Environmental Review Core Curriculum
Environment and Climate Resiliency
The Cloudburst Group has designed several self-directed adult learning models and use of virtual technologies and tools to help grantees better implement the HUD Environmental Review Process.
The Cloudburst Group worked closely with the HUD Office of Environment and Energy (OEE) to develop a curriculum that equips Responsible Entities– HUD grantees (state and local government, and Tribes) along with local partners responsible for preparing environmental reviews, with the knowledge and skills necessary to conducting environmental reviews for HUD assisted activities.
Data from an earlier needs assessment identified broad areas of skills and knowledge gaps, indicating a need for a core curriculum. Responsible Entities are the target audience for the “Environmental Review Core Curriculum”. The Cloudburst Group facilitated the Training and Technical Assistance Decision Aid process with OEE and helped HUD staff to strategically select two learning methods: Self-Paced Web-based Trainings and site-based videos for development. The Self-Paced Web-based Training created by the Cloudburst Group consists of nine online learning “modules” providing background on environmental issues (water, noise, site contamination, etc.), explains the review process and required documentation, presents a visual “how-to” for conducting a site visit, and concludes with a “knowledge check” (quiz).
The Site Visit Video is a series of seven stand-alone videos, 3-5 minutes in length that takes participants through an environmental review site visit. Videos help participants to prepare for a site visit, provide tools to conduct the visit, assess surrounding communities, and learn ways to document, in writing and with photos, their observations. Each video fits within a module and are Section 508 compliant.
Using a site-based scenario was a major accomplishment because of its unique, real-life approach. The Self-Paced Web-based Training is the first training product that ties in all of the previous environmental resources, webinars, and trainings and transforms it into an interactive module that includes real life scenarios, case studies, and knowledge assessments.
The Cloudburst Group’s design and production partners in this project are the Center for Social Innovation and American Institutes for Research. Eugene Goldfarb of Great Lakes Environmental Planning, Inc., subcontracted as our Subject Matter Expert.
Client: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development