implementation plan for incorporating technology in the classroom

Capstone, Module 6 – xxxxxxxxxxxx 1

Implementation Plan for Incorporating Technology in the Classroom at Aaaaaaaa College

Capstone Project for Aspen University, MBA


Table of Contents

Project summary ................................................................................................................. 4

Discussion of Research ....................................................................................................... 6

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 8

Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................ 8

Research Question ........................................................................................................... 9

System Overview .............................................................................................................. 10

Curriculum and Technology Integration ....................................................................... 10

Description of Project .................................................................................................... 13

Appropriate Points of Contact ....................................................................................... 13

Security Issues ............................................................................................................... 14

Support Requirements ....................................................................................................... 15

Software ......................................................................................................................... 15

Hardware ....................................................................................................................... 15

Infrastructure ................................................................................................................. 16

Staffing Requirements ................................................................................................... 17

Training Requirements .................................................................................................. 17

Performance Monitoring ................................................................................................ 18


Implementation Plan ......................................................................................................... 20

Tasks .............................................................................................................................. 20

Schedule......................................................................................................................... 21

Procedures ..................................................................................................................... 22

Training Plans ................................................................................................................ 24

Communication Plan ..................................................................................................... 25

Human Resource Plan ................................................................................................... 27

Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................................. 29

Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 30

References ......................................................................................................................... 31

Appendix A. Gantt Chart .................................................................................................. 35

Figure Captions ................................................................................................................. 37


Project summary

Aaaaaaaa College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (Aaaaaaaa) is

considering incorporating industry-related software into its second-year Customer Relationship

Management (CRM) course in the School of Business’s Marketing program. Currently, the

college is using aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa to fulfill the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

(2005) program requirements to “collect, analyze, and organize relevant and necessary

information from a variety of sources”. As per the guideline, Marketing programs also need to

“adapt to and apply various and changing technologies, systems, and computer applications used

in marketing environments” (Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, 2005).

Faculty close to private sector businesses initiated discussions to investigate the

possibility of incorporating software currently used in industry into a classroom environment.

The faculty looked at many software packages and spoke with the VENDORs regarding price,

support, and assistance in implementation. After many discussions, the faculty agreed to

implement VENDOR in the CRM course. The purpose of this project is to explain and justify the

decision to upper management, and to develop an implementation and training plan for

VENDOR’s implementation.

VENDOR is a web-based software application that incorporates customer relationship

capabilities with salesforce automation, marketing automation, and customer support and service

(VENDOR, 2008). VENDOR is a single automated platform with role-based views of relevant

information. VENDOR hosts the web-based application, making it available on a 24/7 basis. An

interactive dashboard shows users their current tasks, key performance indicators, real-time trend

graphs, and ad hoc reports (VENDOR, 2008). The initial target for VENDOR is in Aaaaaaaa’s


second-year CRM course. The long-term plan includes using VENDOR in the Marketing

program’s third-year Sales Account Management course. An agreement between Aaaaaaaa and

VENDOR allows Aaaaaaaa to use VENDOR’s software under the details of the agreement

(removed).

The sections of this report include:

• Discussion of Research. This section looks at the sources researched for the project.

• Introduction. This section introduces the purpose of the study and identifies the research

question.

• System Overview. The system overview is broken down into to investigate the

integration between curriculum and technology, describes the current project, the steps

required to implement the system. It includes a description of the implementation plan,

identifies appropriate points of contact, and addresses security concerns for the system.

• Support Requirements. This section identifies the necessary software, hardware, and

infrastructure components to support a VENDOR implementation. It also discusses

staffing and training requirements for faculty and students. Finally, there are performance

monitoring measures identified.

• Implementation Plan. This section provides Aaaaaaaa with a complete breakdown of

tasks, schedules, and procedures for the VENDOR implementation. Training plans, the

communication plan, and human resources plan help determine the timelines and

necessary resources for a successful implementation.

• Conclusions and Recommendations. This section summarizes the implementation plan

and provides recommendations for future software implementations for VENDOR and

other software.


Discussion of Research

The research consisted of recommendations on successful software implementation plans.

These plans included a variety of situations that may be beyond the scope of the initial VENDOR

CRM implementation, but would serve as a framework for software implementation projects in

the future. Technical research came from trade magazines – print and online versions, best-

practices guidelines, manuals from VENDOR, instructor-led training from VENDOR, articles in

journals, periodicals, and other web-based documents, and books. These sources were examined

for credibility to determine validity, reliability, and currency. The research included multiple

sources of information to ensure that the results were indeed accurate.

Aaaaaaaa-related research originated from internal sources such as Instructional

Technical Support Centre (ITSC) department, approved course outlines, and faculty consultation.

Academic requirements depend on the Ontario Ministry of Education’s program guidelines.

Business research and technology research information was collected through trade

articles, journals and periodicals, and targeted, valid, reliable, credible web sources. In addition

to these electronic means of research, there were discussions with business professionals who are

current in the use of the technological or business processes to ensure that the recommendations

based on current situations reflect today’s environment.

The research process used a set of search criteria for online and traditional media that

includes, but was not limited to, the topics listed:

1. Software implementation plan

2. Software and education


3. Technology in the classroom

4. Training requirements

5. Estimates of implementation time

6. Security


Introduction

Purpose of the Study

VENDOR’s purpose in CRM would focus on giving students a hands-on experience with

similar software that they would potentially use upon graduation in a marketing role. The

students would examine customer information, view trends, create reports, and develop

marketing campaigns. The first 11 weeks of the CRM course teach students strategic CRM

concepts. VENDOR would reinforce this learning in the final three weeks of the course through

hands-on exercises related to the material.

This paper’s structure looks at VENDOR’s implementation from an administrative

standpoint. Aaaaaaaa faculty and staff would need to support it in CRM and future courses with

multiple courses and sections of each course. This paper divides content into a system overview,

support requirements, implementation plan, and recommendations sections. The system

overview describes the VENDOR system, a brief description of the implementation plan,

appropriate points of contact (internal and external), a brief description of major tasks required

for the implementation, an implementation schedule, and known security issues. The support

requirements include necessary software, materials, equipment, and facilities required. A large

portion of the support requirement is a personnel requirement analysis that defines the training of

faculty teaching, and others supporting the system. The implementation plan relies on the

analysis in the system overview and support requirements and creates a project plan and schedule

of the tasks and requirements for deployment. This section would include specific details for the

VENDOR in CRM implementation and a communication plan. The last section is a conclusion


and recommendations section. This section would include specific recommendations for

implementation that would serve as a work-in-progress for ongoing implementations.

Research Question

Aaaaaaaa College incorporates mobile computing technology into second and third Year

School of Business programs. Students are required to purchase, rent, or use an existing laptop in

order to access course-specific software to enhance learning as defined by the individual course

objectives, and Ministry of Ontario program guidelines. Aaaaaaaa must fully support and plan

for the software’s use in the courses. Analysis of the requirements determines if potential

software is an appropriate fit within the school and the learning. If the preliminary research

indicates that there is a fit, a specialized implementation plan needs developing. In order to

analyze this fit and implement it, Aaaaaaaa College, specifically the School of Business, needs

develop a plan. There are several non-standard requirements for such a system, such as multiple

classes using the same data set simultaneously and part-time and full-time instructor training.

These issues relate to the research question: How to develop a classroom-based software

implementation plan for Aaaaaaaa College?


System Overview

Curriculum and Technology Integration

Educators and corporations have been examining the integration of technology and

learning since technology became a mainstream tool. The trend is clear that there is more

technology used in the classroom today than ever before. However, overall, the integration

between the technology and instruction has not been effective beyond searching for information

and assistance in writing (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008). Education systems’ long-term

strategies include significant components of technology. This includes, and is not limited to

supplying more technology resources for each classroom, technical training for faculty and staff,

and a centralized information system (Cook, 1992). This section examines successful

applications of software use in classroom so Aaaaaaaa can develop a strategy and successful

implementation for VENDOR.

Software in curricula. Aaaaaaaa plans to enhance its second-year CRM course with

industry-leading software, VENDOR. Other educational institutions have investigated

implementation plans for other software packages. The University of London selected Another

VENDOR to a provide business intelligence and reporting solution for its Institute of Education

(Anonymous, 2008). North Carolina State University (NCSU) incorporated Another VENDOR

in their master’s degree in advanced analytics program. NCSU determined that existing software

that came bundled with textbooks was lacking in their capabilities. NCSU wanted enterprise

level software to tackle the advanced knowledge worker shortage (Sebor, 2007). Dalhousie

University in Halifax uses Another VENDOR in its MBA program to equip students with the


ability to help businesses analyze and solve critical issue through its data-mining tool (SAS,

2008).

Advantages of technology and education. Apart from Aaaaaaaa keeping up with the trend

towards a more technology-friendly learning environment, several advantages relate to

incorporating software in an educational setting. Rao (1995) discovered that software has the

potential of providing individualized instruction. Students could learn first-hand how to apply

concepts, develop scenarios, and make decisions based on the simulated exercises available in

software packages. Policy makers, classrooms, and schools benefit from having increased access

to educational technology (Price, 2003). Technology prepares students for careers and further

education. Technology allows teachers to modify their pedagogy to a more student-centred

approach (Price, 2003). Technology allows for multiple representation of the same material.

Instructors can teach theoretical content in lectures or case studies. Students can take this content

and apply it by using current industry software with the same instructional objective (Oncu,

Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008).

Successful implementations. Research indicates that a teacher’s attitude towards using the

technology is an important factor of success (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008). Appropriate

training can provide a teacher with more confidence in the software, giving the ability to enhance

the learning objectives. According to Rao (1995), the software must be easy to use and access. If

there are technical difficulties that prevent students from accessing or installing, it will not be

useful in the classroom. Students also need to be able to access the software freely and easily.

The direction of the curriculum development has an impact on the success of the

implementation. Developing the application with maximum impact on the student’ learning

requires a bottom-up approach to the development (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008).


Instructors are closer to the software and the students can create a meaningful connection

between the course objectives and the capabilities of the software compared to administrators.

Since the software’s intent is to enhance learning, and specifically at Aaaaaaaa to give students a

real-world context of a CRM application, specific examples and exercises based on case studies

can deliver a successful bridge. Researchers found that technology does positively affect student

learning, so long as it incorporates the complete picture rather than only the technology itself

(Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008).

In the past, internal and external factors prevented successful technology adoption.

Internally, attitudes towards technology use and institutional support were major barriers to

technology integration. Externally, availability, access to technology education, and technical

and institutional support were barriers. To overcome these barriers, implementers need to

examine the factors and develop a plan to address them (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008).

Windelspecht (2001) discovered that by implementing a modular-based approach to

course development, it benefitted both instructors and students. Instructors reduced their

preparation time compared to typical lecture-based research. Instructors used materials available

from the technology VENDOR, reducing their development time. This allowed them to spend

more time creating relevant lesson plans and course enhancement. Students felt the technology

enhanced their learning of the material. When applied to a modular-based delivery, students had

a lower stress level that manifested in higher performance (Windelspecht, 2001).

Teacher considerations. Without a doubt, teachers have the greatest influence on a

student’s learning. Their delivery, preparation, and attitude certainly affect the success of the

project. As discussed in the success criteria section, a teacher’s attitude towards using the

technology is one of the most important factors of success (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008).


Teachers are often discouraged from using new technology in the classroom because it is

unfamiliar and may require significant amounts of time and effort to learn the technology (Oncu,

Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008). Training can overcome this barrier because it gives instructors

exposure to the software and an opportunity to gain confidence in using it (Tennessee University,

1988). This report will address training in a subsequent topic, but the options for Aaaaaaaa need

to be mindful of the technical expertise of part- and full-time faculty that teach CRM.

Teachers with successful implementations actually found the technology contributed to

the learning by giving students another tool to understand the concepts, especially for visual

learners. Visual learners were able to use technology to solve problems by experiencing it rather

than shown by the teacher (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008). During a research study,

teachers commented that eventually technology helped improve the classroom experience by

making the delivery of information more efficient, allowing the class to cover more material in a

shorter amount of time (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008)

Educational institutions found that by using E.M. Roger’s Innovation Decision Process, it

has helped developed successes in technology integration. The steps in the process are

knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and acceptance/rejection (Oncu, Delialioglu,

& Brown, 2008). It is during the implementation stage that the instructor incorporates the

technology into the learning.

Description of Project

The current project is a specific implementation plan for how to incorporate a three-week

module on VENDOR in Aaaaaaaa’s CRM course. The plan includes contacts, tasks, timelines

and schedules, training, and support components.

Appropriate Points of Contact


The main internal contacts would include the full-time and part-time faculty that teach

the CRM course, the Marketing program coordinator who oversees the entire program, the

associate dean of the program, and support staff managers in Aaaaaaaa’s Information

Technology Support Centre (ITSC). Other internal personnel who may be interested in the

implementation would include other School of Business program coordinators and instructor,

especially in the E-Commerce program, the associate deans in other schools, and the Marketing

support staff in the event of student inquiries regarding the software.

External contacts would include the students currently enrolled in CRM. Eventually this

would extend to further VENDOR implementations, such as the Marketing program’s Sales

Account Management course, and courses in the Sales Management post-graduate diploma

program. External support contacts would be the educational program manager, training

manager, and sales engineers at VENDOR. Eventually, there could be existing VENDOR clients

involved as external contacts. These clients could act as guest speakers in the classroom. This

project will not explore this option in detail.

Security Issues

There are some minor security issues to address. The VENDOR system requires each

user to have a unique username and password. Students need to receive their username and

password privately as per college privacy policies. In the implementation plan will discuss a

procedure for delivering this information to students and instructors.


Support Requirements

The support requirements describe software, materials, equipment, and facilities required

for implementation of VENDOR. This section allows Aaaaaaaa to look at all areas affected or

influenced by the implementation. A key component is a description of the personnel

requirements including staffing, training, and performance monitoring.

Software

VENDOR is a “software as a service” (SAAS) model. This means that VENDOR hosts

the application from a central location and users log in from a browser to access the database and

web-based user interface (VENDOR, 2008). This is ideal for Aaaaaaaa, as there is no installation

for student or additional software required for ITSC to support. All VENDOR requires is a java-

enabled browser.

Aaaaaaaa has a standard mobile computing department that determines the minimum

software requirements for faculty, staff, and students. ITSC provides course-specific software on

a course-by-course basis. The minimum software requirements include the following:

• Web-browser such as Internet Explorer

• Microsoft Office version 2003 or 2007

• Windows XP Pro SP2 & Vista (all versions except Home Basic) operating systems

(aaaaaaaaaaa, personal communications, aaaaaaaaaaaaa).

Hardware

VENDOR does not require any hardware components installed, as it is a SAAS model.

This means that VENDOR hosts the application and manages the hardware themselves, from a


central location (VENDOR, 2008). Aaaaaaaa’s ITSC is responsible for ensuring that computer

hardware will support most applications used by the college, as well as the infrastructure. The

minimum hardware requirements include:

• 1.0 GHz Single Core CPU Processor

• 1.0 GB RAM

• 60 GB Hard Drive

• 128 MB Video RAM

(aaaaaaaaaaa, personal communications, aaaaaaaaaaaaa).

Infrastructure

Aaaaaaaa uses a learning management system (LMS) as a course portal. Aaaaaaaa also

uses a student services portal that allows students to track their grades, receive emails, and access

individualized information. VENDOR requires an available network connection with access to

the system through password-protected login information. This network needs to be high in

speed and availability. Technological problems can destroy an implementation and inadequate

systems with poor network design are especially important when using SAAS (Adler, 2007).

Aaaaaaaa has a robust infrastructure with multiple network access points through wireless

technology, network ports in pod-tables in the majority of the instructional classrooms, and a

newly constructed open access centre giving students freedom to access VENDOR from

anywhere on Aaaaaaaa’s campus. Many faculty and students also have high-speed internet

service available at their homes, which is a sufficient and reliable infrastructure to support

VENDOR. Cook (1992) determined that access to information maintains integrity of the system

and supports more technology adoption.


Staffing Requirements

There are no immediate extra staffing requirements to support a VENDOR

implementation. Faculty will attend classroom training and self-study sessions to acquire

knowledge on the VENDOR application. Administration will grant faculty course release time to

develop curriculum based materials and training information for instructors and students.

Training Requirements

A significant portion of the implementation plan will include a detailed training plan for

instructors and students. With any new system, there are barriers to adoption such as professional

development for educations and attitudes (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008). In a Wingard

(2000) survey of executives in the private sector, participants claimed a significant barrier to

implementing technology was employee’s ability to use technology. Optimal learning

experiences required an advanced understanding of the technology, achieved through training.

This project’s training plan will help overcome these barriers to ensure faculty are

comfortable delivering the technology and able to guide students in the self-discovery that will

inevitably take place. One of the requirements for the training plan will include giving instructors

time and support to understand the technology (Lewis, 1997). A schedule of training delivery is

vital to the plan because it needs to ensure the instructors achieve the maximum benefit of the

training. Adler’s (2007) studies indicate that the ideal timing of end-user training is within two

weeks of the application going live. He also indicated that users benefit from multiple training

formats for complex technology such as group training sessions, course materials, and online

support.

Two distinct groups require training on VENDOR – instructors and students. Instructor

material needs to be more in-depth so the teachers can gain a greater understanding of the


software to be able to demonstrate its use to students (Adler, 2007). It is imperative to the

success of the implementation that instructors are confident with the software (Oncu, Delialioglu,

& Brown, 2008). VENDOR has generously provided Aaaaaaaa with classroom training sessions

and supporting material to assist faculty in course development and faculty training.

Regardless if the material developed is for the instructors or students, the training itself

and supporting materials must coordinate with the curriculum objectives (White, 1987). The

training material’s development plan will analyze the existing course objectives and learning

outcomes and investigate which components of VENDOR apply. The instructor training material

will coincide with the student learning objectives and lesson material, but in greater depth.

Instructors will require administrative access to ensure they can control the application and reset

passwords on an ad hoc basis.

A detailed training plan follows in the Implementation Plan section.

Performance Monitoring

This project is a first iteration of incorporating VENDOR into CRM. A post-

implementation review will help determine its effectiveness. This review needs to be flexible to

amend, adjust, and adapt any of the plans described in the implementation plan. This review

should consist of a course meeting shortly after the end of the course with instructors who taught

the course, the course leader, and the program coordinator. The course leader will take the

feedback and determine the changes required to the material.

Students also have a stake in the VENDOR implementation. Price (2003) discussed the

importance of monitoring educational technology performance through evaluations. At

Aaaaaaaa, this would take the form of student tests or assignments. The course leader developing

the student material should include an evaluation component. The new VENDOR module should


also monitor student’s perception of the relevance of the material. A convenient and anonymous

way to accomplish this is through surveys with carefully structured questions.


Implementation Plan

Successful projects require detailed implementation plans. Generalized statements such

as “staff training” need further clarification in order to assign the task to an area of responsibility

and to schedule it effectively (McManus, 1989), (Maryland DBM, 2007). The steps of the

Aaaaaaaa/VENDOR implementation plan center around training plans, course development, and

communications. Further development will include assigning areas of responsibility, time

frames, and dependencies.

The implementation plan section defines the specific requirements discussed in the

system overview and support sections. It gives details tasks and requirements. A project schedule

determines the amount of effort required for completing each task and who is responsible for

carrying out that task. The training plan identifies the type of training required for instructors and

students. A human resource plan identifies the individuals and roles involved in the project and

their responsibilities. A communications plan describes the people who need information about

the project, communicating the information, and delivering updates, status reports, and other

communications (Haughey, 2008).

A Gantt chart with details of the implementation plan is available in Appendix A.

Tasks

The majority of the tasks in the implementation plan focus on training development and

delivery. Instructor training needs separate preparation, development, and delivery from student

training, as they are different audiences with different objectives. The main project tasks include

participating in VENDOR University training, developing instructor training, developing student

training and evaluation, and implementing VENDOR in the classroom environment. Subtasks in


each of the main areas describe the objectives and learning outcomes, modules of the training

material, and a communication plan prior to delivery of the material. Responsibilities assigned to

tasks allow the Course Leader, Program Coordinator, CRM Instructors, and Students understand

their role in the implementation.

Figure 1 shows the main tasks involved in the implementation plan and their subtasks.

Details of the necessary tasks of the implementation plan appear in Appendix A.

Figure 1. Tasks in the implementation phases for the VENDOR in CRM. (Microsoft,

2008)

Schedule

The project begins on September 22, 2008 and will finish on May 15, 2009. The project

has subcategories with dependent start dates and end dates to accommodate for upcoming tasks.

There are restrictions in place that dictate the timing of various training sessions and delivery. It

is difficult to conduct instructor training sessions during teaching periods because coordinating

rooms and instructor’s timetables is a feat in itself. This training must take place during break

weeks or between semesters. The CRM course also had a restriction on the timing of the

student’s delivery of VENDOR. Delivery of theoretical material needs to take place before the


application. According to the approved course outline, the module for VENDOR instruction

takes place in Weeks 11-13, with a test in Week 14.

When determining the schedule, these issues became the starting points, and the

necessary preparation times worked backwards from the delivery dates. Alder (2007) discovered

that when teaching complex technical skills, the training is best if conducted within two weeks of

going live to retain the new skills. With the restrictions, this was not possible, but instructor

training will take place three or four weeks prior to student training.

The estimates for development are approximations based on personal experience

developing software and training material, taking into account other responsibilities such as

teaching, advising, and collaborating with other teachers. The schedule is also accommodating to

busy times of the semester such as exam weeks or final marking, to ensure that the instructors

can attend the training.

Details for the implementation plan schedule appear in Appendix A.

Procedures

The implementation plan focuses on training development and delivery, but there are

some VENDOR administrative procedures requiring attention. Students need to have usernames

and passwords assigned for them to use VENDOR. This will occur in VENDOR as a batch

process. However, the implementation plan needs procedures defining naming conventions and

dissemination of the username and password prior to the batch input.

There is an administrative component to VENDOR requiring ongoing maintenance. It is

beneficial to have a central VENDOR administrator that ensures all courses using VENDOR are

able to receive information in a timely manner (VENDOR University, 2008). Currently, the

course leader will take on this responsibility. The current implementation plan for VENDOR is


with the Winter 2009 CRM course only, however, should the course expand beyond CRM, it is

imperative that a central management authority oversees multiple implementations.

Sample naming convention from VENDOR gave usernames as:

[email protected] through [email protected] with the same password

for each account. In the past, instructors kept a record of the student accounts in a spreadsheet

and posted in on the internal LMS for all to view. In the Winter 09 implementation of VENDOR

in CRM, the procedure will be to assign students a standard username with the same password

and restrict users from changing the password through the administrative properties. The

standard username will remain as [email protected], where XXX represents a

unique student identification number. The standard password will be xxxxxx. This password will

change in subsequent terms to reflect the course and year.

The delivery procedure needs to avoid privacy issues. Students will receive their

individual usernames and passwords through their Aaaaaaaa email account and their LMS course

email account (Cook, 1992). Instructors will communicate this information to students after they

hand in their test in Week 11. Instructors will keep a copy of all usernames and passwords on

their computers in case students do not check either of their email accounts.

The procedure for naming new instructors will be to assign them a username based on

[email protected]. If the username is not available due to duplication, the next

options will be to use, [email protected], [email protected],

and [email protected], or appending numbers 1, 2, 3, and so forth. The

standard password will be xxxxxx. The usernames and passwords will not change in subsequent

years unless the instructor is away from the college for a period of at least two years.


The course leader will reset the usernames and passwords at the end of east semester. The

course leader will also reassign existing usernames to students during semester rollover based on

enrolment data after Week 3. The course leader will follow the delivery procedure to

communicate username and passwords to students.

Training Plans

The best way to teach people something is to give them the information they need to do

something they already want to do (Rao, 1995). With this in mind, the training plans developed

for VENDOR will give the instructors and students a sense of “what’s in it for me.”

Instructor training plan. Each module will contain specific learning goals and a lesson

plan (Jobert-Egou, 2003). There will be hands-on exercises for instructors to experiment with the

software and develop a good understanding of its application in CRM concepts. There is often

resistance to new technology when training instructors (Lewis, 1997). Traditionally, instructors

believed that those who used technology in the classroom did so because of their own experience

with the software, not necessarily through professional development (Price, 2003). Knowing this,

the material must cater to the target audience in its design and delivery. It must include

explanations of the technology in non-technical terms. It should be simple to understand and use

step-by-step instructions and screen shots with callout balloons to highlight the steps. Some

instructors will be more adept at understanding the technology than others, so the material needs

to ensure that both types of audiences will benefit from the training.

The instructor training plan has two phases. The first phase is a discussion with

instructors, including a demonstration of VENDOR by the course leader. The instructors will

receive their usernames and passwords and self study material two weeks prior to a one-day

meeting planned during Break Week in October. The second phase is a more formal training


session with modules, exercises, and objectives. It will take place during the Break Week in

March. The delivery of the VENDOR module to students will take place three or four weeks

after this session. The course leader or VENDOR administrator will be available for consultation

at instructor’s request.

Teacher selection will be an important component of the success of the VENDOR

implementation. Proper planning will improve productivity and minimize political issues

(Trepper, 1999). The course leader will incorporate the feedback received from instructors into

the course, keeping in mind the course and lesson objectives. The implementation should have a

“team” feel to it to enable instructors to feel part of the process.

Student training plan. The student training plan follows standard curriculum development

procedures. The implementation will follow course objectives; include evaluation criteria, and

abide by program standards. The training will take place in Weeks 11-13, delivered by the

instructors. An evaluation of the software will occur in Week 14. The training plan for the

students needs to ensure that students do not just learn the technology itself, but that the lessons

prepared reflect the concepts and theories discussed in the preceding weeks. The VENDOR

module should allow a large amount of exercises for students to practice their skills (Oncu,

Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008). The evaluation will test student’s understanding of VENDOR as it

applies to CRM concepts, not the use of technology.

Communication Plan

There have been numerous meetings, discussions, phone calls, and email exchanges

between the course leader, program coordinator, and several faculty members regarding the

VENDOR implementation. While those involved at this stage agree on the direction, everyone

involved requires communication about the change. As mentioned previously, some instructors


will be technology-savvy and some will not. The communication plan should not be technical,

but if the communication requires technical terminology, it should include a definition or

explanation (Zachry, 2007).

Another issue is the large number of part-time faculty that often teach Aaaaaaaa’s CRM

course. Many of these instructors have other jobs or businesses in addition to teaching at

Aaaaaaaa. It is imperative to schedule training to accommodate for their schedules.

Email will be the primary medium of communication. This eliminates any issues with

scheduling conflicts and allows instructors, course leader, program coordinator, and

administration to collaborate on the issue at hand. Email is an effective way to develop a sense of

community amongst the learners (Liebowitz, 2003). It facilitates the delivery of information,

documentation, and discussion.

Face-to-face discussions and telephone conversations will take place in addition to email

communication. Before the meeting, the course leader or program coordinator will deliver a

meeting agenda to the appropriate groups via email. After the meeting, the course leader or

program coordinator will send a summary of the discussion with action items and

responsibilities.

During the delivery of VENDOR training to the students, the course leader will

encourage instructors to share their experiences in teaching the material to other instructors

(Trochim, 2001). After course completion, instructors will ask students to complete an

anonymous survey on their opinion of the material or delivery. In the first part of May, the

course leader, program coordinator, and instructors will meet, as per the annual course meetings.

The discussion will solicit feedback from instructors, compare instructor and student feedback,


and compare class averages from previous years that did not include VENDOR. The outcome

will include a plan moving forward and a list of any changes.

Human Resource Plan

Faculty responsibility. The faculty responsibility is to deliver real-world application of

CRM-related technology into the classroom. The faculty member must prepare lesson material,

understand the impact of the application on the CRM concepts, and assist students in their

understanding of the application (Zachry, 2007), (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008).

Instructors need to communicate lesson objectives and reasons for using the technology. The

training delivered to students is different from the training the instructors receive. Instructors

need to be aware of this difference and ensure that the student-centred training takes place. They

need to provide an environment that allows students to learn the material at their own pace to

solidify the understanding. This may require different classroom management strategies to deter

students from using their computers for other purposes that may distract other students.

Administration responsibility. The administration needs to support faculty in their own

learning and understanding of the software, support the internal procedures, and give the course

leader time to develop the new material (Badua, 2008).

Support staff responsibility. Support staff should be knowledgeable about the use of

VENDOR in the CRM course, but they do not require any first-hand knowledge or specific

training on the software. They may have access to usernames and passwords as a backup in case

students cannot contact their instructor for access.

ITSC responsibility. ITSC does not have any direct responsibility for the system outside

of normal operating procedures. They are not required to support the product.


Student responsibility. The student needs to understand that the application will directly

affect their ability to understand and apply CRM concepts. They need to overcome any barriers

to technology training by being open-minded (Wingard, 2000), (Costanza, 1993). By practicing

the exercises in the VENDOR module, students will develop a greater understanding of the

technology and its application in business (Oncu, Delialioglu, & Brown, 2008).

VENDOR responsibility. VENDOR has responsibility for providing access to and support

for the Aaaaaaaa implementation. They have done this already. Several instructors have

administrator access to the system, and VENDOR provided training and materials for instructor

to develop instructor and student training. VENDOR will continue to play a greater role in the

course development stages of the plan, as their existing material will create the framework and

flow for the lesson plans, as well as some of the exercises. VENDOR will provide ongoing

support for administrators of the system. VENDOR will continue to communicate technical

information such as upgrades, course training offerings to the VENDOR administrator or course

leader.


Conclusions and Recommendations

Aaaaaaaa’s School of Business is committed to incorporating the use of technology and

software in its courses to provide students with real-world business application of concepts.

Second-year marketing students take a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) course.

Given the direct link between CRM and technology, a project began to evaluate the viability of

using a commercial software product within the course. VENDOR was the chosen VENDOR

because of the correlation between the course material and the software, the cost of using the

software, and the support the college received from VENDOR.

This project’s objective was to develop an implementation plan for the course leader,

program coordinator, administration, and CRM instructors to set the new expectations for

incorporating VENDOR into the program. The best approach to teaching the application

effectively to students was to ensure that instructors were well versed in the software. This

project includes an instructor training plan, a student training plan, and a communications plan to

ensure that the VENDOR project is a success.

The School of Business faculty and staff would use this paper to assist in determining the

viability of software in other projects. The benefits to the organization are that it would present

an effective way to analyze the viability and suitability of a project. Currently, key personnel

meet once or twice a year to discuss a plan for change. However, with individual and union

contracts, it is difficult to break down a large project into smaller, more manageable pieces in a

short time frame. This project would help alleviate much of the intense work and decrease the

planning and implementation phases. In addition, a framework for project planning would allow


for clearer communication of the plan to upper management, and provide continuity if key

players responsible were no longer available for consultation or training.

A successful project would result with a framework for current and future projects, and a

shared plan for Aaaaaaaa faculty and staff. The specific project plan for VENDOR in a CRM

course is a key take-away for this project due to the implementation plan for Winter 2009.

Recommendations

Based on the findings, the following recommendations are suggested:

• A technical person must be in charge of developing the instructor and student training

material. This person must ensure that the material is concise, provides examples and

exercises, and explains the terminology in easy to understand language. Knowledge of

the faculty members and their teaching styles is ideal.

• It is beneficial to have a central VENDOR administrator that ensures all courses using

VENDOR are able to receive information in a timely manner.

• After subsequent implementations, testing and review would occur. The initial purpose

would determine if the system met the needs as intended. Ongoing issues or expected

dates would need reviewing.

• Using a phased approach, after the Winter 2009 implementation of VENDOR, course

leaders for other courses can look at implementing VENDOR. Specifically, VENDOR’s

use would be well positioned in Sales Account Management in the Marketing program,

eCRM in the E-Commerce program, and a variety of courses in the post-grad Sales

Management Certificate program.

• Following the communication to verification students’ receipt of the VENDOR

information would a smooth transition to the new material.


References

Adler, K. G. (2007). How to Successfully Navigate Your EHR Implementation. Family Practice

Management , 14 (2), pp. 33-39.

Anonymous. (2008, March). The Institute of Education selects solution from TechnologyOne.

Telecomworldwire .

Badua, F. (2008). Pedagogy and the PC: Trends in the AIS Curriculum. Journal of Education for

Business , 83 (5), 259-264.

Cook, T. (1992). The Role of Technology: A Plan To Support ODE and 21st Century Schools.

Evaluation/Feasibility, Oregon State Department of Education.

Costanza, J. R. (1993, August 11). From classroom to plant floor to bottom line. Manufacturing

Systems , 11 (8), p. 44.

Haughey, D. (2008). Project Planning A Step by Step Guide. Retrieved June 16, 2008, from

Project Smart: http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-planning-step-by-step.html

Jobert-Egou, C. (2003). Learning management systems: A case study of the implementation of a

Web-based competency and training management program at Bell Canada. M.A.

Dissertation, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.

Lewis, M. (1997). A Study of 21st Century Classroom Teachers' Perceptions Regarding the

Training and Use of Technology in K-12 Public Schools in Tennessee. Research,

Tennessee State Department of Education.


Liebowitz, J. (2003). A knowledge management implementation plan at a leading US technical

government organization: a case study. Knowledge and Process Management , 10 (4), pp.

254-259.

Maryland DBM. (2007). Implementation Plan. Retrieved June 16, 2008, from Maryland

Department of Budget and Management:

http://www.dbm.maryland.gov/portal/server.pt?space=Opener&control=OpenObject&ca

ched=true&in_hi_ClassID=18&in_hi_userid=1332&in_hi_ObjectID=597245&in_hi_Op

enerMode=2&

McManus, J. P. (1989). Developing A Detailed MRP-II Implementation Plan. Production and

Inventory Management Journal , 30 (2), 75.

Microsoft. (2008). Microsoft CRM Implementation Guide. Retrieved June 18, 2008, from

Microsoft TechNet: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-

us/library/bb676869.aspx#mainSection

Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. (2005, March). Business Administration -

Marketing Program Standard. Retrieved June 21, 2008, from Published College Program

Standards: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/college/progstan/business/busmrk-e.pdf

VENDOR. (2008). Interactive Dashboard. Retrieved June 22, 2008, from VENDOR:

http://www.VENDOR.com/portal/resource/interactive_dash_main.shtml

VENDOR. (2008). VENDOR CRM+. Retrieved June 22, 2008, from VENDOR:

http://www.VENDOR.com/portal/products/crm_plus/main.shtml

VENDOR University. (2008). Intoduction to VENDOR. San Mateo: VENDOR.


Oncu, S., Delialioglu, O., & Brown, C. A. (2008). Critical Components for Technology

Integration: How do Instructors Make Decisions? . The Journal of Computers in

Mathematics and Science Teaching , 27 (1), 19-46.

Price, S. S. (2003). Technology policy and classroom practice: The influence of federal and state

policy in district technology plans and the implications for classroom practice. Ed.D.

Dissertation, University of Southern California.

Rao, S. S. (1995, January). The simulator classroom. Financial World , 164 (2), p. 56.

SAS. (2008). A Successful Model for Marketing Students. Retrieved July 23, 2008, from SAS

Institute: http://www.sas.com/success/dalhousie.html

Sebor, J. (2007, July). Know, Know, Know? Customer Relationship Management , 11 (7), pp.

20-21.

Tennessee University. (1988). Strategic Planning Study Team: Final Report. Tennessee

University, Chattanooga.

Trepper, C. (1999, July). Staff training can help deployment efforts. InformationWeek (743), pp.

10A-14A.

Trochim, W. (2001). The Research Methods Knowledge Base (2nd ed.). Cincinnati, OH: Atomic

Dog Publishing.

White, L. (1987). Administrative Guidelines for the Implementation of Technology in Special

Education. Guide & Analyses, Council for Exceptional Children & ERIC Clearinghouse

on Handicapped and Gifted Children, Reston, VA.


Windelspecht, M. (2001). Technology in the freshman biology classroom: Breaking the dual

learning curve. The American Biology Teacher , 63 (2), pp. 96-101.

Wingard, J. M. (2000). Corporate education and new information technologies: Executive

perceptions of implementation barriers. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Pennsylvania,

Pennsylvania.

Zachry, M. (2007). An Interview with Andrew Feenberg. Technical Communication Quarterly ,

16 (4), pp. 453-472.


Appendix A. Gantt Chart

ID Task Name Duration Start Finish Resource Names Predecessors

1 Introduction to Vendor Course (Vendor University) 10 days? Mon 08-09-22 Fri 08-10-03 Course Leader

2 Instructor Training - Part 1 15 days? Mon 08-10-06 Fri 08-10-24 Course Leader 1

3 Create usernames and passwords for instructors 1 day? Mon 08-10-06 Mon 08-10-06 Course Leader

4 Provide instructors with self-study material and resources 1 day? Tue 08-10-07 Tue 08-10-07 Course Leader 3

5 Vendor Demo and overview for instructors 5 days? Mon 08-10-20 Fri 08-10-24 Course Leader 4,3

6 Discuss potential areas to include Vendor 5 days? Mon 08-10-20 Fri 08-10-24 Course Leader,Program Coordinator,CRM Instructors

7 Determine instructors for Winter 09 Delivery 40 days? Mon 08-10-06 Fri 08-11-28 Program Coordinator

8 Instructor Training - Part 2 (Vendor) 140 days? Mon 08-10-06 Fri 09-04-17 1

9 Develop material for instructor training 25 days? Mon 08-10-06 Fri 08-11-07 Course Leader

10 Create learning objectives 3 days? Mon 08-10-06 Wed 08-10-08 Course Leader 1

11 Create introduction module 4 days? Thu 08-10-09 Tue 08-10-14 Course Leader 10

12 Create module for administration 4 days? Wed 08-10-15 Mon 08-10-20 Course Leader 11

13 Create module for viewing customer information 2 days? Tue 08-10-21 Wed 08-10-22 Course Leader 12

14 Create module for marketing automation 3 days? Thu 08-10-23 Mon 08-10-27 Course Leader 13

15 Create module for customer service 1 day Tue 08-10-28 Tue 08-10-28 Course Leader 14

16 Create module for reporting 4 days? Wed 08-10-29 Mon 08-11-03 Course Leader 15

17 Create module for saved searches 1 day? Thu 08-11-06 Thu 08-11-06 Course Leader 16

18 Create a training package to print/view 1 day? Fri 08-11-07 Fri 08-11-07 Course Leader 17

19 Deliver training to instructors 5 days? Mon 09-03-02 Fri 09-03-06 Course Leader 18

20 Provide additional hands-on Vendor training 5 days? Mon 09-04-13 Fri 09-04-17 Course Leader,CRM Instructors,Program Coordinator19

21 Develop student material 20 days? Mon 08-11-10 Fri 08-12-05

22 Develop teaching material 15 days? Mon 08-11-10 Fri 08-11-28

23 Create learning objectives 2 days? Mon 08-11-10 Tue 08-11-11 Course Leader

24 Create introduction module 2 days? Wed 08-11-12 Thu 08-11-13 Course Leader 23

25 Create module for viewing customer information 1 day? Fri 08-11-14 Fri 08-11-14 Course Leader 24

26 Create module for marketing automation 3 days? Mon 08-11-17 Wed 08-11-19 Course Leader 25

27 Create module for customer service 1 day Thu 08-11-20 Thu 08-11-20 Course Leader 26

28 Create module for reporting 4 days? Fri 08-11-21 Wed 08-11-26 Course Leader 27

29 Create module for saved searches 1 day? Thu 08-11-27 Thu 08-11-27 Course Leader 28

30 Create a training package to print/view 1 day? Fri 08-11-28 Fri 08-11-28 Course Leader 29

31 Evaluation Plan 4 days? Tue 08-12-02 Fri 08-12-05

32 Investigate testing options 1 day? Tue 08-12-02 Tue 08-12-02 Course Leader 30

33 Develop testing material 3 days? Wed 08-12-03 Fri 08-12-05 Course Leader 32

34 Implement Vendor in CRM 21 days? Fri 09-03-27 Fri 09-04-24

35 Create username and passwords for students 1 day? Fri 09-03-27 Fri 09-03-27 Course Leader

36 Send emails to students with passwords 1 day? Mon 09-03-30 Mon 09-03-30 Course Leader

37 After Test - Self-study material 5 days? Mon 09-03-30 Fri 09-04-03 Students

38 Week 12 - Modules 1, 2, 3 1 day? Mon 09-04-06 Mon 09-04-06 CRM Instructors,Students 37

39 Week 13 - Modules 4, 5, 6 5 days? Mon 09-04-13 Fri 09-04-17 CRM Instructors,Students 38

40 Week 14 - Testing 5 days? Mon 09-04-20 Fri 09-04-24 CRM Instructors,Students 39

41 Review Vendor Implementation 15 days? Mon 09-04-27 Fri 09-05-15 40

42 Survey and discuss with students 1 day? Mon 09-04-27 Mon 09-04-27

43 Discuss with faculty 13 days? Wed 09-04-29 Fri 09-05-15

44 Compare mean results with previous years 1 day? Fri 09-05-01 Fri 09-05-01


ID Task Name

1 Introduction to Vendor Course (Vendor University)

2 Instructor Training - Part 1

3 Create usernames and passwords for instructors

4 Provide instructors with self-study material and resources

5 Vendor Demo and overview for instructors

6 Discuss potential areas to include Vendor

7 Determine instructors for Winter 09 Delivery

8 Instructor Training - Part 2 (Vendor)

9 Develop material for instructor training

10 Create learning objectives

11 Create introduction module

12 Create module for administration

13 Create module for viewing customer information

14 Create module for marketing automation

15 Create module for customer service

16 Create module for reporting

17 Create module for saved searches

18 Create a training package to print/view

19 Deliver training to instructors

20 Provide additional hands-on Vendor training

21 Develop student material

22 Develop teaching material

23 Create learning objectives

24 Create introduction module

25 Create module for viewing customer information

26 Create module for marketing automation

27 Create module for customer service

28 Create module for reporting

29 Create module for saved searches

30 Create a training package to print/view

31 Evaluation Plan

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader,Program Coordinator,CRM Instructors

Program Coordinator

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader,CRM In

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

Course Leader

21 28 05 12 19 26 02 09 16 23 30 07 14 21 28 04 11 18 25 01 08 15 22 01 08 15 22 29 05 12 19 26 03 10

'08 Oct '08 Nov '08 Dec '09 Jan '09 Feb '09 Mar '09 Apr '09 May


Figure Captions

Figure 1. Tasks in the implementation phases for the VENDOR in CRM. (Microsoft,

2008)

implementation plan for incorporating technology in the classroom

Documents