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Shauna Crouch Design
Learning Objectives
Learners will have a clear definition of mindfulness, develop strategies for managing internal distractions like worry and rumination, develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with workplace stress, practice mindful listening techniques to improve communication with colleagues, and enhance overall well-being and resilience through mindfulness practices.
Assessment of Learner Characteristics
A survey was given to a sample group of 50 participants ages 18 and older gathering knowledge about their level of understanding of mindfulness, the levels of anxiety they experience at home and the workplace, and how they currently cope with stress and anxiety.
Defining Mindfulness
40% of participants felt certain that they could define mindfulness.
60% ranged from not knowing at all to having some idea of what it is.
Experiencing Anxiety
46% experience anxiety often or daily in their personal life.
32% experience anxiety several times a month in their personal life.
39% experience anxiety often or daily in the workplace.
33% experience anxiety several times a month in the workplace.
Practicing Mindfulness
38% practice mindfulness often or daily in their personal life.
44% practice mindfulness occasionally in their personal life.
37% practice mindfulness often or daily in the workplace.
27% practice mindfulness occasionally in the workplace.
Current Techniques
Participants were asked how they currently cope with anxiety and were able to select multiple answers. They were also given the option to report other coping strategies.
74% use distraction such as music or reading
64% talk to someone
60% use breathing exercises
50% use exercise
36% use meditation
26% ignore the problem
12% selected other
Of the participants that selected other, several reported using medication or substances. Some reported using leisure activities to destress.
Conclusions
The majority of learners experience anxiety at work and in their personal lives and would benefit from clarification as to what mindfulness is and how to use these techniques to reduce stress and enhance their well-being.
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Learning Environment & Constraints
User-friendly platform - A platform that is easy to navigate and use, compatible with different devices.
Engaging interface - Content presented in an attractive and visually appealing way.
Learners will need access to Articulate 360 or a compatible LMS system to access the course.
Learning Objectives
Learners will be able to explain what mindfulness is. Learners will have knowledge of several mindfulness techniques that can be practiced easily and quickly in any place.
Target Audience
Learners will be persons experiencing anxiety or stress in the workplace. The workplace can be a place of employment or an educational setting.
Specific Training Needs
Core Principles of Mindfulness
Understanding the science behind mindfulness and its benefits for stress reduction, focus, and emotional regulation.
Mindfulness Practices
Familiarity with different mindfulness techniques like meditation, breathing exercises, and body scans.
Application of Mindfulness in the Workplace
Knowing how to apply mindfulness practices to common workplace challenges like time management, communication, and dealing with difficult colleagues.
Resource & Technology Analysis
Resources
Mindfulness and psychology websites, recent research articles on mindfulness in the workplace, audio recordings of mindfulness exercises and meditations.
Technology
Articulate Rise 360 and compatible LMS, employee access through computer, tablet, or mobile device.
Learner Analysis Report
Job Level
Employees at all levels can benefit from mindfulness, but the course can be tailored to address specific needs based on the level:
Managing stress,
Improving focus,
Developing emotional
regulation skills.
Concerns around time management,
Handling difficult colleagues,
Leading with presence.
Maintaining focus and mental clarity under pressure,
Fostering mindful leadership qualities.
Industry
The course can be applicable across various industries. However, it might be especially relevant for high-stress fields like finance, healthcare, technology, and education.
Motivations
Improving stress management, enhancing focus and productivity, boosting emotional intelligence, and creating a healthier work-life balance
Learning Styles
Open to various learning methods, including:
Lectures for foundational knowledge about mindfulness,
Interactive activities to practice mindfulness techniques,
Audio guides and meditations for practicing mindfulness exercises,
Visual aids to support understanding of concepts.
Challenges
Feeling overwhelmed and stressed, difficulty focusing, poor work-life balance, facing challenges in disconnecting from work and prioritizing personal well-being, and high levels of workplace conflict - needing strategies for managing difficult colleagues and communication challenges.
Course Outline
A course outline was created with an introductory lesson defining mindfulness and describing what benefits of mindfulness in the workplace. Following this are four lessons with various categories of mindfulness practices: Grounding Techniques, Breathing Exercises, Guided Meditation, and Mindfulness in Your Daily Routine. The selected mindful exercises are intended to be short and easy to practice anywhere, even in a fast-paced work environment. A final lesson describes research on how to implement mindfulness successfully in the workplace. This lesson is of most benefit to Senior Level professionals, whereas the previous lessons are of benefit to professionals of all levels. The course concludes with a summary of the course and resources for further exploration.
Instructional Strategies
This course will be entirely digital and available interactive applications will be used to diversify the learner's experience of content. The best strategies would be visualization, simulations, and hands-on practice guided through audio and video recordings. Some activities will include flashcards, interactive pictures, embedded process slides, and audio and video meditation resources.
Assessments
As this content is for self-improvement, the assessments will be self-driven. Knowledge checks will be implemented throughout the course for the benefit of the learner.
Storyboarding
Storyboards were created using Figma. To access and view the storyboards, use the link below:
Course Materials & Assessments
The content of this course was built using Articulate Rise 360. Images were obtained through Unsplash and edited in Canva. The course structure follows the course outline and includes assessments at the end of each section.
Learning Environment
This course is provided through an e-learning platform. The learning experience is currently self-paced and is accessed through a link. The learner is taken directly to the launch page for this course via the link. No user login and password are required for access.
Objectives
The learner will be able to define and explain mindfulness. The learner will be familiar with and able to practice a variety of brief mindfulness activities.
Schedule
The course can be completed in 60 to 90 minutes depending on the learner's pace.
Expectations
The learner will be capable of practicing mindfulness techniques if the learner desires to do so.
Gathering Feedback
Learners were asked to complete a course evaluation survey created in Google Forms. The questions asked learners to rate their ability to define mindfulness and the likelihood that they would practice one of the strategies learned in the course.
Suggested Improvements
To improve this course, learners suggested a better indication that the course was complete, such as a "Done" button or message. Others recommended that more of the course be devoted to information and suggestions for leadership.
Future iterations will include a message indicating that the course is complete and possibly a CTA button directing the learner back to the lesson landing page. More research will be done on strategies specifically targeting the needs of those in leadership roles. Potentially a list of recommended reading or resources can be provided as well.
Evaluation Using Kirkpatrick's Model
Level 1: Reaction
Learners reported that they liked the course's tone which was professional yet clear and simple. One learner wrote that the experience was like "reading an interesting article on (a) website instead of (an) educational course." Another learner enjoyed that the course had examples and links to other resources.
Level 2: Learning
Results from the survey indicated that all participating learners felt confident in their ability to define mindfulness. They also indicated that they would utilize at least one technique from the course. These responses indicate that the learning objectives of this course were met.
Level 3: Behavior
Due to the nature of this course being public rather than created for a contained organization, the ability to measure this aspect is limited. However, behavior change is anticipated as learners predict that they will be utilizing these strategies in the future.
Level 4: Results
This course was not created for a particular organization, but rather for social good. My hope is that this course will provide learners with several tools for coping with stresses occurring in the workplace resulting in an overall better well-being.
Reflection
The results of the survey indicate that this course was successful in meeting the initial learning objectives. While self-reporting through a survey provided some insights, it has its limitations. Ultimately, the only way to truly know that the learning targets were met would be through facilitator evaluation rather than self-directed e-learning. The strong points of this course are its online accessibility and level of content, serving the purpose of introducing the learner to mindfulness and its applications in the workplace.
There is room for improvement by making additions to the content and improving communication at the end of the course. There is also room to build upon this lesson for learners that wish to pursue more knowledge and greater range of application. Although the course provides links to resources for further learning, more advanced courses could be built as well.
Overall, I believe this course provides the learner with a positive learning experience and the suggested improvements will only make it more so.
