Marketplace for ENvironmental Training

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(No Transcript)
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Marketplace for ENvironmental Training and
Online Resources (MENTOR)
Regional Workshop to Review GEO/IEA Training
Manual 8-11 September 2008, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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DEWA Capacity Development Branch

• Objective To deliver a multi-scaled set of
  capacity building products and services to enable
  UNEPs clients to keep the environmental
  situation continuously under review at the global
  and sub-global levels.

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Content

• What is MENTOR and eLearning?
• What are the driving forces for MENTOR and
  eLearning?
• Why do we need MENTOR?
• What is our strategic approach?
• What are the current challenges?
• MENTOR and eLearning concept and architecture
• MENTOR and eLearning focus
• Past and present status of MENTOR and eLearning
• POW 2006-2007 activities undertaken
• POW 2008-2009 activities

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Content

• Who are our partners?
• Internal (UNEP)
• External
• MENTOR and eLearning for the future (2008-2009
  and 2010-2011)
• What do we need for the future?

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1. What is MENTOR?
MENTOR (Marketplace for ENvironmental Training
and Online Resources) is a state of the art
web-based platform for the consolidation of
learning resources (tools, guidelines,
methodologies, best practices and courses) in
data collection, analysis, integrated
environmental assessment, monitoring, early
warning and information networking tailored for a
diverse group of professional clients who are
engaged in global, regional and national
programmes aimed at keeping the environment under
review. The target group includes clients in
developed countries, developing countries and
countries with economies in transition with
different levels of knowledge, experience and
time availability.
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Driving forces behind MENTOR

• The Science Initiative SI (www.unep.org/sciencei
  nitiative)
• strengthening the scientific base of UNEP (a
  component of the ongoing International
  Environmental Governance process)
• Environment Watch Vision 2020 strategy (evolved
  from SI)
• assessment component
• data/information management and networking
  component
• technology support and capacity building
  component
• Integrated in the 2008/9 programme of work
• MENTOR prototype by 2008
• MENTOR operational by 2010
• Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and
  Capacity-building
• endorsed by UNEP Governing Council/GMEF (2005)

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Why do we need MENTOR?
CB resources (tools, methodologies and manuals)
are currently being developed and used by DEWA
across the different regions. Some are
customised to each region and different language
versions exist. Training has been based on
traditional approaches (manuals and other hard
copy materials, F2F workshops, different language
customisations) without version control and
record-keeping of training activities
impact. Therefore, an internal DEWA requirement
is to keep stock of training resources, courses,
trainers network, trainees, eLearning tools and
record the impact of the UNEP/DEWA training
programme in environmental assessment and early
warning.
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What is our strategic approach?

• Manage the technology support and capacity
  building programme for UNEPs early warning and
  assessment programme via a common web-based
  platform
• Bring greater coherence and clarity to our
  training programme in response to BSP define
  and codify courses/modules, produce/incorporate
  quality content, offer a course curriculum under
  the MTS 6 focal areas
• Build a trainers network communities of
  practice
• Build training partnerships inside UNEP and with
  other institutions (UN, IGO/NGO, private sector)
  and develop joint training programmes

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UNEPs strategic approach (Continued)

• Shift towards technology supported learning and
  training
• Achieve greater outreach through eLearning and
  blended learning - mainstream eLearning into
  current future training activities
• Engage high-level environmental officials in a
  policy dialogue on technology supported learning
  and training (e.g. AMCEN)
• Mainstream eLearning into the work of
  environmental authorities to support operational
  programmes and environmental education/awareness
  raising.

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Current Challenges

• Access to internet is limited (e.g. limited
  broadband) in developing countries - how to reach
  clients?
• Culture towards learning i.e. traditional
  approaches f2f (clients not used to self tuition,
  etc.)
• Language issues - dominance of English on
  Internet ICT.
• Limited ICT skills in developing countries lack
  of awareness of latest Internet technologies,
  etc.
• eLearning take-up by environmental institutions
  actions needed at policy and operational levels.
• How to use of eLearning to support work of UN
  Country Teams in UNDAF implementation, support to
  local partners, etc.

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Conceptual view of MENTOR
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MENTOR Architecture
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(No Transcript)
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Policy Briefs
Outside
FOCUS
UNEP
OARE VWG
DEWA
IEA GRB GEO Cities
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2. Past and present status of MENTOR and eLearning

• 1st Expert Group Meeting on MENTOR design and
  development (Washington DC, Dec 2006).
• Engaged a consultant to provide strategic advice
  for design development.
• MENTOR/eLearning team. Members of various
  backgrounds (education, environmental experts,
  IT, media development) have been involved.
• MENTOR/eLearning team trained on project
  management (eLDI and eLIPs), LMS administration -
  LMS (Moodle, Claroline), content development
  instructional design (exelearning, Flash, Wink,
  Hot Potatoes, Virtual DJ), tutoring.
• LMS list of requirements, benchmark, assessed
  and tested different LMS tools (Moodle and
  Claroline).
• An Index of Resources including courses and
  modules from DEWA and key partners developed.
  Good quality metadata on those resources has been
  developed using the SCORM metadata format.

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Past and present status of MENTOR and eLearning
(Continued)

• Year 2007
• October - 1st eLiP course for Kenyan institutions
  by UNEP/DEWA InWent.
• November - DEWA/CBPS conducted one pilot module
  on Integrated Environment Assessment process (GEO
  module 2) and piloted two topic overview
  resources (Vital Water Graphics and Vital Waste
  Graphics).
• December
• Second Expert Group meeting on MENTOR in DTIE,
  4-5 December in Paris, France.
• Policy Briefs eLearning modules meeting on 6th
  December at DTIE, Paris, France.

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Past and present status of MENTOR and eLearning
(continued)

• Year 2008
• April 2nd eLiP course for environmental
  institutions (governmental, scientific and non
  governmental) in East Africa was launched.
• May 1st eLiP course for environmental
  institutions in West Africa.
• Since February 2008 DEWA/CBPS has been engaged
  with the establishment of the Kenyan eLearning
  Center
• UNEP organized a Pre-conference seminar on
  Mainstreaming eLearning for Environment, at the
  3rd International Conference on ICT for
  Development, Education and Training (eLearning
  Africa Ghana) May 28-30, Accra, Ghana.
• Decision 6 of African Ministerial Conference on
  the Environment (AMCEN) (June 2008 Johannesburg)
  on support to ICT and eLearning activities.

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Past and present status of MENTOR and eLearning
(continued)

• UNEPs GEO Resource Book (UNEP, IISD other
  experts) in eLearning format.
• The latest version (in Spanish) of the GEO Cities
  Methodology in eLearning format. We are
  expecting to pilot it by the end of 2008.
• DEWA-APs Manual for National/City Assessment on
  Climate Change.
• UNEP/DEWA will keep fostering collaboration with
  key partners (InWEnt, SCOPE and UNESCO, EHTZ,
  Microsoft, CISCO, etc.)

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3. Who are our partners?
DEWA will engage with internal and external
partners to achieve greater outreach of
DEWAs/UNEPs training programme and to raise
awareness of technology supported learning and
training with focus on environment

• a. Internal (UNEP)
• DEPI/EETU (Division of Environmental Policy
  Implementation)
• DCPI (Division of Communications and Public
  Information)
• GRID Arendal - GVU (Global Virtual University)
• External
• InWEnt eLearning Implementation and Development
  course (eLDI) and eLearning in Practice (eLIP).
• SCOPE and UNESCO Policy Briefs emerging
  issues for GEO YB
• KeLC Kenyan eLearning Center (which UNEP has
  been instrumental in establishing)
• NOLNET Namibia eLearning Center
• ICWE eLearning Conferences (eLearning Africa
  and Educa Berlin)

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4. MENTOR and eLearning for the future
(2008-2009 and 2010-2011)?

• DEWA/CDB as the Manager of DEWAs Capacity
  Building/Training Programme.
• Build a trainers network to support our internal
  training programme but also to guide clients
  towards an authoritative expert resource base
  covering the categories.
• Identify good CB resources developed by DEWA,
  UNEP and partners.
• Populate MENTOR platform with DEWAs capacity
  building resources and courses (short term) and
  UNEPs (medium term) (through the Index of
  resources).
• Develop a course curriculum of courses related to
  the MTS 6 focal areas (some resources developed
  by UNEP and some from our partners).

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MENTOR and eLearning for the future (2008-2009
and 2010-2011)? (continued)

• Organize blended format trainings on existing
  DEWA courses and the MTS 6 focal areas.
• Provide assistance to DEWA Branches and the
  regions in converting capacity building materials
  into eLearning format.
• Train trainers in the regions on how to design
  and implement eLearning courses and how to be
  tutors (e.g. IEA trainers network).
• Develop eLearning courses for other Divisions in
  UNEP e.g. Environmental Sustainability Module for
  ONE UN.
• Develop eLearning courses for other key partners
  (Policy briefs and GEO Year Book emerging issues).

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What do we need for the future?

• Technical resources (LMS/CMS)
• We need a technical platform that is accessible
  and reliable 24/365 days.
• UNEPs CMS working (broad width band)
• Human resources (full time staff)
• Full time team (programme manager, platform
  administrator, media designers, content
  developers, instructional designers).
• Financial Resources (POW 2008-2009)
• Develop Project proposals for PAG (Project
  Approval Group)

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Thank You!