Frequently Asked Questions - e-SIAC
I am keen to do the course, but it will have to be in addition to my full-time work. Is this OK?
You will find it very difficult. The first reason is that you will not have enough time. You will be using all your evenings and weekends, so your family will complain! Furthermore, if your employer is unwilling to let you spend time during work to follow the course, it is unlikely that they will encourage you to use your new skills afterwards. The course is designed not just to train you to make better use of your climatic data, but also to change and improve your day-to-day work activities.
I have several colleagues who would like to follow the course together. How do we go about this?
It is good if several people from an organisation can do the course at the same time. The assignments encourage collaboration and discussions among the students. This usually takes place over the internet, but discussions within the same office are equally useful. You are welcome to copy and share the training materials with your colleagues - however, note that only registered students will receive a certificate.
I have never done an e-learning course before. Is it really as effective as a face-to-face course?
In some ways it is better, and many students really enjoy this way of learning. In other ways it is worse! The ideal may be a mixture, i.e. an e-learning course followed by a face-to-face workshop. One possibility is to add a within-country meeting of just a few days, or a week, for all the participants from one country. This may be organised by your NMS. It is usually not costly, and can greatly enhance the effectiveness of the SIAC training.
I sometimes get paid an allowance when I attend official meetings. Will I get any payment for time spent on the course, or at least support for my use of the internet?
Any allowances or subsidy for your participation or for using the internet should be discussed locally with your employer. Funding for this is not provided from external sources.
I have a reasonably good computer at the office, but no internet access. Can I follow the course from the CD?
No. A key educative component of the course is the facilitated, online discussions with other participants. You will also be expected to submit assignments using the online learning system.
We have an internet café available nearby, but don't yet have our own computer. Can I still do the course?
Probably best not to. The course assumes basic computing (Windows, word processing, spreadsheet) skills and the ability to use the internet. You should not attempt the course without having those skills. With no computer in your office you are unlikely to be able to practice the skills sufficiently, so it would be better to wait until you have regular access to a computer.
Our office computer is a slow Pentium II. Is that sufficient?
It should be fine. You do not need a very modern computer. More important is to make sure it has sufficient capacity to run the software, and that you have installed anti-virus utilities, etc.
I may have to go away for a few days during the course. Is that a problem?
Not necessarily. You may be able to access the internet while you are away. If you can't, you should inform the course facilitators before you leave, otherwise they will become concerned when you stop submitting assignments or posting messages on the discussion forums.
What does the course fee cover?
The fee covers the course materials, facilitation, and administration. Note that a facilitated e-course is considerably less expensive than an international-standard course run 'face-to-face'. The cost of e-SIAC is on a par with that of the airfare alone for a residential training course or conference.
How do I apply for sponsorship?
Usually - as for a 'face-to-face' course - you must pass your application form via your manager to your employer or other funding body. You need your manager's consent to allow you to spend time working on the course (at least one day per week), and possibly your employer's support for any local costs (e.g. internet access). Your employer might fund the course fee directly, or might endorse your application and send it on to an external sponsor (e.g. WMO, FAO) with a request for funding.
Last updated: 4 January, 2012
