HEALTH CRISIS Operation COVID-19
Virtual volunteers embrace online learning Staff and trainees cross digital divide to distanced classes together.
M
arine Rescue NSW volunteers and staff have embraced their own home schooling in a switch to online training throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 130 members have been attending classes on Zoom as they work towards their Leading Crew, Coxswain and Radio Operator ratings. Training and Education Director Chris Butler said the Training Department was running 35 separate online classes between late April and mid-August. He said more than 80 members were attending the Leading Crew course and about 50 were undertaking the Radio Operator course. Tutorial sessions also are available for members studying for their Coxswain qualification.
“The entire coastline is being covered virtually,” Mr Butler said. He said while the Training Department had been developing online learning course work and tools, the pandemic had led to an earlier rollout of the system in a real-time environment. “We hadn’t planned to switch overnight to running all our classes online,” he said. “It was MRNSW home schooling for us all! The Training team was on the same learning curve as everyone else, finding out about Zoom and what it could do for us. “Our members stepped across that digital divide with us and have realy taken to Zoom classes. “Many people have had more time available to focus on their training and the feedback from
Online and on course ... members and staff log on for a Leading Crew training session via Zoom.
participants has been positive.” Leading Crew trainee Andy Ross posted on social media: “So good to see training still going ahead and grasping technology.” From Geoff Beohm: “Good luck to everyone. I’m just waiting for this to
be over so I can do the operational assessment.” Mr Butler said online classes would continue. Members can access a range of online resources via the e-learning tab on Portholes on the MRNSW website.
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