Using the AALAS Learning Library Nicole Duffee DVM

Using the AALAS Learning Library Nicole Duffee, DVM, Ph. D Director, Education & Scientific Affairs American Association for Laboratory Science Memphis, TN

Presentation Objectives • Consolidation with VA’s Research Training • Structure of the ALL for Groups • Functions, Responsibilities, Management Tools for a Group Coordinator • Common Issues for Group Coordinators • Data Services: Custom Courses and Automated Data Handling • Integrating the ALL in Your Training Program.

A Learning Management System • • • Courses (text, images, video) Training documentation User management tools Authoring interface (point & click) Custom courses Automated data services www. aalaslearninglibrary. org

ALL Support User support (phone, email): − Pam Grabeel − Brenda Johnson − Nicole Duffee − Alicia Bellow Also: Genevieve Fridland VA staff programmer − Stephanie Manuel

ALL Support • Oversight by Online Learning Committee Stacy Pritt, Chair Martha Rooks, Vice Chair Mark Butler Larry Capitini Linda Fulton Jan Parker-Thornburg Paula Samalonis-Clifford • Course development by member experts and staff • Course updates regularly − Submitted comments − 3 -year review cycle

VA-AALAS Agreements • October 2002 − Original VA-AALAS CRADA − ALL is born, based on RT system. • December 2006 − Modifies and extends CRADA to 2012.

Integration of RT and ALL Calendar of Events Feb Emails sent to RT users March 12 Letter & info packet to RT users March-April RT Admins needs (questionnaire) May 14 Transfer RT courses & data to ALL; RT website closes May 1 -Sept 1 RT Users access ALL at no charge May 16 -June 7 Web Training of RT Admins Sept 14 RT invoiced to continue access

RT-Transition Highlights Initial number ALL groups: 131 RT institutions transitioned to ALL: 265 TOTAL 396 Updates in the ALL • New coding for data merge & new features • Database and server tune-ups

Curricula of RT and ALL • Research. Training. Org − VA public courses − Custom courses • AALAS Learning Library − All VA public courses − AALAS biomethodology − Custom courses Minimum compliance training Courses appropriate for students, technicians, investigators, IACUCs, animal technicians, facility supervisors & managers

Course Topics Organized by Tracks Courses appropriate for students, technicians, investigators, IACUCs, animal technicians, facility supervisors & managers

Example Courses Mo F us or e Us er s • Working with the Laboratory Mouse Videos and detailed descriptions of procedures • Mouse Breeding Colony Management • Genetically Engineered Mice: Historical/Phenotype Evaluation/Transgenesis & Conditional Control • Aseptic Technique for Rodent Survival Surgery • Inhalation Anesthesia Systems for Rodents Plus AALAS updates of the VA public courses, e. g. , • Introduction to Mice • Post-Procedure Care of Mice and Rats in Research: Minimizing Pain and Distress

Ex am Group Tracks Mo pl us e T e A Navigational Tool for Courses Us rack er : s • GC creates & names group tracks and assigns any courses (AALAS or custom) • GC may suppress AALAS tracks. • Change these settings at any time. • No limit on number of group tracks.

Group Tracks

Tour of the ALL 1. Log in as a group member • No “coordinator” privileges 2. View Options - Personal Access Page • Tools for individual user 3. View Course Material • Tracks • Courses • Exams

Course Access & Documentation Utility • Account-based model − Developed to accommodate: • Individual users • AALAS Branches • Institutions • Membership relationships: (individual, institution, & vendor) • Organizations enroll as a GROUP • The group admin = GROUP COORDINATOR • Users in a group = MEMBERS

Accounts How They Work • An account must be assigned to a group member. • An account gives the member a year’s access to all courses for a year (until expiration/ anniversary date). • An account is needed for training documentation. • An account is not needed for FREE courses; but an account will cause the transcript to be updated for this course activity.

Accounts Managing Accounts • Accounts are purchased in packs suitable for institutions of any size. • All accounts expire together on the anniversary date. • Renewal email notices sent 90, 30, & -1 day to Group Coordinator. • New accounts may be purchased prior to expiration to avoid access interruption. • Following activation (upon anniversary date), accounts must be assigned to users to give access.

Managing Accounts for Users • If your group member has an account, but has NOT used it (entering a course or an exam), you can reassign the account to another person. • Once a group member HAS used an account, it is committed to this person. • If you detach the member from your group, then the account goes with him (until it expires). • Accounts are needed for new training needs ONLY. You do NOT need accounts for people who previously completed training and whose records are stored in your group.

Annual Account Fees

The Group Coordinator One per Group • Manages ALL accounts and personnel access at institution. • Is the first line of help to personnel. • Has authority to: − Purchase accounts − Manage user population − Give users access (account assignment) − View training data − Manage/create curricula − Transfer authorities to another user

User Enrollment Tools Manual Enrollment − GC adds personnel (inputs FN/LN). − ALL generates user un/pw. − GC assigns account. − GC contacts user & distributes un/pw. Automatic Enrollment (Access Code) − GC has edit control over an access code. − Personnel self-enroll via access code. − Emails to GC and personnel notify status. − GC has options for low/high security. – Low: Immediate access on self-enrollment. – High: Wait-listed until approved by GC.

Long-Term Management of Group Members • When group members have completed their training, their records remain in their group until the Group Coordinator deletes them. • The Group Coordinator controls who remains in the group. • Detach Member: Removes members from group. − Individuals with data become individual enrollees. − Individuals with no data are deleted. (one-way trip, please. )

Documentation Transcripts − For individuals − For whole group − Reports per course Exam Certificates − Exam passed Continuing Education Units Certificates − Course completed & exam passed − For the AALAS Technician Registry and CMAR recertification

Transcript Data

Spreadsheet for Excel more columns • Up-to-date browser version • Columns customizable Transcript Data

Tour of the ALL 1. We will log in as a group coordinator. 2. View management tools. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Users (Add, Access Code, Detach) Accounts (Assign) Custom Tracks (Create, Modify) Course and Exam Views Custom Courses (Copy, Create) Training Records (View, Report) Transfer GC Privilege

Group Coordinator Challenge Problem In your group, a user logged in and took a course and passed an exam, but these did not show up on his transcript. Solution • The group member does NOT have an account. • He took a free course (no account required). • Assign an account and the course/exam will be recovered.

Group Coordinator Challenge Problem The Group Coordinator renewed accounts and now no one in the group has access to courses. Solution • Accounts WERE purchased, but they were NOT assigned to users. • The ALL does not presume who in your group should get accounts. • The GC controls WHO has access to training.

Custom Courses Data Services Options − Copy and modify AALAS-updated VA courses. − Create your own courses. Features − Custom courses are accessed only by your group. − The group (institution) has responsibility to edit and update custom courses on the ALL. − AALAS hosts the courses for your institution and provides you tools to integrate them on the ALL.

Custom Courses Hosting Subscription − Must have active accounts in your group. − Custom courses have same anniversary as current accounts. − A group member requires an account to access your custom courses. Annual Fees 1 -15 courses: $500 16 -50 courses: $1000 Purchase This Option − At group enrollment − Any time during a subscription − At account renewals

Custom Courses Group Tracks − Custom courses are assigned to a group track by GC. (Must have >1 group tracks for custom courses. )

Authorities for GCs with Custom Courses User Authorities • Personal Access • Group Coordinator • Authors Privileges & Settings • GC assigns author privilege to members. • GC assigns custom courses to group track.

Setting Up Custom Courses Links on GC Menu • View Custom Courses • Copy Courses • Manage Author Privileges Copy Customizable Courses

Create a Custom Course Option 1: AALAS-Updated VA Courses • Copy any customizable course up to the hosting limit for total number of courses (by fee paid).

Create a Custom Course Option 2: Create a Course On GC Menu • • • Click view courses. Then click “Add Custom Courses”. Additions allowed up to the hosting limit for total number of courses (by fee paid).

Assigning Author Privileges Assign privileges to group members: • Edit • Preview

Displaying Custom Courses Group Tracks • Create as many group tracks as needed. • Name them as you wish. • Your custom courses MUST be assigned to a group track. • Assign AALAS courses to these tracks, if desired.

Group Tracks • Edit Group Tracks • Link on GC Menu

Group Tracks Edit Group Track • Select Custom Courses Mars University MU MU MU

Course Structure • Everything organized in tables. • Drill down from course to lesson to pages. • Image library per course − FTP image files − Select images for courses • Reference pages − Optional course page opened from a link − Used for supporting info • Question library per course − Question formats - multiple − Practice questions vs. Exam questions − Question pool

Course Editing Point and Click • Structuring the course, selecting options HTML Coding • Knowledge of basic commands needed for creating/modifying course content • 7 most common: <p> <ol> <ul> <li> <em> <strong> Images • Please limit file size to 30 K

Course Editing our y For nity… n sa ow HTML Coding • Do NOT use Word or other word processors to develop html coding. • These add miles of extraneous code that make it nearly impossible to edit content later. • Best to use simple text editors, like Note Pad. • Of the HTML editors: Dreamweaver creates the cleanest code. ank h ’ll t r. you late … me

Tour of the ALL 1. Log in as a Group Coordinator. 2. Copy and create courses. 3. Assign authoring privileges. 4. Edit a course. • Lessons • Questions • Exam

Automated Data Services Single Sign-on − User logged in institutional portal and link brings him/her to ALL with login info Automatic Downloads − Your server connects to ALL (e. g. , daily) − Download data (updates or comprehensive) Annual Fees − $200 (memb) / $400 (nonmemb)

es rc ou es R • Help Center − Users Guides − “How-to” Procedures • Course Catalog

Group Coordinators Guide

Integrating the ALL in Your Training Program • Orientation to research compliance issues • Pre-protocol training • Retraining Discussion

Please contact us if you need help. Nicole Duffee nicole. duffee@aalas. org Pam Grabeel pam. grabeel@aalas. org Alicia Bellow alicia. bellow@aalas. org Brenda Johnson brenda. johnson@aalas. org AALAS Main Phone: 901 -754 -8620

Thank you! www. aalaslearninglibrary. org