Turning Knowledge into Impact: Highlights from the Spanish MOOC Journey!

What happens when thousands of humanitarian workers from across Latin America come together for seven weeks of intensive training on humanitarian standards?

The Sphere in Practice Spanish MOOC (massive open online course), a joint effort by Sphere and RedR UK, delivered critical knowledge to over several thousands Spanish-speaking professionals. From Venezuela to Mexico, this training is already making waves in communities where it’s needed most.

Mapping our reach and results

The MOOC delivered real, usable skills through weekly webinars, expert-led discussions, and dynamic learning modules. The MOOC’s reach was profound, with registrants from over 50 countries, filling a real need in Latin America’s humanitarian sector. From project implementation to the development of humanitarian strategies, participants are now encouraged to apply Sphere standards in diverse and impactful ways. Satisfaction levels were extremely high; 750 participants completed an end-of-course survey, where 99% rated the MOOC as “excellent”, “very good” or “good”.

Learning Outcome

Significant course engagement, with a 24% completion rate.

Sphere course participants overwhelmingly prioritise project implementation (77%).

Course content and structure

The MOOC offered a comprehensive curriculum that included five self-paced e-learning modules, quizzes, and weekly webinars, alongside moderated discussion forums and infographics. Participants had access to both Moodle and Zoom platforms, ensuring a rich learning environment. The course was not just educational but also interactive, fostering engagement through live sessions and networking opportunities.

Participants explored the foundational principles of humanitarian response, learning how to implement Sphere guidelines effectively in their work. Key topics included project design, strategy development, evaluations, and monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) practices. The curriculum was developed to be practical, emphasising real-world applications of the Sphere standards in the humanitarian context.

Practical skills gained

Through this comprehensive online course, participants gained practical skills that would help them in their fieldwork. Some of the specific competencies included:

• Using the Sphere Standards for Project Design: Learners were equipped with the know-how to integrate Sphere’s minimum standards into project design. This included drafting clear objectives based on humanitarian needs and adapting their programs to meet the benchmarks set out by Sphere.
• Engaging in Accountability Practices: Participants explored how to apply the standards to foster more accountable relationships with the communities they serve. This knowledge empowered them to ensure that aid recipients actively participate in decisions that affect their lives.
• Evaluating and Improving Program Quality: Sphere’s focus on quality management was another key takeaway. Participants learned to use the Sphere indicators to assess whether their interventions are truly addressing the priorities of crisis-affected people, making adjustments when necessary to improve effectiveness.

Through engaging content and practical tools, the course helped participants deepen their understanding of humanitarian principles and standards, ensuring they are better equipped to respond to crises with dignity and effectiveness. For those in Latin America and beyond, the course was not just an academic exercise but a crucial step toward improving humanitarian action on the ground.

Participants’ voices and next steps

Inspired by learners’ demand for more knowledge, two MOOC participants and Sphere focal points created a complementary “Post-MOOC” series of webinars for a further 100 hand-picked MOOC graduates.

Raquel Weintraub, Cadena Mexico: “After completing the MOOC and receiving an email from Sphere, inviting proposals supported by focal points, I felt it was the perfect time to suggest a space that I and many other humanitarians in this region would have appreciated.

Working with Daniel, Alejandro, and others involved in the process, we brainstormed relevant topics for our current context. Collaborating with other humanitarian experts also allowed me to hear stories and insights that added depth to the session content. Ultimately, we selected ten key topics, and we were fortunate to be joined by exceptional speakers. Importantly, the sessions were kept to a small, interactive group of 100 participants to ensure active engagement.

Now, after ten sessions, I can confidently say we achieved this goal, creating a knowledge-sharing platform that bridged borders, ages, and levels of experience, all with the aim of fostering better humanitarian aid. The next step is to explore future opportunities to grow and sustain the Sphere community in LATAM.”

Alejandro Castañeda, Sphere focal point and trainer: “It was a space that allowed us to review and discuss how Sphere is not just a set of technical chapters but connects and integrates with other humanitarian actions. The MOOC was a massive learning platform that attracted a large number of participants eager to learn more about Sphere and how to apply it. We faced the challenge of reducing the number of participants from nearly 1,000 to around 100 to create more interactive and engaging spaces. With the support of the Sphere office, we succeeded. This effort had a positive and tangible impact through experiences shared in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. Their examples showed how Sphere aligns with other topics not directly covered in the Handbook, thanks to colleagues with years of experience using Sphere and our work in advocacy, influencing, and training to make humanitarian response more efficient.”

You can watch the Spanish-language recorded MOOC video sessions here to explore more about the course.

See also English MOOC (2021) and French MOOC (2022) session recordings.