Each year, large numbers of civilians are killed and injured by explosive ordnance. These munitions are one of the long-lasting consequences of armed conflicts. They continue to kill, injure and impact the daily life of entire communities even years after conflicts have ended.
One of the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) ‘s key strategic objective is to protect communities from explosive harm. In this context, the Center works with partners to strengthen the explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) pillar of mine action. EORE are activities that seek to reduce the risk of injury from explosive ordnance by raising awareness of women, girls, boys and men and promoting behavioral change.
In 2021, we worked with the GICHD to develop and roll out the e-learning course: “Introduction to Explosive Ordnance Risk Education Essentials”. In this blogpost, find out more behind-the-scenes on what goes on in the course design!
The Need
The GICHD wanted to create an accessible and global e-learning module that would provide a basic grounding in the fundamentals of effective EORE in line with the International Mine Action Standards.
This course is aimed not only at professionals from within the mine action sector, but also the general public, who may have no prior experience on EORE.
The Solution
We designed this first entry-level module “Introduction to Explosive Ordnance Risk Education Essentials” which focuses on the key principles of effective and ethical EORE.
By taking the course, learners will get to understand the different types of explosive ordnance, the risk they pose to individuals and communities, the lifesaving importance of effective EORE and its linkages with other sectors.
The questions and scenarios were designed to achieve specific learning objectives defined by a group of EORE thematic experts. Particular attention was also dedicated throughout the course design to using gender-inclusive language and ensuring accessibility to persons living with disabilities (eg use of fonts, contrasts, colors etc.).
We also included real-life audio testimonies from EORE practitioners eg from Iraq and Colombia, so that learners could hear and better relate to how EORE ethical principles translate to actual mine action work on the ground.
The Visuals
Together with Cooper Motion, we designed beautiful bespoke illustrations to support the visuals of the module.
Given the humanitarian nature of the topic, we paid close attention to the ensuring that the graphic designs were respectful of the integrity of affected communities. Just as importantly, we also designed the entire course with gender, diversity and inclusion considerations in mind such as representation of diverse culture.
The Result:
Our client was immensely thrilled with the results of the project! Here’s a testimony from them:
eSkills and its team truly are skilled 😊!
Finding and partnering with eSkills has been a tremendous privilege, and we could not be more pleased with the results.
We decided to hire eSkills because the company offers a wide range of services that covered the entire project’s design and development – from pedagogical and instructional design expertise, to sketch artists and video production. In addition, the team took our original concept and accompanied us through a highly professional and human / user focused process.
It has been a pleasure working with Annick, Bastien, Olivia and the rest of the team from the outset of the project. They approached their work with enthusiasm and urgency, listened to and translated our needs into the design and production, and did so in a cost-effective manner, and always with great flexibility, patience and genuine interest for the topic.
Our cooperation with eSkills doesn’t stop here as the GICHD has partnered with them again for the development of another e-learning course!
Matthieu Laruelle, Explosive Ordnance Risk Education Advisor
Conclusion
The “Introduction to Explosive Ordnance Risk Education Essentials” course is now published live on the GICHD’s website and is accessible to the public!
This introduction is the first of two courses planned for the “EORE Essentials” e-learning journey.
In part two, learners will experience first-hand how the key principles introduced in this first part can be applied through the various stages of an EORE intervention. Professionals involved in the design, delivery or management of EORE activities are particularly encouraged to continue with part two, which is currently under development.
Once you successfully complete the course, you will also get a certificate of achievement from the GICHD.
We also developed a short trailer which was used for the course’s publicity. Take a look at it to see some exciting snippets of the course!
Need help with your e-learning project?
Whatever your training requirements, eSkills can help you with customized, bespoke solutions catered to your learning needs.
Want to learn more? Contact us at hello@eskills.ch for an informal discussion!
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