More than a webinar: How SC public health training center is using a competency-based learning management system to support practitioners' professional development

Public Health Training Center (PHTC) programs, affiliated with accredited Schools of Public Health, were established by the Health Resources and Services Administration to strengthen the competencies of current and future practitioners to improve the public health system infrastructure. This is accomplished in part by providing competency-based continuing education to practitioners. One issue faced is how to reach the most number of people both locally and globally, yet do it in a way to keep them engaged, motivated, and meet their current professional needs. To face this challenge and to assure access of Center resources, South Carolina PHTC developed its Virtual Campus, a competency-based learning management portal used as a platform to deliver professional development and continuing education opportunities online. Traditional educational formats such as in-person training classes are supplemented with QuickLearn tutorials, certification courses, presentations, webinar recordings, videos, and connections to external public health resources. In addition, this Virtual Campus contains communities of practice where practitioners can share and learn from each other, sharing knowledge through best practice examples, trainings, toolkits, and success stories centered on a common public health interest. Several factors were considered in the selection and development of this virtual learning environment, including using a system that integrated both competency and learning management, and social learning tools. Here we will discuss the system and how it is being utilized to support public health professional learning cultures and the development of online communities of practice in South Carolina.