Fundamentals of Implementation Research Online Course Tailored for High-bandwidth Audiences
MEASURE Evaluation has restructured the popular Fundamentals of Implementation Research online course. The update transformed the existing, low-bandwidth online course into an engaging and interactive alternative for those in high-bandwidth settings.
While the course content, unit quizzes, and final exam for this course remain unchanged, the new version uses interactive graphics, additional exercises, and an experiential case study based on the classic “Road to Maternal Death” case study (Fathalla, 1988) to enhance the learning experience.
The Fundamentals of Implementation Research online course was originally developed through a multi-agency collaboration involving Duke University’s Global Health Institute; the Fogarty International Center; MEASURE Evaluation/UNC-Chapel Hill; National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health; Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator-U.S. Department of State; United States Agency for International Development; and the World Health Organization.
In January 2012, MEASURE Evaluation launched the original Fundamentals of Implementation Research course on the M&E Learning Center. Since then the course has become the second most popular course offered through the M&E Learning Center. Only MEASURE Evaluation’s flagship M&E Fundamentals online course, available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Vietnamese, is accessed more. By offering the Fundamentals of Implementation Research course in formats that are suitable for high-bandwidth and low-bandwidth settings, course authors hope to expand the reach of the course and enrich the learning experience.
Creating courses that are interactive and engaging for learners as well as functional in low-bandwidth settings is an ongoing challenge for online course developers. However, as infrastructure continues to improve and many embrace the use of mobile devices, MEASURE Evaluation is moving toward providing eLearning content in an array of formats to meet the evolving needs of our audience. This interactive, activity- and exercise-rich version of the Fundamentals of Implementation Research online course is one example of efforts to expand the reach of MEASURE Evaluation’s online courses by creating flexible and engaging eLearning content for our increasingly varied audience.
