About CDC Learning Connection

Overview

CDC Learning Connection (CDC LC) is a one-stop learning resource that can help increase public health knowledge and skills and meet professional development needs.

CDC LC was created to simplify and increase access to quality public health learning.

Features include…

• Quality e-learning
• A monthly spotlight on public health topics
• CDC TRAIN, a dynamic public health learning management system (LMS)
• Quick Learn lessons for mobile learning on the go

These features form a learning system that provides free access to products developed by CDC, CDC partners, and other organizations recognized for developing public health education and training resources. Although the CDC LC is intended for the public health community, it can be accessed by healthcare professionals and the general public.

Background

The CDC LC website was established in November 2010 to provide a central location for e-learning, training information, and other public health learning resources. In 2011, the Institute of Medicine, the public health community, and others called for improvements to better prepare the public health workforce. In answer to this call, CDC began to expand electronic learning (e-learning) as a priority within its mission to support state, tribal, local, and territorial public health workforce development.

To accomplish its mission, CDC partnered with the Public Health Foundation to launch CDC TRAIN on CDC LC. With CDC TRAIN, learning providers can coordinate the distribution of their learning products, and learners can access a comprehensive list of training products, all in one place. CDC LC provides a hub for public health learners and continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of the public health community.

E-learning

E-learning is instruction delivered through the Internet, intranet, compact disc, mobile device, or other electronic media. Because e-learning can reach more learners more quickly and in more places than traditional classroom learning, it minimizes a learner’s time away from the workplace. These benefits make e-learning a powerful resource for strengthening the global public health community.

Over the years, CDC instructional designers have created award winning products that illustrate best practices in effective e-learning. To encourage and support other e-learning developers, instructional designers from across CDC have established CDC E-learning Best Practices, a descriptive list of components that constitute e-learning, based on sound instructional strategies. Learn about CDC’s E-learning Best practices at Quality E-learning.

Monthly CDC LC Spotlights present timely information and learning resources in a variety of media formats that include e-learning about current public health topics. Recent topics include teen health, emergency preparedness, tobacco control, and basic public health information.

CDC TRAIN

A vital component of the CDC LC, CDC TRAIN is a customized learning management system (LMS) with a comprehensive searchable catalog listing thousands of learning products for the public health community. Hundreds of these products offer continuing education, important for maintaining professional licensure. CDC TRAIN can search by subject, audience, format, credit offering, and other options to help locate desired products. This robust LMS delivers, manages, and evaluates learning for all members of the public health community— individuals and organizations, private and public, clinical and non-clinical. See CDC TRAIN FAQ pages for more information.

Transforming Public Health Learning

The creation of CDC LC marks the beginning of CDC’s long-term commitment to agency-wide learning standards and its first step in making public health learning available to the global public health community. Arriving at a time when computer technology and electronic devices have changed the way we live, learn and obtain information, the CDC LC is reshaping public health learning by focusing on technology-based products.

The Quick Learn Lessons page was launched to provide content that can be accessed from a mobile device and completed in less than 20 minutes. Developed for learning on the go, Quick Learn lessons are available in video, podcast, and other electronic formats. Check the Quick Learn Lessons page often, for lessons that have been added recently.

Ongoing Development

To ensure that CDC LC continues to meet the changing needs of public health learners, input is sought continually from a number of sources. A representative work group was formed to direct the focus and define the scope of CDC LC features and activities. The group comprises experts in training and education from CDC programs, state health departments, and federal agencies.

If you have questions or comments about the CDC Learning Connection, please send an e-mail to learning@cdc.gov.

Resources

• CDC TRAIN
• Learning Connection Fact Sheet
• Learning Connection Website
• Overview Presentation
• Spotlight Archive