolios. Each theme is discussed and illuminated by extracts of student work and supported by relevant literature. Recommendations include greater communication with students regarding expectations and requirements of the ePortfolio, providing student and faculty training on web-based ePortfolios, and forming a community of practice.

Alternative Training Models

The problem and the solution . Systematic training models include elements that facilitate the methodical planning and organization of the instructional events that lead to an effective learning experience. By applying a systematic approach to the design and development of an individual program or an entire training function, it is far more likely that the important learning outcomes will be realized. This article discusses several systematic training model alternatives to the analysis, design, develop, implement, evaluate (ADDIE) model.

Opening the black box and searching for smoking guns: Process causality in qualitative research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of qualitative research in causality, with particular emphasis on process causality. In one paper, it is not possible to discuss all the issues of causality, but the aim is to provide useful ways of thinking about causality and qualitative research. Specifically, a brief overview of the regularity theory of causation is provided, qualitative research characteristics and ontological and epistemological views that serve as a potential conceptual frame to resolve some tensions between quantitative and qualitative work are discussed and causal processes are explored. This paper offers a definition and a model of process causality and then presents findings from an exploratory study that advanced the discussion beyond the conceptual frame. Design/methodology/approach This paper first conceptually frames process causality within qualitative research and then discusses results from an exploratory study that involved reviewing literature and interviewing expert researchers. The exploratory study conducted involved analyzing multiple years of literature in two top human resource development (HRD) journals and also exploratory expert interviews. The study was guided by the research question: How might qualitative research inform causal inferences in HRD? This study used a basic qualitative approach that sought insight through inductive analysis within the focus of this study. Findings The exploratory study found that triangulation, context, thick description and process research questions are important elements of qualitative studies that can improve research that involves causal relationships. Specifically, qualitative studies provide both depth of data collection and descriptive write-up that provide clues to cause-and-effect relationships that support or refute theory. Research limitations/implications A major conclusion of this study is that qualitative research plays a critical role in causal inference, albeit an understated one, when one takes an enlarged philosophical view of causality. Equating causality solely with variance theory associated with quantitative research leaves causal processes locked in a metaphoric black box between cause and effect, whereas qualitative research opens up the processes and mechanisms contained within the box. Originality/value This paper reframed the discussion about causality to include both the logic of quantitative studies and qualitative studies to demonstrate a more holistic view of causality and to demonstrate the value of qualitative research for causal inference. Process causality in qualitative research is added to the mix of techniques and theories found in the larger discussion of causality in HRD.

Seeking Empirical Validity in an Assurance of Learning System

Business schools have established measurement tools to support their assurance of learning (AoL) systems and to assess student achievement of learning objectives. However, business schools have not required their tools to be empirically validated, thus ensuring that they measure what they are intended to measure. The authors propose confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) be utilized by business schools to evaluate AoL measurement systems. They illustrate a CFA model used to evaluate the measurement tools at their college. The authors’ approach is in its initial steps, currently evaluating individual measurement tools, but the authors are working toward developing a system that can evaluate the entire AoL measurement system.