Compass. Training of Trainers

2010

The Compass Learning Toolkit for the International Training Centre of the ILO Comprehensive guide and companion to the series of instructional fiches.

DELTA Distance Learning and Technology Applications International Training Centre of the ILO

Version 1.0 December 17 2010

Project realized by the DELTA Unit of the International Training Centre of the ILO in accordance with the Turin Learning Approach.

For further information, please contact the project coordinator: Tom Wambeke (t.wambeke@itcilo.org) Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA) International Training Centre of the ILO Viale Maestro del Lavoro 10 10127 Torino Italia

The Compass is typed with Spranq Ecofont Vera Sans.

This work is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. You are free to copy, communicate and adapt the work as long as you attribute ITC-ILO and make your adapted work available under the same licensing agreement.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The design and the development of this Compass guide has been a truly participatory process. DELTA would like to acknowledge the following people for contributing content, encouraging the progress and ensuring the delivery of a quality resource.

The involvement of Karen Moir in all aspects of the Compass project is much appreciated.

Special thanks must be made to Nadine Rivard for her commitment and Thomas Declercq for ideas at the early stage.

Thank you to Rodrigo Filgueira for developing the on-line component of the Compass, Luca Fiore for the graphic design and Gaël Lams for the necessary technological support.

Last but certainly not least, a very warm thank you to the ITC-ILO colleagues who have participated in the on-line survey and the three focus groups.

ASFAHA Samuel CAMPANA Paola CASSARINO Jean-Pierre FORGUES Ginette GASSER Martin LEIBOWICZ Julieta LORTIE Johanne SALVAI Paolo SERRIERE Nicolas SIEVERS Merten VILA Blerina BAPTISTA Diego BIZZOTTO Cinzia

BOUDRAA Miriam CARLIN DE TENORIO Airyn CAVAZZA Simonetta CERDEIRO Mara DI MEGLIO Roberto DREWS Juliane FACAL Natalia FILGUEIRA Rodrigo FONSECA Fernando GASSER Martin GRAZIOSI Antonio HERRERA Ana Lourdes

DELTA Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications International Training Centre of the ILO Viale Maestro del Lavoro 10 10127 Turin Italy

KUMAR Arun MAGRI Benedetta MARTIN DAZA Felix MOLZ Alessandra MOSCHETTI Sandra SALVAI Paolo SCHMITT Jeanne TEKLE Tzehainesh TEZZA Enrico VASQUEZ Maria ZAMPOGNA Carlo

PREFACE The international landscape Contemporary trends encountered by the Centre are also being felt across the international landscape. The need for more experiential, collaborative and sustainable learning opportunities has been expressed. The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness 1 in 2005 reinforced by the Accra High Level Forum in 2008 communicated several key recommendations to guide responsible and effective development practices. In Berlin, in 2008 to concerned group of development training and learning institutes met to formulate their response and action plan to address the challenges presented. The seven messages endorsed by the High level Forum on the Effectiveness of International Development Training2 were as follows:

1. Address training and learning in the context of capacity development; 2. Establish guidelines for development learning programmes; 3. Identify good practices to monitor and evaluate training and learning results; 4. Strengthen local training institutes; 5. Align training and learning to local capacity needs assessment systems; 6. Harmonize training and other learning practices; and 7. Join efforts and collaborate at different levels to share information and resources.

As an expression of institutional commitment to the common agenda, the ITC ILO proposed to organize a joint learning programme. The Turin 2009 Learning Link 3 was the result.

Participants from 34 institutions and countless countries attended the weeklong event to address five fundamental themes. Partnerships were established and practices were shared.

The success of the event contributed to the visibility of the Centre within an extended community of potential partners as well as the development community at large. The Compass contains several answers to the questions posed and seeks to reconcile this responsibility with the Centre‟s economic reality. More information on the Turin 2009 Learning Link, as well as the 2011 edition can be found at the official website.

In 2009, the Belém Framework for Action: Harnessing the power and potential of adult learning and education4 recognized:

“the key role of adult learning and education in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Education for All (EFA) and the UN agenda for sustainable human, social, economic, cultural and environmental development, including gender equality (CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action).”

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Both the Declaration and Agenda for Action can be found at: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/11/41/34428351.pdf 2 Full statement may be reviewed at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/WBI/Resources/BerlinStatementonInternationalDevelopm entTraining.pdf 3 Review results, as well as information for the 2011 edition at: http://link.itcilo.org/ 4 Review the complete framework at: http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/working_docum ents/Belém%20Framework_Final.pdf

In 2004 the International Labour Organization (LO) reiterated the importance of training with the Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2005. The ongoing initiatives for staff training and development have occurred within this context, paying particular consideration to point VII. Training Providers 13.d) which states: “Members should develop quality standards for trainers and create opportunities for trainers to meet such standards.” The Compass guide and on-line toolkit provide the opportunity for staff to enhance their skills, as well as contribute to the development of others.

The evolving nature of Centre activities Open courses have been for years, perhaps decades, flagship products of the Training Department. This era has not yet come to an end, but signals indicate that times are changing rapidly. Participants and institutions are expressing needs for more relevant, reactive and practical approaches to learning. The traditional methods for conveying information also seem to less effective. The Centre is adapting to maintain the recognized position as a leader in the field of international development training. On 15 July 2009 an internal workshop called “Promotion and Organization of Open Courses” was held to examine the challenges of offering open (otherwise referred to as “standard”) courses. It is within this climate that a new approach to providing services is being explored.

1. Focus on large events or „Cluster workshops‟ It has been suggested that the Centre‟s Technical Programmes work in collaboration with the technical sectors of the ILO to develop several large events composed of more than 50 participants each year. The importance of enhancing partnerships and aligning initiatives has been noted on numerous occasions. Carefully selecting a series of mutually supportive open courses from the existing repertoire, supplementing them with ILO (or other partner) resources, and combing everything in a logical learning progression for professionals has great potential. Often referred to as Academies, this method may also include electives sessions to define individual learning paths and render large events more relevant and responsive to learner needs. This delivery approach will allow a concentration of staff efforts and an increased visibility of partner involvement. Although this approach may take many forms, the following points outline possible areas of enhanced effectiveness.

Concentration of the promotion and organization of activities a few times a year instead of 10 times6; Improved opportunities for networking between participants. The larger and diverse the group of participants is, the more opportunities will exist for enriching conversations and establishment of new partnerships 7; Diversification in target audiences as this format of events may attract additional target groups8; More powerful marketing approach would increase the possibility of diversifying sponsors; Increasing visibility (e.g. by handling larger activity budgets one could include an input from a „star‟ presenter in the agenda); 5

R195. Recommendation concerning Human Resources Development: Education, Training and Lifelong Learning (2004) can be found at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/ampro/cinterfor/publ/bar_195/pdf/annex3.pdf 6 Ten is considered to be the average number of open/standard courses for each Technical Programme.

7 Organized learning represents about ten percent of all learning, the rest takes place in informal or semi-formal settings (e.g. professional networks, conversations with colleagues and experts, job rotation and mobility, stretching tasks, quality groups).

8 Top decision-makers are more likely to attend events that last a couple of days, while large numbers of field practitioners are attracted by the Boulder course on micro-finance.

The economy of scale of a large event and the high attendance should allow the Centre to keep individual participation fees to a minimum9; and More time to design and deliver custom, or tailor-made learning activities.

2. Focus on tailor-made activities Tailor made learning activities are increasingly recognized as the most effective means to have a real-measurable impact on professional and organizational development needs.

These activities are usually designed jointly with the requesting partner organization and at times with a targeted sample audience. By developing a learning initiative or project together with the partner institution, rather than submitting a final product to be approved, the relevance of the activities may be substantially increased. ITC ILO staff must be better equipped to react to requests for tailor made courses. The Compass and other initiatives within the Staff Development Programme on Learning Design and Technology are designed to address this challenge. The spectrum of capacity development services offered by the Centre may also be expanded in order to address to increasing trend for experiential, just-intime learning opportunities. Therefore, combining courses with study visits, internships, individual research, and on-line collaboration through communities of practice should be considered where the situations warrant alternative interventions.

3. Systematic application of the Turin Learning Approach The data derived from course evaluations, in combination with contemporary research, clearly demonstrates that the learning methods promoted through the Turin Learning Approach10 (TLA) have a profound positive impact on the participant experience. Therefore, it is important that not only Centre staff, but also external collaborators, experts and other professionals that intervene in learning activities apply the Turin Learning Approach. From the initiation of any partnerships, these principles should be clearly established, and support or suggestions should be offered for all types of interventions to ensure that the fundamental principles developed by the ITC-ILO are applied. A practical approach is to provide clear instructions accompanied by the relevant technology or methodology instructional fiches11 contained in the Compass (http://www.box.net/share/729p7jh6ls).

Another important aspect of the TLA is the willingness and ability to adjust sessions according to learning needs. This occasionally must be done at the last minute according to late or informal feedback. Although challenging, it is important to ensure that the learning sessions are aligned with objectives and contexts to have the desired impact.

4. Studies and analyses The time saved by clustering open courses in a given period of the year could be utilized by some Programmes for research and analyses aiming at improving the content of the training activities. The research activity could be enhanced through establishing contracts in particular with the European Commission which would cover the time that the staff concerned would devote to research. This activity could be done in collaboration with the technical sectors of the ILO in Geneva.

The options above are currently under consideration and testing to address the challenges faced by the Centre. Whether the trends are a result of the economic crisis, or a consequences or a changing global culture, the ITC ILO must be prepared to react in a progressive and sustainable way. The original document detailing the possible alternatives 9

Fees for individual participation in large events are often lower than those for participation in an open/standard course of the same duration.

10 Turin Learning Approach (TLA) brochure is available at: http://www.itcilo.org/en/about-thecentre/tla-brochure 11 A series of short instructional fiches is being developed on an ongoing basis. They are available for internal use at: http://www.box.net/shared/729p7jh6ls

summarized above may be viewed at the following link: INSERT LINK TO NOTE. The Final Report from the 2009 internal workshop on the Promotion of Open Courses may be viewed here: INSERT LINK TO REPORT. These ideas are an ongoing exploration and any comments, questions or contributions are welcomed by DELTA.

TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE .................................................................................................................................... 0 The international landscape ............................................................................................... 1 The evolving nature of Centre activities ............................................................................ 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ 5 ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................ 7 CORE PRINCIPLES OF THE COMPASS ........................................................................................ 8 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 8 Staff Development Programme.......................................................................................... 9 Background ........................................................................................................................ 8 Overview ............................................................................................................................ 8 Objectives........................................................................................................................... 8 Advancing Activity Standards .............................................................................................. 10 The Turin Learning Approach ........................................................................................... 11 The Blended Learning Approach ...................................................................................... 12 LEARNING MANAGEMENT CYCLE ............................................................................................ 14 Analyse ................................................................................................................................ 16 Understanding the target audience ................................................................................. 16 Identifying learning needs ............................................................................................... 17 Evaluating learning styles ................................................................................................ 25 Assessment tools ............................................................................................................. 26 Design .................................................................................................................................. 26 Defining learning objectives ............................................................................................ 27 Addressing prior knowledge ............................................................................................. 30 Structuring the content .................................................................................................... 31 Selecting learning methods ............................................................................................. 38 Develop ................................................................................................................................ 50 Developing learning sessions........................................................................................... 50 Gender considerations ..................................................................................................... 53 Multicultural considerations ............................................................................................. 56 Engaging the experts ....................................................................................................... 51 Other elements ................................................................................................................ 47 Piloting activities .............................................................................................................. 57 Implement.................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

Effective facilitation ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Logistics ........................................................................................................................... 62

Essential facilitation skills ................................................................................................ 65 Evaluation ........................................................................................................................ 73 GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................... 77 Annex 1 ................................................................................................................................ 80 Customizable concept note for use in proposals, tenders and promotional materials ... 80 Annex 2 ................................................................................................................................ 88 Annex 2 ................................................................................................................................ 82 FAQ overview ................................................................................................................... 82 Annex 3 ................................................................................................................................ 91 Annex 9 ................................................................................................................................ 92 A PROFILE OF AN ADULT LEARNER ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Annex 10 .............................................................................................................................. 93 Checking the profile of the target group ......................................................................... 93 Annex 10 .............................................................................................................................. 94 The different ways people learn and why it matters ....................................................... 94 Annex 11 .............................................................................................................................. 95 Annex 12 .............................................................................................................................. 97 Annex 13 .............................................................................................................................. 98

ACRONYMS BLA DELTA FAQ ILR IRIN ITC ILO

Blended Learning Approach Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications (UNIT) Frequently Asked Questions Information and Learning Resources Integrated Regional Information Network International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization

LMC

Learning management cycle

MDP

Multimedia Design and Production (UNIT)

MIS

Management of Information Systems (UNIT)

SDP

Staff development programme

SME

Subject matter expert

TLA

Turin Learning Approach

The Compass Toolkit for the International Training Centre of the ILO CORE PRINCIPLES Introduction Overview The Compass is an internal toolkit for the Training Programmes Department of International Training Centre of the ILO. This guide is one aspect of the Compass as a whole. It begins with an introduction to the Centre specific context of the Compass, including the Turin Learning Approach and the Blended Learning Approach. It then proceeds through the four primary aspects of the Learning management cycle. Information and guidelines on how best to analyse, design, develop and implement training activities is addressed.

Both the hard copy and on-line12 versions of The Compass guide were created in conjunction with a series of instructional fiches13 on methodologies and technologies. These tools are brief and concise in order to provide practical support for staff. Hard copies of the instructional fiches can be picked up on-demand at Information and Learning Resources.

Objectives The Compass is designed to be used in one of two ways. Firstly, this set of resources provides a detailed step-by-step guide to the analysis, design, development, and implementation of effective learning programmes from the beginning within the ITC ILO framework. Starting with the identification of needs and the definition of objectives, the Compass continues through every phase of the learning management cycle. Considerations for the BLA, diversity and proactive evaluation are treated as cross-cutting themes throughout the guide.

The Compass can also be used in a more targeted manner by referencing specific sections for precise challenges faced by the activity manager or team. Instructional fiches, checklists, diagrams and links to additional resources have all been included within the relevant areas of this guide. Refer to the table of contents or scan through the guide to find the practices and process of interest.

Background The Centre‟s working reality presents a challenge to creating learner-centred and impactful activities. The ITC ILO is situated between an advocacy role for the priorities of the ILO, as

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INSERT COMPASS WEB ADDRESS The full set of fiches can be found here: http://www.box.net/shared729p7jh6ls

well as a strong international community of Development Training and Learning Institutes14 (DTLIs). Promoting certain stances can sometimes come at odds with respect for multiple perspectives. Recognition or this factor has led the Centre to provide ongoing support for staff so that they may balance the dual roles of trainer and spokesperson.

An on-line survey captured the initial needs of staff with regards to experiential and collaborative learning methodologies and technologies. A focus group in early 2009 outlined the most pertinent information for a series of instructional fiches. The idea for a set of tools quickly transformed into the concept of a toolkit, and the metaphor of a Compass was formed. The original blog post that introduced the project may be viewed here: http://itcilo.wordpress.com/2 009/03/10/compassnavigating-the-learning-andtraining-cycle/ The Compass reflects the transition from traditional to participatory learning approaches.

The move to apply more holistic, systems-based and context specific activities requires the exploration and experimentation of both ancient15, and contemporary approaches. The toolkit is envisioned as an ever-evolving resource that will be flexible in form, and innovative in the content to provide direction for achieving the Centre goal of providing learner-focus services.

Staff Development Programme Launched in 2007, the staff development programme is an ongoing process to enhance the skills and competencies of human resources at the Centre. DELTA has organized crash courses in the learning management cycle for new staff, the creativity and innovation workshop, and the Learning Lab based on expressed needs. All initiatives within the Staff Development Programme on Learning Design and Technology (SDP LDT) focus on better design and facilitation to improve the impact of courses offered by the Centre. The objectives of the most recent crash course are listed below to illustrate Centre capacities that are under ongoing development. analyse, understand and apply the fundamental concepts of participatory learning; assess, design, develop and implement training activities according to a learnercentred approach;

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Active participant in various international processes, such as the OECD Aid Effectiveness Agenda and member of the Train4Dev Network (www.train4dev.net).

15 Listen to an interview about Indigenous knowledge sharing methods here: http://itcilo.wordpress.com/2010/12/15/lt-podcast-1-new-methods-of-knowledge-sharing/

use the “micro-workshop” model of the crash course, or selected ingredients of it, in open and/or tailored training and learning activities; choose among an enlarged spectrum of options and techniques when designing and implementing training; and assess and make contributions to (peer) reviews of and discussions about activities designed by colleagues.

More resources, session sheets and a summary of the staff development courses are available on-line for internal review. Activities are organized on an ongoing basis and all interested staff should communicate their needs to DELTA. Centre statistics from 2007-09 course evaluations clearly demonstrate the value of effective learning methods for participants. The general trend is an increase in the evaluation scores.

Furthermore, this increase clearly correlates with the activity manager‟s participation in the Staff Development Programme on Learning Design and Technology (SDP LDT). The table below illustrates this.

Learning Methods Evaluation and Participation in the SDP_LDT 2008 - 2010 (Jan-Oct) 4.5

4.4

Average score

4.34 4.30

4.29

4.3

4.28

4.30 4.27

4.27

4.25 4.23

4.2

4.1

4.0 2008

2008 2008 after no/before SDP_LDT SDP_LDT

2009

2009 2009 after no/before SDP_LDT SDP_LDT

2010

2010 2010 after no/before SDP_LDT SDP_LDT

Advancing Activity Standards The traditional approach to learning imitates the industrial approach to production. External inputs add value to the end results creating a one-directional process with very little individual agency. A complex and globalized world increasingly requires different forms on learning opportunities in diverse contexts. Experiential learning is replacing traditional styles for many reasons, such as complex career patterns. The following two sections introduce the Centre‟s reaction to the evolving challenges in the world of learning.

The Turin Learning Approach The Turin Learning Approach is a framework that sets the internationally recognized standard of ITC ILO training activities. Time-tested methods are combined with cutting-edge technology to provide services with the potential for lasting impact on individuals and their institutions. Participatory, experiential and learner-focused activities promote global to a diversity of audiences. Responsible learning management practices in conjunction with state of the art environments and skilled facilitators work to embed the competencies required by participants.

The three pillars of the TLA are quality, relevance and impact. Each, in turn is composed of several ingredients that ensure high standard services. Blended learning is one ingredient, as is an emphasis on knowledge sharing and professional networking. The full manual is available on the Centre website16. In Annex 1 of this guide, a brief concept note summarizing the TLA has been produced to be included in project tenders and proposals in order to systematize the presentation of the Centre‟s official practices. This may also contribute to success in competitive bidding processes.

The Compass was created in recognition of the complexity of creating flexible, learnercentred programmes within the extended Blended Learning Approach. This guide, together 16

Review the full brochure here: http://www.itcilo.org/en/about-the-centre/tla-brochure

with the instructional fiches on methodology and countless other resources will help the Centre staff continue to create innovative initiatives that impact the international world of work.

The Blended Learning Approach Evidence has demonstrated that blended learning composed of on-line and face-to-face activities tends to be more effective than static approaches. The blended modality is often the most appropriate for professionals due financial and time constraints. Lessons are deeply embedded within the participants when successive phases reinforce each other.

As training programmes provided by the Centre evolve to encompass two new on-line phases, it is important to retain the experiential, participatory and responsible learning practices employed in face-to-face courses. Activities may take the full form of blended learning and incorporate key learning aspects into the distance Phases 1 and 2. Or, a light version of blended learning may be applied where appropriate. The Design section (start page Error! Bookmark not defined.) outlines a series of possible technologies and methodologies selections. The phases and possible activities in each are described below.

Examples of the points may also be found in Annexes 2 through 6.

Phase 1: At a distance Phase 1 consists of an initial period of information and knowledge sharing that takes place on an internet-based learning platform. Participants and resource persons introduce themselves and their experiences, as well as become familiar with the platform before attending the face-to-face phase (on campus or in the field). This is also an opportunity to activate prior learning and begin various types of activities that will be carried over throughout the successive phases of the programme.

The same platform may be used for several editions of the activity and new participants may access an existing forum to reference and build on the knowledge already captured.

Content will be up-dated for each edition in order to ensure accuracy and relevance, as well as incorporate end-of-activity evaluation results, if necessary. Phase 1 includes two primary elements as well as the optional features introduced below.

1. Information sharing Checklist of relevant IT requirements sent by email (See Annex 2) Agenda and other practical course information (Agenda example in Annex 3) Flyer with overview of the course by phase, including: components, duration, flow, activity manager and secretary and content (Example in Annex 4) Participant list17 Resource persons with contact information and photos Background and reference documents, as well as instructions on which reading is required by when and for whom (depending on the results of an optional on-line learning needs assessment if appropriate) Frequently asked questions (FAQ example in Annex 2) 2. Preparatory activities 17

Consider getting permission to add pictures and other relevant information to the participant lists.

On-line learning needs assessment. This should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. (See example in Annex 5. More information in Assess section.)

On-line learning styles test. This should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.

(See example in Annex 6. More information in Assess section.)

Forum for participants to introduce themselves, express expectations and ask questions related to course content, comments, or the campus, for example. (See Discussion Forum or Wiki fiche for more information http://www.box.net/shared/271terkji7) 3. Optional learning activities There are many possible approaches. The most effective will have a direct line with the intended learning outcomes On-line test about the basic concepts of the activity to evaluate prior knowledge, possibly associated with custom instructions, such as necessary reading according to the results On-line activities that activate prior knowledge, such as short written or research assignments On-line introduction to assignments, such as collecting case studies, preparing presentations or beginning activities that will be continued in Phase 2

Phase 2: Face to face Phase 2 of the blended approach builds upon the foundation created in Phase 1. The design and implementation of the face-to-face activities must be aligned with the results of needs assessments in conjunction with the TLA and a responsible management of the learning cycle (See LMC page 14). In addition to the standard practices, the on-line tools first introduced from a distance can be used to stimulate participation, share information, debrief the group and follow-up on unanswered questions.

The first key component to creating a fluid programme is to incorporate as much as possible information collected in the previous phases. This means adapting the facilitation style, selecting appropriate methods and grouping participants in accordance with observations from the pre-test results. Other aspects are as follows: Upload practical and organizational information about the activity, such as any changes to the agenda Upload presentations, documents, pictures and other resources as they become available. Organize their storage using an e-portfolio to provide easy in-time access Discussion forum or other tool to connect past and present participants of the same activity to share experiences and knowledge, and eventually generate a network of interconnected professionals On-line database of staff and experts for those requiring more information or collaboration on the subject matter

Phase 3: At a distance Although traditionally the most neglected, Phase 3, or the follow-up, is considered by some to be the most crucial aspect of any learning experience. It is in this phase that lessons are adapted and adopted, behaviours change, and above all else, practical questions surface.

Connecting participants through an on-line forum after the face-to-face activity will provide the opportunity to: Explore unanswered questions or outstanding concerns in collaboration with familiar participants and experts Upload participant action plans, assignments and experiences Participate in an on-line survey to evaluate the actual application of learning Access additional resources, expertise and knowledge about the topic of the activity Receive an automatic personalized message with information about new courses and products with the request to share the information with interested colleagues (i.e. potential participants)

LEARNING MANAGEMENT CYCLE The Learning Management Cycle is a complex process that often requires assistance to navigate. Countless theories have been developed in order to explain the necessary steps at various levels18. For the purpose of the Compass, the ADDIE model has been selected. This is aligned with the Centre strategy and overall guiding principles and provides a simple framework for staff. The acronym stands for analysis, design, develop and implement and evaluate. Note, however, that the final concept E, or Evaluate, has been incorporated into all of the sections and is herein not treated as a separate process because monitoring and evaluation are consistently recurring processes throughout the learning management cycle.

Furthermore gender and multicultural considerations are cross-cutting themes.

The following questions need to be addressed throughout the learning management cycle: Who are the learners? (Analyse) Target group profile (page 16) What are their needs? (Analyse) Learning needs assessment (page 17) What information do they need to know and what do they need to do to achieve these objectives (knowledge, skills and attitudes)? (Design) Learning objectives (page 27) What is the best way for them to learn the knowledge skills and attitudes (KSA)?

(Design and develop) Methodology and technology Strategy (page 38) Is the strategy working or should it be changed? (Develop and implement) Evaluation and revision (page 57)

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See the full size Learning Management Cycle diagram jointly developed by the ITC ILO and UNSSC: http://box.net/share/hputj9mbpa

Analyse The analysis stage of the Learning Management Cycle is essential to ensuring a strong foundation for any learning activities. Nevertheless, it can be undervalued or even overlooked altogether in the face of limited resources and time. The following section provides a guide to the various steps of assessment to ensure that all important inputs are generated in the assessments. This process begins from the initial starting point. Skip forward to the appropriate section if assistance is required for an existing activity. Rushing this stage may result in the following consequences: The content might not be adequate (overload, badly structured, incomplete, redundant) The level of difficulty might be too high and frustrate the participants or too low and bore them The focus of the course might not be linked to the participant‟s interests and needs The content and methodologies may be culturally irrelevant or insensitive to gender

Understanding the target audience Reaching the right target audience Ensuring that assessments are conducted within the right group of people is essential to their accuracy. Disproportionate representation will adversely effective the results and potentially disrupt the design stage. In the context of conducting effective meetings, Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff19 developed a formula for deciding which actors must be involved in any given event. The “ARE IN” approach outlines all of the actors to consider for steering committees and sample groups. Although, the complete picture may not always to appropriate in the context of ITC ILO courses, it is a starting point.

A

Authority (decision-making and implementation power)

R

Resources (allocation of human and financial contributions)

E

Expertise or Experience (recognized competencies)

I

Information or Insight (knowledge of subject details)

N

Need (directly affected by processes or subject outcomes)

It is important to take into account key characteristics of “adult learners”. The level of engagement, willingness to experience and past experiences can have an effect on the learning styles and needs. See Annex for a list of possible characteristics and behaviours of an adult learner. Annex also provides valuable insights into the possible attributes of the target group. Knowing what to look for is the first step needed for finding it.

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“Don‟t Just Do Something, Stand There! – Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter” Marvin Ross Weisbord and Sandra Janoff, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2007

Identifying and reaching the target audience for a particular activity is a complex process.

The Centre has two possible realities that influence the way in which this is addressed.

Open courses Open courses typically address an issue identified by the ILO in need of capacity development around the world. The job of the activity staff is to identify possible participants who (as individuals or members of an organization or sector) may benefit from the activity, as well as those who may have a positive impact on the issue within their organization, region or sector.

This will require an in-depth understanding of the issue and the context in which it is situated. A SWOT Analysis 20 may be adapted and conducting within the programme team to begin this process.

Custom activities Custom activities initiated by an external party often have a pre-defined target audience. The challenge here is to verify that in fact, the appropriate participants to achieve the stated objectives have been suggested.

It is important to communicate with the requesting body if analysis shows discrepancies between the audience and objectives. This can often be mediated by slightly adjusting, one of, or both of the factors.

Learning for capacity development Learning is one piece of the puzzle of poverty reduction and decent work. Countless factors such as international economics, regional working cultures, and local policies will influence the ability of individuals and institutions to apply their competencies as change agents. In order to create the most effective learning activities, understanding the landscape within which participants operate is essential for new activities or when working with unfamiliar participant groups. The World Bank Institute stipulates in the Capacity Development Results Framework21 that change processes require local ownership, effectiveness, and efficient resource use to achieve development goals. This is influenced by the three characteristics outlined below. Each text box contains example question derived from the CDRF to consider in analysis of learning needs.

20

See the following link for the SWOT Analysis fiche: http://www.box.net/shared/9nomh3ozk9 21 The CDRF is a combination of various theories and tools. The full report can be read here: http://wbi.worldbank.org/wbi/Data/wbi/wbicms/files/drupal-acquia/wbi/CDRF.pdf

Other factors such as individual motivation can also have a positive impact, yet are difficult to measure and/or predict.

It is possible that results from the analysis questions probing capacity development factors will indicate that learning does not provide a whole solution to the issue at hand. If this is the case, revisit the content and determine whether support for the required competencies (such as encouraging policy reform) can become the main focus of the learning activity. If factors that may challenge the use of competencies achieved in ITC ILO activities exist, provide tools throughout the programme to identify and address these proactively within the local context. Customizing programmes to the reality of participants will have a positive effect on the outcomes.

Identifying learning needs Knowing what to look for The first step is to identify the capacity gaps (shortfalls, weaknesses) within a given context at the geographical level (regional, sector wide, etc.), at the organisational level (functional, professional, etc.) and/or at the individual level.

The following questions outline some areas to investigate in order to determine where learning interventions will be most effective: Problems or deficits: Are there problems in the organization and/or the country which might be solved by learning activities?

Imminent changes: Are there problems which do not currently exist but are predicted due to upcoming changes, such as new processes, new laws or conventions?

Opportunities: How can the organizational strengths be utilized in a proactive approach to reach new goals or objectives, or implement new strategies?

Mandated training: Are there policies which might dictate the implementation of some program? Are there governmental mandates that must be adhered to?

Designing and learning needs analysis

The Learning needs analysis (LNA) is a method of identifying and qualifying gaps between existing competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes) and those that are needed for the sector, organization or individual to function effectively. Conducting a LNA will allow: Specifically targeted activity design Contextualized learning content and resources Identification and prioritization of learning objectives More efficient allocation of resources Learning needs analyses can be conducted at a variety of levels. Each level requires a different approach. These levels are herein referred to as macro, meso and micro, and further explained below.

Macro learning needs In the realm of international development, new policies, laws and recommendations are constantly altering the approaches to business, and learning activities must develop accordingly. Participants in ITC ILO activities come from a diverse range of backgrounds and learning at the international, regional and sector level is often necessary. It is essential to remain up-to-date on key developments for the design of effective learning programmes.

Custom LNA answer can be collected over several activities and analysed together on a larger scale to determine trends and respond accordingly.

Meso learning needs Learning needs that arise within organizations, unions and departments should be addressed on a collective basis where ever possible, and always in consideration of the known macro level factors. The LNA should be designed to capture crucial information such as the working context and possible influences within the organization once the participant returns to apply the lessons learned.

ITC ILO activities typically target individuals, but this has proven effective when several key actors from one organization participate together, or when courses are custom designed for specific target groups.

Two key questions should always be considered to connect individual participants with their organization‟s learning needs: What are the organizational needs driving this training activity?

What are the goals and objectives of the activity?

Micro learning needs Micro, or individual analysis identifies specific learning needs for an individual or group of individuals so the learning activity can be tailored to meet those needs. This analysis focuses on individuals, their current competencies in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes and the ones they need or wish to acquire. Questions should cover the following parameters:

What are the individual goals and objectives (in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes) for this learning activity?

What is the profile of the target group, including existing competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes)? (See outline in Annex ) What are the competencies participants should acquire through the learning activity based on their individual goals as well as on the organizational goals?

What is the gap or difference between the current profile and the desired profile?

Possible competencies needed from a project manager may include: Knowledge elements covering the nature of the projects managed, techniques of project management and the system used to manage projects.

Advanced skills in dealing with other people, managing the project team and influencing important stakeholders.

Attitudinal requirements such as attention to detail and the persistence to overcome obstacles and see the project through.

EXERPT FROM A DELTA SCREENCAST The standard templates for on-line needs analysis exist22, but must often be customized to the activity. Ensure that the questions are clear, specific and that the number is limited to minimize the length of time required. The image above is taken from the Screencast 23 on conducting LNA. The full video can be reviewed at this address: http://training.itcilo.org/delta/video/LNA_en/en.html.

The following tables are checklists for designing appropriate and effective LNA questions. It is also a tool for revising activities after negative evaluations. The series of questions will identify the areas that require improvement.

Checklist for Training and Learning Needs Analysis and Initial design Questions

YES

NO

Why?

Macro learning needs 1. Are the training needs coherent with the ILO strategic objectives?

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Training and learning programmes and activities of the ITC-ILO should contribute to the strategic objectives of the ILO

See example that incorporates the baseline level of competencies here: http://c3147.itcilo.org:8080/rid=1HX698RWT-FQHWCP3TD/Example_LNA_EmployersActivities.pdf?tokenId=1HXZK4WJM-HPT2QJ-15M1&ext=true 23 See the following link for the Screencast fiche: http://www.box.net/share/9nomh3ozk9

Questions

YES

NO

Why?

2. Did you consult the ILO regional or technical counterparts on the training design and content?

Training programmes and activities should support existing or planned ILO interventions at the country or the regional level.

3. Did you consult the key resource persons and stakeholders on the training design?

Key stakeholders and resource persons can enrich training design, and may ultimately be more motivated to participate in or promote the learning programme.

4. Did you examine whether the content is up to date with new developments of applied research centres, universities, or knowledge platforms?

Quality learning activities include and refer to the most recent reference tools and approaches.

5. Did you consider the specific needs of the region for which the activity is designed?

Needs and challenges are usually region or country specific.

Meso learning needs 6. Does the training programme (under design) respond to the expected results and objectives of the organizations concerned (or invited to the training)?

Organizations send participants to a learning programme because they can contribute to achieving specific objectives; e.g. contribute to the development or change process/plan.

It is important to identify, preferably prior to the workshop, which competencies will support the organisations‟ expected results and impact.

7. Did you identify obstacles, the removal of which would result in achieving the desired training objectives?

Certain organizational objectives might not be reached because of non training specific problems or obstacles (policies, structure, processes, regulations, etc.).

8. Do you foresee measures to assess the impact of the training activity at the level of the organization that sends participants?

Identifying indicators of achievement of the learning objectives may help you appreciate the result of the participants‟ learning/training, at the benefit of the organization.

9. Does the activity‟s agenda foresee a moment to examine the participants‟ and organizations' expectations?

Hearing and considering the expectations of participants‟ and their organizations‟ can create trust and develop partnerships.

10. Do you know the preferred learning methods of the organizations represented?

The satisfaction of an organization after having participated in a training activity is influenced by its internal communication culture and experience in dealing with different learning methods.

11. Are you aware of the criteria that the organization will use to judge whether the learning programme has been

Organisations may have quality indicators for the outcomes of the training activity e.g.: indicators and criteria of achievement in relation to their organizational development

Questions successful 12. Would the impact be felt or be visible if the learning/training activity would not take place?

YES

NO

Why? plan or with individual performance.

This will enable you to assess the consequences of not developing and implementing the activity.

Micro learning needs 13. Did you check the training design with potential beneficiaries or future participants

This would enable the activity manager to adjust the activity‟s content and objectives if major weaknesses are identified.

Participants‟ data can be found through the participants list.

14. Is the training activity adapted to the needs and level of the participants (educational, institutional, technical, etc.)?

The learning outcomes are influenced i.e. by the level of participants. If the group is of unequal level, dissemination of basic learning contents before the activity to all the participants can enable the setting of a minimum entry level.

15. Do you know what experiences, in the subject area of the activity (negative and positive) participants and trainers have had?

Including good practices or lessons learnt can enrich the learning programme and improve participation and mutual exchange of experiences.

16. Are you informed about the participants' group and individual profile: age, gender, skills and training experience?

The profile of the group of participants can influence the training design. The group‟s degree of homogeneity or diversity can influence the learning dynamics.

17. Did you examine how participants prefer to learn?

Certain participants, based on their experience, may have preferences for specific learning methods (case studies, group work, exercises, presentation of their own situation, etc.). This should be considered in the design, in particular for tailor-made activities.

18. Are you aware of the job profile and professional competencies for which the training activity is recommended?

A mapping can be undertaken of the common and specific competencies related to the overall job profile of the participants.

19. Can the training activity help bridge the gaps between the standards of performance and the actual performance of participants?

The training activity may contribute to strengthening common and specific job competencies that contribute to better performance. „Entry‟ and „Exit‟ questionnaires or tests can be developed.

Learning process and content

Questions

YES

NO

Why?

20. Are the characteristics of the problem to be addressed by the activity and the expected impact clear?

It is important to clearly define and explicitly express the problem that led to the need for the learning/training programme.

21. If the activity was organised before, did you re-visit the last activity's evaluation results?

Revisiting the evaluation results of a similar previous training activity can help you identifying the learning components that need to be adjusted.

22. Is your training material up-to-date or will new learning/training material have to be developed?

Delivering high quality learning events means including the most recent knowledge and learning tools in the training support material.

23. Do you foresee a follow-up or monitoring system of the training activity?

The training needs analysis can enable you to develop a set of measurable indicators of achievement, that can be compared before and after the training.

24. Is there a gender-related issue in the organization? Did you take into account the gender dimension in the content?

During the TNA a gender analysis can help understand, develop and implement gendersensitive learning programmes.

Mainstreaming a gender is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women and men an integral part of the design and implementation so that they benefit equally, and inequality is not perpetuated. The ultimate goal of mainstreaming is to achieve gender equality.

Knowledge sharing and access to information 25. Can your activity benefit from inputs (content, methods,) from other training activities or programmes of the Turin Centre?

Programmes of the Centre should develop synergies. Course preparations can benefit from TNA or design of other activities.

26. Do you foresee different techniques to facilitate learning? Enough?

Varied training/learning methods can facilitate better achievement of transfer of knowledge and competence-building.

27. Do you foresee a learning kit including flexible tools and learning instruments?

Developing a learning kit, guide or platform can enable a more flexible, quick, complete and updated response to learning needs, including an e-space where participants and experts can share ideas and post questions.

28. Can your activity benefit from the evaluation results of similar activities or programmes of the Turin Centre?

Programmes of the Centre should develop synergies. Course preparations can benefit from evaluations of other activities.

Utilizing assessment results

Questions

YES

NO

Why?

29. Are the competencies expressed in the LNA effectively utilized in the design of the activity?

Competency based learning applies existing knowledge, skills and attitudes for enhanced knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer learning and problem-solving effectively.

30. Did you refer to the training needs and the expected results in the activity description?

It is important to indicate the coherence between the background, the problem statement, the training needs, the learning objectives, and the content in the activity description (e.g. flyer). This should be a strong argument for promotion.

31. Will the training needs be explained during an introductory session?

Explaining the activity objectives by referring to the training needs, the general problem statement and the overall objectives enables targeted learning and better focus expectations of the learning programme.

Other practical needs Accessibility In addition to the learning needs outlined above, participants may have a series of other needs that must be met in order to ensure a successful learning opportunity. These may include dietary needs, accessibility challenges, audio-visual impairments, or a variety of other considerations. Decide whether to capture these needs in the early analysis stage, or in later communications. Regardless of the methods, other practical needs must be known prior to the Develop stage of the learning management cycle.

Languages It may be useful to evaluate passive language ability for multilingual activities. The current tendency is to assess simply the primary language of choice. However, capturing information about second and third language capacities may be useful during the implementation stage if different language groups are detrimentally disproportionate.

Interests For custom activities, longer courses and academies, assessing the interests of participants will provide key information for the later design and development. Pose questions that capture key subject matter, regional characteristics or other subtleties that can be translated into engaging case studies, examples and even the selection of experts if there are common recurring interests among participants. The more the particularities of a group of participants are understood, the more the activity may be catered to their needs. The danger is creating an (or series of) assessment that is overly long. Try evaluating interest for existing courses or known participant groups so that other basic questions may be left out.

Certification

Certificates demonstrating successful completion of activities, or can be essential for some participants‟ reporting purposes.

ILO activities, see Annex 9 Example letter to resource person

Annex for a sample. The University of Turin provides academic certification in the form of an official diploma for programmes evaluated with an essay, test or exam. Distance learning programmes have most commonly applied the advanced method to-date. However, it can also be used as a promotional tool for other open activities. If applicable, include a question in the early assessment stage to assess whether a diploma is an important for a sizable portion of the participants.

Evaluating learning styles Understanding learning styles enables learning to be orientated according to the preferred method of participants. Everyone responds to and requires different stimuli to some extent or another. Therefore, each style should be considered in your training activity to maximise the learning potential of each individual in the group. Taking into account the diversity of participants will be an important aspect in the design and development phases when we think about all the other instructional parameters. It is important not only to consider the interplay of different participant learning styles, but also the impact of the facilitator and expert learning styles, as this will effect communication. A complete list and description of learning styles is available in

Annex . The diagram below illustrates the best known theory on learning styles, Kolb‟s Experiential Theory.

Source: www.archimuse.com

Assessment tools In order to get the most accurate information from the LNA, learning styles, and cultural considerations, a variety of methods should be used24. Designing a combination of the following tools will provide diverse insights from several perspectives 25.

Interviews26 Surveys (Survey Monkey is the system used at the ITC ILO) Focus groups27 direct observation consultation with persons in key positions, and/or with specific knowledge 360 degree evaluations28 review of relevant literature 24

See the ITC ILO screencast on LNA: http://training.itcilo.org/delta/video/LNA_en/en.html Review a comparison of various assessment tools here: http://www.mccoytraining.com/doc/NAMeth.pdf 26 For list of tips applicable to in-person and distance interviews, see: http://www.recordforall.com/podcast-interview-tips.htm 27 For instructions on conducting a focus group, see: INSERT RESOURCE 28 Feedback tips available here: http://www.custominsight.com/360-degree-feedback/360delivering-feedback.asp 25

Design The results from the various forms of assessment will establish the foundation for the design of the learning activity. The first step of the design process is to define the learning objectives according to the macro, meso and micro learning needs identified. Form follows function, and the next step of the design process is to structure the content according to a logical, accumulative approach and then proceed to the selection of methodologies and technologies29. In the event of extraordinary circumstances or particularly complex learning needs, DELTA is available to provide assist for the design of activities.

Defining learning objectives Learning objectives are an essential starting point for any learning activity. They guide decisions on the content and methodologies, as well as serve as an important promotional tool to clearly communicate the purpose of the learning activity. They must be observable and measurable in their contribution to the knowledge, skills and attitudes of participants.

Tips on elaborating learning objectives30: Refer to pre-course surveys and the learning needs assessment to identify the key competencies that needs to be learned through the activity Answer the questions, "What do you want to have happen?” and “What is expected to change as a result of this learning activity?

Focus on results of the learning experiences not on what the participants will do during the activity. Explicitly state what the participant will be able to do as a result of instruction Start the objective with “by the end of this activity, participants will be able to…” We need to state the objective for the participant, not the objective of the activity.

Use action verbs from the Bloom taxonomy and avoid verbs that leave room for interpretation such as “know, understand, be aware of, ..”

Consider how you will evaluate whether the learning objective was met If your objective is that the participants will be able to apply the new knowledge in their context, you need to plan follow-up activities (coaching, peer support, etc.) after the face to face event to facilitate and evaluate this application.

Blended activities are an opportunity to address higher impact learning objectives due to the added value of Phase 1 (activating prior-knowledge and building group dynamics) and Phase 3 (follow-up activities facilitating application). An objective can become more achievable if given a 6 week timeframe vs a 1 or 2 week timeframe.

Make sure your objectives are SMART ( S – Specific M – Measurable A – Achievable R – Relevant T – Timely)

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See : http://www.scibd.com/doc/32908974/FSU-Systematic-Instructional-Design-Guide For more tips on writing educational objectives see the ITCILO blog post: http://itcilo.wordpress.com/2008/11/22/educational-objectives/ 30

Source: http://www.alline.org/euro/bloom.htm SMART checklist Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Relevant

Timely

Do the objectives specify what participants need to achieve (does it answer the questions: who, what, when, where, how, why)

Is it measurable?

How will you assess it?

Is the objective realistically achievable with the resources you have? (i.e. time)

Are the objectives linked with competencies that were identified in the Analysis?

Are the objectives centered on the participant and not the activity itself?

Do they reflect the desired end of the learning experience (not the means or the process); Do the objectives answer the question “What is expected to change as a result of this learning activity?”

When do you want to achieve the set objectives?

The table below contains several examples of learning objectives before, and after the SMART criteria were applied Examples of learning objectives

Original LO

During the course of the activity, participants will simulate the financial implications of social protection programs through a taylor- made software application

SMART LO By the end of this , participants will be able to: Explain different financial implications of social protection programs

Explanation Learner centred vs activity centred

The objective of the activity is to introduce participants to the basic principles of project management for development

By the end of this , participants will be able to: Describe the basic project management principles Apply the basic project management principles to development projects

The immediate objective of the course is to provide training for a union staff member who can act as a focal point for information technology, understand new trends in technology and organize the development of a World Wide Web site.

By the end of this , participants will be able to: Describe the new trends in technology Develop a website

Learner centred vs activity centred Specific and measurable

By the end of this activity, participants will be able to: Define the various needs and roles of social partners at each stage of the policy cycle and explain their complementarity

Active vs passive Specific and measurable: Linked to assessment

The objective of the activity is to expose participants to the importance and complementarity of the respective needs and roles of social partners at each stage of the policy cycle By the end of this activity, participants will be able to competently design and operate project financial management systems and execute corresponding payments/ disbursements in accordance with sound professional standards and the harmonized requirements of donors and their respective governments.

By the end of this activity, participants will be able to foster communication between the different parties involved

By the end of this activity, participants will be able to: Design appropriate financial management systems for development projects Implement financial systems in development projects Apply payment/disbursement procedures in accordance with sound professional standards and the harmonised requirements of donors and their respective governments.

By the end of this activity, participants will be able to: Organize a discussion forum on topic x, facilitating discussions between representatives from

Learner centred vs activity centred

Separate the objectives and use one action verb per objective

Attainable, appropriately limited in scope and within the participant‟s

the various parties By the end of this activity, participants will be able to: By the end of this activity, participants will be able to will promote and facilitate gender mainstreaming in their context

By the end of this activity, participants will know and understand the provisions of major international labour standard By the end of this activity participants will have acquired an overview of main institutions, policies, processes, resources and networks relevant to mainstreaming child labour concerns.

Develop documents that define, explain, and provide examples of gender mainstreaming in order to assist organizations who are considering or have already started integrating gender mainstreaming in their activities.

By the end of this activity, participants will be able to: Interpret the provisions of major international labour standards Apply the international labour standards practically in their day-to-day activities to protect and promote fundamental principles and rights at work By the end of this activity, participants will be able to: Identify key child labour issues in the concerned country, region and / or area of work.

control and influence Relevant: Measures outputs or results (not activities) Includes products, accomplishments

Active vs passive Specific (avoiding verbs like “know” and “understand”)

Active vs passive Measurable: linked to assessment

Identifying and addressing prior knowledge For open courses, define the entry criteria or knowledge level the participants must demonstrate prior to participating in the activity. This will include language proficiencies as well as an appropriate level of experience with the subject matter. In the next section dealing with structuring and sequencing of the content, the CMap tool is referred to in order to discuss identifying the prerequisite knowledge needed prior to introducing the activity concepts.31 Participant‟s prior knowledge is not always an element which can be controlled. However, because prior knowledge can serve as either an obstacle to understanding or as the foundation for new learning, it must be taken into consideration.

Insufficient background knowledge impedes new learning as people learn and remember new information best when it can be connected to relevant prior knowledge. A firm understanding of the participant‟s prior knowledge in the analysis is one of the most critical factors that must be considered in the and can be gained through a learning needs assessment32 that assesses what is the current knowledge of the participants and not only the desired knowledge.

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Insert CMap Course design document ITCILO example of a learning needs assessment that incorporates current vs desired knowledge: http://c-3147.itcilo.org:8080/rid=1HX698RWT-FQHWCP3TD/Example_LNA_EmployersActivities.pdf?tokenId=1HXZK4WJM-HPT2QJ-15M1&ext=true 32

In terms of knowledge, participants can fall in 3 categories: beginner, intermediate, and expert. Beginners have little or no prior knowledge and they are usually best served by a directive learning structure as it allows a gradual building of knowledge. Intermediate and expert levels have accumulated some knowledge and experience and are able to collaboratively build knowledge however some of that knowledge might be based on misconceptions.

When participants range from beginner to expert levels, it is important to level the prior knowledge before the face to face activity. For non blended activities, the more advanced participants can be matched with beginner levels in collaborative activities and can serve as coaches. Also, some directive-deductive components can be incorporated in the content structure and methodology.

Strategies for leveling knowledge Phase 1: Level the knowledge Beginner level

Intermediate and expert levels

How

Build knowledge in a directive deductive way for the beginners to make sure they can engage in analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of concepts.

Activate the prior knowledge and construct a common understanding for the intermediate and experts.

Tools

Provide participants with key resources such as articles, podcasts, presentations, glossary, a mindmap 33 of the core concepts used as an advance organizer, a Self-guided learning34 module

Ask participants to complete activities.

ACTRAV provides mini case studies/scenarios and ask participants to post their answers and debate in the discussion forum35. The tutor then facilitates consensus * Once beginners have build sufficient prerequisite knowledge, they can join in the activities with the intermediate and experts and these

Structuring the content Approaches to presenting the content There are different theories regarding how to structure content, the most common being deductive (moving from general to specific content) and inductive (moving from specific to general content). Use the explanations below to help elaborate a structure that is most appropriate for the content and participants of each activity.

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See the fiche on Mindmapping for more information: http://www.box.net/shared/h7f4mjcz93 34 See the fiche on Self-guided learning for more information: http://www.box.net/shared/na12ez3p26 35 See the fiche on Discussion forums for more information: http://www.box.net/shared/qq5i4zh76n

Deductive approach Also called directive approach – it is best suited for beginners or participants that prefer more structure in general. The structure proceeds as follows:

Present information by defining new concepts and explaining their interrelationship with other concepts. Illustrate the content with examples such as images, diagrams, demonstrations, model solutions, scenarios, case studies, and sample performances. Engage participants by integrating participatory learning methodologies and technology tools (page 38) allowing them to put in practice the information shared. Conclude with feedback, which could be in the form of a group discussion, peer review or other debrief method.

Inductive approach Also known as experiential or guided-discovery – it is suggested for experienced or expert level participants, it allows for divergent thinking and emphasizes problem solving skills. The structure typically proceeds as follows:

The content moves from specific to general. Observations are made through an activity or discussion then sorted into a concept or generalization. It may begin by presenting examples and directing participants to observe and describe the examples and to look for any common patterns. Participants then discuss their interpretations and the facilitator can provide the theory related to the concept.

Types of learning Expository learning

Experiential learning

Present examples and information

Learners find examples or general information

Selecting the learning strategies There are four possible strategies to apply: 1. Deductive - expository This strategy is recommended when participants have some experience and sufficient knowledge to enable them to understand the general information. A deep level of understanding is not necessarily required. It is best suited for declarative knowledge, such as facts, simple concepts and models.

2. Inductive - experiential This strategy is best suited when participants have little or no experience and their knowledge consists mostly of simple strategies and\or models. While more time consuming, it is probably one of the most effective ways of reaching a deep level of understanding. To maximise your time, use some “leading questions,” to guide the participants through their discovery. It is suggested for strategic knowledge like problem solving.

3. Inductive - expository This strategy provides the participants with a deeper understanding than the deductiveexpository strategy although not as good as the inductive-experiential method. Like the deductive/expository, it is best suited for declarative knowledge, such as facts and simple concepts and models.

4. Deductive - experiential This strategy is a good way to present complicated concepts that have many components.

Once the participants have used the other three strategies for learning components of a concept, this strategy can be used to piece together the components into the general concept. Like the inductive/experiential strategy, it is best suited for strategic knowledge like problem solving.

Determining which approach to apply for each learner is not an exact science. The decisions on how to structure the learning should be based on: The information gathered in the assessment: The participant‟s knowledge levels and learning styles, The time constraints: The inductive approach requiring more time in the Design, Development and Implementation The content itself: The next section presents different strategies to select and present content.

Each strategy is not exclusive and can be combined within one activity, maximising learning and taking into consideration constraints and participant needs and preferences.

Prioritizing the content Finding the right balance of content is crucial to maximizing the impact of any learning activity. Too little content will bore the participants, who will then lose focus. Overloading the participants will stifle the creative process of participants and restrict memory retention.

Distinguish what content is “need to know” compared to “nice to know.” The second category of content may be added explored in Phase 3 of a blended activity or provided as additional information linked to the activity website.

If you are have a substantial amount of “need to know” content, using methodologies such as Mindmapping36 with CMaps is an easy and highly visual solution. It can help you in clustering and sequencing the content. The mindmap itself can then be reused to communicate with partners and experts in the following stages of the design process. Other visual tools, such as graphics in Microsoft Suites can help structure and sequence the activity content. Two standard approaches to content structure are linear and modular design.

Linear design A linear design forces interdependency between the various learning components. Each activity builds upon the next to create a direction learning path.

OBJECTIVES

EVALUATION ITCILO example The Joint Union/Management Negotiation Skills from the Social Protection unit is a good example of a linear design as each concept builds on the previous ones and a participant must follow the whole sequence of sessions.

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The instructional fiche on Mindmapping can be found here: http://www.box.net/shared/h7f4mjcz93

Outline of a course DAY ONE 1.

Introduction and overview of the course Social dialogue, ILO conventions and recommendations 3.

Obstacles to effective negotiation 4.

How conflict develops into a dispute 5. Approaches and processes in managing conflict and resolving disputes 2.

DAY TWO 6.

The negotiation process DAY THREE

7.

8.

9.

Needs based joint problem solving Conducting effective meetings Practicing negotiation skills DAY FOUR AND FIVE 10.

Negotiation role plays 11.

Closure

Modular design Modular designs are open ended, much like a tool box where many tools can work together and the participant decides what to build with them. There can be synergy between components, but it is not exclusive. Either a session can stand alone, or it can fit with any other session. None of the sessions require knowledge from previous sessions.

OBJECTIVES

EVALUATION

ITC ILO examples The Competency Based Human Resources Development course 37 is based on a modular design in the sense that participants can choose to attend one or more sessions, combining them to their needs and preferences.

Learning academies are also built on a modular design as participants choose which sessions to attend, without needing to follow a sequence or without imposed combinations.

The summer Academy on Sustainable Enterprise Development38 is a two week intensive course on the fundamentals of enterprise development designed around a modular structure adaptable to individual learning needs with a unique overview of Enterprise Development tools and practices.

Sequencing the content Planning a content intensive session first thing in the morning or right after lunch might not be very effective, even if you use an energizer. Instead, opt for participatory activities where key but simple concepts are presented (e.g. awareness activity on rights-based approach or a "speed dating" activity where participants must "sell" their individual ideas to others. The fun element of the activity appeal to the participants and usually motivates them to be on time.

37 38

See the course flyer at http://drhxc.itcilo.org/UserFiles/EN/File/News/CBHRD%20flyer.pdf See the Academy flyer http://enterpriseacademy.itcilo.org/en/flyer-summer-academy

Example of a learning sequence Following is an example of a learning module with content and activities sequenced based on Robert Gagne's "Nine Events of Instruction".

1.

2.

Build group dynamics (through icebreakers,online cafe informal discussions, etc.)

Gain attention and motivate 

Engage participants from the start by involving them in collaborative and practical activities by asking questions, initiating discussions, entertaining them with games, stories, pictures, anecdotes, quotes, etc.

A. To motivate participants and stimulate creativity, the Learning Chemistry classroom is designed with multi-sensory elements such such as pictures, art, quotes, colored crayons, books, posters, gadgets (stress balls, rubix cube, etc.) and music at the start of each morning B. ACTRAV distance learning activities use video clips and online activities to motivate their participants. The tutor also follows-up if the minimum 2 contributions/week guideline isn’t respected.

   3.

4.

Show relevance, demonstrate how the activity will help them achieve their goals and is linked to their interests (based on data from the needs assessment) Help participants gain confidence by giving them a detailed activity outline: the content covered and links to references so they can feel more prepared and by providing material at the appropriate level of difficulty Make learning rewarding by incorporating praise, encouragement at an appropriate level for the audience Describe learning objectives so that participants know what will be expected of them.

Describe and promote recall of previous knowledge:   

5.

Inform them of the pre-requisite skills so they see the relationship between the new content and what they already know Question participants with a test Offer a self-guided learning module including tests

Follow with the content 

Use different approaches (inductive/deductive) and different mediums (text, lecture, demonstrations, multimedia, graphics, audio files, animations, etc.)

6.

Provide guidance for learning through discussion, worked problems, examples and non examples 7.

Elicit learning though practice, participatory activities, assignments, etc.

8.

Provide feedback 9.

Assess learning through mini-quizzes, clicker questions, etc.

10.

Enhance retention and transfer 

1

Provide opportunities for additional guided practice, or practice/problem-solving opportunities in a more authentic situation. This can be done in Phase 3 of a blended learning course.

For more information follow this link: http://ide.ed.psu.edu/idde/9events.htm

EDGAR DALE’S CONE OF LEARNING After two weeks we tend to remember:

10% of what we READ

Passive

20% of what we HEAR

30% of what we SEE

50% of what we SEE & HEAR

Active

70% of what we SAY 90% of what we DO

Selecting learning methods Select appropriate learning methods for all phases of the Blended Learning Approach according to the defined objectives. Experiential, participatory, gender sensitive and culturally relevant methods are the foundation of ITC ILO activities. The Cone of Learning diagram39 below demonstrates. Participants must be given the opportunity to apply the information, practice the skills, and receive feedback throughout the learning activity.

Structuring blended learning In consistency with the ITC ILO mandate to implement a Blended Learning Approach to improve the effectiveness of activities, this overview in combination with the related links and resources was written with the intention of providing practical advice and inputs for mainstreaming the use of technology within your activities. The methodologies and technologies described in the following pages are most effective when clustered together in complementary series. Do not hesitate to contact Delta for advice regarding specific learning activities.

Blending methodology and technology Identify which content is best suited for distance learning and the face-to-face sessions according to the complexity of the matter, amount of technical information to cover and time needed for individual or group work. Content is often most easily communicated through complementary methods. The table below demonstrates one possible series of activities to deal with subject matter in various forms. Doing so can also address the challenge of diverse learning styles within a group of participants.

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Image source: www.networkthought.org

BLENDED LEARNING APPROACH PHASE 1

Online

Face to face

PHASE 2

PHASE 3

Give an a document (article, convention, project plan, etc.) to read and/or a podcast to listen to and have participants take an online quiz to make sure they did the activity and understand the concepts

Use a case study approach in order for the participants to apply the concepts

Ask participants to collaborate on a joint project through a wiki or to individually submit their individual project proposal on the discussion forum and to peer-review one proposal per participant

Online

Concepts are integrated through the different modalities and different methods are used to suit a variety of learning styles

Participatory learning methodologies There are a large number of experiential and participatory learning methodologies currently applied at the Centre. In order to provide information and instructions for their effective implementation, a series of “fiches” has been created within the context of the Compass.

These fiches may be viewed through the on-line version of this guide, or at the following link. The instructional fiches are designed to provide inspiration for Centre staff, however, can be modified in countless ways to suit the specific context. Selecting the right methodology to actively engage participants and effectively convey the subject matter can be a challenge. There is no simple formula for doing so. However, the table on page 0 provides a starting point. The objectives of the session will determine the approach you select. Ensure that the subject matter and target audience are well suited for the methodologies, as well as that they are adequately prepared (for example, they are comfortable working closely with each other).

Summary of participatory learning methodologies After Action Review A fast and participatory review method that provides structure to reflection processes performed in small groups. Four leading questions guide objective evaluations of immediately after activities in order to identify next steps and examine on outcomes.

Brainstorming Quick, easy and inclusive method to capture a large quantity of creative ideas. These may define concepts, identify consequences or address challenges, for example. It is an effective means to overcome obstacles in thinking processes.

Case Study Examination (in groups or as individual) of a scenario that conveys key information in a holistic manner. Can be used to introduce key concepts, demonstrate best or worst cases, practice theory and develop individual analysis skills. Real scenarios or carefully constructed cases can be used.

Expert Panel Arrangement that allows complex or technical information to be communicated through the perspectives of various experts. Can take the form of a debate, synthesis of several presentations around a central theme or subject. Participant involvement is limited to the Question and Answer period.

Fish Bowl Challenging, active and participatory method for the facilitation of dialogue between experts. This alternative to traditional debates or presentations is often used as a substitute for panels because the hierarchical divisions are reduced and participants can engage easily with the experts.

Jigsaw Cooperative learning strategy to review information and perform critical analysis in order to formulate understand of small parts of a larger scenario.

After understanding a specific element, such as an actor, process or case, participants present their findings to each other in order to collectively gain perspective on a larger complex system or subject.

Knowledge Fair Participatory event for sharing knowledge and promoting innovative ideas and practices. Excellent platform to empower individuals and small organizations, as well as establish networks around a central theme. Can generate high volume of otherwise hard-to-reach inputs, such as feedback or resources.

Open Space Facilitated participatory creation of an agenda to examine the most relevant issues to groups of any size. Schedules are generated according to the needs and skills present to plan a series of sessions that may include brainstorming, networking, knowledge sharing and action planning.

Participatory modeling Active method for generating three-dimensional models of relationships between actors, processes or subjects. Can demonstrate diverse interpretations, nuanced linkages or new concepts in an engaging, interactive, participatory and highly creative manner. Fosters cognitive stimulation that assists memory.

Peer Assist Participatory method for peer learning on specific cases, experiences and challenges. Participants perform collaborative analysis to provide feedback for the issues presented. Tacit knowledge and best practices are exchanged to generate a multidimensional exchange of information.

Role Play Simulation exercise where participants enact scenarios in the roles of various possible actors. Provides a safe environment to explore theories, challenges and potential decisions through interaction, observation, reflection and

feedback. This is often used to train trainers, but must always be proceeded by carefully analysis of the participants personal characteristics.

Round Robin Rapid and intense series of rotations to engage with several subject matter in one session. This can introduce technical knowledge, activate past learning, cross-fertilize ideas and inform solutions by presenting a large amount of content in a personal and interactive manner.

Sociometrics Method to illustrate and measure social systems and dynamics. Can spread awareness of interconnections, foster enhanced networks, help manage conflict and create a collaborative working environment. Often used as icebreakers because many varieties creative active and fun introductory exercises.

Storytelling Captivating method for sharing knowledge. The highly relatable presentation of an authentic experience encourages active listening and memory retention.

It also may convey key lessons, values, and nuances that are not always obvious in static document styles. Can promote team building, but is not suitable for routine situations.

SWOT Analysis This method examines the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats relating to a project or programme. This method is an assessment tool designed to identify and address influential factors. It is used to acheive defined objectives in organizational development or strategic planning using a systems approach.

Thinking Hats Method for critical analysis of complex situations from a variety of perspectives. Can help create awareness, minimize confrontation, illustrate diversity and construct accurate definitions regarding cases or challenges.

This is a challenging participatory exercise suitable for controversial, multidimensional subject matter.

Timelines Method translated from a business tool for illustrating the progression of projects, programmes, institutions and/or ideas. Visually reconciles multiple action items, historical milestones and complex developments. This can be used to plan, as well as reflect on historical or future scenarios.

Top 100 Lists A simple and dynamic method for capturing a large quantity of quality ideas.

Whether is is used to break the ice or brainstorm solutions, this method will surprise participants about their own creative capacity. It forces profound thinking and can activate past learning.

World Café

Open and creative dialogue is encouraged through this method designed to share experiences and insights. Moving in rotations through several working groups evokes a collective knowledge and cross-fertilization that is capable of illustrating new ideas and solving problems.

Collaborative learning technologies One of DELTA‟s primary responsibilities is to assist the systemized utilization of learning technologies throughout the ITC ILO. Today, there are countless open source (free) technologies that are well suited for the TLA and Blended Learning Approach. These technologies can be adapted and adopted for a wide variety of scenarios. They enhance the scale and scope of activities and provide an unprecedented ability to reach participants in their workplace. This has proven particularly effective in the modern world where complex challenges are best addressed in context. Knowledge sharing is also improved by the technologies as more than ever before, everyone can be an agent in the learning process.

Below is a summary of the instructional fiches created to assist Centre staff in implementing a wide variety of tools.

Summary of collaborative learning technologies Audience response systems (clickers) Audience Response Systems or “clickers” are a tool used to quickly and easily get feedback from a group in order to immediately make adjustments to improve teaching and learning. Audiences can anonymously answer questions using a handheld device. It engages participants that might otherwise not contribute to discussions for personal or cultural reasons. Use them as an icebreaker, to check for prior knowledge, identify misconceptions, gauge opinions on controversial issues, stimulate debate or as a form of assessment.

Blogs Website, or part of a website, for regular articles and links on a particular subject on which visitors can comment, making it an interactive tool. Can combine text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Blogs can be used to express opinions, disseminate information, share expertise, promotion, for peer to peer development or for reflection, for example.

Discussion forums A discussion forum, or message board, is an online discussion site to hold ongoing conversations in the form of short posts. The objectives are to generate dialogue, sollicit feedback, provide direct answers to questions, share and discuss practices/ideas, create knowledge. It can also be an informal forum for team building and networking. For multilingual participants, can facilitate asynchronous interaction using automated translation.

Mindmpapping Diagram representing words, ideas or tasks linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea, also known as concept mapping. Can generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid in problem solving, decision making, strategic analysis, debriefing, collaborative brainstorming.

Also possible without technology, using writing walls or paper.

Podcasting

Shared audio file posted on the internet. Can be downloaded to a computer, an MP3 player, a smart phone for easy access. Accommodates different learning styles and can help overcome literacy problems or visual disabilities.

Podcast are often used for interviews with subject matter experts.

Presentations Visual aids that can support, supplement and reinforce the narration of a speaker, trainer or facilitator. Interactivity can be added using images, videos and through the use of Audience Response Systems. High impact for visual learning styles.

Screencasting Shares a computer screen via video presentation in real-time with audio, video or other elements. Can be recorded and reused, and is suitable for tutorials, introductions to distance learning, training on technical concept or procedures, convey knowledge from an expert that cannot be present or even as a promotional tool launching a learning activity.

Self-guided learning Asynchronous self-paced e-learning tool created using a combination of tools and methodology. Convenient to develop when content is already available and adequate and can easily be transformed into an e-learning module. Often used for phases of distance learning or blended learning and focuses on training for knowledge, including communicating information, sharing guidelines, and explaining instructions. It can serve as a course orientation, to level previous knowledge, to attend to different learning styles during a faceto-face training or to follow-up with an activity covering more advanced or jobspecific topics. Offering modules in different languages can help support a face-to-face activity for non native speakers.

Social bookmarking Is a way to store, organize, search and share your bookmarks on a web based site as opposed to from your desktop, allowing you to access them from different locations. You can use it to establish a knowledge repository on a specific topic, to share resources among participants and peers, to search through expert‟s bookmarks or for collaborative research.

Social networking Grouping of individuals or organizations to explore common interests. Social networking sites provide various ways for users to interact, such as chat, messaging, video, voice chat, file sharing, blogging and discussion groups. Can be used for the social and interactive aspects of learning activities or for promotion.

Wikis

A wiki is a web site that allows you to add, edit and modify content collaboratively and at a distance. Excellent tool for creating and managing joint documents or projects, such as FAQs, checklists, Case Studies, Timelines or action plans.

Scenario illustrating possible combination of tools If participants need to learn about a new convention or a new compliance measure ● ●

●

Short, self-paced e-Learning modules to convey basic information.

A webconference for information on how to apply it, exceptions, practical examples, etc. Participants can ask questions to subject matter experts. This discussion would take place in a face to face setting in the 2nd phase of a blended learning activity.

A discussion forum for questions or concerns that arise after the virtual classroom sessions. In some cases, a general content forum (i.e. and Employer‟s activities forum) is used but for more complex or larger impact change, a dedicated forum can be created (a joint ILO-FAO around safety and health and working conditions in the fisheries sector

Low Bandwidth collaboration tools There are several tools that support technology enhanced learning in a low bandwidth context.

Additional off-line tools which were successfully piloted at DELTA can be retrieved from the following blogpost: http://itcilo.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/off-line-e-learning/

ITC-ILO in-a-Box You want to use some computer applications but you do not have them at hand?

You want to have access to a series of usefull open source applications?

You want to work and learn in a mobile way?

The ITC-ILO ToolBox is an application installed on a USB-stick which allows you to work, learn and share, straight from the stick.

From the USB-stick you will be able to do the following: - work with the entire OpenOffice package (work on your documents, make spreadsheets and prepare your presentations) - communicate through the Skype package (make your skype calls straight from your USB from any computer or laptop that you want to use) - see video's through the media player - check your pdf documents you received from the course - record your own podcasts with Audacity (a free device to record audio) - store, update and change your pictures (with a free graphic application) - create and build your own websites (with NvU) - browse the web with Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome The ITC-ILO toolbox shows that off-line mobile computing is possible by just connecting your USB key with any laptop or computer. It also makes open source software accessible for everybody who participated in an ITC-ILO learning activity.

Comparing and combining methodology and technology The following table was produced in order to navigate the possible uses and combinations of learning methodologies and technologies. It is designed only as an introduction, to provide inspiration for the application of innovative and effective approaches. Detailed instructions on the use of these methodologies and technologies are available for ITC ILO staff. These contain step-by-step guidance, as well as an assortment of variations on each method.

Category of learning objectives Knowledge

Application

Problem Solving

Learning verbs classify compare describe exemplify explain find/locate highlight infer interpret recognize remember summarize

carry out editing execute implement Share upload

attribute differentiate integrate linking organize outline

Possible learning strategies Face to face brainstorming, case study, expert panel, fish bowl, jigsaw, knowledge fair, lecture, participatory modeling, presentation, question-andanswer, review sessions, round robin, self-awareness exercises/tests, small group discussion, sociometrics, storytelling, teaching others, thinking hats, world café action plan, case study, demonstration, future search, guided practice with feedback, knowledge fair, lab, live or video demonstration, open space, peer assist, role play, SWOT analysis,

Online Ccommenting or annotating content, Blog as a journal, mindmapping, RSS feeds, social bookmarking, social networking, web-based instruction,

brainstorming, case study, fish bowl, future search, jigsaw, mindmapping,

blog entries, discussion forums, excel spreadsheets/charts, Mindmapping (swot or 6 question

collaborating on a wiki, creating podcast interviews or webcasts, making a presentation, Self-guided learning, sharenet, etc., uploading/sharing material via flickr, virtual field trips using google maps

Evaluation examples Face to face Online Content online quiz or summary fact-based game matching questions flowcharts mindmaps

mindmaps

multiple choice test

calculate the answer to a problem demonstrate a procedure multiple choice questions

collaborate on a wiki make a podcast that examines a theory make a presentation online quiz online search

analyze data distinguish between 2 theories reverse

collect and analyze media clips conduct and report on a

structure

check/test collaborate comment critique experiment hypothesize network

Creating

Communica ting

blog collaborate on design generate make plan produce publish

collaborate comment contribute debate moderate negotiate review

open space, participatory modeling, peer assist, role play, knowledge fair, round robin, sociometrics, SWOT analysis, thinking hats, trouble-shooting, world café after action review, case study, debate, expert panel, field experience, future search, knowledge fair, peer assist, reflective writing, role play, sociometrics, SWOT analysis, thinking hats, world café brainstorming, future search, mindmapping, open space, open space, participatory modeling, project plan design, storytelling, SWOT analysis, thinking hats world café,

mindmap), online surveys

after action review, brainstorming, case study, expert panel, fish bowl, jigsaw, knowledge fair, peer assist, role play, round robin, sociometrics, storytelling, world café

blogging, social networking, twitter discussion forums, video conferencing, wiki,

engineer a device

web survey contrast 2 blog posts

blogging or posting to a discussion forum, moderate an online discussion, social networking, web conferencing, webcasts wiki,

appraise a research article

evaluate a video or debate

evaluate an writing sample

moderate a discussion forum

judge a business plan

peer evaluation

blogging, e-portfolio, flickr, wikis,

formulate a research plan

generate an e-portfolio

generate an expository essay produce and deliver a presentation, conduct an after action review

Example of a learning design worksheet Learning Objective

Write a specific, learner-centered, measureable objective

Evaluation

How you will evaluate the students on this objective?

What is the best format for the evaluation?

At the end of this activity, participants will be able to evaluate local development project proposals for

Participants will individually submit an evaluation for an actual project proposal and will each peer review 1 evaluation

Teaching Strategies

Face-to-face/Online connection

What teaching activity you will use to prepare students to meet objective?

How are the face-to-face activities connected to the online activities?

What is the best format for the teaching strategies?

Expert will discuss principles of project evaluation. Participants will collaboratively work on a project evaluation

The evaluation method is explained in class and applied in a collaborative activity. It is then put in practice with a concrete project and discussed online

Other elements to consider Ice-breakers Ice-breakers can be used for building group dynamics, energize participants and introduce the subject matter. The most effective approaches incorporate all three elements, typically by examining the participants‟ experience with the activity topics. They can be games, questions, self-assessments, or other stimulating activities.

Step 1: What “ice” needs to be broken?

If you are bringing together people of different grades and levels in an organization for an open discussion, the “ice” may come from the difference in status between participants. If you are bringing together people of different backgrounds, cultures and outlooks for, then the “ice” may come from people‟s perceptions of each other. You will have gathered this information in the assessment and will need to handle these differences sensitively.

Step 2: Clarify the specific objectives of the ice/breaker session While designing and facilitating an activity, it‟s always best to focus on similarities (rather than differences), such as a shared interest in the learning event‟s outcome. An example of an icebreaker objective could be that each participant can properly pronounce each others names. You can choose from a wide variety of icebreakers, depending on the objective you want to reach: Introductory, team building, topic exploration, etc.40

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Examples of these 3 types of icebreakers: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_76.htm or choose from an extensive list in the UNICEF Guide for Games & Exercises at http://www.thiagi.com/games.html

Possible examples It is essential that these examples be applied in consideration of the context. They are not usually appropriate for controversial or highly personal issues. Three time-tested and well received methods are Sociograms41, Six Degrees of Separation and “Clickers” 42. The diagram below explains the principles of each. Note that multilingual issues must be taken into consideration at this introductory stage. Sociograms can be applied with the help of simultaneous interpretation, and Clickers can present questions and answers in two or more languages, but the Six Degrees of Separation ice-breaker is not appropriate for participant groups whose working abilities are in more than one common language.

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For instructions see the Sociometrics fiche: http://www.box.net/shared/vq11spcutx For instructions see the Audience Response Systems fiche: http://www.box.net/shared/1uhxypuozv 42

Online Ice-breakers Online ice-breakers can be conducted in Wikis43 or on Discussion Forums44. Here are a few examples: ACTRAV distance courses have a “café” discussion forum section where participants introduce themselves, discuss and posts more personal information such as vacation tips or pictures, youtube videos, etc. This forum is used throughout the course and facilitates building group dynamics.

In the Lifelong E-learning course, participants connect through Linkedin in Phase 1. (you could also ask them to upload their resumes). Each participants can then read about another‟s professional background and describe/introduce them in a threaded discussion.

An innovative twist to using discussion forums is to apply voice threads. They can be used as an introductory icebreaker to have participants present themselves through audio and video features45. Or you can pair up participants and ask them to interview each other and present their colleagues using their picture and a short audio file.

By making these last two icebreakers a team activity, you are increasing the chance everyone will participate. Ice-breakers can also be conducted in Wikis46, or using other techniques for distance learning programmes or phases. Pose questions or create assignments that encourage sharing and interaction at an introductory level.

43

For instructions see the Wiki fiche: http://box.net/shared/271terkji7 For instructions see the Discussion Forum fiche: http://box.net/shared/qq5i4 45 For instructions on the voice thread see the Discussion Forum fiche: http://www.box.net/shared/qq5i4zh76n 46 For instructions see the Wiki fiche: 44

Develop Once the learning objectives are identified, course content and activities have been blended into the course structure it is time to start the development of learning materials to be used with the learning activities which have been designed in the previous stage.

During this phase the material development should be validated by sample participants, colleagues and subject matter experts frequently. It should also be checked against the learning objectives and activities designed in the previous stage.

Once the materials have been produced the actual blend between materials and activities should be tested by piloting the course. Feedback from the pilot run must be integrated before actually running the course. These two last steps may be repeated multiple times.

Purposes of learning material This guide holds that learning material cannot be thought of separately from the activities it is supposed to support. Learning materials thus are content which is transformed in order provide support for learning activities. Since these activities range from simple reading or watching a video to exercise simulations of processes and situations it is expected that the same content will be developed in various formats and media in order to better adapt to the learning activity need.

Based on this understanding, any piece of audio, video or text may become a useful learning material if a meaningful learning activity is designed to accompany it.

Learning materials abound but may frequently be packaged in ways that are not suitable for the needs of an activity. The ever increasing digitalization of materials allow every day for faster and more flexible material development based on pre-existing materials. The web is also an important source of free materials although much care has to be put into checking copyright issues before selecting and using these materials.

Material can be developed for information delivery, self-learning, face to face learning, distance learning, and so on. It may be required to be “formal” or not. It may be the backbone of an activity, but may also be created to fit into a specific session or just as information delivery.

In any of these scenarios the material developed should be consistent with the design phase and any mismatches with the design should be solved either by altering the design or by ruling out the source of mismatch introduced in the development of the material.

The need for a more visual approach The impact of visual representations has long been recognized, as well as the difficulty in determining the best visual approaches. Since early 2009, two blog posts have been written in the L & T Blog about learning, training and technology at ITC-ILO. The first focuses on infographics, visual representations of information, data and knowledge. It is an ideal instrument to present or communicate complex information in a simple way.

This makes it also a useful tool for learning and training. It quickly conveys knowledge and it engages viewers. More information can be found here: http://itcilo.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/visualizing-with-infographics/. The second of these articles provides inspiration for interesting and engaging use of images in learning activities (http://itcilo.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/about-the-importance-of-visualization/). The fiche on

Presentations47 provides instructions and ideas for creating great power point presentations.

Cmaps is an open source Mindmapping48 tool used at the centre to illustrate non-linear thoughts and processes. Worldclouds49 are fast ways to convey results of brainstorming sessions or survey responses and standard graphing tools can accurately demonstrate trends and other data relevant to the session content. Refer to either of the following links for possible ideas: http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html or http://www.exploratree.org.uk/explore/templates.php. More information on Graphic facilitation techniques can be found in under Graphic Facilitation on page 69.

Developing learning materials checklist Since developing learning materials may be a costly task here are some questions which is good to address before starting to develop materials are: Is it clear to which learning objective this material will be linked to?

Is the material to be developed clearly linked to a learning activity that supports also the learning objective identified before?

Do you know what contents you will to use?

Which types of media do you want/need to use for your materials? Text? Audio?

Video?

How are you going to deliver the materials? Via Mail? Via web? Via CD? Printed?

Do these materials exist already?

Is there a need to develop new content? Who will do this?

What is the effort we can put into developing new materials?

Do we have providers we can trust for this purpose?

Will this material have to be translated? To how many languages?

Is this material “good” in terms of language or will it need to be reviewed?

Carefully considering these questions will allow the team in charge of the course to assess its capacity to have the material ready in time and within budget.

Available tools, support and processes The centre has all the available resources for the development of learning materials.

Hardware, software and support are available for all activities to develop text, audio video 47 48 49

See the Presentation fiche here: http://www.box.net/shared/blopy6890m See the Mindmapping fiche here: http://www.box.net/shared/h7f4mjcz93 See the Social Bookmarking fiche here: http://www.box.net/shared/fo08xubb76

and interactive materials. The following table lists possible learning material formats that may be of interest, which tools the centre offers, who provides the support (technical and methodological) and related documents which may be of use.

Product

Tools

Support

Additional info

Podcast

Camtasia, Audacity, Skype

Technical: MIS Methodological: DELTA

http://www.box.net/shared/qyhhv3p9na

Screencast and online presentations

Camtasia , Articulate

Technical: MIS, DELTA Methodological: DELTA

http://www.box.net/shared/9nomh3ozk9

Presentations

Power Point

Technical: Self Assisted Methodological: Check additional info

http://www.box.net/shared/blopy6890m

Self-Learning Modules

Articulate

Technical: DELTA Methodological: DELTA

http://www.box.net/shared/na12ez3p26

Concept maps

CMap Tools

Technical: DELTA Methodological: DELTA

http://www.box.net/shared/h7f4mjcz93

Banners, posters, booklets, etc.

Graphical design tools used by MDP.

Technical: MDP Methodological: MDP

Is there a circular?

High Quality video

Professional cameras

Technical: MDP

Link to the MDP circular

E-Learning platforms

Plone CMS

Technical: MIS Methodological: DELTA

This guide! + Link to the MIS circular.

Web sites and pages

Plone CMS

Technical: MIS

Link to the MIS circular.

Depending on the size and complexity of the material to be produced you may also need to structure the development into several tasks separated to be addressed in stages. Bear in mind that even when outsourcing, time should be set apart for monitoring the development and consistency with design phase.

Practical considerations during material development Engage the experts Many activities at the ITC ILO are complemented by the inputs, resources and interventions of subject matter experts (SME) and other external collaborators. Their valuable

contributions can enrich the learning experience if they are tactfully managed. In Annex ? there is an example of a draft letter to a resource person that may be referenced.

Selecting the experts themselves can be a challenge. Whenever possible, recruit experts that represent diversity and consider the principle of tripartism. Although it is not practical to have three external speakers at all times, try to highlight this dimension, when appropriate, and seek experts that individually embody this principle. The points below outline some tips for managing collaboration.

Open and clear communication from the outset about objectives, participants and processes Check and cross-check that content is aligned (comprehensive but not repetitive) Explain the TLA principles and associated expectations, mentioning that experts that adopt the TLA approach usually get higher evaluation scores from participants Provide methodological guidance (perhaps even guidelines)50 Establish a facilitation style and roles in advance In the level 1 evaluation, include questions that evaluate individual facilitators/experts to determine whether to engage the same experts again or to provide constructive, data-based feedback if they return.

Participation from experts is an excellent opportunity to generate course material for online delivery or to be used in new editions or related activities. Using their bibliographies, interviewing them with podcasts, recording their presentations for screencasts, or just using their presentations and links or bookmarks as references can enrich the repositories of available material.

Copyright issues Copy write refers to protection for intellectual property. Laws vary around the world, but the majority stipulate that works created by others cannot be used for different purposes without explicit permission and if necessary, the payment of royalties. This is an important consideration to take into account when selecting music, images and resources to include in activities. Always be sure to cite the source and clearly indicate the original context.

The ILO has an excellent photo gallery51, as does the UN system, Irin52. These can be used by citing the source. Materials produced by the Centre are normally not copy write.

However, using the Creative Commons licence system is currently under consideration.

Creative Commons is an alternative approach to copy write issues, and is described in the Glossary (page 77).

Mainstream gender Gender issues are mainstreamed in all the Centre activities. The content, methodology, and representation of participants and contributors must reflect respect for equality between women and men. The Gender unit has produced a comprehensive manual on the matter 53.

The excerpt below examines some essential factors to take into account when developing a learning activity.

50

The easiest approach is to suggest appropriate methodologies and share the associated fiches from: http://www.box.net/shared/729p7jh6ls .

51 Browse the photo gallery here: http://www.ilo.org/dyn/media/mediasearch.search?p_lang=en 52 Review the gallery at: http://www.irinnews.org/photo.aspx 53 A manual for gender audit facilitators: the ILO participatory gender audit methodology. ILO 2007 http://www.ilo.org/dyn/gender/docs/RES/536/F932374742/web%20gender%20manual.pdf

The Gender and Non-Discrimination Programme54 has also developed a table of gender indicators for activity design with which to mainstream gender in the Centre's training activities (Annex 12).

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For more information on the Programme, visit the website: http://gender.itcilo.org/

Respect multicultural factors An important aspect of the TLA is respect for diversity and the desire to promote a more multicultural approach to learning. This means much more than simply counting the countries in which participants were born, but must begin at the earliest stages of the design process. First, activity managers must ask themselves what is their target audience, and then they must consider how to involve people with relevant backgrounds into the creation of content and session design.55 The next factor to consider is accessibility. Accessibility can refer to legal parameters of visa procedures, social restrictions such as class mobility, physical barriers, economic challenges and well as technological considerations, such as access to information and preparation. The following section outlines some basic considerations for the various phases of the Blended Learning Approach.

Phase 1 The first step of any course with on-line components is to send the IT checklist. Following the receipt and confirmation of this, post all relevant and pertinent information on-line and as soon as possible. Early and complete information sharing will reduce the burden faced by those with expensive, slow or inconvenient internet access.

It is important to carefully select clear and simple language when groups have diverse native languages. Always explain abbreviations and avoid the use of sayings. Visual communication should also be assessed to ensure that images, icons and symbols respect the participant‟s backgrounds and realities.

Phase 2 It has been demonstrated that exploring culturally-relevant scenarios improves the impact of learning.56 Wherever possible, seek to replicate the language cues that participants will encounter when they return home. This can be done by scanning regional and national documents on the subject matter. The results should also be communicated with experts so that their interventions may be made more relevant, or that they explain the meaning of different terminology. This will enhance the ability to retrieve information and improve the overall impact of the activity.

In addition to linguistics, the content of sessions must be culturally appropriate. Simply translating a text into another language is rarely sufficient. Select (or create) scenarios that are relatable for the participants when using methodologies such as Case Study (http://www.box.net/shared/so7qk3txgl), Jigsaw (http://www.box.net/shared/fsjlc9dn8s), or Peer Assist (http://www.box.net/shared/jtn1ex8b1l). This can be a challenge with multicultural groups, but it is often sufficient to minimize taboo or culturally specific objects from the scenario and replace them with more general elements. If diverse examples are selected intentionally for their cultural dimension, explain the characteristics and specificities that may be unclear to participants with different backgrounds.

Contemporary research has also demonstrated that to a certain extent, different learning patterns are developed and propagated in different cultures. Although it is difficult and dangerous to derive standardized cultural learning approaches from cultural observations,

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For the comparison of two cultural learning theories see “Training of Trainers: A facilitation skills program for potential trainers/facilitators.” United Nations Office at Nairobi, pages 8082 at: http://www.box.net/shared/o6z8sfgnzu 56 See full text “Using linguistically, culturally and situationally appropriate scenarios to support real-world remembering.” Will Thalheimer, PhD. A Work-Learning Research Document, 2009. at: http://www.work-learning.com/catalog/

working with the participants in advance, reviewing culturally relevant examples and selecting experts and collaborators from those cultures will improve the impact of activities.

Phase 3 In addition to the cultural considerations from Phases 1 and 2, understanding the working environment, communication systems and knowledge sharing parameters is essential in the final phase of activities. To ensure participation in follow-up activities and encourage ongoing exchange, design systems that respect the cultural realities of participants, including holidays and working hours, for example. Provide relevant tools and tips for participants to share the information upon their return and formulate questions and reflections in an appropriate manner.

Additional factors The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization produced a series of multicultural considerations and possible verification approaches for the design and implementation of multicultural learning events. The full list is available in Annex 12.

Universal design People concerned with accessibility for people with disabilities often advocate “Universal Design”. This is an approach that considers all participants, regardless of diverse forms of sensory and physical limitations. After identifying participant disabilities in the assessment, invite them to express their needs and preferences, and then take the time to validate the preferences personally.

When developing the distance components of blended learning consider that participants with special needs likely have adapted workstations and special software to enhance accessibility, such as screenreaders57. Often, it is just a matter of adapting the workstation at home, the design of the web tools or sometimes also the software. A great example of a website designed with this in mind is http://www.un.org/disabilities/. Try to consistently use large fonts and high contrast pages to avoid redesigning material across different editions of the same course.

Here is a list of tips shared by one of ITC ILO‟s activity managers Alessandra Molz: Some people might insist on the strict use of the right "politically correct" terminology - it is important to point out that not everyone uses the same terminology or considers the same terminology to be the "right" one or the most "correct" one. A degree of flexibility should be permitted and it is important to remind each other to always give the "benefit of the doubt". Ground rules can help to establish terminology. Someone who frequently starts discussions on terminology can be ask to draft a glossary after course hours, to be distributed the next morning.

Always ask the disabled person what kind of assistance they need and also ask them to proactively point out when they need help - they are the ones who know best.

Avoid being patronising or over-caring, treat disabled participants like everyone else.

Try to guarantee accessibility everywhere, according to the disability: physical access for wheelchair users and people with walking difficulties (including accessible classrooms, vehicles for study tours, accessible toilets nearby, etc.). Make sure that the classroom set-up allows for them to move around freely. Take into account similar considerations for visually disabled participants.

Consider using an extra course assistant who can assist a disabled participant whenever there is need, for example, assisting a blind person to move around during a world cafe, fishbowl or other exercises.

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For more information see http://www.readthewords.com/

During exercises, when a wheelchair user is present, it might be better if everyone sits down (instead of standing in a circle), so everyone is at the same level. When in doubt, ask the disabled person about their preferences.

Avoid carrying a wheelchair user as some are sensitive to "being carried" by others, or being observed when they are lifted by a platform (for example, to access a bus or overcome stairs). The best thing is to do is to consult with them and validate what they are comfortable with.

Make sure the wheelchair at the infirmary is always handy and working. Many participants do not notify the Centre in advance of their disability or might realise once arrived at the Centre that the distances on campus are longer than they thought - so they might request a wheelchair only upon their arrival. There is also the possibility to rent wheelchairs nearby (on Via Nizza).

Many wheelchair users consider the chair to be "part of their body". It is important not to lean on it or use it in a manner that the person might not approve of.

Always try to get on the same "level" when talking to a wheelchair user by kneeling, or sitting, for example.

You can choose between different assistive devices to accommodate visually disabled participants. You can use software that read computer screens (some participants have brought their own software and installed them on the classroom computers) or you can also use the Centre‟s Braille printer if needed. Take note that PPTs and pdfs cannot be printed in Braille, they have to be converted in a word document. As PPTs often do not translate one-to-one into a word document (so additional text boxes do not get converted), you should review the document before printing. Consider the fact that not all visually disabled people read Braille - usually only those ones who have been born blind or acquired blindness before the age of 15. Always ask what the visually disabled participant prefers and what assistive device they would like to use.

Although rarely faced with intellectual disabled participants, mental health problems are on the rise in society and so are the chances you will face these problems in a group. A participant might have a mental health problem, without disclosing it or without it being visible. This might cause them difficulty in understanding or expressing certain concepts or make them sensitive to aggressive speech or criticism. This can be the case for people who have gone through traumatic episodes.

It is important to consider this and to try and keep the tone and terminology used to a level that is conducive.

Require everyone to speak into a microphone to accommodate hearing disabled participants that need to wear headphones.

For hearing disabled participants who need sign language translators (use two translators so they can alternate), consider the fact that sign language can be very different even between countries with the same language and select the translators accordingly. Do not forget to make provisions for the translation costs.

Ask participants who are very critical of the Campus‟s accessibility to draft a document, including photos, of the aspects that they would like to improve - in order to later share it with the Centre's administration The following links will provide additional information on accessibility issues: http://www.udeducation.org/ http://www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/equal_access_uddl.html http://business.highbeam.com/436242/article-1G1-207644338/universal-designdistance-learning

Green considerations Ensuring that activities respect the environment and minimize waste is becoming increasingly important. In 2007 the Statement of the Chief Executives Board for Coordination of the United Nations committed to “moving our respective organisations towards climate neutrality in our headquarters and United Nations centres for our facility operations and travel.” In addition to protecting the environment, the United Nations Environment Programme58 states that green meetings can: Reduce costs through energy conservation, waste reduction and local procurement Create a positive reputation through visible commitment to sustainability principles Promote environmental innovation by enhancing the demand for sustainable products and services Raise awareness among participants, staff and service providers Influence decision-making by demonstrating responsible behaviours Spread best practices within the Centre and other organizations involved in the activity For larger activities, such as academies, consider developing a greening strategy from the outset of the design process. This should include clear and measurable greening objectives; a communication strategy (with contributors, service providers and participants); as well as a monitoring and evaluation framework.

There are many measures that can help green any type or size of activity. Below are some simple steps Reduce consumption and waste generation of the Centre.

Use electronic resources for information sharing, such as distance learning platforms and email communications Use recycled paper and products Promote the reuse of writing materials and sharing of paper resources Set up recycling facilities within the classroom(s) and inform participants of their presence Encourage participants to use public transportation to and from the Centre When email or other internet based communications are difficult (for example for long and technical resources), use ink saving fonts, narrow margins and print double sided. The Compass guide and all hard copies of the tools have been printed using Spranq Ecofont59, which has been proven to use nearly 20% less ink than regular fonts.

The Green Meeting Guide produced by the UNEP, Sustainable United Nations and Local governments for Sustainability contains comprehensive methods, tools and checklists for implementing green activities in the field. It can be reviewed at the following link: 58

Points paraphrased from the UNEP, Green Meeting Guide 2009. ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability.

59 Download the font for free at: http://www.ecofont.com/en/ then ask MIS to set it up on your desktop.

http://www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/issues_doc/Environment/Green_Meeting_Guide_WEB.p df Piloting activities Following the design and development stages of a course, it is important to pilot the activity prior to official launch. This will mediate the expectations of participants in the first edition, but also allow the manager and facilitator more space to adjust the programme according to later observations.

It is particularly important to elaborate an evaluation strategy in advance of any pilot programme. This should include daily evaluations from the participants while content and methodologies are still fresh in their minds, as well as a comprehensive end-of-activity questionnaire. Including questions that compare the participants‟ expectations with the course outcomes will help validate the definition of objectives compared to the design of the activity for later additions.

Another aspect of the ongoing evaluations is the de-briefing required between the facilitators, experts and support staff daily. After Action Review 60 is a fast and simple tool to examine the results of a session, module or entire activity. Use either a table created on a flip-chart or writing wall for a participatory debriefing that will outline possible solutions to improve practices. The diagram below demonstrates the four areas to examine with an AAR.

Another approach that will generate valuable feedback is to include an external observer in any pilot course. This may be a colleague from another unit, or even another organization, who is willing to actively participate and take objective notes. The external observer can provide insight into the participant reactions to specific elements, as well as a critical 60

See the After Action Review fiche at: http://www.box.net/shared/f6v4us1c36

overview of the activity as a whole. This feedback will help ameliorate the next edition to ensure the activity has a meaningful impact for participants.

Testing tailor-made activities Some units implement only custom made activities for specific stakeholders. In these circumstances, the full pilot cycle is not particularly cost effective. In order to evaluate the soundness of a tailor-made activity prior to the implementation, identify a sample of the target group to test, or at a minimum, review key aspects of the activity. This may include examining the on-line platforms‟ accessibility and usability prior to Phase 1; trying a mock exercise with a selecting methodology that may be unfamiliar to the target group; or requesting that a representative sample examine the content. This is important because the priorities and perspectives of focal points and/or external experts do not necessarily reflect those of potential participants.

When successful modules based on theoretical or macro level concepts are reused for various tailor-made activities, be sure to re-examine the content (terminology, examples,

Activity Development Checklist  The activity respects and promotes diversity  The activity is gender mainstreamed and sensitive to multicultural considerations  Icebreakers have been incorporated in the activity to build group dynamics  Visuals have been used whenever possible to communicate the content  The copy write requirements for all materials have been clarified  A summary and overview of materials for the activity has been created  All the learning material is developed, including written/mediated/facilitated content as well as all the participant materials (workbooks, activity guides, etc.)

 All the learning material is accompanied by learning assessments (can take the form of quizzes, activities, etc.)

 All the arrangements are confirmed for any off-site visits and/or study tours  A formative evaluation has been conducted and the activity has been reviewed by: o

Making changes to the content to make it more accurate or more effective based on feedback from subject matter experts/specialists not involved in the development process

o

Making changes to the procedures employed using the learning material based on feedback from someone who is familiar with the target audience

Making changes to the content to make it more accurate or more effective based on feedback from subject matter not involved in the development actors and case studies) and match theexperts/specialists key elements to those of the participants‟ process geographical and institutional working culture.

Making changes to the procedures employed using the learning material based on feedback from someone who is familiar with the target audience

Implement The implementation stage is often regarded as the most rewarding and challenging stage of any learning activity. The following section outlines a series of considerations to ensure that the implementation runs as smoothly as possible from the preparation, to the first session and throughout the learning activity.

Before you start

Review of previous phases Prepare the logistics Create the learning environment

First session

Throughout the activity

Introduce with icebreakers Clarify participant expectations and learning objectives Review agenda and methodologies Establish ground rules Set-up feedback mechanism

Remember facilitation roles, tips and challenges Conduct debriefs Record the results Reflect and wrap-up

Review of previous phases Review the results of the design and development stages to ensure that all appropriate measures have been taken to create a strong foundation for simple facilitation. Diligent preparation will minimize challenges with the participants themselves, but will not guarantee an easy activity.

Learning environment There are many considerations needed to conduct a collaborative and experiential learning activity. Be sure to communicate your logistics needs, such as the ones outlined in the following sub-sections with the Training Facilities Unit in advance to ensure that the rooms, tools and resources are available.

Setting up the room Furniture Creating an inviting, relaxing and safe learning environment is an important aspect of preparation for the implementation. The primary element for encouraging collaboration is seating arrangements. Traditional rows of forward facing chairs will allow the least amount of participation, while the empty circle arrangement is typically considered to be the most conducive for collaborative methods. See the instructional fiches (http://www.box.net/shared/729p7jh6ls) for ideal seating arrangements for each methodology. Also note, that some classrooms, including the Piemonte Pavilion, have limited furniture mobility.

Room set-up for discussion

Room set-up for de-brief

Source: kstoolkit.org Working materials The working materials will be decided according to the methodologies selected and the objective identified. Nevertheless, these should be placed in the room in advance in the interest of organization. Writing walls are a great tool that can be used not only as working spaces, but also dividers between working groups.

Stimulating the senses Review the learning styles assessment to better understand the type of participants in the activity. Some participants will be greatly helped by vibrant visual cues; interesting gadgets or textures that they can engage with to stimulate their senses. Select appropriate items that are related to the course content and that can contribute to the learning experience of participants to include within the classroom and explain the relevance so that participants will not feel they are treated like children. Motivational quotes 61 and relevant reading materials are cost-effective and accessible resources.

Technical inputs Other stimuli may include audio or visual cues. For music, audience response systems, videos or other technologies, be sure to test them in advance with the assistance of a Management Information System (MIS) technician.

Logistics The Centre has produced checklists for administrative and logistical considerations for all types of ITC ILO learning events (such as academies, field activities and open courses). They can be found on the ITC ILO intranet site under policies and procedures: checklists.

Introductions Face to face activities The format of a welcome session can vary depending on elements such as the geographical location of the activity, local traditions, etc. You should try to avoid situations where the participants have to sit through several formal speeches that may result in boredom and concern about the format for the rest of the training. Involve the participants right away through an icebreaking session that allows everyone to introduce themselves.

Distance activities Use introductory online icebreakers as mentioned in the Design section of the Compass such as anonymous polls or Sociometric62 questions that will familiarize participants with each

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For a list of quotes used at the ITCILO see the following link: http://www.box.net/shared/atyh9k8al2 62 See fiche on Sociometrics at: http://www.box.net/shared/vq11spcutx

other and introduce them to the concepts and practices of on-line collaboration. This is crucial to laying the foundation for participation from the outset.

Face to face phase of blended learning activities Introduce team building icebreakers if the introductions have already been conducted in Phase 1. Incorporating the information collected from the previous phase will help create a relevant and personalized exercise for the participants.

Participant expectations and learning objectives Provide an opportunity for participants to share their expectations. Assess the overlaps and gaps with the overall objectives of the activity and react accordingly. Mediate unrealistic expectations and emphasize those that most participants hold in common. Once clarified, the expectations and objectives can be referred to when focus and direction is needed throughout the sessions. A review of these initial expectations should be part of the daily and end-of-activity evaluations.

Setting expectations Visually examine the participant‟s expectations by providing a large coloured stickynotes and instruct them to write down the expectations either individually, in groups or using the Speed Dating methodology. Then, have them cluster the expectations according to related groups or a wall or working space that everyone may see. If possible, synthesize each cluster into a comprehensive, yet representative learning expectation which you can link to the activity‟s learning objectives which are listed on another wall. The inset photograph illustrates cluster stage.

Applying methodologies in the agenda Introduce the learner centered strategy at the same time that the agenda is presented. This is a good time to invoke the old saying:

Tell me … I forget, show me … I remember, involve me … I understand.

Explain that this activity will be one of experiential learning.

The majority of methods proposed in the design section are experiential based and require active collaboration and accountability from the participants. Accountability is a key word in the international development landscape. It is a proven motivator to deliver results.

Accountability in a learning context refers to participant‟s recognition of their own agency, as well as responsibility to their peers. Creating a strong sense of agency with the learning framework will foster active participation and later application of the lessons learned.

Ground rules Create the list of ground rules to follow during the learning activity, especially if time is an issue. Another alternative could be to engage the participants in generating the list. Involve the participants with questions related to the learning environment, or approach to complex issues. Treat the establishment of ground rules as a collective agreement and adherence will surely be high. The activity code of conduct could be communicated before the face-to-face activity and then reviewed and collaboratively modified in the first session.

Course code of conduct Every participant, contributor and facilitator must at all times: respect others and challenge themselves

Be careful when using such a tool though, as severe rules with dry wording may even insult some participants. Humour is an excellent way to convey difficult messages.

Feedback mechanism Daily feedback from participants on all aspects of the training (not only on the content of the training, but also on organizational and logistic issues) allows the trainers to make changes as needed and serves in evaluating the learning activity. Here are two examples of how to apply a feedback mechanism 1. Suggest appointing an evaluation team made up of two volunteers (called the „eyes and ears‟) for each day of training. Their task will be to collect feedback from the group and report to the whole group the next morning.

2. Use audience response systems as an anonymous way to gauge what the participant‟s level of understanding is.

Facilitation roles Facilitators and technical trainers

A facilitator is not necessarily a subject matter expert. Their strength is involving the competencies of the participants within an environment conducive to learning. They often supplement this process with the inputs of others to provide access to the most relevant and recent knowledge. Training facilitators focus on the foundations of adult education, namely, to establish existing knowledge, build on it and keep it relevant. The role is different from a trainer with subject expertise who takes a more leading role to guide the group through an agenda designed to transmit a body of knowledge or a set of skills to be acquired.

A technical trainer and a facilitator are very different roles. They have different characteristics, skills, behaviour and expectations. Ideally, one person could be both.

Balancing the mediation and knowledge sharing responsibilities can be a challenge however.

Objectivity and a commitment to diverse perspectives is necessary. A trainer can be both a subject matter expert and a skilled facilitator. There is very definitely a need for both approaches – knowing when to adopt which, is one of the primary competencies of a trainer.

Trainers in a workshop play several roles: Expert: the trainer shares knowledge and skills, answers questions (or promises to obtain information later), and clarifies misconceptions Socializing agent: the trainer strives to promote balanced values and ideals − for example, respect and equity in diversity Facilitator: the trainer leads the sessions in such a way that participants are encouraged to participate fully in acquiring the new knowledge and skills introduced in the workshop Trainers can facilitate different types of learning: Learning about subject matter Learning about the relationship between the subject matter and the relevant context Learning how to apply knowledge acquired

Co-Facilitation Co-facilitation, or collaborative facilitation between two or more people, has the potential to reduce anxiety through dividing responsibilities, diversify facilitation styles to connect with different learning styles, and to enrich the content by demonstrating multiple perspectives and approaches. In order to achieve these benefits it must be carefully planned and clearly articulated between the facilitators. The United Nations Office at Nairobi Training of Trainers programme63 elaborates three possible approaches to co-facilitation. The principles are only slightly different for on-line facilitation; as opposed to the first two options below, simply identify roles in advance.

“Speak and add” places on facilitator as the central leader of the processes where the other(s) enrich the activity by adding considerations and comments “Speak and chart” involves one facilitator to interact with the participants by posing questions and moderating discussions, while the second records the results “Duet” is the most cooperative approach whereby the facilitators are equals in the process and collaborate on an equal basis, both intervening and commenting in turn These methods not only provide a good example to the participants, but also create learning opportunities for the facilitators between each other. To achieve dynamic and effective co63

See the original source at: “Training of Trainers: A facilitation skills program for potential trainers/facilitators.” United Nations Office at Nairobi, page 47 at: http://www.box.net/shared/o6z8sfgnzu

facilitation, refine all expectations, approaches and understanding of the processes in advance of the sessions themselves.

Facilitation tips Face-to-face facilitation The following list outlines several simple methods that make facilitation more effective.

Make eye contact Remember names Refer to participant‟s past points (demonstrates that they are valued) Repeat consistent audiovisual cues (recurring sounds or sights for activity milestones) Flexibility during the facilitation process by being prepared: o Keep extra presentation material (such as presentation slides, videos, podcasts, etc.) in case planned exercises finish earlier than expected o Prepare more than one option for icebreakers and energizers to provide choices that reflect the group dynamics The ITC ILO staff collaboratively developed a list of 92 facilitation tips. View the full article and list in the Learning & Technology blog 64.

On-line facilitation The essential principles of on-line facilitation are much like those for face-to-face activities. It is important to begin by building group dynamics and building a shared knowledge base.

Gilly Salmon has developed a progressive model65 for the technical and facilitation activities and the possible results at various stages of the distance learning cycle. The model is included below.

FIVE STAGE MODEL FOR ON-LINE MODERATION

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See the blog post 100 Facilitation tips: http://itcilo.wordpress.com/2010/09/06/100facilitation-tips/ 65 See more information here: http://www.atimod.com/e-moderating/5stage.shtml

Source: http://www.atimod.com/e-moderating/5stage.shtml Tips for on-line facilitation A consistent and attentive schedule for addressing questions online should be established early-on in the activity Frame comments and contributions as question in order to foster responses and reactions Reflect questions back upon the other participants Suggest that relevant participants work together on an issue Always treat all divergent opinions equally, intervening if destructive disagreements seem to be forming Use friendly and supportive language in individual and group communications Acknowledge contributions and new ideas individually to participants. This will support their continued work and create an element of personal connection that will be rewarding React rapidly so participants do not feel neglected Model effective on-line behaviour by validating points and comments and including links to more relevant information, or proof for certain statements. This will eventually build-up a resource rich with content from diverse places.

Create a separate working space for informal discussions and exchanges, while clearly indicating the expectations and purposes of all the platform components Make sure to have an FAQ or discussion forum devoted entirely to technical questions. It should address common issues and respond to concerns in a timely matter to prevent participants from becoming discouraged and abandoning the platform Take into considerations cultural diversity in the online environment66



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http://sarah-stewart.blogspot.com/2010/07/cultural-competence-in-online.html

Graphic facilitation Above are two examples of Graphic facilitation from the DELTA‟s Learning Chemistry course and the United Nations University – VIE‟s flickr page67. Graphic facilitation is a process whereby standard facilitation methodologies (such as a World Café) are complemented by substantial visual components. You can illustrate dynamic structures on writing walls or flipcharts; draw diagrams and relationships to portray key reflections or provide infographics 68 as technical inputs to sessions. The approaches are endless and the result is a more engaging and entertaining learning exercise.

De-briefing and reflection periods After the activity has concluded, it is imperative to debrief the participants about what just occurred. De-briefings can be conducted by the facilitator, the participants or a combination of both.

Debriefing is important because it fixes what participants learned during the activity. It allows you the opportunity to correct misconceptions and provides trainees with a chance to talk about any discoveries they made. Ask targeted questions about the causes and consequences of various exercises to reiterate the lessons learned as well as informally evaluate the level of learning. This can be particularly helpful if the results are not as expected because it will provide the opportunity to adjust methods or intervene accordingly.

What did you find successful?

67 68

http://www.vie.unu.edu/learninghub/community-of-practice-for-graphic-facilitation/

View the L&T blog post on Infographics at: http://itcilo.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/visualizing-with-infographics/

How did it feel?

What did you find difficult?

What did you find different from the way you expected it to be?

Where do you need more practice?

What did you learn from the activity?

Selecting the type of debrief69 For structured reflection: The After Action Review70 methodology is an excellent approach For technical and objective session content: Individual, or small group reflection is useful because repeating the issues will foster memory retention.

For controversial content, or outstanding issues: Address them in plenary format so that all of the participant perspectives are shared collectively and next steps can be formulated.

“You can tell whether [someone] is clever by [their] answers.

You can tell whether [someone] is wise by [their] questions.”

- Naguib Mahfouz

Recording the results Capturing the key points and outcomes from the sessions will create a future reference point for present and future participants, as well as facilitators. Various methods can be applied according the methodologies adopted.

Taking pictures of the work from flip-charts, writing walls and other outputs is simple and accurate. Those that best convey the materials should be selected and included in the end-of-activity resources, as well as posted on the website.

Action plans and other written work should also be included in the on-line platforms and end-of-activity resources.

Collaborative recording: A wiki71 or a google document can be used daily to record new knowledge, reflections and debriefing, making them easy to access for further reference.

Wrapping up The concluding activity should leave the participants on a positive note similar to the introductory activity. It is meant to help participants realize how much learning has taken place, find a way to organize this new information and leave feeling optmistic and energized about the activity.

Mindmaps72: For the last day of the class, ask participants to do a mindmap poster of what they learned throughout the activity. You can ask them to color code the concepts: green for concepts they were already familiar with, yellow for concepts they learned and red for concepts they would like to explore further following the face-to-face event (in Phase 3 for blended events). Expose all the mindmaps on the wall and ask participants to briefly explain theirs to the group.

Question game: Divide the group in 2 and ask each team to prepare 5 questions relating the activity content. Each team has to answer the questions prepared by the 69 70 71 72

For debriefing games, visit http://www.thiagi.com/games.html See the After Action Review fiche at: http://www.box.net/shared/f6v4us1c36 See the Wiki fiche at: http://www.box.net/shared/271terkji7 For more info on mindmapping: http://www.box.net/shared/h7f4mjcz93

other team and the team who answers the most questions correctly wins a prize! (that they can usually share with the whole group) Audience response systems73: You can use clickers to review the most important concepts, incorporating jokes to make it a fun activity.

Maintaining a rhythm and focus

EMPTY PARKING LOT

The “Parking lot” is a great tool to keep the discussion on topic when participants seek to address issues that: are not directly related to the session subject matter; relate to a subject that will be addressed in a later section; or are interconnected issues that will not be covered by the activity.

In any case, it can be put in the “Parking lot”. This can come in the form of anything from an on-line discussion thread to a flip-chart permanently placed in the classroom for the duration of the activity. Important questions, comments or concerned are recorded in the “Parking lot” to create a list out outstanding issues and ensure the participant that their participation is important and their ideas valued. The issues contained can be addressed throughout the activity, or if they were not foreseen within strict agendas, can be returned to in Phase 3 of the Blended Learning Approach. This can also be maintained in the evenings of Phase 2 and will encourage participants to access the on-line platform throughout the activity.

The importance of timely and appropriate feedback The impact of timely and appropriate feedback is essential to maximise the learning process, to maintain focus, to provide direction, to improve processes and actions. Feedback must be: Detailed and given often during the activity Honest but encouraging, so it is not taken as criticism Linked to the learning objectives Adapted to the participant‟s maturity and cultural sensitivities Practical so participant can apply it Encourage self and peer feedback as they are both powerful learning tools. People learn more through higher order learning skills (reflecting, analysing, critiquing) as well as by benefiting from other views and experiences.

Facilitation challenges A facilitator can face an unpredictable array of challenges, emanating both from the participants and the environment. Here are some examples of challenges and suggestions on how to deal with them.

Tardiness

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See the fiche on Audience response systems: http://www.box.net/shared/1uhxypuozv

Collaboratively set a rule (include in the code of conduct) at the outset of the activity as to a penalty for late-comers. Select an activity, such as telling a story, singing a song or sharing a quote with is relevant and suitable for the group of participants.

Silence The course of action depends on the reason for the silence. A question might be unclear and need rewording or there could be a participant around whom the others are shy and this could be addressed through the rules of engagement and/or a suitable icebreaker. You also need to consider that cultures interpret silence in different ways and it does not always need to be filled. Judgment on a case by case basis will help you decide whether to wait out the silence, move on the next subject or confront it directly by inquiring about the cause.

For shy participants, use smaller groups to discuss topics (round robin, pair work) If participants are falling asleep, use energizers. Energizers74 are energy building activities that can be used any time the facilitator feels the group energy needs boosting. They are intended to be quick and fun activities that get people moving, laughing, and at ease. They are ideal for the very outset of an activity or after the lunch break as they help participants re-focus their attention.

Disinterest If one or more participants are carrying on simultaneous private conversations, you ask them a question pertaining to the discussed topic or ask them if they would like to share with the rest of the group, or if they could save their conversation for later.

Monopolizing the conversation When facing domineering participants, you can say you would like to hear from someone who hasn‟t expressed their opinion yet or that you would like to hear a different opinion on the subject. If the participant continues to monopolize the discussion, suggest to continue the conversation at the break Negativity Do not get into an argument/debate with a participant that is in disagreement with you, simply agree to disagree or go back to the group and ask them to respond For participants who complain, ask them to propose solutions or suggest them to put down their complaints on paper and document them and reassure them they will be reviewed. You can also talk to them during the break so they feel they have the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction.

In general, let the group deal with the difficult participant but if an intervention becomes necessary, you should refer back to the ground rules. Use the following graph as a guideline to determine the level of intervention needed.

HUMOUR

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Here are a few examples of energizers http://tinyurl.com/32722n4

Applying appropriate humour in challenging situations always lightens the mood and reduces stress. This can be used to address the situations above, but also to reinforce certain structures of the learning activity, such as the schedule.

Evaluation The Evaluation Unit has embraced the commitment to address evaluation as a strategic function at the Centre with the purpose of contributing to increased accountability and transparency to donors, partners and constituents.

The Centre approach towards evaluation at the impact level has been materialized through the institutionalization of standardized instruments and tools.

The standard end-of-activity questionnaire provides feedback on participants‟ immediate satisfaction with the various components of each training activity.

Standardization has enabled the Centre to process statistical information on participants‟ satisfaction and to identify trends, strengths and areas for improvement in its training activities and services.

A new evaluation system focused on impact, initiated in 2009, was finalized in March 2010.

The strategy includes tools for addressing evaluation of training at various levels and they are included in the table on the following page. The following diagram outlines the necessary processes for evaluations, from the most basic assessment of reaction to the most profound assessment of impact.

Level 1

What is measured

How to yield positive results

Reaction of participant what they thought and felt about the training

If the micro/individual participant needs were properly assessed with the pre-course surveys75 ,integrated in the Design and applied in the Implementation of the activity, the reaction evaluation should be positive.

Tool Standard end-of-activity questionnaire76: Available in an electronic version, it provides the group results in “real time”, thus enabling trainers to review the results with participants and get relevant feedback immediately.

Learning - the resulting increase in knowledge or capability

Design the learning activity according to the pre-course surveys 77 and the Learning needs analysis78.

Pre- and post-learning assessment79: two anonymous self-evaluation forms, administered before and after the training. Participants are asked to self-report their own level of knowledge of specific topics covered during the activity. The pre-test obtains a baseline level of competencies regarding the content of the learning activity. It could be done on the 1st day of the face to face, in Phase 1 of a blended activity or it could be incorporated in the Learning needs analysis.

Evaluation of the learning can also be incorporated throughout the activity through various methods such as using Audience response systems80 to check the knowledge after each session.

Application extent of behavior and capability improvement and implementatio n/ application

The Learning needs analysis should orient the training activity in a way that will make it easier for the participants to apply thr knowledge learned.

By helping retention of knowledge through follow-up activities and support once participants are back in their context.

Phase 3 follow-up: Through mentoring from experts, peer coaching and collaboration on discussion forums81 or live synchronous sessions, participants can share application best practices and challenges.

2

3

75

Tools

ITCILO pre-training survey template at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/pre_train_template ITCILO standard end-of-activity questionnaire https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/end_of_f2f_train 77 ITCILO pre-training survey template at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/pre_train_template 78 For an example of a learning needs assessment that incorporates the baseline level of competencies http://c-3147.itcilo.org:8080/rid=1HX698RWT-FQHWCP3TD/Example_LNA_EmployersActivities.pdf?tokenId=1HXZK4WJM-HPT2QJ-15M1&ext=true 79 ITCILO example of pre-test/post-test (a) www.surveymonkey.com/s/entry_self_eval + www.surveymonkey.com/s/final_self_eval or (b) post + retrospective self-evaluation (only one form to be administered at the end) www.surveymonkey.com/s/post_retro 80 See fiche on Audience response systems: http://www.box.net/shared/1uhxypuozv 81 See fiche on discussion forums: http://www.box.net/shared/qq5i4zh76n 76

4

Impact: the effects on the environment or on the participant‟s organization resulting from the transfer of learning

You must 1st clearly address and define the organizationl/meso needs in the Analysis to be able to measure the impact of the activity.

Because this assessment is more complex, it is not done systematically at the end of each activity. You can select the activities for which you assessed the organizational needs.

Follow-up questionnaire to former participants82: elicits information on the ways in which participants and their organizations benefited from the training. In order to reach this level of assessment, the organizational needs should be clearly addressed and defined in the learning needs analysis in order to measure the result of the learning activity * Several technical programmes have adapted and used the questionnaire to assess the benefits generated by their training at outcome and organizational impact level. For an example, see the results of the survey sent out for skill development courses.83

FINAL THOUGHTS The process The truly participatory process adopted by DELTA for the development of the Compass toolkit involved a very large sample of the Centre staff. Key units such as Gender, Social Protection and Evaluation where consulted at various stages to ensure that the guide not only included mention of these important principles, but also reflected them throughout. The feedback from countless other staff members proved particularly valuable when adapting the research to suit the specific needs of the ITC ILO.

The product The result is a comprehensive overview of the key considerations for the creation of a learning activity from start to finish. It reflects the Turin Learning Approach and supports the drive to offer enhanced distance learning opportunities for the many beneficiaries of the Centre‟s services. It can be used according to the specific needs of the staff and is particularly practical in conjunction with the series of instructional fiches explaining the many methodologies and technologies outlined in the Design section.

The future An on-line version will accompany the guide to provide brief introductions to the concepts and instant access to the tools and tips of the Compass. The project as a whole has been conceived as an ever-evolving resource to be revised and editing in alignment with the constantly changing atmosphere of learning and capacity building. Fiches will be added to the series on an ongoing basis and the guide itself will be reviewed periodically. Comments and suggestions are welcomed by DELTA to ensure that an up-to-date resource is always available for you and your colleagues.

82 83

ITCILO follow-up questionnaire https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ITC_Follow_up Participant reaction on ITCILO/ESD courses in Annex

GLOSSARY Assessment: educational assessment is the process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs… 84 Asynchronous: video and data signals and devices that are not precisely in step, are not of the same frequency, or are not happening together in time. 85 Bandwidth: a data transmission rate, the maximum amount of information (bits per second) that can be transmitted along a channel.86 Creative Commons: Created to “increase sharing and improve collaboration87. It is an international licensing scheme that associate works with the level of freedom identified by the original creator. When searching for inputs to course materials, include “creative commons” with the text to see what resources may be used legally. The following table is cited from a UN University workshop and summarizes the benefits for creators and users.

BENEFITS FOR CREATORS

BENEFITS FOR USERS

Free choice of licenses that protect interests

Share content freely

Increased recognition of creator‟s work

Customize content according to their needs

Eliminates high transaction costs

Access up-to-date resources

Builds good will for others to share work

Reduce replication

Netiquette: Conduct while online that is appropriate and courteous to other Internet users.88 Synchronous: a process that is carried out in real time.89

84

Definition source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assessment Definition source: www.uwex.edu/ics/design/glossary.htm 86 Definition source: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/per/webwn 87 More information on the non-profit organization can be found at the official website: http://creativecommons.org/ 88 Definition source: en.wiktionary.org/wiki/netiquette 89 Definition source: www.uwex.edu/ics/design/glossary.htm 85

BIBLIOGRAPHY Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2005). Who learns at work? Employees‟ experiences of training and development. Survey report March 2005.

Chevalier, J. M. and D. J. Buckles (2008). SAS2: A Guide to Collaborative Inquiry and Social Engagement. International Development Research Centre. Sage Publications: New Delhi.

Collins, B., R. Diez de Medina and A. Trebilcock (2005). The culture of a knowledge fair: lessons from an international organization. www.km4dev.org/journal 1(3): 19-20.

Council conclusions of 12 May 2009 on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training („ET 2020‟). Notices from European Union Institutions and Bodies. Official Journal of the European Union . EN. C 119/2 Garvin, D. A., A. C. Edmondson and F. Gino (2008). Is Yours a Learning Organization?

Harvard Business Review. Hbr.org: 109-16.

High-Energy, High-Impact, Business Training Solutions (2002). Creative Icebreakers, Introductions, and Hellos for Teachers, Trainers, and Facilitators. Business Training Works.

Iiyoshi, T., C. Richardson and O. McGrath. Harnessing Open Technologies to Promote Open Educational Knowledge Sharing. http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=339 Kuhlmann, T. The Insider‟s Guide to Becoming a Rapid E-Learning Pro. http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/ McKee, N., M. Solas and H. Tillmann (Eds.) (1998). Games and Exercises: Visualization in participatory programmes (VIPP). UNICEF-ESARO. Ramalingam, B. (2006). Tools for Knowledge and Learning: A Guide for Development and Humanitarian Organisations. Rapid Research and Policy in Development and the Overseas Development Institute.

Siaw, A. (2007). Training of Trainers: A facilitation skills program for potential trainers/facilitators. Staff Development and Training Unit, United Nations Office at Nairobi. The UN Headquarters in Africa.

Siemens, G. (2006). Knowing Knowledge. Creative Commons www.knowingknowledge.com Slocum, Dr. N. (2003). Participatory Methods Tookit: A practitioner‟s manual. King Baudoin Foundation and the Flemish Institute for Science and Technology Assessment (viWTA). www.kbs-frb.be or www.viWTA.be or www.unu.cris.edu Stone, T., Blending Web 2.0 Technologies with Traditional Formal Learning: A Guide for CLOs and Training Managers. Element K.

Sullivan, R. (2009). Principles for constructing good clicker questions: going beyond rote learning and stimulating active engagement with course content. Educational Technology Systems, 37(3): 335-47.

Thalheimer, W. (2009). Using Linguistically, Culturally, and Situationally Appropriate.

Scenarios to Support Real-World Remembering. Retrieved from: http://www.worklearning.com/catalog/ The Commonwealth of Learning (2005). Creating Learning Materials for Open and Distance Learning: A handbook for authors and instructional designers. Vancouver, Canada. http://www.col.org UNEP (2009). Green Meeting Guide. ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability. IAM LADP UNESCAP. Training Fundamentals. Instructors Reference Manual. http://www.box.net/shared/1qi0fo8mt2 UNICEF AND UNSSC. How to run and organize learning workshops. http://www.box.net/shared/82kqcfdev0 Youth Peer Education Network (2005) Youth Peer Education Toolkit: Training of Trainers Manual. United Nations Population Fund and Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER).

New York, NY USA

Annex 1 Customizable concept note for use in proposals, tenders and promotional materials The Turin Learning Approach90 was designed in order to support effective learning processes both at the International Training Centre of the ILO and for learning activities delivered in the field by Centre‟s staff. The approach guides every phase of all activities through three crucial concepts: relevance, quality and impact. The principles practiced are aligned with the ILO Recommendation 195 concerning Human Resources Development: Education, Training and Lifelong Learning91, the European Commission‟s position on lifelong learning92, respect the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness as well as the Accra Agenda for Action 93 and have been enhanced in light of the Berlin Statement on the Effectiveness of International Development Training94. Furthermore, Centre staff are engaged in ongoing initiatives such as the Belém Framework for Action, resulting from the Sixth International Conference on Adult Education95.

Responding to global trends, utilizing new opportunities and adjusting to rapidly evolving environments that affect organizational and individual contexts increasingly requires learning in diverse circumstances and through a variety of modalities. These standards endorse common practices across the ITC-ILO activities that differentiate the Centre for other learning and training institutes.

Relevance means ensuring that the Centre's learning activities are customer-oriented and meet the individual and organization development agendas. They enable participants to adapt their existing and newly acquired competencies to complex contexts. Many open courses have cross-cutting focuses, and specialized courses are carefully designed in partnership with reputable national, regional and international institutions. Flexible design of learner-centered approaches ensures that activities achieve their objectives.

Several factors of the Turin Learning Approach guarantee high quality learning programmes.

The Blended Learning Approach extends the learning experience and allows participants to explore lessons within their own working realities through distance connections with experts, facilitators and peers. The Centre has an extensive repository of learning resources acquired over 45 years in the field of learning and training. The staff and facilitators are leaders in the field and the Centre itself provides a state of the art learning environment that is fully equipped with contemporary learning aids and simultaneous interpretation. Furthermore, off-campus venues are adapted to create an environment that supports learning.

Participatory and experiential learning methods are a focus of the Centre and a source of pride. A vast array of contemporary and traditional methodologies and technologies are 90

Review the complete brochure at: http://www.itcilo.org/en/about-the-centre/how-weoperate 91 The recommendation text can be found here: http://www.ilo.org/ilolex/cgilex/convde.pl?R195 92 Explore EC references at: http://ec.europa.eu/education/index_en.htm 93 Overview of both initiatives available at: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/11/41/34428351.pdf 94 Statement may be reviewed at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/WBI/Resources/BerlinStatementonInternationalDevelopm entTraining.pdf 95 Framework available at: http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/working_docum ents/Bel%C3%A9m%20Framework_Final.pdf

creatively applied to enhance the impact of learning and encourage peer to peer knowledge sharing. The staff themselves are constantly provided with skills development opportunities to maintain a high level of facilitation expertise.

All of the above contributes to the impact of learning activities, which is fundamentally focused on making a difference. A diversity of techniques are applied according to multicultural and gender considerations in order to embed competencies, establish networks and manage all learning activities according to the best available knowledge.

The ITC-ILO is involved in international initiatives at both the policy and practice level. This ensures that participants receive high quality relevant opportunities with a sustainable impact. The long record of monitoring and evaluation demonstrates a very high level of satisfaction overall.

Annex 2 FAQ overview I've forgotten my password, how can I retrieve it ?

What are the system requirements for this course ?

How can I change my email address ?

How can I change my password ?

How do I use the text editor ?

How do I change my text editor ?

Why do I see an empty box with a red cross in the top left hand corner ?

How can I add my photo to the site ?

I think my page is not being refreshed...how do I empty my cache ?

I've forgotten my password, how can I retrieve it ?

If you forget your password you should click on the link "Forgot your password ?" in the Log In box under the left menu in the home page as shown below.

Clicking on this link will bring you to the "Lost Password" page where you should enter your username the click on the button "start password reset" which will initiate a process to email your password to you.

What are the system requirements for this course ?

This is a list of the basic requirements for this course, however it is recommended to use higher versions, better connections, more ram, etc. You will be able to follow this course at these minimum levels but there is no guarantee that it will work well - for example the time to open a page will increase with weaker internet connections. Requirements are subject to change based on system requirements for applications used to view and manufacture learning objects.

Macintosh Windows [PC] Recommended

Hardware

1 GHz Power PC G4 or Intel Core Duo 1.83GHz or faster processor 256MB of RAM 64MB of VRAM

Minimum PowerPC G3 500MHz or Intel Core Duo 1.33GHz or faster processor 128MB of RAM 1 GB free hard drive space

Recommended

Intel Pentium 4 3GHz processor (or equivalent) 128MB of RAM 64MB of VRAM

(Configurations may vary results) Macintosh OS X Version 10.5.1 (Leopard) Operating Systems

Macintosh OS X v10.1 (PowerPC) v10.4.x (Intel)

Minimum 500 MHz CPU or faster processor 128 MB RAM 2 GB free hard drive space

(Configurations may vary results) Windows XP Windows Vista*

Microsoft Windows 2000 Second Edition

*The new Microsoft Vista operating system has not been validated for use with this course, and attached files created in Vista may not be downloadable. !! Older systems and other configurations may work however, browsers, plug-ins, document viewers and applications may not be compatible with all components used in the course. !!

Firefox +2.x (OS X only) Web Browsers Safari +3.04

Firefox 1.0.x (OS X only) Safari 1.2, 1.3, 2.x; and 2.x for Intel x86 platform

Firefox +2.0 Internet Explorer +7

Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1; 6.0 SP2; Netscape 7.2 AOL 9.0

Firefox 1.0.x, 1.5.x, 2.0 (SP1 Hotfix 2)

Internet Connectivity

Additional Software & Plug-ins:

150kpbs connectivity speed 56 kpbs dial-up modem from one of the following: or better speeds.

DSL +150kpbs (min) Cable modem Microwave LAN or equivalent

150kpbs connectivity speed  56 kpbs dial-up from one of the following: modem DSL +150kpbs (min)  or better speeds.

Cable modem Microwave LAN or equivalent

MS Office 2007 (MSWord and Power Point) [older versions have compatibility issues] or OpenOffice Adobe Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player RealPlayer QuickTime Shockwave / Flash Player

Browser Configuration All browsers must be configured to work properly with this site. Some issues that students encounter, such as login failures or course tools not working properly, can be traced to browser configuration. Your web browser must be configured so that: Java and JavaScript are enabled Cookies are enabled Pop-up blockers are disabled Pop-up Blockers The LLeL site sometimes uses small browser windows to deliver requested content. Some pop-up blockers incorrectly interpret these small windows as pop-ups and block them. If you have installed a pop-up blocker, turn it off while using the site. While these programs serve a useful purpose in blocking unwanted advertisements, they may also prevent some of the pages from working.

How can I change my email address ?

If your email address has changed during the course or wish to use a different address from the one you were registered with you must go to your "Preferences" which is accessed via a link on your personal bar as shown below:

This link will take you to your "dashboard". Here, click on the link on the top right hand side of the page called "Personal Preferences" to change any of your personal settings such as Full Name, E-mail address, URL of your home page. In this page you can also upload your photo which will be displayed in the forum alongside your forum entries.

How can I change my password ?

To change your password you must go to your "Preferences" which can be accessed via a link on your personal bar as shown below:

This link will take you to your dashboard. Here, click on the link on the top right hand side of the page called "Change Password" to reset your password. Please note that once you have reset your password you will be asked to log in again to the site with your new password.

This is normal procedure.

How do I use the text editor ?

There are 3 different text editors available to course participants. By default your text editor is the one shown below called "Kupu".

Plone features an integrated visual editor called Kupu which is both the default and recommended visual editor of Plone.

You can find the users guide to Kupu here.

How do I change my text editor ?

To change your default text editor you must go to your "Preferences" which is accessed via a link on your personal bar as shown below:

This link will take you to your dashboard. Here, click on the link on the top right hand side of the page called "Personal Preferences" and scroll down to the drop down list "Content editor". You can choose to change to FCKeditor which is a more complex text editor, or if you are a html wizard you can also try changing to Basic HTML textarea.

Why do I see an empty box with a red cross in the top left hand corner ?

If you see this on the page:

This means that an image, audio or video is not being displayed correctly in your browser. If you see this small red cross in the top left hand corner of a box, please note down or copy the URL you are currently on and send it to a.taylder@itcilo.org and we will ensure that the missing item is visible from your browser.

How can I add my photo to the site ?

To add your photo to the site you must go to your "Preferences" which can be accessed via a link on your personal bar as shown below:

This link will take you to your dashboard - see below:

Click on the link show above to get to the Personal Preferences form. The add your Portrait section is at the bottom of this form. Click on the "Browse" button to select a photo from your computer. THE PHOTO MUST BE IN JPEG OR GIF FORMAT. Any other formats are not accepted (eg. TIFF, PNG). In the field instructions it says that the recommended size of your photo is 75px x 100px.

If you upload a photo, save it and then want to change the photo, repeat the process, remembering to click on "save" after you have uploaded the second photo. If after "save" your new photo doesn't appear - DON'T PANIC !!! The page you are seeing is probably an old one stored in the cache. Try to refresh your page or if this doesn't work you should empty your cache.

I think my page is not being refreshed...how do I empty my cache ?

Each time you access a file through your web browser, the browser caches (stores) it. In this way, the files (including any images on the page) do not have to be retrieved anew from the

remote web site each time you click the Back or Forward buttons. You should periodically clear the cache to allow your browser to function more efficiently.

On this page: Windows Internet Explorer 7 Internet Explorer 4.x, 5.x, and 6.x Firefox 2.0 Firefox 1.0 and 1.5 Mac OS and Mac OS X Safari Firefox 1.x and 2.0

Internet Explorer 7 1. From the Tools menu, select Internet Options... .

2. Choose the General tab.

3. Under Browsing history, click Delete... .

4. Next to "Temporary Internet Files", click Delete files... .

5. Click Close, and then click OK to exit.

Internet Explorer 4.x, 5.x, and 6.x for Windows 1. From the Tools menu (for version 4.x, the View menu), select Internet Options... .

2. Choose the General tab.

3. In the "Temporary Internet Files" section, click Delete Files... .

4. To confirm the deletion, click OK. 5. In the Internet Options dialog box, click OK. Firefox 2.0 for Windows From the Tools menu, select Clear Private Data, and then choose Cache.

Firefox 1.0 and 1.5 for Windows 1. From the Tools menu, select Options... , and then click Privacy.

2. In 1.5, select the Cache tab, and then click the Clear Cache Now button. In 1.0, next to Cache, click the Clear button, and then click OK. Safari 1. From the Safari menu, select Empty Cache... .

2. When prompted, click Empty to confirm that you want to empty the cache.

Firefox 1.x and 2.0 for Mac OS X 1. From the Firefox menu, select Preferences... .

2. From the sheet that drops down, select Privacy. In 2.0, click Clear Now. In 1.5, click Clear Cache Now. In 1.0, next to Cache, click the Clear button, and then OK.

Annex 3 Example agenda for blended learning approach

Course schedule Lifelong E-Learning 04/10/2010 – 12/11/2010 Every participant will receive an online introductory survey, instructions on e-mail use, username and password on Monday 04/10/2010 www.itcilo.org/lifelongelearning

PART 1 04/10

Official opening of the Lifelong E-Learning platform. (LLeL- platform)

11/10

Introduction module: Access and motivation.

Access to module 1: E-learning theories, models of instructional design, blended learning

15/10

Deadline first on-line assignment

DISTANCE

PART 2 18/10 -22/10

Start Face-to-Face training at the International Training Centre in Turin (Italy) Full agenda of all the activities will be available on the LLeL Platform.

FACE-TOFACE

No on-line assignments this week. Will be replaced by project work at the International Training Centre

PART 3 25/10

Access to module 2 E-moderation and E-Communication

To be Online conference (invitation will be sent by mail) scheduled

DISTANCE

01/11

Access to module 3 Social networking and knowledge management

12/11

Final evaluation of the course + Finalization of the projects

This is the general agenda. We do recommend you to follow the online agenda where final Adjustments, additional activities and information will be available.

Annex 4 Example of an activity flyer

Annex 5 Learning needs on-line assessment example

Annex 6 Profile of an adult learner Characteristics and behaviours of adult learners may include: Internal motivation Eager to learn and develop (making up for lost time, incentives) Goal directed Active or passive learners depending on personality (introvert vs extrovert) Independent Self-responsible Self-disciplined Varied expectations Vulnerable Critical/challenging about content and presentation More established emotional framework and way of seeing the world (attitudes, assumptions, values) Fear of unknown Fear of change/conservative Fear of making a fool of self – more considered and less spontaneous Need to be stimulated Need to know where going Concerned about application of content Sharing of experiences Integrate with others‟ experiences i.e. be able to relate to others‟ experience even if not experienced exactly the same thing Mature Competitive Develop own impressions Reflective Evasive More heavily impacted on by external stressors i.e. come into training with concerns about work issues, financial or family problems Longer attention span but more selective about what give attention to – want to see value/purpose of the learning

Annex 7 Checking the profile of the target group Function/Position * Educational background * Age * Gender * Critical issues Previous training Motivation Expectations * Experience * Infrastructure/connection Language * Finance / income level Nationality * Available time How do you know about * Member of professional body Disability Dietary / needs __________

* Information requested in the Nomination Form

Annex 8 The different ways people learn and why it matters The „Creator‟ (Diverging style) Their strengths are absorbing information through concrete experience and processing it through powers of observation. Their imaginative ability enables you to generate many alternative ideas. They love brainstorming and are interested in people, as well as very feeling- oriented.

They can become overwhelmed by alternatives and indecisiveness. They must make an effort not to prioritize urgent challenges above important challenges, or treat mere symptoms as challenges.

The „Planner‟ (Assimilating style) They have the ability to perceive new information abstractly and process disparate observations into integrated rational explanations. They are good at inductive reasoning and the creation of models and theories. These systematic planners are great goal setters.

Their style often overlooks the practical implications. Be aware of the danger of engaging in premature discussions of solutions and ensure that critical facts are known.

The „Decision maker‟ (Converging style) They are able to take in new information in the abstract and process it into concrete solutions. They use hypothetical deductive reasoning to arrive at a single best solution to a question or problem. Their great strength is the ability to solve problems and make decisions.

They can be hasty or define problems prematurely. They must be encouraged to avoid narrowing their focus early on or creating unproductive conflict and competition.

The „Do-er‟ (Accommodating style) They are able to understand new information clearly and transform it actively. They have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Their strengths are doing things, carrying out plans and tasks and getting involved in new experiences. They are more likely to want to learn and work with others, and are comfortable learning through practical experience.

They can be seen as „pushy‟ and impatient. They may spend a lot of time making trivial improvements or taking the wrong action. They must seek to win commitment from the rest of the team before taking action.

Annex 9 Example letter to resource person

Annex 10 Activity certificate activity template

TITLE OF THE PROGRAMME (Indicate the venue) City (Country) (If applicable) Financed (or co-financed, as appropriate) by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and (If applicable) Organized in collaboration with …………………………………………………………

PARTICIPANT'S FULL NAME

DD MMMM YYYY

DD MMMM YYYY

(Last day of the activity)

2008/A123456/1 … (Year/COORD Activity Code/Participant number (as per list of participants))

Annex 11 Essential Cross-Cultural Knowledge for Trainers

Annex 12 Gender indicators for activity design Indicator

Ideal target

Number of organisations representing women‟s interests at Govt. or NGO level included as partner/beneficiary organisations

More than 1 in each activity

Total Number of women participants in all the courses Percentage of women in each course

50%

Number of curricula having undergone a gender screening and subsequent adjustment

All

Number of gender-sensitized experts‟ interventions

All

Number of ad-hoc specific women/gender sessions introduced

One in each activity

Number of gender-specific pieces of information/documentation made available to participants

More than 1 document for every activity

Number of specific collaborations/joint activities with a gender focus planned with the corresponding ILO InFocus Programmes

More than 1 per Programme

Number of new gender-sensitised training materials developed or of existing materials screened.

All materials used

Number of new women-specific programmes (designed, proposed, implemented)

At least one per year per Technical Programme

Number of briefing meeting with staff in the Programme on women and gender issues organised

Every month

Number of quotations of women and gender issues in official policy and strategy documents

More than once in each document

Amount of resources ear-marked to this effect

GENDER 8.11.2000

Base-line

Annex 13 Multicultural event design