North West Learning Development Programme

1. North West Learning Development Programme James Bell E-Learning Development Coordinator Cumbria & Lancashire SHA james.bell@clha.nhs.uk

2. Agenda for Today • Rationale • Audience • Programme elements • Process • Audience discussion – What could go wrong? • Lessons Learned • Evaluation • Final Thoughts Questions & Discussion

3. Rationale What are the most important factors in the success or failure of e-learning? Top 4 factors detailed by companies who have undertaken e-learning projects Source: Epic Group PLC

4. Audience Anyone charged with the Education, Training & Development of others. From Directors, to: • Training Managers • Clinical Tutors/Educators • Training Officers • Specialist Trainers - i.e. mandatory or clinical skills trainers/educators • IT staff

5. Programme Elements • High-level champions conference • Two-day 'Frontline Champions' course • Access to a catalogue of e-learning courses (100) • Access to accredited e-learning professional qualifications • E-Tutor • E-Manager • E-Developer • E-Consultant • E-Facilitation Course

6. Holistic Approach 1. High Level Conference for strategic leaders 4. Portfolio of support Celp Courses E-Learning catalogue E-facilitator Functional Competencies Generic Competencies 2. Two-day front line champions course aimed at staff with authority to change current practice. 3. Supporting team members identified by ‘front-line’ champions

7. Process (Candidate) • Apply for relevant course(s) • Input personal & contact information • Select ‘region’ and date • Complete ‘supporting statement’ indicating how selection criteria is met • Complete ‘line-managers’ details and ‘tick’ to indicate line manager support • Application complete – wait for confirmation • Marketing Materials Received • Posters • E-mails • Networks • E-Form • Interested staff visit website • What is included in the programme? • What does a learning champion do? • What commitment is involved for each course?

8. Process (SHA administrator) • Communications • Ensure an appropriate ‘spread’ of attendees on each course • Ensure reminder e-mails sent 2 weeks before course commencement • Ensure location maps, times and other information is communicated appropriately • Amend applications if necessary (swap dates for example) • Liaise regularly with other administrators • Log-in to website • ‘Review’ your region for new applicants • Assess application against criteria • Ensure line managers details completed • Accept or decline candidate • E-mail decision to both • This will include ‘comments’ depending on course(s) applied for

9. Pause for thought… Consider the Following Elements: • Document 3 barriers that could affect the overall success of the programme? • Document at least 1 solution for each of the barriers identified • Marketing • Website • High level champions event • Portfolio of off-shelf courses • E-Facilitator course • Certified e-learning professional courses

10. Lessons Learned • Marketing • E-mails don’t always get opened! • Ensure audience can see why it is an applicable course for them personally • Ensure the ‘criteria for selection’ is communicated appropriately • Market continually, not just once • Ensure your marketing meets the psychological contract expected by candidates • Some expected to use a PC on the front-line course • If candidates have to pay to park – tell them! • Front-Line workshops • Some dates coincided with school holidays! • Attendance so far 143 but course designed for 270 (30 * 9) • Gap between June workshop and September one too long – people quickly forget! • Action planning was good but we should have followed up later to assess impact in workplace • Intended to build a ‘community of practice’ via website but this did not happen

11. Lessons Learned (2) • Website • Online registration caused problems for some organisations firewalls • How many people gave up trying? • Functionality expected was not always supplied and additions/changes took a long time to action • Should have a different application form for each course – completing only one form caused communication and administration problems • Website continued • Contact details for each SHA should have been added to the website (in case of problems) • Create a robust ‘statement of requirements’ in relation to website functionality expected in future • Pre-course e-learning (front line champions) should by accessed via the website and upon completion an e-mail should alert the administrator to send out venue/maps etc.

12. Lessons Learned (3) • Off the shelf portfolio • 88/100 licences used so far • 8 licences activated but never used • 54/100 distinct courses accessed • 28 course completions • 24 distinct course completions • 9 users accessed 4 or more courses • Average courses accessed per user = 1.35 • Uptake of licences slow to begin with • Only 10 weeks left and 12 licences still not utilised! • In future buy less licences focus to identified needs (though will be more expensive per head) • Difficult site to navigate without some basic training • To download e-learning requires loading an ‘add-in’ which caused many problems

13. Lessons Learned (4) • E-Facilitator course • Only run one course on each ‘patch’ so far • Underestimated work-load of e-learning development managers to deliver courses • Very few candidates on ‘waiting list’ (though marketing has stopped currently) • Technical issues accessing ‘chat room’ for first course but resolved for second course • Course accredited with OCN but few have completed so far. • Certified e-learning professional courses • Expensive! • Many inappropriate applications • Had to renegotiate with ‘training foundation’ to get the balance of courses right • 40 places purchased and all places have been taken • E-Developer course - least popular (1) • E-tutor course most popular (28) • E-consultant (3) e-manager (8)

14. Evaluation • Poor completion rate of pre-course material • Technical difficulties? • Apathy? • No evaluation form for one of the courses! • Negative comments focussed on food or venue! • Attendance so far: • C&M SHA 52 • C&L SHA 52 • GM SHA 39 • Two day champions course • Evaluated at end of day 1 and upon completion • 95/143 received • 97% “useful & positive experience” • Evaluation of e-learning products – most useful • Most difficult – work-mat exercise‘ • Overall ‘VERY’ positive feedback

15. Evaluation (2) • Catalogue of e-courses • Only a Handful of evaluation forms received so far • All very positive • Celp Courses • Overall programme evaluation due 7th April • 19 received back so far • 6 people indicated job role change as result of programme • Nothing actually implemented! • Website • Most people found information on website useful & informative • Firewall issue may have lost potential applicants – we just don’t know! • Access to pre-course material via a link was requested many times but not rectified • Access via a ‘link’ to ‘portfolio of e-learning’ confused learners

16. Costs • NHSU paid for the Celp Courses • All costs include VAT • Sundries covered printing costs and adjustment costs when re-negotiating Celp courses

17. Final Thoughts – If we knew then… • Created contingencies for possible IT issues on website and communicated this via marketing • Followed-up ‘high-level’ champions • Used more ‘networks’ to market the programme • Present the programme at appropriate meetings • We would encourage ‘health economy approach’ • Follow-up ‘champions’ regularly to assess progress & offer support • Would employ or delegate to an administrator • Created a ‘website’ statement of requirements (specific) • Less choice of courses for e-catalogue mapped to suggested roles/needs

18. Discussion Point. Contact details James Bell E-Learning Development Coordinator Cumbria & Lancashire SHA Preston Business Centre Fulwood Preston PR2 8DY James.bell@clha.nhs.uk www.clwdc.nhs.uk Telephone: 01772 645711