The Public Health Foundation (PHF) is seeking volunteers to help test the new learning management system (LMS) platform for the TRAIN learning network as it is being developed. The purpose of the testing is to help ensure that TRAIN’s new LMS platform is user friendly and meets the needs of today’s health workforce.
Those who volunteer to participate will help test new interfaces and features, and will be among the first to see the new TRAIN platform. Testing will begin in December 2015. All testing will be conducted remotely through online meeting software and will take no more than 60 minutes. Submit your information here if you are interested in participating in the testing.
Developed and operated by PHF, the TRAIN learning network provides a platform for health and preparedness agencies and organizations to manage, disseminate, and share workforce trainings. Additionally, the more than one million public health, healthcare, and preparedness professionals and volunteers who are registered TRAIN learners can access thousands of trainings through the network that address more than 60 subject areas. To power the network, PHF is currently working with its technology partner, KMI, to develop a new TRAIN LMS platform that will be programmed using HTML5 and designed responsively to work on all devices.
Nearly 600 professionals from across the country have already provided feedback to help build the new platform by responding to an online survey of TRAIN learners and course providers. Results from the survey were used to help write requirements for the new platform, along with input from an advisory group of TRAIN affiliates and course providers.
Learners were asked to provide feedback on key tasks on TRAIN, such as searching, registering, and completing courses as well as obtaining certificates and continuing education credits. Course providers were asked about tasks such as posting course information, connecting online courses to TRAIN, assigning courses with competencies and capabilities as well as continuing education credits, setting up assessments and evaluations, and obtaining data and reports.
Both learners and course providers identified the need to improve the overall user interface of the TRAIN LMS, a finding that aligns with PHF’s main goal for the new platform. Other key findings included a need for the new LMS to have the following features, which will be included in the new platform:
- Simplified account creation, course registration, course searches, and learner transcript management
- More user-friendly interface to post courses to TRAIN
- Enhanced reporting capability for course providers
More than one million learners are currently registered on the TRAIN learning network. Additionally, the network is supported by affiliate agencies consisting of 25 state and three federal affiliate agencies—Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Veterans Health Administration (VHA), as well as one local health department.
For more information about testing the next TRAIN LMS platform, submit your information here or email TRAIN3.0@phf.org. If you are not yet on TRAIN, join the million-strong TRAIN learning network today by registering at www.train.org.