Mandatory training was originally 12 hours.  It increased to 16 hours, and with the last major revision in 2000, it was expanded to 30 hours.  That's when collared overhead transparencies seemed like a breath of fresh air in our course material.

On January 25, 2007, we launched new course material, where three of nine course modules were adapted for e-learning.  A long pregnancy, conceived by DN and NJFF, and carried by Mintra, has resulted in a child we call, “Online Hunter Training”.  Mintra hits home with a demonstration for course instructors with regional responsibility.

From Oral Delivery to Modern Means

Let’s establish that hunting culture has strong traditional ties.  That makes us proud; at the same time, we also see that it presents challenges.  That's why it is important that we develop new training material that is adapted to the society from which we recruit new hunters.  An important pillar in the philosophy behind Jegerprøven is that hunter training should happen locally, under the guidance of local associations, with local instructors.  The instructors are highly engaged, and have their roots solidly planted in the local hunting culture.  Developing course material that appeals to the target group (everyone 14 years-old or over) and is also recognisable to the instructors, without requiring too much technical savvy from users, has proven to be a formidable challenge.  The graphic expression and structure Mintra developed for “Online Hunter Training” was a big hit in a demonstration for regional course instructors.

Developing Attitudes, Skills Training, and Expert Knowledge

Mandatory hunter training consists of three elements.  The most important element by far is developing attitudes.  Here, the topics are: ethics, morals, and respect for animals and nature enthusiasts.  The next element is skills-oriented.  Here, users acquire weapons handling knowledge, learn how to use a map and compass, etc.  The final element is knowledge-based.
This final element is, in its entirety, available as e-learning.  We can also find the other two elements in the e-learning package, but these topics are mainly addressed during traditional training, where attitudes are developed through discussions and interactions between participants and instructors.

Ensuring Homogenous Training

Concretely, topics such as, “Species Knowledge”, “Laws and Regulations”, and “Hunting Dogs” have been made available as e-learning; including approximately 60 species that are legal to hunt, in addition to many species that are easy to confuse with these, and are never in season. The e-learning also covers a host of laws and regulations that are updated regularly, and are often local.  Finally, there is a nearly endless list of hunting dogs and methods, that many instructors find hard to teach.  This is, in part, due to the fact that there is a significant pedagogical challenge implementing classroom training on topics with many isolated elements that are difficult to illustrate, like laws and regulations, for example, which can be the result of a lack of instructor competence when it comes to species and regulations.  There is no certainty that an instructor in Finnskogen has a thorough knowledge of the hunting methods for, and the appearance and behaviour of, various species of maritime birds and seals.  There is a similar challenge for instructors in West Finnmark when it comes to beavers and roe deer.  But, for candidates for the Jegerprøve, there are stipulated competency requirements that are the same for the entire country.

This entails that many instructors have a tendency to place emphasis on their favourites and local preferences, and may stay away from their weakest areas, which are less relevant in their area.  This could account for why many instructors are extremely satisfied to be able to offer comprehensive material and coursing on these topics.

Interactivity Versus Regulations

The Internet-based modules are, to a large degree, based on pictures, videos, and animations.  The training is designed with user-friendliness and structure in mind.  Through exercises and casework, Jegerprøve candidates acquire knowledge of the curriculum.  Using cases in the regulations module has proven to be extremely successful.  Candidates are presented with various choices and dilemmas where they must find and interpret relevant regulations themselves.  Through exercises, which conclude each module, users receive an indication of where they stand in relation to exam requirements.  We strongly believe that this approach to the material provides far better concrete competence for future hunters than by memorising the same regulations.  We also believe that understanding of, and thereby respect for, regulations will increase through this type of training.

E-Learning Allows for Revision

NJFF is a large organisation, with over 110 000 members.  Through our county and local clubs, there are a lot of adult learning courses and training available.  Hunting, fishing, and the outdoors in general, open for a colossal amount of training, which require various skills and knowledge.  Like most other interest organisations, we are good at developing new materials and new courses.  At the same time, we are not so good at managing and revising what we already have.  The reasons for this are, among other things, a positive driving force and creative engagement from our employees and spokespeople.  In addition to the fact that developing and producing new courses is project financed, while there are seldom funds for managing and maintaining what we already have.  Here, the Jegerprøve is in a special position.  Through means from DN, we have ensured further development and revision of the material – one of the main reasons for digitalising the material and lowering the threshold for revisions.  With our new material, we are ready to make revisions when they happen.
There will already be changes to game species on April 1, 2007. We will be ready with updated and correct material from day one, a possibility that was not open to us before course material was available online.  We are looking forward to being able to guarantee courses that will be correct and up-to-date at all times.

Revealing Links in Our Process of Influence

Despite a high level of visibility in the media, and long traditions, hunting is an activity that has become more unfamiliar to new generations.  Hunting is a cherished activity for many celebrities, but it seems like that does not contribute to increased knowledge about what hunting is, and how we hunt.  One of the greatest threats to the future of hunting is a lack of knowledge.  If hunting is considered strange or foreign, it will threaten the judicial foundation for hunting in the future.  The legal foundation presupposes understanding and respect for society in general.  Therefore, NJFF and DN have chosen to make the web based modules for hunter training available to everyone, without a username or password.  Our object is to encourage both future and established hunters to access the course.

Only now, we see that many experienced hunters are interested in learning about species and regulations, and they have accessed course.  This is a very positive effect.  We expect that making competency requirements more visible, as hunters meet society, will contribute to ensuring that debates about hunting as a leisure activity and a conservation tool are based on factual circumstances, and not on casual observations or questionable knowledge.

Article by: Tore Larsson, County Secretary NJFF, Telemark