The National Highway Institute (NHI) provides training to help participants enhance their knowledge and skills to face current and emerging challenges in the transportation and workforce community. Our courses are developed to assess and improve safety, design sustainable and resilient solutions, optimize system performance, and provide an engaging learning experience and environment for all participants. NHI’s Course Catalog offers over 450 courses in 18 program areas, presented in a variety of formats to meet every learner’s needs.
The Training Program Manager (TPM) team leader for the National Highway Institute (NHI), Stacey Caston, along with Master Instructional Systems Designer (ISD), Lauren Harrington, created and taught the first ever Learners First Guide Masterclass. “This masterclass provides information for participants to apply training they receive and learning they achieve to the real world.” says Stacey Caston. The Learners First Guide is for all trainers, whether a new or seasoned instructor, to receive practical tools and techniques that can be applied, in any discipline, to develop and/or deliver training.
Some of the tools in the Learners First Guide include common techniques such as brainstorming, case studies, and graphic organizers; visual techniques including oral presentations, infographics, and job aides; and active learning including games. This guide provides various options instructors should consider, when engaging the learner in different ways based on how they like to learn. The Guide is meant to encourage instructors to try techniques they haven’t used before.
NHI is always interested in pushing the boundaries of innovation through the technology incorporated in its courses. The Learners First Guide is in parallel to innovative efforts during the course development processes. It helps participants to be engaged and increase the knowledge of what is taught and how it can be applied outside of the training. “Pulling together the various tools and techniques is innovative and gets people interested. It is a one-stop shop, a reference they can go to a number of times to figure what is best in upcoming training,” according to Caston.
Stephen Martinez oversees the Learning Management System (LMS). NHI is in the process of redesigning its website and transitioning to a new Learning Management System (LMS). This comprehensive update will provide learners and partners with a more dynamic and engaging environment to access training resources.
NHI always strives to be on the cutting edge of innovation by using technology that supports a robust and flexible learning environment. NHI has partnered with the well-known Blackboard® LMS platform, now part of Anthology®, to provide learners with a streamlined registration process, easier access to course information, and enhanced content delivery methods. This will result in a modern learning environment.
Blackboard will enable NHI to provide a phenomenal learning experience for training participants and simplify the management of courses for hosts, instructors, and developers.
Mignon Whitted is the Training Program Specialist for the Structures program area. NHI is revising the virtual component of the Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges (FHWA-NHI-130055) training. Virtual bridge inspection (VBI) is a computer-based solution to inspecting bridges for learners who are unable to participate in field exercises. NHI has been involved with the VBI since the early 2000s. If inclement weather, traffic, or the physical bridge is unavailable, this VBI option has been in place.
However, it is still strongly recommended to conduct a physical bridge inspection, as the virtual aspect of the course does not replace the benefits of inspecting a bridge.
NHI continues to innovate, with a virtual reality virtual bridge inspection (VRVBI) currently under development. The VRVBI provides learners a hands-on experience of inspecting a bridge in an augmented reality. Participants will be able to pick up tools and hear the sounds of delamination as if they are conducting an actual inspection. This provides a more learner immersive experience.
Two courses that offer the VBI experience are:
As NHI works with various FHWA collaborators to move forward in innovation and technology, it always looks to enhance these courses based on the most relevant information. “We are forever learners,” states Mignon Whitted.
NHI developed a non-traditional partnership with Delaware Technical College, which allows the college to host the Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges (FHWA-NHI-130055) course. In this partnership, NHI and Delaware Tech can reach out to surrounding colleges and universities and offer seating for this course in underserved communities to provide an equitable exchange/partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
NHI and FMCSA have partnered together to offer the state-of-the-art training facility at their headquarters in Vienna, VA for learners to enhance their knowledge in the transportation industry through training.
NHI provides various training for State Department of Transportation (DOTs) personnel.
A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was originally signed in 2019 to allow Ohio DOTs to adapt the Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges (FHWA-NHI-130055) course for Ohio Bridge Inspectors. An updated memorandum was signed this year to allow Ohio to adapt several of the certification courses that are in development for updates, including:
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are part of an organization’s policy board created and designated to carry out the metropolitan transportation planning process. NHI collaborates with MPOs to ensure that the transportation planning process is carried out through the trainings NHI provides.
NHI collaborates with the LTAP/TTAP community to deliver NHI developed courses that are appropriate for transportation professionals in the local agencies’ community, in a hosting or instructor capacity.
In 2021, NHI established a MOA with the LTAP/TTAP community, along with the Office of Transportation Workforce and Development and Technology Deployment (HIT), and Local Aid Support (LAS), to deliver courses on the local level. A year later, five NHI courses have been delivered for distribution in local and Tribal communities.
The Rivers and Roads (R&R) Connection Initiative aims to develop and deploy visually engaging, intuitive, and practical training and tools to a wide spectrum of transportation professionals working on projects within river and stream corridors. The R&R team is working alongside NHI to develop river and stream training in the Hydraulics program area. Some of these courses include:
As you think innovation in transportation training, think the National Highway Institute (NHI)! NHI is always in the forefront of innovation as it develops engaging and interactive training. NHI maintains a robust 450 course catalog; builds equity for learners and instructors through a new and improved learning management system; and creates e-books, gamification, and virtual reality instruction for a more interactive experience. In addition, NHI continues to build and maintain partnerships with transportation advocates and personnel to ensure that we are providing extraordinary training to the transportation community. NHI is transforming the transportation community through innovative training.
The National Highway Institute’s headquarters is located in Vienna, VA, where two state-of-the-art training rooms, video production and green rooms, conference, and reservation rooms are housed. The space is designed to enhance the learner experience for all NHI’s participants and visitors.
Below are the rooms named after pioneers that have contributed to or were impacted by the transportation industry. Click their names below to learn about their roles in transforming transportation in U.S. history.
