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Winter 1998

National Center for Small Communities reaches out
Small communities now have one more helping hand, the recently established National Center for Small Communities (NCSC), a small town, nonprofit educational and training organization. Read how NCSC is helping small town decision makers govern effectively, expand local economies, and protect natural resources and community character.

Pros and cons
A review of computer-based training tools
This article examines one of the lastest tools in training--computer based-instruction. Learn about software features and hardware requirements, and whether this method is right for all adults.

RCAP and NETCSC
A fruitful partnership for small communities
This profile provides general information and ways in which NETCSC and the Rural Community Assistance Program have worked together to benefit small communities.

The adult learner
Teaching is not telling, and learning is not listening
This article about the adult learner examines physical, cognitive, and motivational aspects and how they impact training.

Internet training resources
Presentations, icebreakers, and evaluations
Discover four great Web sites offering helpful training delivery suggestions.

Winter 1998 E-Train

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Spring 1998

NETCSC to provide new services
Onsite reps meet, discuss goals, needs
Last November, 22 onsite wastewater training center representatives from 15 states met with Environmental Services and Training Division staff in Morgantown, WV, to discuss their centers. Here they give their perspective on building a center, getting established, starting and operating a center, and developing curricula. As a result of the meeting, new services and resources pertinent to onsite wastewater training are now available from the National Environmental Training Center for Small Communities (NETCSC). The article also includes a list of 32 onsite wastewater training centers, programs, and associations, their contact person(s), and phone number(s).

Operator certification Workgroup develops baseline recommendations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is now considering nine baseline standards for mandatory operator certification established by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of 1996. After the 60-day public comment period to being in March 1998, the National Drinking Water Advisory Council is expected to meetin late May or early June to review the public comments and recommend any changes.

Computer-based training aids
Helping trainers do their jobs better
This, the second of two articles about computer-based training, follows up computer-based training tools to focus on the "aids" that help a trainer complete nondelivery tasks. Topics include software availability, advantages and disadvantages, and skill and hardware requirements.

NETCSC completes training review
Small community needs emerge
Drinking water management options, regionalizing environmental services and management, specialized onsite wastewater training, and natural disaster preparedness for small systems topped the list of subjects in a recent training needs review conducted by the National Environmental Training Center for Small Communities.

Training costs
Identifying budget components
This, the first of three articles about the cost of training, discusses cost-based training in general--what costs are involved and how they are determined--and illustrates how they relate to the bottom line. Two follow-up articles on trimming the training budget and cost recovery or revenue generation will appear in the summer and fall issues of E-train, respectively.

E-news
A selection of 13 training activities, resources, and events keeps you up-to-date with environmental training across the country.

Internet Training Resources
Solid waste, training via the Internet
Explore a solid waste training site and one that covers the ins and outs of delivering training via the Internet.

Training Resources
Reviews of three helpful resources appear this quarter:

• Full Cost Accounting for a Municipal Solid Waste Management: A Handbook,
• Pollution Prevention for Vermont's Dairy Manufacturing Facilities, and
• Federal Funding Sources for Small Communities Wastewater Systems.

Spring 1998 E-Train

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Summer 1998

Wetlands work for WUTAP Trained Operators
When the wastewater treatment plant used by Sandia Casino in Sandia Pueblo, New Mexico was discharging untreated wastewater into the system's drainfield, the solution was found in the addition of a surface flow wetland. With the help of the Water Utilities Technical Assistance Program (WUTAP), the Environmental Department of Sandia Pueblo upgraded the entire wastewater treatment system. Meanwhile, two local system operators embarked on a two-year training program with WUTAP. The wastewater system upgrades coupled with the training resulted in one of New Mexico's best wetland treatment processes in operation.

Onsite wastewater training centers Moving to the forefront
New training centers have been started or completed in more than seven states within the last six months. These centers embody a hands-on strategy wherein the technologies are demonstrated using functioning, above-ground displays operated using water rather than wastewater. This momentum is rapidly taking onsite wastewater training to the forefront of the industry.

Computer-based training aids
Helping trainers do their jobs better
This, the second of two articles about computer-based training, follows up computer-based training tools to focus on the "aids" that help a trainer complete nondelivery tasks. Topics include software availability, advantages and disadvantages, and skill and hardware requirements.

Readership Survey Results
Readership survey reflects shifts
Discover what readers think about E-train and themselves. Repondents rated E-train on everything from usefulness of content to willingness to serve as contacts or consultants for future articles.

Cutting training costs
Trim the budget, keep the quality
This, the second of three articles about the cost of training, discusses how to manage the resources you have for maximum benefit, including tips on reducing your training costs. The third article on cost recovery or revenue generation will appear in the fall issue of E-train.

E-news
A selection of seven training activities, resources, and events keeps you up-to-date with environmental training across the country.

Internet Training Resources
Learn to write grants and proposals
Explore Web sites aimed at improving your grant and proposal writing skills.

Training Resources
Reviews of three helpful resources appear this quarter:

• Basics of On-site Sewage System Design #1: Design 101,
• Basic of On-site Sewage System Design #2: Onsite 102, and
• Computerized Job Aids for Trainers.

Summer 1998 E-Train

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Fall 1998

Outreach training: Colorado style
John McWilliams, an outreach trainer with the Environmental Training Center at Red Rocks Community College in Golden, Colorado, shares with E-train readers how Colorado's outreach program helps bring small wastewater treatment facilities into compliance, while providing outreach trainers with a sense of satisfaction.

Training Redesigned
Repackaging training: Making "Pieces of the small community puzzle"
Through needs analysis of consulting engineers, the NETCSC learned that training designed to introduce small systems projects to consulting engineers might be better received if the sessions were abbreviated to fit their busy schedules. A strategy has been designed that maximizes the impact of training, while condensing the sessions to a matter of hours.

Cutting training costs
Boosting the bottom line . . . Recovering costs and generating revenue while training
This is the final article in a series on training budgets, costs, and revenue. In this article, four trainers offer successful strategies they've used to improve the bottom line.

E-news
There are twelve selections in this issue to gain information about training activities, resources, and events to assist with environmental training across the country.

Internet Training Resources
Review of five resources appear this quarter:

• Training Needs Analysis Toolkit: Instruments, Exercises, Resources, and Surveys,
• Water Passages,
• Educating Your Community About Plastics Recycling: A Do-It-Yourself Kit,
• Compost. . .because a rind is a terrible thing to waste!, and
• Site-specific Flexibility Requests for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in Indian Country.

Fall 1998 E-Train

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