Dozens of new services and promise to bring strength to your online community health worker training program. Here are five that are honestly useful.
Unless you’re considering setting up and hosting your own online learning program in-house (most organizations go with a managed hosting company like Talance unless they have a dedicated technical department with specialists), the list of technical tools you actually need to run your program is pretty short:
- A computer
- A mobile device for testing
- Headphones, speakers or some way of listening to audio
- A connection to the Internet
If you have CHWs in the field, that list might expand to include a terminal for checking lessons and possibly a printer.
Meanwhile, the list of software, apps and online services that promise a more productive and engaging online learning program continues to grow. Look at this enormous list of lists from Education World magazine, for starters.
You can spend years sifting through the options, but here are a few that we honestly think are helpful for administrators and instructors:
- ASTD Trainer’s Toolkit (app) – This unique app from ASTD is best for course building and instruction. It has ideas for activities and reminders for interacting with students, plus ways to keep notes and make bookmarks.
- Chief Learning Officer magazine (app) – Required reading if you’re considering setting up an online learning program. “Chief Learning Officer magazine is the foremost business resource for senior executives in the workforce learning and development industry, providing access to reliable information and insight into trends and developments in organizational development, strategy, employee training, leadership development, succession planning and instructional technology.”
- Diigo (web service) – Diigo is an old education standby for tracking bookmarks online (see the education edition). It keeps progressing, however, and the latest version is easy to use and features powerful sharing and note-taking features.
- Flashcard Apps (app) – “Flashcards are no longer tied to paper. Now with the help of your iPhone or iPad, you can have digital flashcards. We compare the best ones in this AppGuide.”
- TeacherKit (app) – This app lets instructors keep track of how their learners perform, including attendance, gradebook, assignment lists and more.