Lifesaving eLearning project wins Gold Award
Above:
Up on stage to receive the award from the presenters are, from left to right, Jen Garrick (CDS), Phill Jupitus (presenter), Philip Walter (CDS), Col L F M Swinyard (British Army), Mike Collier (CDS), Fergus Bailie (CEO CDS), Deborah Frances-White (presenter), Richard Bradley (CDS), Edward James (CDS) and David Bucknell (CDS).
The British Army Training Development Team (TDT), together with leading information, communications and technology agency CDS, played a vital role in the UK’s response to the worst ever Ebola outbreak.
The judges described the project as, “An outstanding example of an e-learning initiative, designed to meet a clearly identified specific need, in a hostile environment.”
The comprehensive and structured modular learning programme was up and running in just four weeks from the date of commission.
The solution had to deliver multilingual content to geographically diverse teams and supplement classroom based training both before and after classroom tuition as well as educate those in the field.
The solution included:
• Video tutorials developed in a replica field hospital in the UK and communicated to the Army and scientists on the ground
• Interactive tutorials
• A mobile enabled microsite for storing and displaying training content
• A learning management system underpinned the microsite logging student access
With a creative approach and excellent use of technology, the project successfully met the brief of training volunteers and full time personnel.
There was a robust implementation strategy, excellent stakeholder engagement and a clearly defined impact and evaluation assessment.
While this project addressed a specific need in an emergency situation, the model is transferable to other Governments, NGOs, as well as Defence and Health organisations globally and shows how e-learning can be implemented in other disaster relief situations.
CDS’s CEO, Fergus Bailie, said: “We couldn't be prouder than to have worked with the British Army and to have contributed to keeping the teams on the ground safe in the fight against Ebola. The award is wonderful recognition from the industry for the joint team effort by the British Army TDT and CDS.”
“Working in partnership with the Army, the SME CDS Digital provided vital technological solutions and e-learning materials to support Operation GRITROCK. As the training plan developed, the medical team’s confidence was assured and reinforced as personnel were exposed to the most challenging and daunting of environments in Sierra Leone,” said National Ebola Response Centre (NERC) Planner, Freetown Sierra Leone, Capt Neil Weddell, British Army.
This year saw all the records smashed for the E-Learning Awards. More entries, a bigger gala evening, and a fantastically high standard of innovative e-learning making a difference across every sector.
Over 700 guests gathered at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London, UK to celebrate the strength and depth of successful e-learning that is taking place worldwide.
The gala was hosted by Deborah Frances-White and Phill Jupitus.
E-Learning Awards and Learning Technologies organiser Mark Penton from CloserStill, commented: "It was the toughest competition to date and congratulations are in order to all of the winners and everyone that was shortlisted. The Awards programme has been a true recognition of the breadth of e-learning worldwide."