Online Performance Technology Degrees

Performance technology degrees online entails learning more about how to improve human performance in a working environment.

Many terms are used to define the field of human performance management, which is closely related to instructional design and instructional technology. The field of performance improvement is defined as the systematic process of discovering and analyzing human performance improvement gaps, planning for future improvements in human performance, designing and developing cost-effective and ethically-justifiable interventions to close performance gaps, implementing the interventions, and evaluate the financial and non financial results. Several accredited online colleges and universities offer coursework leading to an online performance technology degree at various levels including a Ph.D. in Education/Training and Performance Improvement.

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Selected Online Performance Technology Degrees

Jones International University

• MEd in Adult Education
• MEd in Corporate Training and Knowledge Management

Capella University - Online

• PhD - Training and Performance Improvement
• MS - Training and Performance Improvement
• MS - Postsecondary and Adult Education

• M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology - Training and Performance Improvement
• Master of Public Administration - Knowledge Management

Keller Graduate School of Management

• Graduate Certificate in Educational Management
• Graduate Certificate in Management of Educational Corporations/Corporate Training Divisions

University of the Rockies - Online

• MA in Psychology - Sports and Performance Psychology
• Doctor of Psychology - Sports and Performance Psychology

Capella University - Online: Offers a Master of Education - Training and Performance Improvement and a PhD in Education - Training focuses on training and performance improvement. It is designed for professionals for roles that include training specialist, career counselor, professional coach, sales trainer, adult educator, and performance improvement consultant. The master's and other graduate degree specializations help you develop new competencies to enhance your teaching techniques or advance to administration or leadership roles.

Jones International University: Offers a Master of Education in Corporate Training and Management. This specialization will prepare you to create e-learning strategies for your organization using needs assessment, survey methods, and principles of strategic management planning, mastering the skills necessary to manage an e-learning environment.

Walden University: Offers a Master of Public Administration - Knowledge Management: The program prepares students to develop innovative solutions to their organizations’ most critical challenges through the comprehensive creation, sharing and use of knowledge, and the effective education of adult learners. The curriculum focuses on organizational change (Total Quality, Six Sigma, re-engineering, Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award) and organizational learning, including the deployment of corporate universities.

DeVry University: Offers a certificate program that is ideal for students who wish to specialize in management of educational corporations or corporate training divisions without having to completing the entire MBA degree program. Request information about the Graduate Certificate in Management of Educational Corporations/Corporate Training Divisions. This area of study falls under performance technology degrees

Performance Improvement Management Training and Education

So, what are online performance technology degrees all about? The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) defines Performance Improvement as "the process of identifying and analyzing important organizational and individual performance gaps, planning for future performance improvement, designing and developing cost-effective and ethically justifiable interventions to close performance gaps, implementing the interventions, and evaluating the financial and non-financial results."

The International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) defined HPT as a "systematic approach to improving productivity and competence that uses a set of methods and procedures -- and a strategy for solving problems -- for realizing opportunities related to the performance of people. It is the process of selection, analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of programs to most cost-effectively influence human behavior and accomplishment. It is also a systematic combination of three important processes which can be applied to individuals, small groups, and large organizations." These are:

• Performance analysis
• Cause analysis
• Intervention selection

Human Performance Technology (HPT) is defined as a systematic approach that is used to improving organizational and individual performance, productivity, and output. It is also referred to as Performance Technology(PT), which is related to:

• Six Sigma
• Process Improvement
• Organization Development
• Instructional Design and Technology
• Motivation
• Human Factors
• Learning Design
• Performance Support Systems
• Knowledge Management
• Training

Human Performance Careers

HPT rigorously analyzes the needs of an organization (need analysis), process and human performance for new design and identifying the causes for performance gaps, and tries to provide new designs and solutions to improve and sustain the performance and outcomes. It is also focused on evaluating the results and outcomes of the intervention (program evaluation). Performance technology degree programs combine aspects of the above areas in their PT courses.

Corporate training job titles include:

• Training and development specialist
• Training manager
• Training director
• Organizational development consultant
• e-Learning specialist
• Chief learning officer (CLO) or chief knowledge officer (CKO)
• Technical trainer
• Customer service trainer

Expected Salary and Projected Career Growth

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the market for corporate training jobs continues to grow. This growth is influenced by the trends in which corporations need to keep pace with the rising standard for worker productivity, technology and knowledge. Job growth in corporate training and performance technology is projected to grow by 16-18% over the next several years. The average annual income for trainers and development managers is around $92,000, with a base salary of about $52,000 for training specialists and others with experience and academic credentials campus and online performance technology degrees and related training.