1 Copyright 2014 ILRI/CGIAR Creative Commons BY-SA 2.5
Leveraging instructional design and innovative ICT to
improve food security and farmer productivity
– the FEAST experience
Iddo Dror
e-Learning Africa Conference
Addis Ababa , Ethiopia, 20-22 May 2015

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Feed is a key issue
in developing world livestock systems

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• Across the African continent,
livestock represents 40% of
agricultural GDP, and hundreds of
millions of smallholder farmers in
Africa depend on livestock for their
livelihoods.
• To feed themselves and their
families, and to benefit from
increasing demand for livestock
products in developing countries,
livestock keepers must have
consistent access to good quality
feed for their livestock.
• Many farmers however, struggle to
source sufficient feed, year round, to
increase livestock productivity.
The Problem – some context:

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FEAST – Feed Assessment Tool
• A systematic approach to understanding the
overall feeding system and thinking with
farmers and local stakeholders about possible
interventions
• Focus group discussion
• Participatory solution identification
• Household Questionnaire with a few households
• Data entry and presentation system
• FEAST report

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FEAST 1.0 – Some Challenges
• ILRI has been developing this tool
over the past six years. It has been
tested and tried in various sites
across Africa and South Asia,
using an on-site, classroom-based
training course for the staff of
partner organizations seeking to
adopt FEAST.
• However, even after completing the
training course, some users
continued to struggle with the
tool. Furthermore, delivering the
training on-site in host countries
posed a considerable travel and
logistical burden on ILRI’s staff, to
the detriment of other projects.

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Instructional Design enabled the project to:
• Revise and expand classroom instruction
• Adapt course for online delivery
• Develop hands-on classroom and eLearning activities
• Design new FEAST forms and reference guides
• Work carried out in partnership with Sonata Learning,
a firm specialized in learning development.
Instructional Design Matters!

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Instructional design and appropriate
learning technologies - outcomes
• A pathway from
research outputs to
development
• Can be applied in a
variety of contexts –
not a ‘feed specific’
issue – and can help
solve some of the
‘wicked problems’.

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Instructional design and appropriate
learning technologies - outcomes
• Began with analyzing
desired mission
outcomes
• Aligned learning
objectives with mission
• Redesigned classroom
materials applying
adult learning theory
• Over 400 slides, 12
lessons, standardized
lesson plans / scripts

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Redesigned Forms & Job Aids
FEAST Learning Development:
• Redesigned data collection forms to include tips for
facilitators, recommended follow-up questions and overview
of FEAST process for reference in the field

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Improved materials: Presentations,
FGD guide and Questionnaire
Self-Guided e-Learning Course
• 12 lessons
• 60 videos (3+ hours)
• 5 interactive
scenarios related to
key skills
• Over 200 review and
assessment questions
– Multiple selection
– Drag / drop
– Hotspot
– Word bank

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Improved materials: Presentations,
FGD guide and Questionnaire
Blended Experience
• Use of e-Learning in classroom
• Rich interactive activities
• Standard video presentations
for software tutorials
• Computer-based assessments
and results tracking

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App – from this…
Standalone App

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… to this:

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LMS overview - main features
• Detailed & frustrating review of a
fragmented LMS market – ended
(happily) with a partnership with
Sonata Learning.
• All ‘core LMS’ functionalities - plus:
• Simple, clean, intuitive user interface
• “Blended first” approach to delivery
• Integration of social learning
• Branding and sub-portals
• Ability to scale with the growth of
ILRI programs
• A unique approach to grading
• Reporting features

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LMS on a stick – the Sonata offline player
A ‘game-changer’ for poor connectivity environments
• Portable e-Learning and
Data Collection Apps
– Data collection utility
– Full e-Learning course
• Run from USB drive on any
Microsoft Windows
computer (XP or later), no
installation required
• Every record (data
collected, training results)
stamped with a unique ID
for upload to central website

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Conclusion
FEAST Learning Development:
By measurably improving our learning offerings to partner
organizations, we hope to measurably improve access to
livestock feed resources in the communities we serve.

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That’s all folks!
Thank you for your attention!
Questions?
For more info contact i.dror@cgiar.org
• Web site ilri.org/feast
• E-learning course: learning.ilri.org
FEAST Learning Development: