DCHA/PPM Learning and Training Support Quarterly Report 1Q, FY2012

Under this contract, MSI supports USAID's DCHA Bureau in learning and training activities, analysis, and knowledge management. The DCHA Essentials Course is a key component of the task order, providing training for DCHA staff and DLIs on the DCHA Bureau and individual DCHA offices. The course includes a three-day orientation and technical training sessions offered by each DCHA office. The first iteration of the course, held in Washington, DC from October 24 to December 13, 2011, included 9 DLI participants and 11 DCHA staff from various offices. Participant evaluations were compiled, and recommendations for future design and curriculum were submitted. The Conflict 102 course is a practical and highly participatory training that introduces USAID and interagency staff to USAID's conflict assessment tools. The course was held in Washington, DC on November 1 and 2, 2011, and attended by 25 people, including 9 DLIs and 3 participants from other USG agencies. The workshop was well received, and recommendations on course design and delivery were submitted. The DCHA Training and Learning Portal has undergone significant changes, with the operating platform switched from a Moodle-based platform to a Droople-based platform powered by a content management system (CMS) called Ning. The new platform offers a streamlined approach to information management and allows users to access course and training material with greater ease. The portal's content is currently being transferred from the previous site to the new site, and documentation on how to add and edit content is being developed. The lessons learned over the course of this quarter highlight the substantial interest in the DCHA Essentials course by non-DLI staff within the DCHA Bureau. Future DCHA Essentials courses will be expanded to accommodate interested DCHA staff, and meetings and coordination will be planned with DCHA office trainers to ensure smooth planning for future iterations of the course. The DCHA Professional Development and Learning Portal has undergone a significant change and is currently operating on a new platform. Adequate promotion and accessibility of the site, as well as the ability of the user to efficiently navigate the content, are paramount to its success. DCHA staff must be made aware of the Portal and its benefits, and DCHA trainers should continue to take an active part in improving the functionality and adding to the content of the Portal. Plans for the next quarter include coordinating with DCHA training officers to develop consistent and cohesive training materials across all offices, continually tailoring the DCHA 101 Course and technical training courses to reflect the needs of non-DLI DCHA staff and institutional contractors, and continued collaboration with personnel from the office of CMM to provide effective logistical support and technical recommendations for the Conflict 102 course.