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Context of the training in the regions

Train the Trainers February 23-24, 2010Université de MontréalMontréal,QC

Gaëtan DroletDLI sectionStatistics Canada

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Objectives of the presentation

On the basis of the survey results:

● Provide the appropriate information to the DLI Education

Committee, the regional training coordinators, and future

trainers

● Facilitate planning the regional training

● Learn more about the conditions and training needs

confronting DLI contacts and designates

WORK ENVIRONMENT

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Q5 Among all your responsibilities, do you consider yourself a resource person for ... ?

Expressed in %

Region Data GIS Reference Gov. Docs

Atlantic 83.3 0.0 0.0 0.0Quebec 66.7 0.0 0.0 0.0Ontario 55.0 0.0 0.0 35.0West 27.3 4.5 68.2 13.6

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Q7 Percentage of your work devoted to data by region and establishment size

Region Less than 5,000 5k-9,999 10k-19,999 Over 20,000Atlantic 9.8 12.5 30.0 n/aQuebec 25.3 11.7 7.5 45.0Ontario 15.0 11.4 41.3 60.0West 5.8 13.7 39.0 50.0

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Q4 For how long ... have you been a DLI contact in your establishment?

Region Average YearsAtlantic 8.33Quebec 6.33Ontario 6.55West 7.86

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In summary: The working environment• Establishments can be grouped by size, with 25% in each of the

following quartiles: Very small (<5K), small (5–10K), medium (10–20K) and large (20K+).

• Half of respondents in small establishments had less than five years experience, while 64% had between six and ten years experience in the largest establishments.

• Approximately 70% were assigned responsibility for data in their description of functions.

• DLI contacts wear many hats with several variants (very small, small, and medium-sized establishments).

• Percentage of work devoted to data: between 11% and 60%.• The number of designates varies across regions.• DLI contacts see themselves as resource persons for data

(55%) and for government publications (35%).• Variety of data-retrieval systems used.• Less than 50% provide a dedicated data service.

THE CONTEXT OF THE TRAINING

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Q39 In your capacity as a DLI contact, do you regularly attend DLI training workshops?

Region Yes No Never Attended

Atlantic 75.0 0.0 25.0Quebec 100.0 0.0 0.0Ontario 80.0 15.0 5.0West 90.9 9.1 0.0

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Q42 Overall, what is your level of satisfaction with DLI training?

From 1=not satisfied and 5=completely satisfiedRegion Level of SatisfactionAtlantic 4.13Quebec 4.42Ontario 4.58West 4.33

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Q43 Topics of the training and their importance

The categories "Important" and "Very important" are combined.

The highest and lowest rankings are presented.

The results are presented, first for the regions, and then for Canada as a whole.

To identify the least important training elements in each region, we selected the least important from the 18 in question 43.

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Q43 The most important topics and modes of training:

More important Atlantic Quebec Ontario West CanadaRegional workshops 90.0 91.6 89.5 100.0 93.6STC subject matter presentations 90.0 91.7 94.7 90.5 91.9DLI section presentations 90.0 91.7 78.7 95.2 88.7Hands-on sessions 80.0 91.7 79.0 100.0 88.7Training repository 70.0 91.7 94.7 76.2 83.9Products reviews 70.0 91.6 89.5 80.9 83.8Computing exercices 80.0 81.8 72.2 90.5 81.6Orientation sessions 77.7 100.0 68.4 85.0 81.0Training on data extractors 70.0 91.6 78.9 81.0 80.6

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Q43 The least important topics and modes of training

Less important Atlantic Quebec Ontario West CanadaDownloading files 70.0 58.4 42.2 70.0 59.0Reference interview 30.0 80.0 68.5 71.9 61.7DLI licence 80.0 66.7 63.1 61.9 66.1National workshops 60.0 58.4 68.5 75.0 67.2Knowledge of the DLI collection 70.0 91.7 63.2 75.0 73.8Training on statistical software 66.6 66.7 73.7 85.7 75.4Frequency of training 50.0 75.0 73.8 90.4 75.8Training on GIS 37.5 81.9 73.7 90.4 76.3Statistical and data literacy 60.0 66.7 79.0 90.5 77.5

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Synopsis of the importance of various elements of training

• The most important topics of collective training:

- Regional workshops

- Thematic presentations by StatCan representatives

- Presentations by the DLI Unit

- Practical training

• The least important for all regions:

- National workshops

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Q45 Your knowledge and competencies

How would you assess your competency and knowledge with respect to the 12 elements of Q45?

The categories "Competent" and "Very competent" are combined.

The results are presented, first for the regions, and then for Canada as a whole.

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Q45 Evaluation of your knowledge and competency with respect to the following elements:

More knowledgeable or more competent: Atlantic Quebec Ontario West CanadaCensus 60.0 83.3 80.0 63.6 71.9Finding and retrieving aggregate statistics 45.5 75.0 65.0 54.5 60.0Knowledge of the DLI products 45.5 58.3 50.0 54.5 52.3Finding and retrieving microdata 45.5 41.7 60.0 50.0 50.8Knowledge of DLI surveys 36.4 58.3 50.0 54.5 50.8Responding to data questions 36.4 41.6 60.0 45.4 47.6Using and interpreting documentation 18.2 50.0 50.0 36.4 40.0

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Q45 Evaluation of your knowledge and competency with respect to the following elements:

Less knowledgeable or less competent: Atlantic Quebec Ontario West CanadaUsing statistical software to manipulate data 9.1 16.6 31.6 13.6 18.8Using statistical software to create specific file format

9.1 25.0 42.1 18.2 26.5

Knowledge of data outside DLI collection 27.3 25.0 40.0 22.7 29.3Statistical and data literacy 27.3 18.2 45.0 22.7 29.7Finding and retrieving geography files 18.2 45.5 31.6 45.4 36.5

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In summary: knowledge and competencies of DLI contacts

All regions declare themselves comfortable with: - The census - Finding and retrieving aggregate data- Knowledge of DLI surveys

o But declare themselves less comfortable with:- Using statistical software to manipulate the variables

- Using statistical software to create .sas, spss, .por, etc. files- Knowledge of data from outside the DLI- Statistical and data literacy

Characteristics of designates

• Have served in that capacity for 4.66 years (n=31/46)

• Percentage of their time devoted to data (30.7%), SIG (20.5%), other tasks (48.8%)

• 42.5% participate in classroom DLI training (Contacts 54%–85%)

• 53.3% have attended DLI workshops

• Level of satisfaction with training received from DLI 4.19

(Contacts 4.13–4.58)

Region Number Percent Atlantic 6 19.4Quebec 8 25.8Ontario 12 38.7West 5 16.1

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According to your comments: the clientele of DLI training

The primary clientele of the DLI training program: DLI contacts

Respondents identified other types of clients requiring DLI training:

Designates Students Professors Researchers/Managers Reference librarians/library technicians

Train the trainers

Train the contacts

Train the designates

Train the colleagues

Train the users

CoordinatorsCurrent trainersFuture trainers

DLI contacts

Designates

Reference, FedPubs, GIS Librarians

Students, professors, researchers, managers

The continuum of training

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Avenues for discussionAccounting for regional characteristics: Fewer experienced DLI contacts may also signify a smaller pool of

individuals available to provide this training. Does this indicate a need for increased and more targeted training? How do we rise to this challenge?

Does establishment size factor into planning DLI training? If yes, how?

Some establishments state that they field questions about the statistics rather than about the microdata. Should this be reflected in the types of training offered?

Educating the designates? Some of them have requested more training at both the local and the regional level.

Does the DLI programme have a role to play in the local training of colleagues, researchers, and students?

Is the timing of the annual DLI workshop right? What of the national workshop? Its role?