1. II Course on GBIF Node Management Arusha, Tanzania 31 st October and 1 st November 2008 GBIF Training Materials and Future Plans Alberto GONZÁLEZ-TALAVÁN Programme Officer for Training GBIF Secretariat

2. GBIF Training SUMMARY 1.Introduction: about this speech. 2.GBIF Training; the present situation: workshops & manuals, challenges… 3.Plans for 2009-2010: eLearning promotion, collaborative networks, regionalisation... 4.Conclusions.

3. This speech describes the present situation regarding training in the GBIF Network. The first part describes existing resources and opportunities that are available for node managers, data publishers, users, etc. The second part includes an update in the training plans of the GBIF Secretariat, as stated in the proposed GBIF Work Programme Draft to the GBIF Governing Board in its meeting in Arusha (Tanzania) in November 2007. The GBIF Secretariat, Denmark This lecture is presented by Alberto González-Talaván, Training Officer at the GBIF Secretariat in Copenhagen, Denmark. GBIF Training INTRODUCTION

4. PRESENT SITUATION At the GBIF SECRETARIAT LEVEL the present training strategy is based on: Face to face meetings. Held in venues from diverse world regions. Trainers are international experts in the topic. Organised at the global level. Participants selected from GBIF Members proposals. Include knowledge dissemination commitments for participants. Good outreach and advertising opportunities. Some of the RESTRICTIONS of this system: A extremely limited number of people can receive training. The topics tackled are limited. High cost and very low cost-effectiveness. GBIF Training

5. PRESENT SITUATION Some examples: COURSES and WORKSHOPS IV Ecological Niche Workshop: Warsaw, Nov 2007. http://www.gbif.org/prog/ocb/modeling_workshop III Georeferencing Workshop: Madrid, May 2008. http://olla.berkeley.edu/ornisnet/?q=node/27 http://www.gbif.es/formaciondetalles.php?IDForm=39 More examples: MANUALS I GBIF Training Manual: “Digitisation of Natural History Collections Data”. http://www.gbif.org/GBIF_org/GBIF_Publications/trainingmanual1/ Online tutorial on the GBIF Data Portal http://data.gbif.org/tutorial/tutorial (English) http://www.gbif.fr/?q=fr/node/124 (French)

6. At the PARTICIPANT NODES LEVEL, the situation is somewhat similar: Face to face meetings. Organised in the national level. Trainers are selected within the country. Contents are adapted to the national context (included language). Good outreach and advertising opportunities. Some of the RESTRICTIONS of this system: A very limited number of people can receive training. Nearly no impact outside the country. Few/no interactions/synergies among countries. The topics tackled are limited. Reduced cost-effectiveness (people trained / $). GBIF Training PRESENT SITUATION

7. GBIF Training PRESENT SITUATION Some examples of training activities leaded by GBIF Participant Nodes: Events section in GBIF France: http://www.gbif.fr/?q=fr/node/124 Meetings and Workshops section in DanBIF: http://www.danbif.dk/Products/F1148898331 Training section in GBIF Spain: http://www.gbif.es/formacion_ppal_in.php Events section in GBIF Belgium http://www.biodiversity.be/bbpf/outputs/index.html#events Online publications by CR-BIF (InBIO) http://www.inbio.ac.cr/en/serv/serv_publicaciones.htm Online documents by SIB-COLOMBIA http://www.siac.net.co/sib_descargas.php

8. Several CHALLENGES can be identified regarding training in GBIF Demonstrate GBIF usefulness and help in its sustainability. Support a decentralised model for GBIF. Cover an increasing list of fields for training. Exponentially increase the training audience. Quantitatively (number of people trained) Qualitatively (different/new roles) Adapt to very different communities, in different languages. Increase cost-effectiveness. Capacitate nodes to provide basic GBIF training in a quick, easy way. GBIF Training PRESENT SITUATION

9. WP 2009-2010 Proposal ACTIVITY 1: Create a GBIF Online Resource Centre for Training. ACTIVITY 2: Develop a e-learning classroom for GBIFS. ACTIVITY 3: Develop annual training plans and associated activities. GOAL 1: Develop an integrated training platform for GBIF. ACTIVITY 1: Training experts network in GBIF Topics GOAL 2: Develop a GBIF training resources network ACTIVITY 2: Language resources network related to training ACTIVITY 3: Interest raining among training consumers groups GBIF Training

10. ONLINE TRAINING The first proposal, reflected in GOAL 1 of the draft GBIF Training Work Programme, is to create an integral training portfolio for GBIF, mainly based in online tools. The main objectives are: 1.Detect and fulfil training needs in the GBIF community. 2.Achieve higher visibility for training (tangible benefit for participants). 3.Develop training schema easy to use, deploy and participate. 4.Provide free tools to support a distributed model, helping nodes to tackle their training needs. GBIF Training

11. ONLINE TRAINING www.gbif.org Online Resource Centre for Training GBIF e-Learning Classroom GBIF Training

12. ONLINE TRAINING GBIF Training

13. TRAINING NETWORK To produce all the needed training elements needed to satisfy the training needs detected during the needs assessment, the implication of a wide training community will be required. As GOAL 2, a training (social) network composed of several components is proposed to overcome this difficulties. GBIF Training

14. TRAINING NETWORK GBIF Training

15. REGIONALIZATION This proposed training Work Programme promotes decentralization and regionalization in several ways: 1.Providing deliverable free tools that capacitate nodes (national, regional, thematic) to easily organise and maintain training plans in their scope. 2.Delegating the organization of most face to face meetings to the regional level, though continuing providing support to them. 3.Distributing work load using the training networks. 4.Involving nodes and national communities in the development of training materials. 5.Promoting interactions and collaboration between nodes, specially through the Training Resource Centre for Training. 6.Making possible (and easy) the exchange of training materials between different communities. GBIF Training

16. CONCLUSIONS 1.Training is a key and cross-cutting element that facilitate participation in GBIF at all levels. 2.There is a number of resources already available, derived from previous GBIF events and from GBIF documents. 3.There are several GBIF Participant nodes successfully tackling training, with different strategies (workshops, documents, etc.) 4.For 2009-2010, there will be progressive shift to online tools, to expand the potential public of GBIF training and to support a functional & distributed training network. 5.The involvement of the GBIF Participant Nodes is essential for the success of a global (but distributed) training strategy. The regional and thematic approach will be key to promote collaboration and mutual benefit. GBIF Training

17. GBIF Training Materials and Future Plans II Course on GBIF Node Management Arusha, Tanzania 31 st October and 1 st November 2008 Alberto GONZÁLEZ-TALAVÁN Programme Officer for Training GBIF Secretariat Universitetsparken 15 DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark Tel: +45 3532 1483 Fax: +45 3532 1480 Email: atalavan@gbif.org Web: www.gbif.org