POSEIT

[Guest guest]

All -

After I wrote this I realized how long it was, so I added this

intro.... why hasn't EMS done something like this? I know the outcry

has been there, and there's services doing this now (EMCert, TechPro,

etc.), but none of it is integrated or run by the state. Why not?

Here's a good example of how it CAN be done, and IS being done.

Comments from the EMS crowd? I'd work (even volunteer) on a

committee/team to get this implemented, and I'd bring MY experience in

technical systems/process architecture to the table and commit to make

this real for EMS if there were interest. There, that's my

commitment. Others?

Mike

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TCLEOSE, the licensing agency for police in Texas, has legislative

requirements for training every two year cycle. Officers must

complete certain mandated courses as well as a certain number of

hours. In order to further this goal, TCLEOSE worked with SHSU to

create a web site called POSEIT, located at

http://www.texas-poseit.org/DUhome/default.asp

There are quite a few courses offered on this site and it's much like

EMCert. For example, here's one called " The Crime Victim " that I

completed on 5/23/05. The course number is 32005, it's 5 CE hours,

and the description as follows:

32005 The Crime Victim (5 hours)

This course seeks to sensitize officers to the trauma and needs of

crime victims. This course also presents officers' legal

responsibilities and liabilities in dealing with victims.

When I completed the course, I can see the following information on my

personal transcript on the site, including the course number, title,

score on the final exam, date and time completed, and number of CE

hours:

32005 The Crime Victim 92 5/23/2005 6:35:00 AM 5

The site then automatically sends the information to TCLEOSE, and my

TCLEOSE CE transcript is automatically updated to reflect the course

number, reported title, number of hours, provider name (in this case,

POSEIT) and date completed:

32005 The Crime Victim (DE) 5 TCLEOSE POSEIT 05/22/2005

Note that my agency CANNOT see what I made on the final exam, as long

as I pass, I pass. I can see my score on my personal login, but

there's no penalty to me for making a 78 vs a 92. Either way, I've

earned 5 CE units towards my requirements for the cycle.

The training is provided with Macromedia Authorware, a small plugin

for IE/Netscape, and RealVideo. It requires a medium to high

bandwidth connection, and is interactive. There's audio to go with

the slides, and some of the courses have integrated quizzes to ensure

that the participant isn't simply clicking through to the end. Each

has a comprehensive, 50 question multiple choice final. Each is

separated into modules that allow you to save your progress and work

towards course completion.

It would be relatively easy to adapt this to the EMS side of the

fence. What would be needed, and take the most work, is the authoring

of the courseware, quizzes and tests. But, you could work out a

system that would encourage content creation - of that I'm sure. And

could make this system something that Texas EMS could showcase to

every other state in the union!

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas?

BTW, this is COMPLETELY FREE for police officers right now - there's

NO cost to the officer or agency. TCLEOSE makes its money by

reselling agencies access to a system where they can view/update their

officer's license/CE status online, called TCLEDDS. So, officers get

their required CE for free, POSEIT reports it to TCLEOSE and allows

officers to see their transcripts for free, and agencies can call

TCLOESE and verify course completion for free, but to automate the

process and allow agencies to enter their own home-provided training

requires an agency buying a subscription to TCLEDDS. Much the same

could be done for BEM, i'd imagine... but that's just a brainstorm.

Mike