Guidelines for online training

Re: Guidelines for online training

2008-03-20T20:53:01Z

Thank you, Lisa, for your research and all of the links to other resources. I also appreciate the sample forms and look forward to other responses on this topic. As a new member of the WebJunction community, I must say I am very impressed with the support I've received from everyone!

Re: Guidelines for online training

2008-03-19T16:25:01Z

This is a great topic for discussion -- and something that we are currently examining at my library. I think as budgets grow tighter and e-learning opportunities proliferate it is important for libraries of all sizes to examine how they can integrate online training in to their staff development plans.

We currently have growth oriented performance reviews twice per year and it is within the context of those reviews that employees can identify online training that they plan to take -- but I see the value of creating a form to track it more formally (just like we do for conference requests).

Re: Guidelines for online training

2008-03-18T20:24:42Z

This is a great topic! In the interest of keeping the lively discussion going we've highlighted it as the [url http://www.webjunction.org/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=7513&tstart=0]Question of the Week[/url]. People will post their suggestions here in your topic.

Thanks for the great question!

Re: Guidelines for online training

2008-03-18T16:11:02Z

Hi again,

Well the old reference librarian background kicked in and I did some research on this. Here are some preliminary findings from a quick Google search and browse. There are some interesting things here, and some that I think could be used to build a great online training/e-learning policy for staff.

Most are from the education perspective (Academic, K-12), but the one from the NOAA is definitely for their staff.

1. The Importance of Policies in E-Learning Instruction.
http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eqm0433.pdf

2. Shaping E-Learning Policy

http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=163100416

3.An e-Learning Policy: The AUP of Electronic Learning

http://www.celt.lsu.edu/CFD/E-Proceedings_05/Hebert_policy-edit.pdf

4. E-Learning Policies

http://www.edutools.info/static.jsp?pj=6&page=HOME

Allows you to run a side by side comparison of Policies based on certain components. Very interesting.

5. NOAA's E-Learning Policy

http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/pdfs/elearning_NOAAs_policy.pdf

For staff, includes Access during "tour of duty" and training during "non-duty hours" as well as the training approval process

6. E-Learning for Educators: Implementing the Standards for Staff Development - National Staff Development Council

http://www.nsdc.org/library/authors/e-learning.pdf

Decision making matrix - 53 pages long with all kinds of considerations

Lisa Barnhart - WJIL

Re: Guidelines for online training

2008-03-18T13:43:46Z

Hi everyone,

To give credit where credit is due, we (WJ-Illinois) didn't create the E-Learning approval form, we just adapted the one that New Hampshire created. You can see it at:

http://www.nh.gov/nhsl/services/librarians/E-CourseRegForm.htm

I don't know how much it is being used, but I think it's a great idea.

We hear this all the time when we go out and train - Supervisors/managers are concerned about letting staff have free reign to do whatever they want to in terms of online learning, library staff want to do it, but feel that they don't have the "approved" time to take advantage of it. I am definitely interested in hearing if there are any formal policies out there to use as models.

Lisa Barnhart
WJ Illinois

Re: Guidelines for online training

2008-03-17T20:51:28Z

Hi there,
WJ-Illinois created this e-learning approval form that allows individuals to plan their online training. You may be able to adapt it to your needs.

E-Learning Approval Form
http://il.webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=19624

Welcome to WebJunction!

Emily

Re: Guidelines for online training

2008-03-17T20:49:47Z

That is a good question and I'm hoping to hear some answers from others.

That "abundance of material available" that you speak of actually presents new challenges to training supervisors and CE coordinators. The burden seems to be on them to identify and recommend the high quality, targeted online learning modules in order to minimize wasting the time of the trainees.

This CIPD article clarifies the difference between [url http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/lrnanddev/strategiespolicies/tngpolstrat ]strategy and policy[/url]. Planning the overall training strategy for your library will help to determine how much time each person may spend in order to accomplish the training objectives. Whether it's online learning or traditional training, you'd still want to know that it aligns with the library's goals.

Has anyone encountered problems around overuse of online training time? What do you do about it?

Guidelines for online training

2008-03-17T16:00:20Z

Does anyone have a policy or guidelines for online training, i.e. how much can be done on work time, is supervisory approval of topic(s) required, etc. We want to promote using online resources for staff development, but there is such an abundance of material available that one could easily get carried away. Has anyone experienced that problem?