Graz (AT), March 2007 - Two out of every three containers transported on German roads either have left or are destined for the Port of Hamburg. Special knowledge and compulsory trainings are mandatory to ensure the safe transport of hazardous goods and to prevent accidents with serious consequences. An eLearning course on the safe transport of hazardous goods was recently offered to the employees at the Port of Hamburg.
Computer-supported learning has been an integral component in training and further education at the Port of Hamburg for the last two years. Currently, a project is under way in which a new computer-based training course on "Road and Sea Transport of Hazardous Goods" is being used. The project was developed within the framework of a European Social Fund (ESF) project (Gelernt ist Gelernt - Once Learnt, Never Forgotten), and is sponsored by the ESF, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, and the jobs agency "Agentur für Arbeit Hamburg".
The project is being implemented by the further education centre "FZH Fortbildungszentrum Hafen Hamburg e. V", the coordination agency for further education and employment "KWB Koordinierungsstelle Weiterbildung und Beschäftigung e.V", and Dynamic Media eLearning GmbH.
The key criteria for the course were a modular structure and flexible time management, so that participants were not required to give up an entire day's work for training, as well as the integration of game-based, interactive units to appeal effectively to the target group.
The course was designed by KWB using the Dynamic PowerTrainer® authoring tool, with support from Dynamic Media in all game-based modules, such as "Click & Score" and "Labyrinth". The participation certificate, which is issued to all who complete the course, is a prerequisite for sitting the official examination, according to Article 6 of the German Ordinance on Hazardous Materials Officers. Examinations are held at the FZH.
"Dynamic PowerTrainer® is a tool for all those who want to create professional learning programmes, but who don't have knowledge of programming and only limited time", the course author at KWB pointed out. "The support and services provided by Dynamic Media, as well as all coordination and consultation processes, were flexible and worked perfectly. A grade A for Dynamic Media for their customer service and speed in dealing with queries!"
The course author also mentioned the short initial training times and simple handling of the Dynamic PowerTrainer®, the effective teamwork amongst everyone involved, tight organisation and coordination, as well as the benefits of combining the authoring tool with the eLearning provider's tailor-made interactions as success factors that determined the smooth running of the project.
