Training Material Structure
Example Structure of a Three-Module Course
Training Material Main Page Contains: Cover video or image 4:3 ratio or 16:9 Brief course description All filterable attributes need to be selected Feature image added
Course Overview Module Brief course description of course
Topic 1: Course Overview
Topic 2: Course logistics Disclaimer acknowledgment
Module 1 Content Name (each module can include a brief description of what module topics will be about but it is not required. The module landing page will show links to the topics below by default.)
M1-Topic 1: Module overview including module learning objectives
M1-Topic 2: Name (one page that can include Text, PDF, Video, Slides, links, interactives from H5P)
M1-Topic 3: Name
M1-Topic 4: Name
M1-Topic 5: Name
M1-Topic 6: Case Study
M1-Topic 7: Quiz
Module 2 Content Name
M2-Topic 1: Module overview including module learning objectives
M2-Topic 2: Name
M2-Topic 3: Name
M2-Topic 4: Name
M2-Topic 5: Name
M2-Topic 6: Case Study
M2-Topic 7: Quiz
Module 3 Course – Summary
M3 Final summary of content
M3- Additional resources
M3- Acknowledgement
Final course quiz
Naming Modules and Topics
Modules Naming
As in the example above Modules should be numbered and it is recommended that each module have a descriptive title. For example:
- Module 1: Overview of Outbreak and Investigation
Topics Naming
For uniformity topics need to have a prefix. In the example above, Topic numbers are used. Another format is to use the module initials. For example: OPTION 1 Specifics the Module number and Topic number. This is very clear for trainees and can help instructors search and manage course content.
- Module 1: Overview of Outbreak and Investigation
- M1- Topic 1: Final summary of contents
- M1- Topic 2: Final Quiz
OPTION 2 Specifics the Module number. This approach helps instructors search and manage course content and allows for quick rearrangement of topic order without having to rename topic order.
- Module 1: Overview of Outbreak and Investigation
- M1: Final summary of contents
- M1: Final Quiz
OPTION 3 Only specifies the topic number. This is best for courses that have few only a few modules.
- Module 1: Overview of Outbreak and Investigation
- Topic 1: Final summary of contents
- Topic 2: Final Quiz
As OHWA is designed for a global audience with diverse backgrounds and varied experiences, training material developed for or on the web page should use a format that is consistent across regions and accessible for all learners. Training material on the OHWA website should follow a consistent structure and use congruous vocabulary. This allows participants who access any material to understand how to progress through a training or utilize didactic content without needing to adapt to a different structure or layout. This also allows developers or instructors to focus their efforts on developing rigorous content and have an ease of understanding of how to structure any material. The purpose of this guide is to provide an overview of how to develop training material that is consistent with the OHWA structure and that aligns with One Health’s approaches and principles.
Key Terms
Training Material– This is the larger title for any material developed for educational or training purposes. This includes full courses, case studies, reading material, guidelines, etc., that are used to build a learner’s competency within the One Health Competency Framework.
Course– A course is a self-contain training in which the developer writes specific learning objective and creates content to ensure that a learner is able to meet those objectives. A course should contain didactic content, activities in which the learner applies the knowledge gained through the course and evaluations to assess that the learner can demonstrate the knowledge gained.
Learning Objectives– The distinction between “learning goals” and “learning objectives” is actually pretty commonsensical: in this context goals generally refer to the higher-order ambitions you have for your students, while objectives are the specific, measurable competencies which you would assess in order to decide whether your goals had been met. (To give one example: if it were your goal to teach students how to critique theories of state formation, the corresponding objective might be: “By the end of this course, students should be able to write an essay that explains one major theory of state formation and makes an argument about how well it describes the historical experience of a relevant country.”
Module-A fractional part of a trainee’s education experience. In a certificate curriculum program, each training experience (e.g. course) represents a module focused on a given topic. In a single course, a module is a chapter, class meeting or lecture on a specific topic. A successful module is one in where the stated learning outcomes or objectives align with teaching activity and assessment (constructive alignment). Topic-This specific content within a module what aligns with a learning objective that will be addressed within a module. For example, if a module covers three different learning objectives on developing surveillance systems for monitoring outbreaks, one topic will could identify tools to gather data for surveillance
Content Material– This is the material that will be used to teach the learner the new skill and meet the learning objective identified for the topic. Material may include readings, videos, graphics, expert testimony, real world examples, etc. Topics should ideally have varied content material to ensure learner participation as well as engage various learning styles.
Quiz– To evaluate the learner’s knowledge change, each topic should include a brief assessment. This should include multiple choice, true/false, or fill in the blank questions on content material from the topics. Asynchronous online courses should keep questions simple so as to provide immediate feedback to learners.
Optional Reading Material– This is material that is tangential to the learning objective covered in the topic and are of value or interest to the learner but are not required to gain the knowledge or skill addressed.
Case Study-This is an in-depth, realistic application of skills gained during the topic. Developers should create or find real-world examples of case studies relevant to the learning objectives of a topic. Learner must utilize the skills gained through the topic in the case study. For example, in a topic on analyzing data gathered during an outbreak investigation to develop a hypothesis on the source, learners must read about the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, analyze provided data and create a hypothesis on the source of the outbreak.
LearnDash Structure on OHWA
The LearnDash training material on the OHWA website is shown in yellow in the image below.
Training Material (Level 1)
This is the main page for Training Material. It can contain text, image, pdfs, video, filtering attributes (tags) and more. It can be a standalone material such as a Field Guide, or it can be an introduction to Course or Case Study. If it is the latter, add a description paragraph with an image or video and move on to creating a Module to attach to the Training Material.
Module (Level 2)
Modules also known as Lessons are attached to Training Materials similar to a section. You can have just one module that contains text, a quiz, video, and/or a scorm file. But if your Training Material has many steps you will want use the Module to introduce this section’s steps coming up with a short introduction paragraph. Then move on to creating the steps known as Topics.
Topics (Level 3)
Topics are the steps inside of of a Module. Each topic holds one page of content. They can have a quiz attached to them as well as reading materials and assignments.
Quizzes (Level 4)
Quizzes can be attached to both Topics or Modules depending on how you structure your Training Material.
Training Material Template
A course developer should utilize the following template when creating a course on the One Health Workforce Academy website. Using this template ensures consistency in formatting for course developers as well as learners.
Course Overview
The Course Overview should provide the learner with an understanding of course logistics as well as learning expectations. The course Overview should begin with a brief context of why this course is relevant to the One Health workforce and how it can support their development within the field. The Course Overview should also contain the learning objectives which, as stated above, are specific, measurable competencies that the learner should obtain upon completion of the course. Any One Health Domains covered in the course should also be highlighted in this section. Additionally, the Course Overview should provide the learner with the logistics of how the course works. This includes length of each module and the course as a whole, any prerequisites or technology requirements, and contact information for any issues that may arise. Grading policies should be clearly defined in this section, included any minimum score required for passing or to obtain a certificate of completion.
Modules and Topics
This is the content of the course where the learning will engage with material as well as complete assessments. Each module should have its own brief introduction which includes specific learning objectives covered and any introductory comments required to give the learner context on the material covered. Modules can be broken into specific Topics needed to address each of the learning objectives. Each Topic section should be contained within one webpage for clarity. It is encouraged to use videos, images, tables or other visuals within each topic to improve learner engagement as well as access various learning styles. Modules can have optional reading material that learners can access if they are interested an aspect of the course that is linked but not directly aligned with the learning objectives. Each Module should have one Topic that contains a case study. This allows for learners to apply the skills they gained through the content into a realistic scenario. Modules should culminate in a quiz that assesses the knowledge the learner has gained by engaging with the content material and the case study.
Final Module
The Final Module should present a summary of the entire course and make any final comments on the topic. It can present any relevant resources which the learner may be interested in accessing and provide acknowledgment of sources/references and any support used to build the course. The Final Module should also contain a summative assessment in which all the knowledge addressed through the course is evaluated. This assessment should show if the learner has met the learning objectives and obtained the course competencies. Developers may create as many modules and topics as needed to address the learning objectives for the course and module.