For this Blast from the Past post, we wanted to highlight the development of our eLearning system, proValens! Perhaps the program that we operate with the most reach and impact day-to-day, the story of the development of our eLearning system is one about meeting the needs of our partners.
In 2000, the Eppley Training Site was launched. This was the predecessor of proValens, which eventually was renamed as such. Part of the need for proValens was to simplify training with the National Park Service; with issues getting training into the Federal system, a dedicated platform that could be transferred to the National Park Service was needed. While today online trainings and learning systems abound, proValens was ahead of the curve, and to say it’s apparent in the variety of courses we offer through the system is an understatement.
Given that pro valens in Latin roughly translates to “for health,” it’s no surprise that the system has a focus on health and well-being. However, we have a huge number of courses, certificate programs, and workshops available – a total of 301 options between the three categories, and 272 standalone courses! They range from topics such as accessibility and inclusion, to education and interpretation, to leadership and management, and just about anything in between, with more being developed.
The courses also range in scope and, importantly, who we work with. Many courses are designed for partner agencies, or with subject matter experts; 16 different partners have courses through proValens in one way or another, as well as the Eppley Institute’s courses.
Our certificate programs and workshops, as well, cover a broad range of topics; from asset management to planning to health, and everything in between, proValens has become home to 19 in-depth certificate programs and 10 off-the-shelf workshop programs.
However, much as any Eppley program, it’s important to recognize that it would not work without the people involved. Our IT team deserves significant recognition for their tireless efforts to keep the system going as well as put new programs together, and the success of proValens would not be possible without them.
Heading up the team is Matt Borden, our Technology Manager. Matt has helped make sure that all aspects of the Eppley Institute’s technology, from proValens and beyond, has worked smoothly and seamlessly. His leadership of the team helps make sure that all of the many, many moving parts around Eppley’s technology are moving seamlessly.
Ben Martin has been with the team since 2018 as a Web Services Specialist. He’s helped keep proValens running, as well as helped us upgrade the infrastructure in several major server moves. He also has helped out with technical support, multimedia editing, and a huge number of other projects.
Last, and certainly not least, is Scott Taylor, who’s been with the Eppley Institute since 2012. Scott’s role as a Web Services Specialist is one of helping to make sure that new courses – as well as old ones – are useable, engaging, and look good while they’re at it. He’s also been instrumental in keeping the system going as it’s grown and evolved.
We’d love to hear more about how you’ve engaged with proValens in the past – have you taken a course or certificate? Share it with us on your favorite social media – and if you haven’t taken one yet, head over to the proValens site and see if any of our courses meet your needs.