NCTC Microlearning

Microlearning videos provide online learners with the knowledge and skill development they require to achieve their objectives. Here are a few from the employees at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC). 

Algae Culture for Freshwater Mussel Propagation

A pile of freshwater mussels of varying size.
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These videos were produced by NCTC with assistance from White Sulphar Springs Fish Hatchery, White Sulphar Springs, WV.  They are intended to be used with the manual below.  The manual describes the algal culture methods designed by Drs. David and Pam Orcutt under contract with the White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery (US Fish and Wildlife Service).

Algae Culture for Freshwater Mussel Propagation Manual

Climate Adaptation

Natural resource managers and conservation professionals face challenges and uncertainty with the changing climate. The videos below describe the various aspects of climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.

Learn more about climate change impacts to natural resource management, addressing uncertainty as it relates to climate change, understanding and using climate models, and addressing future climate scenarios. They serve to ​complement the ‘Climate Fundamentals for USFWS Employees’ training.

Collaboration and Conflict Transformation in Multiparty Processes

Natural resource managers and conservation professionals involved in multiparty collaborative decision processes face increasingly complex decisions where underlying conflict can undermine their efficacy if unknown or inappropriately addressed. Distinct from workplace interpersonal conflict, these short videos focus on working with conflict in the context of a collaborative decision process. These select topics were chosen:

Conservation Policy

These courses explore mission relevant policies and planning topics. Participants learn how to locate, interpret, and apply regulations resulting from policy and law.  You can view all videos in this series by going to the Section 7 Interagency Consultation YouTube playlist.

Section 7 Section 7
Section 7 Consultation The Endangered Species Act (ESA) directs all Federal agencies to work to conserve endangered and threatened species and to use their authorities to further the purposes of the Act. Section 7 of the Act, called "Interagency Cooperation," is the mechanism by which Federal agencies ensure the actions they take, including those they fund or authorize, do not jeopardize the existence of any listed species.

Learn more about Section 7 Interagency Consultation

two bloack-footd farret kits in shortgrass
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Decision Analysis

These videos build the knowledge and skills needed to make better decisions. Most videos are based on the Problem, Objectives, Alternatives, Consequences & Tradeoffs (PrOACT) model and the Structured Decision Making (SDM) process.

Know Your Mission

The ‘Know Your Mission series’ is intended to introduce new employees or employees with new responsibilities to the laws, policies, and guidance that the Service operates under.