Changed landscape - 2020
The impact of the pandemic will continue well after the we become free from the lockdown and life returns to "normal"; however, our ways of working and learning changed almost overnight with the announcements of lockdowns in so many countries, and we found ourselves facing the challenge of making very swift changes to different ways of working and learning. Remote working and learning online in some format may not be new but doing more or exclusively online requires quick re-alignment with the realities of digital environment.
This guidance is meant for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to align training delivery models to support swift transition to remote working and learning for GEANT and its partners.
Developing relevant set of skills and processes is critically important:
- To meet the GN4.3 deliverables while adapting to a changed landscape.
- To ensure sustainability of GEANT value proposition to NRENs at present and and long-term.
Challenges
SMEs workload – there is a need to make effective use of their time and expertise required to support and develop training sessions and programmes
Training in the digital environment (vs. F2F) requires the development of additional layer of skills and working practices.
Good news: all skills acquired previously when delivering F2F training remain relevant and provide a solid foundation for new skills development.
How GLAD can help?
- Providing guidance and sharing our own expertise and working practices
- Training (TTT)
- Planning (individual sessions/training programmes)
- Creating eLearning (based on existing content)
- Dissemination (posting resources in agreed locations and/or via eAcademy)
- Organising training: promotion, invitations, registration, pre and post training communication, evaluations
Some very important things to remember!
The scope of change may seem overwhelming and daunting at first.
If this is the case there are some important points to bear in mind:
Start small - focus on a particular element or feature. Just - jump in - any place is a good place to start!
Take small steps and build your new training practice and skills over time.
The aim is NOT to create a perfect training session. The aim is to ensure that training delivers the objectives; that the training is relevant, engaging and memorable, and fun!
Get your audience involved (i.e. make as interactive as possible and relevant), it is the learning curve for them - we are learning by doing, together!
Next steps:
Read on: Different types of "online" and which one(s) to choose?
“Online” means a variety of options that can be combined in a way that allows to achieve desired goals in a most efficient (time saving) mode.
Live online (Instructor-led) – it may include:
a broadcast (lecture-type)
a webinar (presentation/talk with audience participation
Q&A session (“meet an Expert”) with an expert or a panel of experts
a demo of a particular tool/service
Online training delivered by external (commercial) training providers (subject to funding)
Exams/test (invigilated by an examiner) if relevant.
Remote online (self-study) - it includes:
Access to any repository of resources
Access to pre-recorded sessions
Signposting to externally available resources and training materials
The online training session or training programme may include any combination of live and remote learning.
Which elements to choose?
The choice is defined by a number of factors:
The goals of the training sessions/programme
Target audience (any pre-requisites for taking part in training)
Session/programme duration
Type of content available
Resources available and the amount of time that an SME can allocate to this project
Plan: "Begin with an end in mind..."
Start planning top down.
- Formulate the goals of training session (s)/programme
- Take stock of the content available
- Timescale: agree the start date and “roll back” from that date to see how much time you have/need to prepare.
- Resources available to me (i.e. who else can help/needs to be involved)
- Consider any time saving options
Most critically important things to decide at the very start are the goals and the content.
What are the goals of the training session(s)/programme? How do I define goals?
Ask yourself a question: “What do I want the participants to do after they complete the training?” Think about it in specific actions (rather than generic terms), i.e. “participants should be able to review/replace/install/contact me, etc”.
And your answer will be the definitions of goals that training is meant to achieve.
Pitfall to avoid:
Focussing on your own actions (“I will do the presentation, then I will do the demo, then…) and losing the site of goals.
Solution:
Plan your own actions but keep audience in mind at all times, i.e. “how my actions will help to achieve the goal”
Taking stock of the content: do I have everything I need for the training?
Sample content inventory:
Type of content | Can be accessed at: | Content owner(s) | Modification required Y/N | Any other comments |
User Guides |
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Tools |
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Videos |
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Technical documentation |
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Web links to any external resources |
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Implementation: put it all together
Getting the sessions ready – using a template (see below) may help to structure and organise the process of preparing a training session/programme.
Title of a session/programme
Trainer(s)/presenters
Content owners (if different from trainers)
Collaborators (i.e. GLAD or there may be a team behind)
Start date
Finish date
Goals – list no more than three - overall. If there are modules of learning - list no more than 3 goals per module. (3 is a "magic" number, if there are more than 3 - it is really hard to achieve them all)
Programme outline (brief description):
For example:
"Training will be delivered as a combination of 3 live online sessions delivered over XXX period of time and access to resources for self-study for the duration of training. Live online sessions will be delivered as 2 webinars and “Meet the experts” Q&A session".
Component description | Who is responsible for implementation | Any comments |
Live online session 1 |
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Live online session 2 |
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Q&A session |
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Content for remote access (self-study) |
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Consider these elements at the very start:
Programme launch
Initial communication = promotion: date and who will be responsible
Invitations to register: date and who will be responsible
Joining instructions: date registration is open/closed and who will be responsible
Post- training activities
Further support/contact details
Signposting to resources available
Evaluations (if relevant)
Certification (if included)
Programme (session) development - tasks
Component description | Who by | Tasks | Date to be completed | Status |
Welcome/Introduction | IM | Welcome slides; "house rules", audio/video checks | dd/mm/yy |
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Please get in touch with GLAD for individualised support, we are happy to help.
