Technology is part of our everyday lives and has proven to be providing

cost effective methods of communication. Today’s

Economy views training as a competitive advantage and the biggest challenge

faced by organisations is to understand how to use the so-called “new

media” to strengthen their strategies and improve the delivery of services

to customers.

where training meets technology

This is a non-technical document aiming to provide a strategic

overview on why to implement e-Learning in a scout association.

Moreover, explores the merits of e-Learning

as a delivery method in the mix of training

provision. It targets those who, at the

national level, wish to explore the

benefits of using e-Learning to better

support, train, and retain adult resources,

envisaging an integrated implementation of the

Adults in Scouting policy.

The European Scout Region is keen to hear from

associations that are exploring this topic. For more information

please contact the e-Learning Project Team, elearning@scout.org

or the European Regional Office.

Contents

2 Introduction

7 What is e-learning?

8 The pedagogical framework

10 Benefits and potentialThe benefits for the individual The benefits for the Scout Association

12 Strategic planning Context Human ResourcesProcessesQuality and evaluationCostsTiming

18 Implementation

20 More information

22 References

4

Overall, NSOs dedicate a considerable amount of resources to the training and support of their adult volunteers. In order to grow and improve the quality of Scouting, there is a need for associations to ensure that the correct mechanisms to support the personal development of adults, who undertake specific roles and volunteer their time, are in place.

The Scout Association

United Kingdom

58005 5375

Corpo Nazionale Giovani Esploratori Italiani

Italy

434 30

Introduction

European Scout Region membership report...

Participants

Courses

Modules

Wood Badge Certs

These four examples of associations represent different training approaches and different volunteering national contexts.

1231 60Junák – svaz

skautů a skautek ČR Czech Republic

Corpo Nacional de Escutas

Portugal

1929 74

6 7

Many adults leave Scouting having little training to help them in their role or are put off by training activities that consume a considerable amount of their spare time, or that cover topics that are also dealt with in the place of work not considering the learning opportunities in their professional environments.

In many cases, the trainers and resources are not available when needed. The availability as well as the proximity of human and technical resources is real hurdle for adults who are looking for training opportunities.

Increasingly, Scout Organisations are exploring and developing new ways of delivering training that can be successfully integrated in the changing trends in volunteering, that takes into account the organisational context, and which can provide an answer to adult volunteers needs, raising their satisfaction and consequently the length of their commitment to the Movement.

E-Learning should be seen as one of the methods to support that strategy, based on a training approach that combines the pedagogical premise of youth organisations and is coherent with different models of volunteering.

In the context of adult volunteers training e-learning shall be considered as a pedagogically rooted, open and flexible method for delivering training, enabled through the use of Information and Communication Technologies, to facilitate learning and knowledge transfer.

Any individual should be able to undertake it remotely, at a time and in a location of their choosing.

Ultimately, e-Learning will also contribute to the continuous transformation of learning and “teaching” processes and practices, directly impacting on the training system of the Scout Association.

It is important to note that e-Learning does not mean that all the training that an individual requires needs to be delivered in this way. Rather, e-Learning is a vehicle to extend and supplement face-to-face learning, usually referred as blended learning, and it should be used only when it serves the training objectives in question and suits the context of the delivery situation.

What is e-learning?

a pedagogically

rooted, open and flexible method for

delivering training

Introduction

OrganisatiOnal pOlicies

and practices

department guidelines

and strategies

training & suppOrt tO persOnal

develOpment

8 9

PEDAGOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF E-LEARNING

For e-Learning to be effective for training and learning and meet, both trainers and trainees, it must be rooted in a strong theoretical and pedagogical framework.

No matter where do we start from, when preparing effective elearning, three things need to be taken into account: pedagogical principles to define the way participants are going to learn, delivery strategies to set and structure the learning path and technological possibilities to respect the restrictions of technical solution.

PARTICIPANTS CAN SHARE IN FORUMS ANd wE NEEd TO HAvE A POSSIbILITy TO SAvE

THE INTERESTINg ExPERIENCE TO THE PORTFOLIO OF EACH

PARTICIPANT.

AlSo We WAnT To uSe ASSeSSMenT

bASed on The discussions – so we need

To hAve A poSSIbIlITy To eARn bAdge foR poSTed

expeRIence And The Second one foR The poSTS ThAT

gAIn The MoST lIkeS fRoM oTheRS.

leTS uSe flIp leARnIng:

en.WIkIpedIA.oRg/WIkI/flIp_TeAchIng becAuSe ouR pARTIcIpAnTS need To gAIn SkIllS And uSe TheM dAIly.

pRAcTIcIng WIll be cRucIAl foR TheM.

wE OFFER A LIbRARy OF SUPPORTINg MATERIALS

TO UNdERSTANd THE TOPIC IN THE dEPTH. AFTER

A LIvE PART OF THE COURSE, PARTICIPANTS SHOULd SHARE

THE ExPERIENCE FROM PRACTICAL SITUATIONS.

Different technological systems provides different tools that enhance learning, teaching, and assessment. There can be a great range in variety of tools, from materials and activities to network and

communication systems that support learning.

“Start by thinking about the tools that support participants learning path in

different scenarios...“

tecHnOlOgical pOssiBilities:

e-learning environment tools

Pedagogical approaches are based on broad principles through which theory is

applied to learning and teaching practice. They provide the theoretical support to the different

instructional strategies that can be used to design learning activities.

“Start by looking at the theories about how we learn...“

pedagOgical apprOacHes:

theoretical principles

Apart from understanding how adults learn it is also essential to expand

our thinking to which delivery strategies can be used to foster their learning. Instructional

strategies are the techniques, methods, or series of milestones, which instructors or instructional

systems do to engage the learner and facilitate learning activities, aiming at obtaining a specific goal.

“Start by thinking on the ways how content can be served to participants...“

deliverY strategies: structure the learning path

pedagogical framework of

e-learning

10 11

benefits and potential

The benefits to be gained from using e-learning delivery methods as part of your training system are numerous and they relate to both the individual and the association.

The benefits for the individual

Eliminates some space and time constraints in the learning process

develops collective thinking, socialisation and communication competencies.

Enables the learner to undertake a cooperative, collaborative, and individual learning activities

Transfer of learning acquired to situations outside of Scouting.

Less expensive

Improves the quality of the delivery in their role

Focus on the measurement of learning progress and in a progressive pedagogy

Accommodates distinct learning styles

Reduced learning stress and raises security and confidence

Raised confidence in resources availability

Increased training productivity

Increased interaction between trainer and trainee

The benefits for the Scout Association

Increases training productivity

development of administration and training management procedures

Increases satisfaction of all participants in training process

Opportunity to promote e-learning as a vehicle for continuous personal development

Possible reduction of overall training costs

Provides equal access to training opportunities regardless the geographical location and enables mentoring and support processes from a distance

Better understanding of training gaps and needs as people articulate support requests

Competitive edge over other voluntary organizations that continue to provide training using only traditional methods.

Opportunity to receive feedback on quality of resource material

Allows the association to target the physical use of trainers on courses that demand physical attendance

Contributes to the accreditation and recognition of Learning

Increases retention of adults

Ensures consistency and availability of resources

12 13

To strategically approach e-Learning and correctly plan its implementation it is essential to know the “big picture” and understand how e-Learning will impact the different organisational dimensions.

To fully take on board e-Learning means to manage change processes in the different levels of the organisation as well as to change mind-sets to a different approach to training and overall, to the Adult volunteer lifecycle.

If your association is considering developing e-learning tools as part of your approach to the delivery of adult volunteers training, you’re about to take the first of a number of steps. Acknowledging the context and how will the association cope with and react to a number of changes will enable more effective decision-making processes and achieve a widespread buy-in and growth of the initiative.

This initial analysis addresses different layers of the organisation which will be impacted in an e-Learning implementation process. by dedicating some thinking to each of them, Scout Associations will realise how suitable e-Learning is and how prepared they are to adopt and implement it as part of the organisational strategy.

culturesuppOrting learning

and innOvatiOn

QualitY assurance

strategYpart Of tHe Overall OrganisatiOnal strategY

training and ar

departments BuY-in

resOurcesHuman and

financial

capacitY Building

leadersHipsustained cOmmitment

strategY and pOlicY develOpment

training sustainaBilitY

prOmOtiOn /marketing

can you support your members exploring the benefits of training through e-learning?

do you have a strategy to promote e-learning and it’s benefits among your members?

can you engage your members on the adoption of e-learning through active promotion?

do you have the necessary resources to support the im-plementation of e-learning?

are you willing to provide time and energy to developing e-learning?

are you prepared to make a mid/long-term commitment to e-learning to ensure its sustainability?

Have you considered what it takes to make e-learning sustainable within your association long-term strategy?

do you understand the impact that e-learning will have on your trainers?

Have you identified the opportunities within your existing training programme that can be developed further through e-learning?

is your association prepared to support the trainers in the development and imple-mentation of training?

Have you considered the benefits that e-learning can have on training?

Which areas within your association will be impacted by e-learning?

Please, reflect on:

strategic planning

14 15

strategic planning

context

different departments and teams need to be involved in the development and implementation of e-Learning in order to make use of all the accumulated “know how” (i.e. IT, Communication, Finances) and take advantage of existing resources.

whenever that’s part of the organisation strategy, management and administration support tools can even be embedded in the learning system infrastructure, this way optimizing the investment made.

The dissemination of the strategic plan throughout the organisation will increase the buy-in and engagement

of the different structures; moreover it will contribute to the development and the implementation of e-Learning policies.

human Resources

Adult Volunteersdelivering training through e-Learning in Scouting is not the same as in other organisations. Understanding learners training needs and user requirements is essential to ensure that e-Learning is adapted to their profiles and is able to

properly support them with personalised learning paths.

Apart from this training approach, e-Learning also needs to be understood as an expansion tool, building capacity in the organisation and making it more competitive in the non-formal education and training market.

Staff & ManagementE-Learning impact can be extended to staff and

management structures. Meaning it should be used as well within the scope of staff personal development and as a tool to improve management processes throughout the Scout Association structure.

processes

The specificities of content as well as the learners needs, will influence the percentage of use of e-Learning and how

and when it will be mixed and combined with traditional training, the so-called blended learning (b-Learning).

It is also necessary to identify which role will e-Learning have in the organisation in promoting the idea of a “learning continuum”, raising awareness among adult volunteers for their personal development and strengthening the implementation of lifelong learning

practices.

Quality and evaluation

The measures adopted in the e-Learning field have been the same as the ones generally adopted in the field of training and education (i.e. Kirkpatrick’s 4-level model; ROI of Phillips). In the same way, the systems commonly used to assess quality (i.e. IFQM, ISO) usually provide the metrics to measure the delivery of training through e-Learning.

From the organisational perspective the discussion on quality around e-Learning has to take into account the product of e-Learning, likewise courses, tools, delivery methods, but mainly what is usually considered its “fitness to purpose”, the overall user satisfaction, its adherence to guidelines and policies.

This means that to build greater capacity for evaluation within the organisation it is essential to have a broader understanding of quality, focused in processes rather than in the product, and define an evaluation model

that enables to assess its implementation but also to provide continuous monitoring as well as to contribute to its development.

16 17

strategic planning

costs

Although it should not override the pedagogical debate, the financial

debate on the use of e-Learning in Scouting is very important. In fact, as

funding is usually the main reason for organisations not to undertake e-Learning it is necessary to provide arguments that justify the adoption of online training schemes.

The return on investment in e-Learning is defined by the ratio between the expected programme benefits and the programme costs. This equation highlights the fact that this return should not be strictly understood in terms of cost savings but mainly a return of value in form of educational outcomes.

Apart from the costs related to the management of change it is necessary to consider that there are fixed and variable costs with e-Learning for the organisation and to the individuals.Although the e-Learning costs are higher in the initial phases, after the implementation of the system they tend to be residual when compared to the raising costs of the Traditional Learning.

As an example this means that the organisation doesn’t needs to bear continuous costs related to trainers, neither the individuals need to take on the time and costs burden in their personal lives.

Timing

due to the continuous renewal in ICT and Education, the adoption and initial implementation of e-Learning has to be based on a short-term strategic planning. An average

of 2 years is the foreseen time span for the adoption and initial steps on the implementation of e-Learning in a mid-

size Scout Association.

Obviously, the timing and lifespan for implementation depend on the previously mentioned areas. A possible implementation plan may clarify this…

traditiOnal learning e-learning

Equipments (training room; technical equipment)

Content development (session design and delivery)

Trainers (resources; salaries and/or time)

Other delivery costs

Physical infrastructures (i.e. server; hosting service; resource-centre)

Online platform (i.e. management system; virtual learning environment;

integration with other tools)

Content development (i.e. authoring tool; design; session design)

Tutor (training)

organisation

Time

Travelling and accommodation

Web access hotspot

individual

18 19

implementation

set and adjust a plan fOr tHe

implementatiOn Of e-learning

visit scOutinglinks.net

and cOntact tHe team

cHeck tHe training cOntent and suppOrt

availaBle

If you believe that your association would benefit from looking at e-learning as a delivery method, there are many ways in which you can start.

It is important to stress again that the educational content still has to be relevant - it’s no use just placing a training manual on a website and hoping people to read it.

Appealing imagery and interaction on screen play a crucial role - whenever they are developed and adopted to support pedagogical processes; recently developed learning tools and management systems provide and up-to-date image of your training and organisation (as long as they are suitable to both learners and trainers).

And, last but not least, by the end it will be the support provided to learners and trainers that will determine how effective and successful you Scout Association adventure on the world of e-Learning will be.

This is all great. At this point you are probably asking how to start. Three concrete steps will surely help you:

there are many ways in which you can start

define a visiOn

analYse and set priOrities

cOmplete implementatiOn plan

it infrastructure and tecHnical suppOrt

assess current practice

evaluatiOn revieW and management

develOp keY strategies

Example of an implementation plan:

10 21

more information

There are a number of places that you can look for support:

“Scouting 3.0 – developing e-Learning for youth organisations” run between February 2013 and July 2014 and aimed at developing an e-Learning system to support content delivery and a number of training modules to be shared among National Scout Organisations. Project coordination was assured by the European Regional Office and 7 European NSOs partnered on the project.

The financial support was provided by the youth in Action Programme – Sub-action 4.4 – youth Support Systems – projects encouraging innovation and quality.

Several national Scout Associations are already delivering training to their members using a number of different tools and processes and having different focus:PPO – AustriaCNgEI – ItalyJunák – Czech RepublicThe Scout Association – United Kingdom (- developed a collection of portable media providing resources to support the training scheme contents.)

ouTSIde ScouTIng

business companies

Universities

Non-governmental organisations

Formal and informal networks

IcT and web teamsThe ICT roundtable is an European Scout Region event where experts from this area come together with the purpose of sharing and learning from the different approaches, methods, and tools explored in Scout Associations.

The euRopeAn ScouT RegIon And The ScouTIng lInkS pRojecT TeAM is looking forward to hearing from associations that are keen to explore the use of e-learning further. More information at elearning@scout.org

InSIde ScouTIng

Scouting Links has born as the result of a European-wide project aiming at developing e-Learning as a complementary delivery method to support adult training provision.

Find more information and join-in at www.scoutinglinks.net

22 23

References

j.d. fletcher (Multimedia Review, Spring 1991, pp.33-42).

dabbagh, n. (2005). pedagogical models for e-learning: A theory-based design framework. International journal of Technology in Teaching and learning, 1 (1), 25-44.

deepwell, f. (2007). embedding Quality in e-learning Implementation through evaluation. educational Technology &Society, 10 (2), 34-43.

europa, lisbon Strategy european commission, 2008, “The use of IcT to support innovation and lifelong learning for all – A report on progress”, White paper Avoiding e-learning failure

barriers to growth in the use of learning technology in the voluntary sector, White paper What Return on Investment does e-learning provide?

bartley, S. j. & golek, j. h. (2004). evaluating the cost effectiveness of online and Face-to-Face Instruction. educational Technology and Society, 7 (4), 167-175.

The flipped classroom: The full picture, (2012) by jackie gerstein. demeuse (2006)

24 25

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