Xpand is running both live and online training for their participants

Since last fall 70 leaders from Youth With A Mission Norway have gone through an Xpand leadership course. Øyvind Augland has facilitated this as online learning through the SimplyLearn platform.

The participants have received video teaching and assignments online before each of the three live learning modules. The first module took place at Grimerud Farm near Hamar. Because of covid-19 the next module was held on Zoom. The course will finish with the last module in September.

One of the participants is Vegard Furuskjeg (see picture). He is working as a school leader at Youth With a Mission’s training centre in Skien.

“The course has definitely been very useful and I’ve learned a lot” he shares.

Vegard says that to watch videos and do assignments before meeting physically makes it much easier to have conversations with his team since everyone has gotten the chance to reflect around the topic that is being taught when everyone meets.

“When I watched the videos I made notes on what I thought was most relevant and the questions I had. I felt very well prepared before we all met up.”

This is a good example of what is called blended learning – taking the strengths of both online learning and regular classroom teaching and combining them.

Vegard liked the SimplyLearn platform and thought it was well designed and easy to navigate.

“I think it’s a smart feature that I have to complete the step I’m on before I can continue to the next. It’s a simple and good platform to use, and I experienced it as uncomplicated.”