eLearning as a tool for capacity development in the public service

1. eLearning as a tool for capacity development in the public service Dr. Fran Greyling PALAMA PSTF ~ 6 October 2010 ~ East London

2. Why eLearning? • What is eLearning? • What are the business advantages? • What do you need to participate? • What is the current state of eLearning in the public service? • A case study • Road map for this discussion

3. Locally and internationally ICTs are recognized as essential tools for development • Why eLearning? 2003/4 The White Paper on e-Education aims to enable stakeholders to use ICTs to widen access to education and training for all 2007 Cabinet approves the country’s vision for building an inclusive Information Society PALAMA identifies eLearning as a strategic objective The eLearning unit is established to assist with the achievement of PALAMA’s transformational goals

4. Why eLearning?

5. eLearning is used as an umbrellaterm to refer to capacity building interventions and materials that optimally utilize ICTs to enhance and supportlearning. • What is eLearning?

6. What is eLearning? Face-to-face (f-2-f) Classroom based Blend of f-2-f and technologies Fully technology-mediated

7. What is eLearning? Face-to-face (f-2-f) Classroom based Blend of f-2-f and technologies Fully technology-mediated Administrative f-2-f supported by technologies Technology-mediated supported by f-2-f multi-media on a storage device web-based technologies mobile technologies

8. Reduced (or no) travel and accommodation costs • Limited time away from the work place • Access to capacity building interventions irrespective of time and distance • Flexibility in terms of the number of participants enrolled per course offering • Flexibility in terms of the scheduling of course offerings • What are the business advantages?

9. Enhanced retention and throughput • Interactive course design • Individualized learner support (administrative, technical and academic) • Tracking and reporting of learner progress • Flagging of at risk participants and mediation • Centralized knowledge management • Acquisition of knowledge and skills that can be useful in other areas of participants’ lives • What are the business advantages?

10. What are the business advantages? Capacity development costs Actual costs: Material development Facilitation of learning Assessment of evidence Moderation Ancillary costs: Duplication of materials Catering Travel and accommodation (facilitator) Travel and accommodation (participants) between 40 and 60 %

11. Development costs of highly interactive multi-media materials (e.g. simulations) • Limited access to technologies for capacity building purposes • Technophobia • Limited understanding of the success factors for eLearning • Lack of guidelines and regulatory documents • What are the key challenges?

12. I want to! I can! Knowledge and skills Commitment, culture and ethos Ability Will PERFORMANCE Space A supportive institutional environment I am allowed! • What does it take to participate? Basic ICT knowledge and skills Willingness to participate in eLearning initiatives Access to technologies and sponsorship

13. What did an eLearning environmental scan reveal? • What is the eLearning implementation strategy? • What courses are available? • Current state of eLearning

14. eLearning environmental scan

15. Relative to national participation • Arts and Culture • SA Secret Service • SARS • Secretariat of Police • SAPS • GCIS • Human Settlements • Public Enterprises • Sports and Recreation • Water Affairs • Social Development 0.17% 2.98%

16. Relative to national participation

17. Relative to provincial participation

18. Relative to municipal participation per province

19. Key results: willingness to participate • General view of stakeholders: • eLearning has an important role in training and development • eLearning can support knowledge management • Key enablers: • Time off for eLearning • Link learning to performance management • Quality assure learning

20. Key results: self reported ICT skills • Most comfortable with: • Word processing • Online communication • Creating spread sheets • Creating presentations • Internet banking Need training with some aspects of eLearning, e.g. social networking National Between 88% and 93% of managers use technologies daily to support work functions Provincial Local

21. Key results: access to technologies Access does not seem to be a barrier Access is not continuous and computers (and the Internet) is not necessarily available for learning • Other technologies: • Usage of other technologies, e.g. iPods are low • Access to cell phones is very high • How can cell phone access be utilised for learning? National Provincial Local

22. Rapid assessment: national departments Is eLearning currently implemented in the department? If so, how may programmes are offered and what platform is used? If not, what are the challenges and future plans? eLearning is not implemented, with two exceptions: EDP programme (Blackboard) International qualification (eBridge) • Limited resources to roll out eLearning • Time and cost involved in setting up infrastructures • Lack of directives • Mindset • ICT literacy

23. There is a broad understanding of what eLearning is but complex nuances are not understood • Government officials have limited experience of eLearning interventions • There is a perception of poor communication regarding eLearning in the public service • There is a need to inform and coordinate the practical implementation of eLearning as part of public service training and development • Additional learning points

24. eLearning implementation strategy

25. Phase 1 • 2009/10 • Understand the context • Initiate a community of eLearning practitioners • Develop a short to medium term action plan for eLearning • Match capacity building needs with available eLearning tools and platforms • eLearning implementation strategy • Phase 2 • 2010/11 • Conduct an eLearning environmental scan • Develop a draft eLearning implementation strategy • Adapt and/or develop monitoring and evaluating tools for eLearning • Pilot, monitor and evaluate eLearning programmes • Develop at least 10 new eLearning programmes • Establish an LMS for the roll out of eLearning in the public service • Elevate the community of eLearning practitioners • Develop at least 10 new eLearning programmes • Roll out piloted programmes to scale • Monitor evaluate and report on eLearning programme performance • Update the eLearning environmental scan • Review and revise the eLearning implementation strategy • Phase 3 • 2011 to 2013/14

26. A case study

27. Case study: SCM Bid Committees • SCM officials in North West Provincial Treasury (PFMA) • SCM official in Msukaligwa Municipality (MFMA)

28. Case study: SCM Bid Committees • Capacitate practitioners serving on bid committees • Cost effective training and development provided in the work place

29. Case study: SCM Bid Committees Learner perspective • Access online learning space using a secure username and password • Engage with content • Submit evidence • Receive and respond to feedback • Contact facilitator/administrators for assistance

30. Case study: SCM Bid Committees Facilitator perspective • Access online learning space using a secure username and password • Access student evidence • Provide individualised feedback • Respond to academic enquiries

31. Case study: SCM Bid Committees Administrator perspective • Orientate participants • Track participant progress • Report on participant progress • Flag at-risk participants • Intervene

32. Case study: SCM Bid Committees Technical perspective • Provide technical support

33. Case study: SCM Bid Committees • 68% successfully completed the course (PFMA) • 100 % successfully completed the course (MFMA)

34. Case study: SCM Bid Committees • Direct usefulness of intervention • Provide relevant case studies and practical activities • Maintain “flow” • Be flexible • “The course was all I needed for my job”

35. Case study: SCM Bid Committees • Ensure availability of infrastructure (e.g. Internet) • Implement user-friendly technologies • Orientate users • Ensure materials support learning at a distance • “I missed group and team work”

36. eLearning courses @ PALAMA

37. Bid Committees (PFMA) • Bid Committees (MFMA) • Inventory Management • At least 10 new courses are being developed for roll out in the 2011/12 financial year • Fully technology mediated courses include: • Excellent Customer Service for Frontline Staff • Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation • SCM for the Public Service • What courses are available?

38. Questions? Chief Director: eLearning Dr. Fran Greyling fran.greyling@palama.gov.za Director: eLearning Mr. Guillaume Kruger g.kruger@palama.gov.za ~ Dankie | Nakhensa | Re a leboga | Rolivhuwa | Siyabonga | Thank you ~