title: On your time: online training for the public health workforce.
abstract: The need for competency-based training for the public health workforce is well documented. However, human and financial resource limitations within public health agencies often make it difficult for public health practitioners to attend classroom-based training programs. The Internet is an increasingly popular way of extending training beyond the workforce. Although research describes attributes of effective online learning modules, much of the available training delivered via the Internet does not incorporate such attributes. The authors describe the On Your Time training series, an effective distance education program and training model for public health practitioners, which includes a standardized process for development, review, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement. On Your Time is a series of awareness-level (i.e., addressing what practitioners should know), competency-based training modules that address topics related to regulatory responsibilities of public health practitioners (e.g., assuring compliance with codes and regulations governing housing, retail food safety, private water supplies, hazardous and solid waste, on-site wastewater systems, etc.), public health surveillance, case investigation, disease prevention, health promotion, and emergency preparedness. The replicable model incorporates what is known about best practices for online training and maximizes available resources in the interests of sustainability.
authors.affiliation: 1HWK Consulting, Barrington, NH, USA.
authors.forename: Hope Worden
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kenefick
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ravid
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: MacVarish
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsoi
authors.forename: Kenny
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weill
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faye
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fidler
mesh_terms: D004496:Education, Continuing; D020375:Education, Distance; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional / Q000379:methods*; D018961:Educational Technology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D011361:Professional Competence; D016730:Program Development / Q000191:economics; D013192:Staff Development; D014481:United States
keywords: continuing education; distance education; technology; training; workforce development