Online training expands judicial branch learning opportunities Thursday, September 17, 2020

To protect staff and the public during the Covid-19 pandemic, the court began transitioning judges and staff to a remote work environment in mid-March. In response to the changing work environment, the Education Department quickly launched Live After Lunch, a new series of online learning for all judicial branch employees.

The hour-long sessions are designed to keep judicial employees engaged and connected as they adapt to a virtual work environment. The first session on conducting effective meetings using remote technology was offered on March 21, 2020 and was co-taught by Justice Daniel Crothers and Director of Education Lee Ann Barnhardt.  Classes were offered weekly during April and May and then transitioned to monthly after district courts resumed in-person operations in June.

Because of the time and cost constraints around in-person training their focus has been on technical or adjudicative skills. The virtual format allows the judicial branch to offer timely personal development content that would not otherwise be available. It also brings together a cross section of employees, which enriches discussions during and after the training sessions and builds rapport among judges and staff throughout the state.

Initial topics, such as How to Stay Positive While Working Remotely and Daily Strategies to Boost Your Emotional Wellbeing, offered support for those finding a new work/life balance or adjusting to having their children attend school remotely. Other sessions covered growth mindsets, emotional intelligence and communication strategies. In response to current events, sessions were offered on race, gender and bias. Depending on the topic, courses are taught by internal education staff or by outside content experts.

To date, there have been 1,401 participants in the Live After Lunch program. The average attendance is 127 per session. The most attended session was a course on Zoom basics with 180 participants.

Live After Lunch will continue monthly through the remainder of 2020. Branch-wide learning will then transition to on-demand courses and videos accessed through the court’s learning management system.

The Live@Lunch programs, which have been a long-standing part of the continuing education for judicial officers and juvenile court officers, will continue on their same schedule.