What two years of delivering online training in peace and security have taught us

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many learning institutions have had to accelerate their shift to online learning. The United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) was no exception. But what have the past two years taught our Peace and Security team about the delivery, up-take and effectiveness of remote learning for the personnel who work in peace and security?

We conducted a needs assessment of our partners and clients which indicated that many participants, especially people working in field duty stations, appreciate remote learning opportunities. Although the pandemic is still disrupting learning globally, and its consequences are yet to be fully determined, this blog highlights four lessons from building the capacity  of peace and security personnel in an online environment:

1. Online learning fosters more inclusivity and greater outreach

One of the most exciting changes that we experienced while delivering online learning is the opportunity it provided to reach wider and more varied audiences. Over the past two years,  our team has been able to roll out training   to regions and sub-regions that we would ordinarily not reach without e-learning. We gained new insights that helped us to ensure that timely and targeted training is delivered to relevant stakeholders worldwide. New courses -Integrated Analysis for Sustaining Peace, Climate Sensitive Programming for Sustaining Peace, and Youth Peace and Security training were developed to support the implementation of the Sustaining Peace agenda – . We also launched a series of free webinars on topics that ranged from psychological health in the field, climate security, and gender mainstreaming.

These learning and knowledge exchange initiatives  reached  large audiences made up of UN practitioners, and partners from civil society organizations, member states, other international and regional partners. This resulted in more widespread knowledge exchange,  training  and new partnerships. People from all over the world were able to attend virtual face-to-face trainings, even with some of the challenges that were posed by time-zone differences. Through platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom, we were able to bring together national and international staff working in remote locations, missions and sub-offices,  thus making our learning offerings more inclusive.  However, more inclusivity calls for good user experiences and social interactions that take different user needs, such as visual and other disabilities, into account.  While the virtual setting is, in theory, open to everyone with a Wi-Fi connection, technical details mattered. As trainers we had to ensure that we  delivered exceptional learning experiences that were truly inclusive.

2. We need to strike a balance between face-to-face and online learning

Online learning modalities have many benefits, for one they have a  positive impact on the environment. Less travel, means lower carbon emissions as an example a return flight from London to New York produces around 986 kg of CO2 per passenger. Additionally, online learning modalities also offer a significant cost and time saving element which often results in immense convenience for peace operations personnel who are deployed to regions where conflict may still be active.

Nonetheless, people crave social interaction, especially after long periods of isolation. In contrast to online learning, in-person training  provides space for social interactions and collaboration that is not always easy to replicate online. Our experience has underscored the importance of striking a balance between online and in-person training. In the future we plan to consider purely virtual, as well as hybrid trainings to meet the wide-ranging needs of peace and security personnel who have to align their training needs to their roles, and the time investment that is required.

3. Instructional Design needs to be adjusted to ensure participatory learning  

While the world was in lockdown, we were able to connect with peace and security personnel  who were eager to learn and improve their professional competencies. We converted our  face-to-face courses into e-learning courses that were delivered  in engaging and vibrant virtual classroom settings. We conducted extensive research and utilized some of the  latest interactive online learning technologies like Mural and Mentimeter Courses like Integrated Analysis for Sustaining Peace used a combination of live webinars  and self-paced learning modules that were uploaded onto user-friendly online learning platforms like  Articulate Rise. Even with all of our interventions,  we learned that the depth and span of what can be taught in a virtual classroom, is different to what  can be achieved in an in-person environment. One of the notable challenges of online learning is maintaining the  attention span of participants, and encouraging engagement. This challenge required us to re-think our online learning implementation strategy based on the needs and expectations of our participants.

To this end, we used different techniques – breakout rooms, digital white boards, and interactive exercises to  encourage engagement and robust discussion. We also found ways to adapt our course material to ensure that participants were able to absorb and learn new concepts easily. Our use of different techniques proved successful and further complemented our training objectives. We are now considering  the use of newer and more creative  learning modalities like podcasts and gamification to ensure participatory learning that meets the learning needs of our participants.

 4.Some learning objective cannot be achieved through online learning alone.

As we worked through the unique challenges that were presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, it became increasingly important to find ways to adapt and continue to meet the learning needs of the UN system. While much of our learning remained online, our team had to innovate to deliver a revised edition of the SSAFE course for Surge Deployment. This learning offering responds to the UN system’s requirement to train staff who need to be deployed to volatile and dangerous conflict areas at short notice. It includes theoretical lessons, demonstrations, group-work, practical exercises and field simulations that cannot be solely delivered online. In consultation with numerous partners and stakeholders, we quickly put in place strict COVID-19 safety protocols and delivered the SSAFE programme in September 2020.  This was complemented by online learning modules that were developed and delivered at the height of the pandemic. Our biggest lesson here is that in some instances we have the capacity to adapt training components of that require physical interaction.  

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a new reality for learning institutions,  with many challenges and  opportunities to explore further. What we have learned over the last two years is that, when done correctly, online learning   can offer  a convenient and inclusive alternative for peace and security personnel. It is, however, not the ultimate solution that will replace more traditional ways of learning. As a team that is committed to capacity building for peace and security personnel – our goal is to use these lessons to explore different methodologies and techniques which will help ensure that personnel are equipped to fulfill their work and address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.   

Photo Credit: UN Photo/JC McIlwaine