LEARNING GUIDE
In collaboration with
LEARNING GUIDE
Table of Contents 1. Presentation of the Program on Capacity Building in Integration and Commerce ........................................................................................................... 3 2. Selection process for the grant to participate in the Program ............................. 4 3. Teaching-learning methodology .............................................................................. 4 4. Structure and development of a course .................................................................. 5 5. Rules of the game during the course ....................................................................... 6 6. Responsibilities of the players in the learning process ......................................... 8 6.1. The participants ......................................................................................................... 8 6.2. Course director.................................................................................................. 9 6.3. Course teacher .................................................................................................. 9 6.4. Technical-Educational coordinator ................................................................. 10 6.5. Previous Activities Module Tutor ................................................................... 10 7. Material and didactic resources ............................................................................... 11 8. Practical activities and exercises .............................................................................. 11 9. Performance evaluation of course participants and their qualification ............. 13
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1. Presentation of the Program on Capacity Building in Integration and Commerce The Integration and Trade Sector of the Vice-Presidency of the Sectors and Knowledge of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) coordinates the Capacity Building and Integration Program in collaboration with INTAL, the Institute for the Integration of Latin America and the Caribbean and INDES, the Institute for the Economic and Social Development of the IDB. The Capacity Building Program offered by the IDB with the support of the CEDDET Foundation, supports the operational processes for integration in areas such as the negotiation and implementation of trade agreements, trade facilitation and security, customs innovation, export promotion and investment attraction, physical integration including transport, border crossings, energy interconnection and efficiency and access to broadband and international development cooperation. The Program is aimed at civil servants and technical experts who carry out their activity in public and private institutions and whose professional practice is directly related to the course subject matter. The strategic objective of the Program is to increase the effectiveness of these organizations and to help boost regional growth and development. The invitations by the IDB are directed at institutions that lead or carryout activities related to the course so that these can put forward applicants. The academic board of each course will admit a maximum of 45 participants. The courses of the Program are financed using the Bank’s own resources, the integration funds of the IDB such as the Aid for Trade Fund with contributions from Canada, Chile, United Kingdom and Switzerland; the Regional Infrastructure Integration Fund with contributions from Canada, Colombia, Spain, United States and Mexico, in addition to direct contributions from Korea and Japan.
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2. Selection process for the grant to participate in the Program All the candidates have to be approved by an IDB partner institution and they have to complete the Pre-Course Activities Module to a satisfactory standard if they wish to be eligible for a grant for the Program. A maximum of 75 applicants per course can be pre-admitted to the Module or the Previous Activities that are dedicated to learning about the tools in the Virtual Classroom. However, the maximum number of spaces per course is 45 in order to facilitate a deeper exchange of experiences and to give personalized attention to participants. The IDB will endeavor to have a balanced representation on each course of all the institutions that are beneficiaries of the Program together with a balance of nationalities, profiles and genders out of the eligible applicant total.
3. Teaching-learning methodology The teaching model that this Program is based on, is that of encouraging reflection and construction of knowledge in a collaborative manner, and to favor critical thinking, interaction and activation of collective intelligence. From a methodological point of view, this model is characterized by understanding that the participant is the protagonist of his own learning, the teacher is a guide and a facilitator of this, and the remaining participants are enablers of a social learning process that has a network of professionals providing continuation and feedback over time. For this reason, different types of group activities are proposed in the tutored virtual courses, which range from group reflection to carrying out comparative or case studies in teams that are aimed at encouraging a sense of community and of eWorking.
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Educational technologies in the context of institutional training are aimed at facilitating the teaching-learning process and at connecting participants among themselves, and with both experts and content, without geographical or time limitations. The virtual learning environment makes the creation possible of professional networks or communities that are capable of becoming involved in a continuous capacity building process and of taking on challenges that are increasingly complex and interconnected at an international level.
4. Structure and development of a course The course is structured into teaching or themed modules that last a week. In addition, it includes a module of Previous Activities for learning how to use the Virtual Classroom, as well as one or two weeks of additional time for catching up with activities that have not been delivered on time, or that have not met the established objectives. For each teaching module a schedule with guidelines has been developed with each of the activities to be carried out during that week, and its weight within the evaluable activities total. The activities should be carried out according to this schedule in order to benefit from the collective learning process while also contributing to it. The courses are developed entirely through the Virtual Classroom and essentially in an asynchronous manner, but within a time period that is the same for all participants. Occasionally at the start or end of the course, a synchronous activity may be programmed such as videoconferences, webinars or tutorial via chat that will always be voluntary and non-evaluable. Both the videoconferences recorded and the text of the chat will then be available to those participants who were not able to participate in the activity in real time. In other words, in order to participate in the course, connecting at certain times is not necessary, as this can be done at the most convenient time for each participant. Nevertheless, as many courses are structured into modules during which participants develop practical activities as a group or
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simultaneously, having a flexible timetable is not incompatible with fluid communication and collaborative learning. Each course is likely to include the following tools: Noticeboard with course news. Forum with academic queries open for all modules that will be answered by the teacher of each module or the director. Forum with technical queries concerning the Virtual Classroom open throughout the course and managed by the technical-educational coordinator (TEC) Café forum, open from Module 1 is a space for personal interaction. Weekly themed forum/s in order to deal with the subjects raised by the module in the module. Content of each module. Space for Bibliographic Resources or Document Center. Tasks for delivering the activities to be evaluated. Weekly schedule with a proposal on how to distribute time. Internal messaging system for communication with the Virtual Classroom. Different types of self-evaluation tests. Surveys on modules and final survey in order to provide feedback on each module and the course in general.
5. Rules of the game during the course The "rules of the game" regarding the course, and in particular those concerning activity in the forums are important in order to guide the actions of participants. It should be remembered that the main objective of the course is that each individual participant should learn, together with the group as a whole. For this reason:
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We will encourage an environment of respect and trust among the different members of the course, recognizing the diversity of ideas, avoiding any act of discrimination and using respectful language. We will maintain open and assertive communication with all those making up the course: participants, teachers and technical-educational coordinator. We will concentrate on focusing our contributions in the themed forums on issues that are being treated in the modules and we will take our queries regarding the course and personal interactions to the right forum in order not to distract the attention of the group. We will preserve the confidentiality of the participants and their contributions, and we will agree not to take these outside the context of the Virtual Classroom without the agreement of the participant or author. We will help our colleagues learn and encourage them to contribute, but we will give our opinions and advice only when asked. We will not convert the Virtual Classroom or the Forums into a space for promoting activities and products. Although these spaces can help us find professionals with whom to collaborate and even friends, our main relationship in these spaces is that of companions in a learning community. We will not convert the forums into ideological debates, rather we will try to understand the points of view of the other participants, and not make value judgments while respecting the diversity of the contributions in order to create a safe and rewarding learning space. We will respect the intellectual property of the course contents and we agree to provide our sources when we put forward ideas belonging to a third party. In general, it is important that any problems arising over the course are dealt with and solved as soon as possible. For this the teaching team should be contacted as quickly as possible (teacher and/or technical educational coordinator, depending on the case).
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For the proper functioning of the course, it is also necessary to be aware of what is expected of each of us and our role during the course. In the following section the responsibilities are described of each player in the course of this Program.
6. Responsibilities of the players in the learning process 6.1. The participants The participants admitted on the course are responsible for: Ensuring a space with physical resources and suitable connectivity that will guarantee continuous participation during the course. Booking 15 hours a week and organizing their time in such a way that they can respond effectively to the demands of the course. Ensuring that they are properly connected with the teacher and technicaleducational coordinator, and that they can access the material on the course. Paying attention to the general instructions published on the noticeboard and the specific indications established in each module, studying the corresponding theory and then carrying out the practical activities. Participating actively in group activities and sharing their professional experience in order to make learning in pairs possible. Reading the course material, carrying out the planned activities and contributing positively to the group learning process. Participating actively in the course group activities (forums, webinars). Watching out for difficulties that may arise during the development of the course and communicating these to the teaching team as soon as possible in order to look for solutions.
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Informing the teaching team of any circumstances that may exceptionally impede following the course and if possible, commit to catching up with the activities not carried out on time or in the appropriate manner. Carrying out all the activities proposed by the teaching team that are obligatory for obtaining the qualification. Completing all the surveys in the modules, as well as the final survey of the course (the course certificate will not be issued until the final survey is answered, even when the score obtained is 65 or above). The participant can be suspended from the course for improper behavior in the virtual classroom, after having received a warning from the teaching team on the inappropriate nature of their action.
6.2. Course director The director of a course will be responsible for: Coordinating the preparation of course content. Supporting the teachers while the module is being taught. Reviewing the final evaluations of participants. Mediating should any disagreement arise during the course.
6.3. Course teacher The teacher of each module will be responsible for: Answering the queries of the participants in the academic queries forum, as well as the internal messages in the Virtual Classroom within 24 hours during working days. Facilitating and guiding the participants’ learning process, dealing with the concrete needs of the participants.
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Offering guidance for the resolution of practical activities and any observations or discussions that arise in the themed forums. Evaluating each of the activities in the space of 3 days after finishing the module. Providing constructive feedback in order to support the learning process of the participants. Providing the participants with guidance regarding the dynamics of the course and facilitating the exchange of ideas among the group of participants.
6.4. Technical-Educational coordinator The support tutor, also called the Technical-Educational Coordinator (TEC), who will be available throughout the course, is responsible for: Resolving the queries related to accessing the platform, to its navigation and the use of tools in the Virtual Classroom that are received via email, in the technical queries forum or in messaging system within a 24 hours period during working days. Offer participants guidance on the use of resources. Redirect possible academic consultations (in exceptional cases, given that these should be directed at professors).
6.5. Previous Activities Module Tutor The tutor of the Previous Activities Module is responsible for: Locating and first contact with the course applicants. Support the applicants regarding the learning process and the tools in the Virtual Classroom before the start of the first teaching week of the course.
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Evaluating the activities carried out by applicants of the Previous Activities Module and for sending this to the Academic Committee of the Program for the final selection of those admitted on the course.
7. Material and didactic resources The course with have material and didactic resources that will aid the learning process for participants. This will include: A learning guide. A course presentation. An activities plan for modules (this will be published weekly). Content developed specifically for the course: class sessions, documents, reading guides, analysis outlines, videos, etc. Cases and/or practical activities. Reference resources: readings taken from texts and books that have been delivered to participants electronically. All these resources, unlike reference resources that serve to complement and widen the knowledge of participants, are essential for carrying out course activities, as they serve as indicators of how much progress has been made.
8. Practical activities and exercises Every course has individual and group activities to encourage learning and develop skills. Delivering activities on time and in the appropriate manner, as well as the quality of the participation throughout the course, are two essential factors for passing the course and obtaining the qualification. The learning activities that are usually included in the course of this program may require participants to carry out:
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Reading of the texts in each module. These texts make up the theory of the module and include essential knowledge on the material that the participant should be familiar with and which may be evaluated. Moreover, on occasions additional or complementary material (presentations, articles, legal regulations, etc.) related to the modules may be attached to help the participant widen his/her knowledge and solve some of the exercises. The content of the complementary material cannot be evaluated and reading this is voluntary. Tutored exercises. When resolving these exercises either individually or in a group, the participant should apply the main concepts learnt and reflect on the most important aspects in each module. When the replies given by the participants are based on national legislation in their respective countries, preferably the articles applicable to each particular case will be indicated. The response to these exercises should be set out in a document that will be delivered, through the platform, to the teacher, and it should be attached in the tasks section of the relevant module (the explanation for doing this can be viewed in the video-tutorial Navigating the Virtual Classroom which can be found in the main page of the course). Self-evaluation exercises (test). This individual activity serves to evaluate the understanding of concepts and their correct use so that they can later be put into practice. The professor can limit the number of attempts the participant can make. Debates and observations on subjects of interest. For this and other group activities the tools in the Virtual Classroom forum should be used that permit communication between participants and teachers. Active participation is recommended in these forums, the contributions made should be read and analyzed, and constructive reflection by both the teacher and participants should also be carried out. Studies of cases and development of projects or prototypes. This type of activity permits applying the knowledge acquired to real or simulated
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situations and to validate learning in this type of capacity building in an efficient manner. Voluntary contributions. Participants can make these using the tools provided for this (for example, databases of applicable legislation in their respective countries or specific forums for treating situations or concrete national cases). Each week a guide of the activities to be carried out is published in a schedule to serve as a guide. On Sunday at 24 hours, local time in each country, the time finishes for delivering the activities of each module, and the work that has not been delivered in this timeframe will not be evaluated until the catch-up week.
9. Performance evaluation of course participants and their qualification The performance evaluation of the participants on the course is continuous, through the revision of their work and activities as well as their participation in group activities. All the activities of the course are important, given that each activity was designed to contribute to a learning a skill, and therefore they should all be carried out satisfactorily to gain the qualification. The weight of each activity and the total score of the course is indicated in the Activities Schedule of each module. At the end of each module, the teacher will provide feedback on the activities carried out, and a rating will be given as well as a final score for the module. The evaluations are confidential and each participant can only access these though the Virtual Classroom the Thursday after the module has finished. The final score of the module will be a “pass” only when all the activities of the module have been carried out satisfactorily. Should a participant have to retake an activity, he/she will be told which one and the date this will take place. The retaking of activities will take place during the catch-up week and the results will be given the following week. 13
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The teacher will assess the performance of the participants according to the following criteria: The quality of the activities delivered in the task section. The quality of the contributions in the forums as well as continuous participation throughout the week. Self-evaluation questionnaires. Cooperation during group activities (especially participation in the forum). Consistency when following the course. Delivering activities within the established timeframe. All the activities are rated out of 100 points, and obtaining a minimum of 65 in each of these is necessary for the course achievement certificate. Should a participant have to re-sit an activity, he/she will be told which one and the date this will take place. The retaking of activities will take place during the “Catch-up week” at the end out the course. Once the activities have been made up, the teacher will establish the final score. Carrying out all the activities and obtaining a score equal to or above 65/100, and completing the skills survey (pre and post-test) with the final survey of satisfaction are essential requirements for obtaining the course qualification. A high average is not sufficient if there are activities (forum and/or exercises) that have not been completed. The final score is the result of the arithmetic mean of all the scores of the modules in the course. For this all the modules should have been passed. This score will be communicated once all the activities for closing the course have been carried out. Carrying out all the activities is essential for obtaining the course certificate. A high average score is not enough if there are still activities (forum and/or exercises) that have not been completed. According to what has been established in this Program, the certificate is offered in a digital format and it will be delivered through the Virtual Classroom. If the 14
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participant requires a physical document, this can be printed in color and on card. In this case the certificate that is printed will be the original document which will have been sent electronically. Moreover, if the validity of the certificate has to be verified, this can be done by contacting the INDES BID-INDES@iadb.org Each participant will receive a certificate depending on the following conditions: ď Ž Pass certificate: if all the conditions for participating in the course have been met, and a total score of between 65 and 89 points has been obtained. ď Ž Certificate of excellence: if the conditions for participating in the course have been met, and a score equal to or greater than 90 points has been achieved. The name that appears in the certificate is that given by the participant on registering in the capacity building Program site, and the accuracy of the data is the responsibility of the participant.
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