Navigational Blueprint Guidelines:
Identifying and Disseminating Quality Public Health Preparedness Training Courses on TRAIN
Project Description and Need
The Public Health Foundation (PHF) with the support of CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response
Learning Office (OPHPR LO) participated in an initiative aimed at developing criteria for a navigational blueprint (a
precursor to a formal training plan) that will guide professionals in better identifying high-quality, relevant training that
will improve individual competence in public health preparedness and response. This collaborative, the first of its kind,
included the participation of prominent subject matter experts (SMEs) along with members of the TRAIN
community. The workgroup participants provided knowledge, expertise, and valuable input into this process, and were
instrumental in identifying gaps in training and building a model for ensuring quality training that will impact the
knowledge and performance of the public health preparedness workforce.
Rationale for Partnering with the Public Health Foundation’s TRAIN
The navigational blueprint exists on TRAIN (www.train.org), the premier learning management network for professionals
who protect the public’s health, comprised of 28 affiliates (25 states and three national organizations - Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC),and Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA)). Currently there are over 800,000 registered TRAIN learners who access over 29,000 trainings posted by nearly
4,000 course providers. To date, TRAIN learners have completed more than three million courses on TRAIN and the
numbers continue to rise. In 2012, the Public Health Preparedness and Response Competency Model and Public Health
Preparedness and Response (PHEP) Capabilities were integrated into TRAIN. Several course providers have
assigned/tagged their trainings with these competencies and PHF continues to implement strategies to motivate the
tagging of all preparedness-related courses.
Methodology
At the onset of this initiative, PHF, OPHPR LO, and members of the workgroup collaborated to develop the criteria for
selecting preparedness courses to include in a navigational blueprint on TRAIN. Included in the criteria are the following:
1. Target audience – description provided
2. The course has been developed or reviewed within the past 3 years
3. Course description can be categorized as relevant to one or more domains of the Public Health Preparedness
and Response Core Competency Model
4. Course description can be categorized as relevant to one or more of the PHEP Capabilities
5. Course content is relevant to
a. Entry level public health worker
b. Mid-tier public health worker
6. Course content is tagged to one or more competencies within the domains of the Public Health Preparedness
and Response Core Competency Model
a. If not, could this course be appropriately tagged
7. Does this course meet the following criteria for educationally sound online learning product:
a. Learning objectives are specified and address knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs)
1. Note that this can be cross referenced with the KSA document for the competency model
b. Product demonstrates acceptable standards for instructional systems design
c. Product includes opportunities for learner feedback and testing
d. Product provides information on evaluation or prior users have rated this high (see example statements
below):
1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Product meets learner objectives
Learner was satisfied
Product is relevant to learner needs
Learners intend to apply knowledge, skills to practice.
Learners would recommend
For the navigational blueprint developed under this current initiative, the following criteria were used to select TRAIN
courses that were reviewed:
 The courses had been developed or reviewed within the past 3 years
 Learning objectives are specified and address knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs)
 Course description is categorized as relevant to one or more domains of the Public Health Preparedness and
Response Core Competency Model
A total of 11 courses on TRAIN fit the criteria above; however, five of these courses expired before being reviewed by
the workgroup. Feedback provided by the workgroup on the six remaining courses (listed below) that make up the
navigational blueprint can be found in Appendix A.
Courses in the Preparedness Navigational Blueprint*
1
2
3
TRAIN Course ID
1030369
1029995
1029866
4
5
6
1042283
1030060
1030312
Course Title
Recognition and Management of Bioterrorist Agents: An Overview
Preparing for a Hurricane
Crisis Leadership: Leadership at the Speed of Light
Liability and Immunity in Public Health Emergencies
Using Handheld Computers to Gather Field Data: Rapid Needs Assessments Online Training 3
Radiation Safety: Bioeffects, Protection and Standards & Radiation Detection
* Courses in this Preparedness Navigational Blueprint represent the best available knowledge and training materials on TRAIN.org
and do not explicitly state the positions or opinions of PHF or CDC.
In addition to the courses above that have been reviewed by the SME workgroup, the courses below have potential to
be included, upon further review, in a comprehensive Preparedness Training Plan based on the following criteria:
1. Courses are tagged with a minimum of one or more public health preparedness and response core competency
or capability,
2. Current (2010 – present approval date)
3. Not expired (June 2014 forward)
4. Posting course provider is from an entity such as: CDC, CDC-funded PERLC, or other organization (CDC-funded or
non CDC-funded) with experience in the development and delivery of quality training.
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APPENDIX
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Navigational Blueprint Course Review Feedback
Course ID and Title
Can course be categorized as
relevant to one or more
domains of the PHPR Core
Competencies? Please answer
YES or NO.
If YES, please list the domain(s)
and the extent to which the
course aligns on a scale of 1 to 5
with 5 being in total alignment
with the domain(s) and 1 being
slightly aligned with the
domain(s).
Course description relevant to:
* Entry level PH workers or **
Mid-Tier PH workers
If yes, please indicate the
appropriate level.
Does course meet criteria for
educationally sound online
learning?
Criteria to include:
1. demonstrates acceptable
standards for instructional
systems design
2. includes pre- and/or post-test
3. includes evaluation
4. meets specified learning
objectives
Would you recommend this
course be included as high
quality, relevant training within
a PHPR navigational blueprint?
Please answer YES or NO and
provide additional comments if
applicable.
1030369: Recognition and
Management of Bioterrorist
Agents: An Overview
Relevant to the Core
Competencies.
Address the target audience of
the course.
Did not answer.
Highly educational, but should
be updated. The slides are very
fuzzy at times, which makes it
hard to follow.
1029995: Preparing for a
Hurricane
Relevant to the Core
Competencies.
Address the target audience of
the course.
Did not answer.
Valuable training and can be
easily understood and utilized by
public health workers of all levels
as well as the general public.
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1029866: Crisis Leadership:
Leadership at the Speed of Light
Core Competencies for Public
Health Professionals
8) Modifies organizational
practices in consideration of
changes in the public health
system, and the larger social,
political, and economic
environment (8: Leadership &
Systems Thinking Skills)
Public Health Preparedness &
Response Core Competencies
1.1. Solve problems under
emergency conditions.
Mid-Tier PH Workers
1) Yes, it was clear content, the
goals were stated clearly
and met in the training
2) Yes
3) Yes
4) Yes
Yes, the course itself was
designed and developed at a
high level. The content is
awareness level content and
would be difficult to apply
immediately from this training.
More in depth skills would have
to be shared to apply the topics
addressed in the training.
Yes, model Leadership (4)
I could see this course being
relevant to both entry level and
mid-tier
No, the course was very basic
and passive. Very little user
engagement and interaction. I
do think the content meets the
specified learning objectives;
however, I think there is
opportunity to redesign to make
it more interactive.
I was not directed to an
evaluation nor did I see any
I would recommend the training,
but I don't think I would classify
it has high quality.
5
1042283:
Liability and Immunity in Public
Health Emergencies
Core Competencies:
none
Preparedness: Model Leadership
– Solve problems under
emergency conditions
Act within the scope of
one’s legal authority
Plan for and Improve Practice
Participate in improving
the organizations
capacities
Yes – Subject Matter
1. Model Leadership - 5
1.3 Intern/external partners
1.6 Scope Legal Authority
3. Plan & Improve Practice - 5
3.4 Outside Scope Legal
Authority
Emergency Responders / Receivers 1)
2)
Public Health
3)
4)
Both levels
Entry & Mid-Tier workers
Yes
Yes
No evaluation was included
Yes
No –
+ Meets: pre/post test
- Does not assist in providing
location to find correct
answers.
- Not a learning educational
format - specific to Texas
Law.
- No assistance information to
find answers to missed
questions, or even know
what questions were
missed. -Did not include
Evaluation
+Objectives,
- Content did not provide
learning of objectives
Yes, this course meets the
requirements. It is very Texas
specific so would require
updating for other states.
No – Very poor quality on-line
training. Poor design, not
interactive or provide any type
of way to understand content of
objectives
6
1030060: Using Handheld
Computers to Gather Field Data:
Rapid Needs Assessments Online
Training 3
1) Can course be categorized:
YES
2) Domain(s): 2.4
3) Alignment: 4
1) YES
2) Entry level PH workers
1) Educationally sound online
learning: Yes
1) Recommend this course be
included: YES - However (see
below)
2) Additional comments (if
applicable):
- This module (of a larger training
plan) is very high quality and
built upon best practices in
electronically delivered learning.
- The design times the
participants time in the learning
module and will not certify
participation until the time limit
is passed (prevents direct clickthrough).
- However, a disclosure should
be entered about the ArcGIS
specific content (this is a paid
software platform).
- No skill assessment provided.
1030312: Radiation Safety:
Bioeffects, Protection and
Standards & Radiation Detection
1) Can course be categorized:
YES
2) Domain(s): 4.2
3) Alignment: 4 (no real skill
assessment provided)
1) YES
2) Entry level PH workers
1) Educationally sound online
learning: Yes
1) Recommend this course be
included: YES - However (see
below)
2) Additional comments (if
applicable):
- The training meets most, if not
all, of the knowledge areas for
the domain and is up to date
with current practices and
research.
- However, many of the
references are dated, with new
editions being released to add
new research findings and
current practices.
- No skill assessment provided.
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Course aligns with Domain 4.5 at
a scale of 4. It gives good
information about identifying
threats using detection methods
but does not address protection.
Entry level
1. The quality of this course was
fair. It was basically a
PowerPoint with recorded
narration. In that regard, it
does not make optimal use
of the medium.
2. Includes both pre- and posttest.
3. Unsure -- because I didn't
spend the minimum amount
of required time on the
course, it wouldn't let me
move on to the post-test,
which I assume is why I
didn't see an evaluation.
4. Yes, course met specified
learning objectives.
The course was useful and yes, I
would recommend it. However, I
wish the production value was
better and incorporated
interactive elements.
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