The e-learning platform provides exciting and innovative solutions to the challenges faced due to the global pandemic, says PCCC Manager

The Pacific Climate Change Centre is taking giant strides to grow a knowledgeable Pacific islands people. This “home base” for building our very own Pacific climate change experts of all ages now has a popular e-learning platform.

On top of the launch of the SPREP e-Learning platform in March this year, PCCC also launched four online learning resources or opportunity threads to strengthen a knowledgeable Pacific islands people. Under the Centre’s pillar on Training and Learning, it introduced four online learning resources: The Webinar series, the Open Learning Courses, the Children’s Corner and the Executive Courses.  All of which have received great interest.

“The online learning resources and the e-Learning platform are exciting and innovative solutions to the challenges we have faced due to the global pandemic.  We are glad to have done so as there is a thirst for knowledge and information,” said ‘Ofa Ma’asi-Kaisamy, Manager, Pacific Climate Change Centre at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). 

“By making these online tools and courses accessible by anyone, anywhere in the Pacific, we are ensuring that this Centre remains relevant and true to the vision of those who worked so hard to create this regional hub of excellence.”

The Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) is the regional centre for knowledge brokerage, learning and training, research, and innovation on climate change in the Pacific.  The establishment of the Centre was made possible through a partnership between the Governments of Japan and Samoa, and with headquarters hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

Since opening in 2019 the wide range of partners providing support include the Governments of New Zealand, and Ireland.

Webinar series are part of SPREP and the PCCC’s talanoa or discussion with public audiences interested in Pacific environmental work and SPREP’s role in supporting our Pacific islands. The webinars aim to bring together leaders, academics, practitioners, and stakeholders to talanoa and tok tok, and share views on work on climate change in the Pacific.

“We are keen to support the growth of Pacific island people that are confident through their knowledge of climate change.  Given this is an issue that reaches all of us, at all ages – it is our responsibility to know more, so we can make informed decisions,” said Kaisamy.

Open learning courses and a Children’s corner are also available. The open learning courses are free, short, online courses which are open to the general public to be undertaken at a self-pace. The children’s corner contains online learning resources, toolkits, curriculum especially for children’s education, that is students at all levels from primary, secondary as well as tertiary education levels. 

“Our online resources and e-learning platform is working to empower our Pacific islands people, of all ages and from all sectors.”

Moreover, PCCC recently launched its e-learning platform where it hosts Executive courses. These technical training courses are provided by SPREP and partners, based on the training requests and capacity training needs of the Member countries. At the moment, these courses require an invitation of registered officials through country focal points. As COVID has impacted all regional face to face training workshops; PCCC have started to transition these into online and blended courses. 

To navigate the PCCC e-learning platform, a newly published manual titled ‘User guide for SPREP PCCC e-Learning’ provides easy to follow directions for new users to sign up, register and navigate the e-learning platform.

The current suite of courses available include 12 courses by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Samoa through the Project for Capacity Building on Climate Resilience in the Pacific (CBRCP).  A further 11 courses have been identified under the Pacific Meteorological Desk Partnership program (PMDP) with another two from other Climate Change Resilience (CCR) programme projects to be developed and delivered before the end of 2021.  

The SPREP e-learning platform allows users to learn and network from their home islands at any time – with training available through web-based and through app-based learning. The PCCC is currently in the process of seeking accreditation from the Samoa Qualifications Authority as an informal education and training centre.

This feature was produced by Angelicas, published at SPREP on May 6, 2021, reposted via PACNEWS.