Heartland AEA 11

6500 Corporate Dr.

Johnston, IA 50131-1603

www.aea11.k12.ia.us

2/4/03

Contacts:

Joe Hansen, Heartland AEA 11, (515) 270-9030 ext. 4423

Steve Jones, Heartland AEA 11, (515) 270-9030 ext. 4317

JOHNSTON, Iowa–A new online computer tutorial program allows Iowa educators and other school personnel to more easily and inexpensively comply with state and federal training requirements.

The Mandatory Training Program is a group of four separate tutorials that instruct, then test the knowledge of school personnel in knowledge areas required for their jobs. The program was created and is operated by Heartland Area Education Agency.

Three of the tutorials relate to job safety: Bloodborne Pathogens, Lock Out-Tag Out (electrical and utility safety) and Right to Know (hazardous chemical safety). The fourth is the Mandatory Reporter, which instructs users — particularly teachers — how to recognize and report child or dependent adult abuse.

Heartland AEA’s Joe Hansen, who administers the program, said the tutorials provide school districts with scheduling flexibility. School staff can take their training sessions at convenient times, at their own pace and on most computers connected to the Internet. Districts do not have to hire trainers and schedule blocks of time to bring staff together for classroom instruction.

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In addition, the training is free for many Iowa school districts. Heartland AEA provides the tutorials free to the 55 school districts and 36 state-accredited private schools it serves. Several of the state’s other AEAs participate in the Heartland AEA program and also provide the tutorials at no cost to their districts.

The number of people using the Heartland training program has surpassed expectations, Hansen said. Through the program’s first six months, 17,500 individuals have passed a tutorial. That averages about 100 per day, every day. The figure is now over 20,000. The mandatory child and dependent adult abuse reporter tutorial has been the most widely used, accounting for about 50 percent of the passed tutorials. It’s a result in a change in licensure requirements for teachers.

"Previously, teachers and others had to have an awareness of child abuse reporting," Hansen explained. "Now they have to pass an approved training program that covers both child and dependent adult abuse reporting to receive or renew a state teaching license." Hansen said the curriculum and process for Heartland AEA’s Mandatory Reporter tutorial has been approved by the Abuse Education Review Panel of the Iowa Department of Health.

Hansen noted that he is unaware of any other computer-assisted tutorial quite like Heartland AEA’s. It includes instruction, testing, colorful graphics and recorded voices providing information in an easy-to-use format. The program also does record keeping for the school districts and generates a certificate for everyone who completes a tutorial.

"The program has a lot of advantages to it," said Len Cockman, director of human resources in the Urbandale Community School District.

Cockman said his district had its entire staff take the Mandatory Reporter tutorial. "We didn’t have to go to all of our schools or bring everyone together for time-consuming meetings. Also, it ensured that everyone received the same information. That’s important."

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Cockman explained that one Urbandale staff member couldn’t sleep one night and took the tutorial at home at 3 a.m. "That it’s available 24/7 is a real plus," he added.

The tutorials are an excellent way to test one’s knowledge in the required training areas, Hansen said. However, he added that school districts may have to provide their staff members additional training support to meet their individual district compliance programs.

"Each district has a responsibility to offer other services and employee assistance to reach full compliance within federal and state mandates," Hansen explained.

The tutorials are divided into sections and individuals must pass a quiz at the end of each one before advancing. Those who give a wrong answer to a question can try again, but they will see a different question on the same topic.

The time needed to take and pass a tutorial depends on how well the individual knows the material. The child and dependent adult abuse mandatory reporter tutorial, for example, could take someone two to three hours to complete. An experienced teacher who knows the material will complete it in much less time.

Hansen said Heartland AEA plans to add other tutorials to the training program.

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NOTE TO MEDIA: If you would like to access one of the tutorials, or if you would like the name of an educator from your area who has passed one of the tutorials, please contact Steve Jones or Joe Hansen at 515-270-9030.