Leadership and Management for Change
Full Review
Reviewed by: Marilyn Willis, Education and Management Consultant, New Zealand
Review posted 2 August 2005
Review No. 52
Content: This CD-ROM includes two courses designed as training tools for human rights and advocacy organizations. The case studies and exercises have specific application for African organizations, however, both courses give detailed explanations of principles that have universal relevance for human rights activists and advocacy organizations worldwide.
Publication Date: 1 July 2003
Audience: Human rights activists and advocacy organizations.
Size: 305 MB
Price: £20 for CD-ROM / £800 for course.
£400 for course participants from developing countries.
Manual needed: No
How to order:
Order online*
Order by mail:
Fahamu
Frewin Court
51 Cornmarket Street
Oxford OX1 3HA, UK
E-mail: info@fahamu.org
Tel: +44 (0)845 456 2442 or +44 (0)1865 727006
Fax: +44 (0)845 456 2443 or +44 (0)1865 727909
Fahamu website**This link takes you outside the ADBI website. Please use the back button to return to ADBI.org.
Content
The content of the CD-ROM covers more than the title would suggest. Essentially, the CD-ROM is divided into two separate training courses. A third section includes a description of how to navigate the CD-ROM and offers approaches to learning, resource materials, and options for learning through workshop-based courses conducted by Fahamu, an international NGO.
The first course 'An Introduction to Human Rights' is a four-part preparatory course that gives users a solid grounding in human rights principles. The first part is a basic introduction to human rights principles, and includes discussion of general rights and responsibilities, conflicting rights, the indivisibility of rights, steps to adopting rights, and universality. The second part describes the history and processes for codifying human rights through universal declarations, treaties, covenants, and other international documents. The third part details human rights monitoring processes, mechanisms for protecting and enforcing rights, the rule of law, and the role of NGOs in human rights monitoring. The final part describes how underlying human rights values should affect the way in which organizations conduct business. This first course requires approximately 10 hours and does not have tutorial support.
The second course 'Leadership and Management for Change' covers the role of leadership and management in effective organizations. The course emphasizes the importance of organizational planning and performance, human resource management, the value of internal structure and systems, and organizational resource management. This second course is designed to be part of workshop-based learning including 6-8 weeks of distance learning, 2-5 days for workshops and 6-8 weeks distance learning project work with support for practical project applications.
Each course has been thoroughly prepared and is based on a comprehensive knowledge of the literature and practical knowledge of applications to relevant everyday situations. The 'Resource Centre' for each course provides high quality resources for further reading and more in-depth learning and understanding. A glossary is available to explain terminology.
The content is clearly written. However, users will still need a high level of English proficiency to understand the lessons and complete the exercises. No audio is provided other than the dialogue in a short and entertaining movie.
User-Friendliness
The CD-ROM is designed for both Windows and Mac operating systems but is more user-friendly for the Windows environment. The CD-ROM starts easily and efficiently with an auto run for both Windows 98 and XP. Mac users must be able to run a Classic Environment. Mac users may also have problems starting the program and may be frustrated by the slowness of using a Classic Environment rather than OSX. Both Windows and Mac users need to be able to start the program successfully without instructions because the instructions are provided after the Introduction and from within the program. The instructions are complex, time consuming to read, and confusing to follow. The separate modules have different instructions and are not well integrated. These difficulties often distract from the course content.
Navigability
The two course sections operate as separate entities with different navigation requirements. A third section provides the detailed instructions for navigating the two courses. Users must explore each section separately to fully understand the navigation requirements. The result is a complex and inconsistent navigation process, with the slow pace of time-controlled course introductions adding both time and frustration to understanding how to move within and between the two courses.
Because the levels of the headings, the layout and use of different icons, and the instructions for each course all vary, these design elements often confuse users rather than assist in navigation. For example, the most basic navigation tools (x and >) are not explained for the benefit of novice users, and a scroll bar is provided on most pages but does not function as a scroll bar. The navigability could be improved by redesigning the layout with uniform icons, integrating the navigation functions of the courses, and by better explaining the instructions and navigation processes upfront.
Interactive Facilities
The CD-ROM can be part of a formal course conducted by Oxford University Department of Continuing Education or it can be a stand-alone learning experience. If used as part of a formal course (as recommended by the producers), interactive learning opportunities become available via e-mail communication with tutor and other students, and through face-to-face regional workshops. Assignments are provided for each course and participants are encouraged to reflect upon relevant aspects of their own organizations.
As a stand-alone CD-ROM the interactive facilities are provided via checklists, quizzes (marked on screen), case studies, exercises, a movie, a handy notepad for note-taking and reflection, and facilities for email assistance. The resource materials provide hyperlinks for quick and easy access to websites when working online. There are no other interactive links.
Currently the only audio is on the entertaining, short movie, "Bad Meetings". There is disk space for audio to be added. Additional audio content could improve the interactive learning for the user.
Sustainability
The CD-ROM is a basic training tool for understanding and applying concepts related to human rights and for managing change in organizations. The courses both contain materials and resources that are well researched and documented, and will not require regular updating.
Distribution
The cost of the CD-ROM as a stand alone product is £20. It can be purchased online using major credit cards.
The course cost is £800. However the cost is £400 for participants from developing countries. This pricing information is confusing because only the lower price is published in the course information on the Fahamu website.
The tuition for the course does not include the cost of the workshop, and that cost depends on the location of the workshop as well as the distance traveled by the facilitators. A regional workshop would be scheduled in the country where the largest number of participants comes from. The course would be scheduled according to need rather than on a fixed schedule.
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