What is TEL?
The skills, knowledges and abilities of our workforce is paramount in achieving the USGS's vision of continuously providing excellent science to our customers. The TEL Program was designed to help USGS subject-matter experts (SME's) design, develop, and deliver effective technology enabled learning experiences to personnel in a timely and efficient manner. Technology enabled learning is built by taking each learning objective of a course and using a medium that will best communicate and transfer it to the learners. This would include mixing multiple forms of self-study that are learner-centered and task focused and using collaboration technologies to further enhance learning experiences.
Background of the TEL Program
In late FY04 the Science and Technical Employee Development Committee (STED) recommended the purchase of Adobe® Connect™ (formerly Macromedia Breeze®) to enable USGS subject-matter experts, course developers and course coordinators to redevelop existing classroom courses or create new courses for blended, TEL delivery. In October 2004, WRD senior staff and OED collaborated to fund this exciting initiative. Using technology-enabled learning seed money, OED purchased a complete software system including 12 transferrable Breeze course-authoring licenses. OED has also established a process to develop and deliver USGS courses served on-line via OED's dedicated TEL server and/or through the DOI LEARN server.
Key objectives of the TEL Program:
- Deploy highly effective training in all scientific and technical areas through web-based training or blended technology enabled learning alternatives.
- Get relevant training to more students.
- Lower travel and training costs.
- Ensure highly effective transfer of information.
- Increase learning of critical skills across the bureau.
- Be the one-stop-shop for USGS instructional designers to go to for information and resources on:
- Instructional Systems Design and methodologies (ADDIE).
- Effective design of TEL.
- Effective delivery of learning objects.
- Using collaborative technologies with TEL.
- Section 508 compliancy and standards in relation to TEL.
- Train SME's to design and develop effective TEL and assist them as needed throughout the process.
Where to go from here:
- If you are a student visit the TEL courses currently available page.
- If you are a subject-matter expert and want to develop a TEL course, view the Getting Started section.
- If you'd like to see some examples of TEL courses that have been done through TEL, select the following link:
TEL Examples - If you are a course designer (TEL or Classroom) and would like to see additional resources to help you develop your course, select the Tel Course Developer's Tool Box Web page.
