There's No Place Like Home

Look into my crystal ball. The future is inside.

But perhaps not inside the crystal ball illustrated in this blog. Much like the traveling salesman in The Wizard of Oz, the future can sometimes be best forecasted by observing the telltale signs of the present. And our current expectations have a powerful impact on where our attention goes in the future. The journey through Purdue's Human Performance and Technology is no exception. So, what might our traveling salesman of the Frank Baum classic see in his crystal ball if I were to climb inside his wagon of curiosities? What observations might he make as I hand him my picture of the images I hold close to me?

The first image that would emerge is a question mark. This class is Human Performance Technology (HPT). This course's title surprised me because I have heard quite a bit about Human Performance Improvement (HPI). I am curious about the distinction between the two terms. If I were to hazard a guess, I might suggest that HPI is the systematic study of how human performance can be improved. And HPT would be how technology can support the scientific findings of HPI. For example, writing a reflection can be a fantastic tool for personal growth and unearthing potential growth areas. And using a blog as a tool to do this is a technology-based means of accomplishing this job.

I anticipate that the next eight weeks might combine examining HPI principles and research and using technology to implement HPI findings. I may already be able to use technological tools that will support these principles (such as writing a blog on Wix). However, my understanding of human performance is mainly through observation and what I have learned about the learning process. Much like Dorthey and her companions, I believe the upcoming 8-week journey down the proverbial, yellow-bricked road will bring new twists and turns, bringing me back to my backyard, this time with a new perspective.

My knowledge of the HPT landscape as a formal discipline is mainly unexplored. So, I expect to hit a few flying monkeys and poppy fields. Precisely what those pain points might be, I can't say. Maybe I will even pull back the curtain on a few mysteries. Although the iconic phrase " There's no place like home." may very well characterize the end of my journey through this class, it is that new perspective and increased ability to articulate my knowledge in the context of HPT principles that will make the journey back home worthwhile.

Once home, my crystal ball tells me I will look once more into the future with a whole new perspective and a bigger bag of "tricks' in my wagon. From there, the journey will begin again as I apply what I have learned on some less traveled road. Perhaps this time, armed with the solid principles of HPT and HPI, it will be easier to convince the wicked witches to put down their broomsticks.