New Sphere training package helps meet demand for online and blended learning

The new Sphere online training package includes materials and guidance for facilitating over 25 interactive online learning activities, and guidance on how to run effective online Sphere workshops and courses, including pre-training preparations and post-training actions.

There are no PowerPoint slides in this training package! Using games, videos, breakout rooms, virtual whiteboards, polls and quizzes, every activity is highly participatory and designed for active, engaging and enjoyable peer-to-peer learning. The modular design and clearly defined learning objectives enable trainers to select activities appropriate for participants’ learning needs.

Restrictions on travel and gatherings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic led to less in-person training and more online learning. Sphere responded by helping our listed Sphere trainers and our trainee trainers in South-Eastern Europe to gain new skills in online teaching methods.

The pandemic has increased homeworking and remote learning, suggesting a permanent shift towards blended approaches to working and teaching. Blended methods are interesting as they combine the benefits of face-to-face contact with the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of online interaction.

The new online training package – which complements the Sphere Training Package (designed for in-person workshops) – is created by Sphere trainers for Sphere trainers. Sphere thanks and acknowledges the following trainers who contributed their time to the development of this product: Alice Ncube, Andrew Nzimbi, Anne Lloyd, Axel Schmidt, Aydée Marín, Dr Oliver Hoffmann, Gabriel Paredes Chávez, Hamza Hamwie, Hassan Jenedie, Ibrahim Hatibu, Jane Davies, Jim Good, Dr Markus Moke, Miguel Morales, Dr Pat Melancon, Richard Arana, and Uma Narayanan.

If you are a Sphere trainer, please download the new training package today, use it, and share your feedback with us at learning@spherestandards.org.

If you would like to organise online (or in-person or blended) Sphere training for your colleagues or partners, select your perfect training team from among our community of listed trainers.

The online training package is currently available in English, French and Spanish. A localised Arabic version will be released later this year following further consultations and peer reviews with our Arabic-speaking trainers.

Edited 8 Jun 2022 (Spanish version released), 7 Feb 2023 (French version released)