UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
Training in Africa: Best Practices, Lessons Learned and Future Directions, 05/02

Training in Africa: Best Practices, Lessons Learned and Future Directions, 05/02

Training in Africa: Best Practices, Lessons Learned and Future Directions 7-9 May 2003 Nairobi, Kenya

Request for Presentations

A conference entitled Training in Africa: Best Practices, Lessons Learned and Future Directions will be held in Nairobi, Kenya from 7-9 May 2003. The focus of the conference will be to examine best training practices used in international healthcare settings, with particular emphasis on family planning and reproductive health in Africa. In addition, training practices that have been employed successfully in sectors other than healthcare will be examined and discussed for their applicability to reproductive health programs. The conference is being organized by the JHPIEGO Corporationís Training in Reproductive Health project in collaboration with the Office of Population and Reproductive Health of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and a number of USAID Cooperating Agencies.

The purpose of this Request for Presentations (RFP) is to solicit proposals for conference presentations for the concurrent 90-minute sessions.

Purpose of the Conference

Training is one of the primary interventions for improving the performance of healthcare workers in Africa. Just what do we know about effective training? We know that training occurs as part of most activities to strengthen healthcare systems and improve the quality of services. We know that training comes in many sizes and shapes including instructor-led, distance learning, technology-assisted learning and on-the-job training. We know that training is applied across a broad range of content areas including management, quality assurance, logistics, community education, and clinical. So how do we know effective training when we see it? What practices, processes and approaches work best in lowresource settings?

The goal of this conference is to examine training practices identified as best based on objective data, to share lessons learned from implementing training in a variety of settings, and to look at the horizon to see what the future holds for training in Africa.

During the 3-day conference we will have a number of skill-building workshops, general session speakers and approximately 40 concurrent session speakers for an audience of about 150-200. Concurrent sessions will be designed for 25-30 conference attendees each and will be 90 minutes in length. The skill-building workshops will be held on the first day of the conference, will be 3-hours in length and will focus on key training skills.

Audience

This conference is designed for individuals who have responsibilities for the programming, design, delivery and evaluation of training interventions to improve worker performance, with a focus on family planning and reproductive health in Africa. Conference attendees may include trainers, instructional designers, materials developers, facilitators, program managers and evaluators.

Note that English is the official language of the conference and that translation services will not be available.

Definitions

The concurrent session descriptions will indicate both the type of presentation and the stage of the training process. This information will appear in the handout book and will help conference attendees to select sessions to attend. Concurrent sessions will feature a best practice, lesson learned or future direction. The proposal will indicate if presenters are presenting a best practice, lesson learned or future direction as defined here.

Best Practices Training practices that have been shown to produce superior results; are selected by a systematic process; and are judged as exemplary, good or successfully demonstrated. Examples might include:

* As a result of using an individualized learning approach approach,
there is evidence of improved provider performance in providing PAC services.

* As a result of distance learning and follow-up coaching at the job
site, there have been improved client-provider interactions.

* Schools using a competency-based approach to learning are producing
students with increased knowledge and skills.

Note in the previous examples that the focus is on the training aspect and NOT on the content area. We are looking for evidence that a specific training approach produced measurable results by a systematic review of data. So presenters indicating that their presentation is a best practice will be expected to have clear evidence that this is the case.

Lessons Learned Crosscutting observations and conclusions that apply to a specific practice. Lessons are drawn from experiences with specific training practices, processes and methods. Evidence supporting the lesson is clear and objective. These lessons encompass both positive and negative experiences. Examples might include:

* Based on experience in training trainers, this approach produces
trainers capable of delivering interactive and participatory clinical training.

* Using the transfer of learning process we have seen an increase in
the support of supervisors for workers returning from training courses.

Future Directions Trends, technology, changes in healthcare delivery systems and other factors that will shape the future of training. Examples might include:

* Distance learning approaches in Africa.

* The use of CD-ROM technology to deliver training in Africa.

Concurrent sessions will also be based on various aspects of the training process. Following are areas of training with brief definitions. Proposals will indicate which area is to be addressed by a presentation. In some sessions, the presenter may be focusing on more than one area.

Design This stage includes the use of information from performance needs assessments to identify the need for training and to develop learning goals and objectives, select learning methods (e.g., classroom-based, distance learning, structured on-the-job training, technology-assisted learning), create training schedules, etc. This also includes development and testing of the training materials.

Delivery This is when the training course or intervention is conducted.

Evaluation Determining how learners felt about the training, whether they reached the objectives, how content is applied on the job after training, and what impact it had on the situation it was designed to improve.

Transfer of Learning Practices to help ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired during training result in improved job performance after training. Transfer of learning involves the learner, learnerís supervisor and trainer through activities conducted before, during and after training.

Trainer Development Essential for the development of a sustainable training system is the development of competent trainers who can continue to implement training as external support decreases.

Programming Training Interventions Approaches used by program staff to ensure that the previous areas of training are planned, funded and carried out in the field.

Concurrent Session Proposal Format

Your proposal should include the information listed in the 10 items below. For each item, there is a brief explanation of the information to be included. Your proposal should be no longer than three (3) pages and should include only these 10 items.

* Presentation Title:
Title of the concurrent session presentation should be no longer than 10 words. The title should reflect the content of your presentation and capture the interest of the participants at the same time.

* Presenter(s):
Provide the name, title, address, phone, fax and e-mail information for each presenter.

* Best Practice, Lesson Learned or Future Direction:
Indicate into which category your presentation fits. Please select only one category. Note that preference will be given to presentations from Africa.

* Stage of the Training Process:
Indicate into which of the following stage(s) your presentation fits. The stages include design, delivery, evaluation, transfer of learning, trainer development and programming training interventions. Presentations may relate to more than one stage.

* Session Focus:
In no more than 100 words, describe the focus of your presentation. Note that this description will be essential for the review team as they select presentations. Also, if your presentation is accepted, this description will be used in the conference program; participants will read this description to decide if they want to attend the session.

* Learning Objectives:
Provide three objectives describing what the participant will learn in your session.

* Methodology:
Briefly describe the methods you will use to deliver your presentation. Note that concurrent sessions are 90-minutes in length. Presenters are strongly encouraged to allow up to 30 minutes of interaction during their presentations. Participants will appreciate the opportunity to share, discuss and interact with the presenters.

* Audio-visuals:
Describe the audio-visuals you will be using during your presentation. Note that each room will be equipped with a flipchart, screen and computer projection unit. Presenters are asked to provide their own laptop computer (if you will require a laptop, please indicate). Presenters are asked to use a PowerPoint presentation so that handouts can be distributed and a conference CD-ROM developed for distribution following the conference.

* Expertise:
Provide a brief (one paragraph) biography describing the background and previous speaking experience of each presenter. If you presentation is accepted, your biography will be available to the conference participants so that they have some information about who is delivering each session.

* References:
List three individuals who are familiar with your ability to present on your proposed topic. Please provide their full contact information (name, address, phone, fax and e-mail) so that the review team will be able to contact them. If there is more than one presenter, provide references only for the primary or lead presenter.

Please note the following regarding the proposal submission, review, acceptance and development process.

* Proposals are due by 17 January 2003.

* The proposal (in MS Word) is to be sent to:
Rick Sullivan JHPIEGO Corporation 1615 Thames Street Baltimore, MD 21231-3492, USA mailto:rsullivan@jhpiego.net

* Proposals are to be sent by e-mail attachment or placed on a diskette
and sent in the mail. Proposals are not to be faxed.

* The proposals will be reviewed and presenters notified by 14 February
2003.

* Presenters will then receive information regarding the format of
their PowerPoint presentations and/or handouts. All presentation materials will be included on a CD-ROM to be distributed following the conference. Presenters will also receive information about the hotel, conference registration, etc.

* Presenters will be responsible for their own expenses (travel, per
diem, etc.).

* Presenters will be asked to submit their PowerPoint presentation and
any supporting handouts for duplication by 1 April 2003. This will allow time for copies of handouts for the participants to be prepared and bound before the conference. The planning team recognizes that submitting these items in advance may create some challenges; however, we believe that participants will greatly appreciate receiving all of the handouts at registration. Presenters failing to submit their materials by this date may be asked to not present at the conference.

* Reminders of key dates:

17 January: Proposals due 14 February: Presenters notified 01 April: PowerPoint presentations and handouts due 7-9 May: The Conference!!

If you have questions regarding the proposal or process, please contact

Rick Sullivan Director of Learning and Performance Support JHPIEGO Corporation 1615 Thames Street Baltimore, MD 21231-3492 Tel: +1-410-537-1931 Fax: +1-410-537-1476 mailto:rsullivan@jhpiego.net

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Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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