The Tier System
This system breaks up experiential learning assignments into three levels of tiers by their difficulty and amount of resources needed. Tiers are used to provide clarity into how to scale the assignment based around the technical skills, cost, time, complexity, and tools that are available.
Using the tier system will help universities set the amount of resources, time, and personnel that they will need to create the assignment.
Criteria
Technical Skills: The level of abilities and knowledge needed by staff to perform the required tasks.
Cost: The financial burden associated with completing the required tasks. Does anything need to be purchased? How much does it cost? What are the operational costs, such as software, servers, and production hours?
Specialists: The number of staff with abilities and knowledge needed to perform the required tasks.
Investment Time: The time required to research and plan the assignment.
Production Time: The time required to develop, test, evaluate, and maintain the assignment. Does your personnel have the capacity for this?
Complexity: How difficult it is to achieve the desired result?
Tools: The number of tools that need to be developed or used to implement the assignment. How many tools will be useful for students?
Tiers by Resources Required
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Skill | Low | Proficient | Expert |
| Cost | Free to low | Subscription Services | Enterprise Services |
| Specialists | 0 - 1 | 2 - 3 | 4 + |
| Investment Time (hrs) | 0 - 10 | 11 - 35 | 36 + |
| Production Time (hrs) | 0 - 35 | 36 - 100 | 101 + |
| Complexity | Simple | Moderate | High |
| Tools | 0 - 1 | 2 - 3 | 4 + |
Digital Poster
| Tier 1 | |
|---|---|
| Technical Skill | Low |
| Cost | Free |
| Specialist | 0 |
| Investment Time (hrs) | 3 |
| Production Time (hrs) | 40 |
| Complexity | Simple |
| Tools | 1 |
Persuasive Speech
| Tier 1 | |
|---|---|
| Technical Skill | Low |
| Cost | Free |
| Specialist | 1 |
| Investment Time (hrs) | 3 |
| Production Time (hrs) | 40 |
| Complexity | Simple |
| Tools | 0 |
Interactive Essay
| Tier 2 | |
|---|---|
| Technical Skill | Proficient |
| Cost | Free |
| Specialist | 1 |
| Investment Time (hrs) | 3 |
| Production Time (hrs) | 80 |
| Complexity | Moderate |
| Tools | 0 |
Forward - Leadership Simulation
| Tier 3 | |
|---|---|
| Technical Skill | Proficient |
| Cost | Enterprise Services |
| Specialist | 4 |
| Investment Time (hrs) | 1 |
| Production Time (hrs) | 3,025 |
| Complexity | Extremely High |
| Tools | 2 |