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  • Blog post
    May 08, 2013

    Blended Learning: A new way to train health workers

    At the KM Share Fair hosted by the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC), I had the opportunity to sit in on the Mixology: Blending eLearning with other Learning approaches session presented by Sara Mazursky, JHU∙CCP, Leanne Wolff, JHU∙CCP and Terra Fretwell, USAID. The session was part lecture and part workshop where participants were split into groups to design a blended learning program for programs described in two case studies.

    Blended Learning

    Blended learning can improve professional development experiences.

    In her short presentation, Mazursky introduced a new blended learning guide (PDF) developed by K4Health to inform health program managers and trainers on approaches to integrate self-paced eLearning courses, also known as online courses, such as those hosted by the Global Health eLearning Center (GHeL),  with other capacity building activities to increase application of new knowledge in the workplace.

    After a short presentation on when and where blended learning approaches are appropriate and how to design a blended program, the session transitioned to break out groups where participants were given one of two possible case studies: (1) an organization that needs to build skills to improve overall performance, and (2) an individual needing to gain technical knowledge for professional development.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    May 08, 2013

    Putting Learning at the Forefront of KM

    One of my greatest “take aways” from the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) knowledge management (KM) Share Fair held on April 16, 2013 is that learning is such a fundamental component of KM at all levels—individual, project, organizational and beyond. Learning is facilitated by the key KM elements—people, process, and technology—and takes place at all times—before, during, and after implementation of an activity or project. Almost everything we do in KM can be tied back to learning.

    We can facilitate learning in a number of ways as suggested by participants of the GHKC Share Fair:

    Whats Important for KM

    What's Important for knowledge management in global health and international development?

    • Actively listen to better understand and give voice to the communities we serve and their local knowledge
    • Explicitly create a defined “learning agenda” from the outset of activities.
    • Create feed back loops that take lessons learned and incorporate them into future activities
    • Get the right information, to the right people at the right time
    • Breakdown silos to “cross pollinate” ideas
    • Put people at the center who together form a powerful collective knowledge engendering multiple perspectives
    • Share failures openly so that others can learn from

    Putting learning at the forefront empowers us to translate knowledge into action—making informed decisions, creating evidence-based policies, and providing programs and practice based on experiential knowledge and latest research.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    May 07, 2013

    Thoughts and Reflections from the Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair

    This post originally appeared on Lab Notes, the new space on USAID's LearningLab to share timely news, announcements, commentary, and updates. Okey Nwoke attended the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) Share Fair on April 16, and he shares his impressions on the participatory sessions, graphic facilitation, and storytelling.

    On Tuesday, April 16th I had the opportunity to attend the Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair, hosted by the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC).  The aim of the Share Fair was to provide participants with an opportunity to share experiences, lessons learned, and acquire new skills and learning about knowledge management tools and techniques.  One of the benefits about attending these types of events is having the opportunity to meet other knowledge management (KM) practitioners who share common challenges within their organizations around knowledge sharing and learning.  Realizing that most organizations face similar challenges around knowledge sharing can spur a sense of comradery in addressing these challenges.  

    Share Fair Knowledge Wall

    Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair: Challenges and Opportunities utilized graphic facilitation by The Value Web to capture the key points of conversations throughout the innovative, participatory one-day event.

    Throughout the Share Fair, various methods were used to encourage collaboration and dialogue among participants.  Participatory methods such as World Cafe, Peer-Assists, breakout sessions, and scavenger hunts were used.  One really creative approach that was used to bring attention to key points made throughout the day was graphic facilitation.  Graphic facilitation is essentially using imagery to draw participants towards seeing interconnections and reaching their goal.  It was really impressive to see how this form of facilitation can stir dialogue and spark ideas.  

    One big takeaway for me was realizing the importance of story when it comes to knowledge management.  With all the information we are bombarded with, it has become increasingly important for knowledge management professionals to become better storytellers.  Taking segmented bits of data, information, and knowledge and finding interconnections has become essential.  What do you feel are the big challenges when it comes to KM and what are some ways we can address them?       

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    May 07, 2013

    Practice makes perfect: Changing the culture of knowledge exchange

    Originally published on the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) Blog, this post by Cassandra Mickish illustrates the impact of using knowledge management (KM) approaches during trainings. Rather than tell participants how to utilize participatory techniques, the USAID ASSIST Project incorporates small group discussions, storytelling, and other KM tools into their training model.

    The USAID Applying Science to Strengthen and Improve Systems Project (ASSIST) is changing the way we do “knowledge management.”  We’re shaking up meetings that used to be a series of presentations by integrating small group discussions and other interactive knowledge exchange techniques.  We encourage participants to discuss issues, tell stories about their experiences, and ask questions of their colleagues.  This meeting style generates more meaningful discussion about how work was implemented, rather than just a report of the observed results.  Small groups make it easier for everyone to contribute, allowing every individual to feel their knowledge is valuable and allowing the larger group to benefit from everyone’s unique experience and perspective.  Then the larger group can come together to synthesize themes and agree on recommendations and next steps.

    We Learn "How To" Knowledge from Peers

    A peer-to-peer learning model, as compared to a dissemination model.

    Moving from a dissemination model to a peer-to-peer exchange model for learning sessions is a significant culture shift for our project.  This change cannot be achieved effectively or sustainably by simply disseminating instructions on how to facilitate more interactive meetings.  Meeting organizers need to have the opportunity to practice these new knowledge exchange techniques and experience the meaningful discussion that is generated.  Several of our colleagues have been understandably skeptical that this proposed culture shift would be feasible, but allowing them to practice the techniques helps them understand how the techniques work and builds their capacity to implement them independently.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    May 07, 2013

    InterAction Forum 2013: Do Infographics Count as eLearning?

    Earlier this week I attended InterAction’s annual Forum in Arlington, Virginia, to connect with my colleagues in international development, learn what they are doing, and showcase K4Health’s recent accomplishments and offerings in eLearning.

    Marie McNamee of InsideNGO brought together and moderated a panel on Harnessing the Power of E-Learning – What is on the Horizon.

    As NGO workers, we’ve become adept over the years at training ourselves to meet the challenges of global relief and development work. But we continue to do so predominantly through face-to-face, classroom-based methods. Recent trends in aid - including the need for rapid scaling of operations, greater cost efficiencies, and expanded use of partnerships - are placing tremendous strain on these time-tested approaches to staff development. In order to achieve greater reach, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness, the NGO community is increasingly turning to e-learning and blended learning approaches to help complement existing training methods. This workshop will explore the emerging fields of e-learning and blended learning as illustrations of how technology is shaping the future of humanitarian and development action. Participants will not only learn about current directions in e-learning and blended learning - they will be invited to help shape its future development based on their own experiences and recommendations.

    Eric Berg, Executive Director of LINGOs, delivered the first presentation and asked the audience if they had ever been on a conference call and learned something from it. When almost everyone raised their hands, he explained that their experience was a form eLearning.

    Disaster Ready Initiative

    Disaster Ready Initiative's web-based portal.

    George Devendorf, Director of Disaster Ready Initiative, spoke next about his group’s new web-based portal. Devendorf described how they developed eLearning courses and what they hoped to achieve.When it was my turn, I discussed the value of delivering eLearning courses in the context of other types of training. The presentation, Blending Learning: Knowledge Acquisition to Application, was developed by MSH’s Liz Mclean as part of K4Health’s management of USAID’s Global Health eLearning Center and the associated Blended Learning Guide.

    Blended Learning Definition

    The definition of blended learning: a combination of learning media and learning environments that reinforce and accelerate mastery and application to the job.

    Blended learning is a combination of learning media and learning environments that reinforce and accelerate mastery and application to the job. Examples of learning media include: face-to-face, online, print, social media and radio. Examples of learning environments include: instructor-led, group-work, peer-to-peer interaction and individual work.

    A blended learning approach,  such as the one described in a previous post, can help learners move from knowledge acquisition to knowledge application, as defined in the infographic of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

    eLearning
    Blended Learning
    Infographics
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  • Blog post
    May 07, 2013

    What does duct tape have to do with health?

    Jose Gomez-Marquez likes to tell people that everyone can hack health, and he’s made a career of proving this true. He is a medical device designer at the Little Devices lab at MIT and a co-founder of LDTC+Labs LLC. When you Google him, the search results are basically a list of his awards and fellowships, and news articles lauding his penchant for innovation.

    Now, this isn’t innovation in the buzz word-y, conference-speak sense. It’s innovation where if you give Gomez-Marquez an ink cartridge, he’ll turn it into a no-prick vaccine delivery machine, or if he picks up a bunch of coffee filters at the grocery store, some of those might become TB drug compliance urine test strips.

    Having grown up in Honduras and coming from a family of medical professionals, Gomez-Marquez knows firsthand the limitations health workers face in low-income developing countries. Unlike in developed countries, if an essential part of a medical device breaks, there’s no repair person coming to fix it. In part because of his background, Gomez-Marquez adheres to the Do-it-Yourself (DIY) philosophy and recognizes that health workers in resource-constrained settings around the world are capable doing some of the best DIY work. In order to foster this behavior, he and his team at Little Devices have recently released a product called MediKit, a series of design building blocks that empower doctors and nurses in developing countries to invent their own medical technologies.

    Device Hacks at SwitchPoint 2013

    A group putting together a dual nebulizer using a foot pump at SwitchPoint 2013.

    I had the pleasure of getting an in-depth look at the type of work he does when I attended his micro-lab session at the SwitchPoint conference hosted by IntraHealth in North Carolina. During this short hour and a half workshop, Gomez-Marquez provided us with a list of ingredients: a foot pump, two nebulizers, tubes, a splitter, scissors, and duct tape and told us to create a drug delivery device that would treat not just one, but two patients, suffering from an asthma attack. Before setting us loose, he gave us instructions to not only build the device, but to also create a language for replication.

    Of course, once we started playing with the pieces, we completely ignored the second part of the instructions. It was so exciting to solve the puzzle. We got really into the experience of designing something useful and something that saves lives. But when it came to present our final devices and show off our ingenuity, we quickly realized how important the abandoned second part of the instructions were.

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  • Blog post
    May 06, 2013

    Meeting Unmet Need: Signs of Hope? (Part 2)

    Following on the heels of my recent blog about the Philippines signing into law the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, comes news that the National Assembly of Pakistan unanimously passed in March the Reproductive Healthcare and Rights Act 2013.

    Let’s hope that unlike the Philippines Act—now in legal limbo for 120 days while the court looks over some 10 petitions filed against the constitutionality of the law—Pakistan’s bold Private Member Bill will be implemented soon.

    Pakistani Mother Receives Family Planning Counseling

    At a Basic Health Unit in Punjab Province, Pakistan, 23-year-old Tahira Rashid receives counseling by Dr. Fauzia Amin, a female medical officer.

    © 2012 Derek Brown for USAID, Courtesy of Photoshare

     

    Introduced by Hon. Dr. Attiya  Inayatullah, MP, the Bill seeks to promote reproductive healthcare and rights in accordance with the national constitution and to fulfill international commitments made by the Government of Pakistan under the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).  (Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979, the U.S. has yet to ratify CEDAW.)   

    A major section of the Bill is titled “Promotion of Reproductive Health Care Rights” and says that:

    • Men and women are the subject of reproductive health care, their joint involvement in responsible parenting is essential, as also, their need for access to information;
    • Male involvement is essential in the attainment of reproductive health care rights; and
    • It is important to develop public awareness that maternal deaths are preventable and the suffering of women and children avoidable.

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  • Blog post
    April 30, 2013

    Putting People at the Heart of KM

    Of the three main elements of knowledge management (KM) –people, process, and technology – I tend to gravitate towards the “people” aspect. It is understandable to get excited by innovative methodologies and new technology; however, people drive the processes developed, and technology alone doesn’t solve a problem without a community using it appropriately.

    People Process Tools

    The three main elements of knowledge management: People, Process, and Tools.

    This theme was mentioned throughout the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) KM Share Fair on April 16th. It was obvious that participants were excited about the possibilities of technology, but wary of focusing too many resources on it as a “magic bullet” to solve KM challenges. It also seemed that they were struggling with the issue of how to keep communities central to KM. Where do we start?

    Knowledge for Health (K4Health) has been putting people at the center of our project since its start in 2008. Since our goal is to improve knowledge sharing among an external audience of health program managers, service providers, and policy makers in low- and middle-income countries, our starting place was a series of needs assessments. We did these at the global level (through an Environment Scan and Global Online Survey) as well as at the country level (in India, Ethiopia, Peru, Senegal, and Malawi). These studies helped us understand knowledge gaps, barriers, and opportunities. We then used processes and technology appropriately in order to design KM programs based on actual users’ needs.

    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
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  • Blog post
    April 30, 2013

    Being Social at the Global Health and Innovation Conference

    I arrived early to the Global Health and Innovation Conference opening plenary to review my social innovation pitch scheduled for later in the day. As I looked over my notes, I heard others lament the large number of sessions running concurrently. Aside from the keynotes, each time slot had between 11-16 sessions we could choose from, which meant we would miss the vast majority of sessions. By the time the morning speaker, Tina Rosenberg of the New York Times, took the stage I’d read the conference program a few times and narrowed down my choices.

    VassarHaitiProj GHIC Tweet

    A Tweet by the Vassar Haiti Project about the Global Health & Innovation Conference

    GOOD/Corps Tweet GHIC

    A Tweet from GOOD/Corps about the Global Health & Innovation Conference 2013.

    Rosenberg discussed how to Harness the Power of Peer Pressure and said that the best messages don’t inform people, but motivate them to change. She challenged us to craft messages with a human touch, and, as I live tweeted, I thought about how our social networks influence the decisions we make. The people around us influence what we think and how we act and, sometimes, what sessions we go to at conferences.As I looked at what others were tweeting about, I realized that I could virtually canvas my peer group at the conference and see what sessions people were talking about. During the 9:15-10:45 time slot when I presented, I missed eight other sessions and 36 presenters. At the next session I visited Twitter to see what was being said about what I’d missed.

    Social Media
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  • Blog post
    April 30, 2013

    Beyond Outputs: Evaluating social media for outcomes

    Recently the Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC) brought together about 200 knowledge management (KM) professionals working in international development to share KM tools and ideas. The Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair: Challenges and Opportunities had a variety of breakout sessions focusing on different KM interventions such as Net-Map, communities of practice (CoPs), blended learning, social media measurement, and many others.

    I moderated a session called Measuring more than “Likes” and “Follows”: Maximizing the potential of social media for KM. This session broke into small, facilitated discussion groups that focused on five concepts around social media measurement. These small group facilitators and topics were:

    Knowledge Wall - Social Media

    A portion of the Global Health Knowledge Management Share Fair: Challenges and Opportunities Knowledge Wall focusing on social media.

    • Connecting Strategy with Evaluation: How to create accurate SMART objectives – Alexandra Bornkessel, Manager of Digital Strategy at RTI International;
    • The Established Presence: How to maintain it, grow it and show it – Leah Gordon, Knowledge Management Specialist and Public Information Officer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, MEASURE Evaluation;
    • Let the Platform Chose You: Discussion on the best social media platform for your organization/project centered around how to manage expectations and show results – Ricki McCarroll, Digital Account Executive at Spectrum;
    • From Vanity Metrics to Effective Metrics looked at performance indicators instead of easy or vanity indicators – John Zoltner, Director of the TechLab at FHI 360; and
    • What The Hoot?: Using tools and social media management systems to measure effectiveness – Rebecca Shore, Communication Specialist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs.
    Global Health Knowledge Collaborative (GHKC)
    Social Media
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