The UNDP Virtual Development Academy

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The UNDP Virtual Development Academy Lessons
learned by Samina Kamal, Manager Virtual
Development Academy (VDA) UNDP Headquarters, New
York
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• Structure
• Distance and e-learning
• UNDPs Virtual Development Academy
• purpose
• target audience
• outsourcing
• lessons learned
• preparing for tomorrow

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Levels of learning
2
3
Keen awareness Needs more study
time Pre-requisite for how
Needs interaction with expert Needs
practice Necessary but not sufficient
WHAT
HOW
ABOUT
WHY
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General awareness Pre-requisite for what
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True understanding Offer Policy Level
Advice Ability to train others
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UNDPs challenge
800 Internationally recruited Professionals 600
Locally recruited Professionals Working at 136
locations worldwide
Develop their capacities to provide Policy Advice
to governments
Quickly Effectively In parallel with their
day-to-day work At reasonable cost
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UNDPs e-learning needs
VISION Provide policy advice locally on major
cross-sectoral issues Develop and empower
T-shaped managers Operate as a
Knowledge Organization
Poverty reduction Democratic Governance Crisis
prevention and recovery Energy Environment HIV/AID
S Gender other development issues
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The T-shaped manager
Good knowledge and experience in a wide range of
subjects
Depth of knowledge
One (or more) areas of specialized knowledge
Depth of knowledge
Harvard Business Review, March 2001 Introducing
T-shaped Managers Knowledge Managements next
Generation
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Implementing the VDA
Key initial decisions
Course content to reflect UNDPs policies,
practices and relationships with
partners Conduct a formal Needs Assessment
exercise Course to consist of 16 blended
learning modules UNDP experts to own course
content and quality Outsource logistics and
delivery activity to a partner with substantial
experience in delivering e-learning
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Options considered
Ownership of - specification - validation -
deliverables - Quality Assurance
Focus on contract Management Provision of
content Quality Assurance
Course material
Focus on contract management Quality Assurance
Operations Support and logistics
Headache zone
In-house Outsourced
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Implementing the VDA (2)
Substantial content outsourced to trusted
consultants and Academic institutions Jones
International University 100 on-line courses
- selected for instructional design,
web-hosting, facilitation and support VDA to
have a full time manager. Close integration with
UNDPs Learning Resources Centre in New
York Less than a year from concept to launch, 96
participants selected for the first year of
operation, 87 completed course
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How it all fits together
UNDP
JIU
UNDP Country Office
Designates participants Provides 5 learning
time Provides feedback on impact of
e-learning Enables Advisory Services in Action
Project (ASAP)
Format content for e-learning Host
website Provide e-forum for threaded
discussions Provide technical support
VDA management team Funds the VDA Engages
facilitators Provides mentors Provides content
input Assures content ownership
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Course Quality Assurance

• Three step process
• Practice Leaders who own the course material
• 2. Feedback and comments from course
  participants
• and impact on their performance
• 3. External review

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Dynamics and interactions
Face-to-face launch of course
Web biographies of participants
Spontaneous knowledge networks
e-forum for threaded discussions
List servers and chatrooms
Audio conferencing
Course Website
CD-ROM
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Building trust participants and VDA
Course participants encouraged to network and
support each other
Facilitators and mentors facilitated the process
Sympathetic listener and conflict resolver in
place
These converge to show that UNDP walks the talk
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The CD-ROM
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The Website
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Lessons learned N 1
Assessment of results comes in four stages

• Self assessment by participant
• Assessment of knowledge gained by supervisor
• Impact assessment by Country Office manager
• Impact assessment by Country Office host
  government

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Assessment principle
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Lessons learned N 2
Content and usability are absolutely
critical Consensus on content scope, depth and
quality by - Regional Bureaus and Resident
Representatives (employers of the
Participants) - Content providers - Office of
Human Resources
Aspiration to widen scope of courses
incompatible with the time available to people
in full-time demanding work
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Lessons learned N 3

• Distance learning works best when
• Course material reflects the context of the
• participants work environment
• Courses are designed to provide Just in Time
• and NOT Just in Case learning

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Lessons learned N 4
Practicability and Value For Money

• Distance learning and the VDA proved to be the
• only viable alternative for UNDP
• videoconferencing timezone and time management
• face-to-face cost and time management

Total cost per module per participant approx.
400
Less than cost of commodity courses elsewhere
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Lessons learned N 5
Outsourcing course delivery and logistics to an
experienced provider was a good move

• Experience to conduct a preliminary needs
  assessment
• and develop a Business Plan
• Avoidance of a steep learning curve
• Instructional design for on-line delivery
• Effective facilitation through electronic means
• Tracking participant interactive involvement
• No need to make complex choices
• Learning Management System (LMS)

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Lessons learned N 6
The staff who participated in these courses loved
them!
5 hours per module granted by UNDP (adds up to
11 days/year) Typical module requires 15-20
hours to complete Enormous goodwill from the
staff Feedback received allowed fine-tuning
of content Courses dates were adjusted to
accommodate participants and country
offices in order to reflect their feedback
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Lessons learned N 7
Time is the most critical resource for
Those taking the courses in parallel with their
day-to-day work Their supervisors who have
projects to complete and services to deliver to
their host countries Those providing, validating
and updating content
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Lessons learned N 8
Need for better definition of incentives
Including recognition
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Lessons learned N 9
The digital divide is real
Not all participants have a home computer Some
participants had limited I.T. user
skills Several Country Office locations only
have limited bandwidth (not enough for rich
multimedia) Unreliable power supplies work
against e-learning
Not major obstacles just temporary complications
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Preparing for tomorrow
Participation
Phase 1
Basic mandatory
Phase 2
1. Policy 2. Issues 3. Timing
Basic mandatory Advanced Optional material
Scope and level of course
Tailor-made
UNDP Country Office staff
Other UNDP
Other UN Sys
Academia NGO Think tanks
Governments
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A final thought
If you think education is expensive, just
consider the cost of ignorance