Getting the message out:

1
Getting the message out Communication tools for
disseminating research findings Alison
McAllister Project Manager Research and Policy
Advice
2
Why am I here?

• Australian Flexible Learning Framework
• 14 projects
• Capability building
• Resources and innovation
• Client engagement
• VET system support
• Research and Policy Advice

3
What is e-learning?

• Use of technology in the delivery of training to
  increase flexibility of when, how and where
  students can learn. This includes

• Digital resources in classroom or online
• Web mobile and voice technologies for
  communication
• Digital and online assessment activities

4
2006 research projects

• E-learning in building and construction and
  allied trades
• E-learning Benchmarking
• Using social software

5
Audiences

• VET practitioners
• Managers
• Teachers and trainers
• Support
• VET organisations
• Public, private RTOs
• Enterprise RTOs
• Community eg ACE

• VET decision makers
• NSOC
• DEST
• FLAG

6
Implications

• Multiple dissemination strategies
• Formal report
• Web format
• Pamphlet eg what matters
• Built in to the research project

7
E-learning in trades

• We asked RTOs if they used e-learning in teaching
  trades
• We do not use e-learning as our training
• packages are practically based.
• 46 RTOs teaching trades use e-learning

8
Fast facts

• 70 of trade teachers use e-learning
• Compared with 85 across all of VET
• Uses of technology include
• Use of multimedia resources in classroom (52)
  and online (48)
• Electronic submission of work (30)
• Voice and mobile (10)

9
Getting to the stories

• Structured case studies
• Why use technology?
• How?
• Tools
• Support
• http//trades.flexiblelearning.net.au/case_studies
  .html

10
Why use technology

• SQIT
• Michaels story
• Different students, different needs

• TAFE SA
• Brians story
• Flexible, blended learning

11
How did they do it?

• Brisbane North
• Simons story
• Making resources and putting online

• Uni of Ballarat (TAFE)
• Colins story
• Digital story telling

12
What support did they need?

• Uni of Ballarat (TAFE)
• Colins story
• Technical support
• TAFE SA
• Brians story
• Mentoring

• Uni of Ballarat (TAFE)
• Peters story
• Role of the manager

13
Tools on the website

• Report
• Implementation model
• Tools and resources

14
E-learning benchmarking

• Measure the uptake and impact of e-learning in
  VET
• Audience is decision makers
• Commonwealth
• State
• Organisational

15
E-learning benchmarking

• 17 of all VET units include some e-learning
  compared to 8 in 2005
• 85 of VET teacher/ trainers use e-learning
• The uptake of e-learning in TAFE institutes is
  higher than among other training providers.
• Around 50 of all RTOs, and up to 70 of smaller
  RTOs, are not yet offering e-learning in their
  VET units

16
What are students saying?

• 60 of students said that the e-learning in their
  course had increased their confidence and skills
  in using computers
• 60 said that they thought the e-learning in
  their course would improve their future
  employment outcomes
• Students also say e-learning is delivering
  benefits in terms of flexibility in when and
  where they undertake their study

17
What are teacher/ trainers saying?

• 85 of VET teachers and trainers report that they
  have used some form of e-learning in their
  training delivery
• Encouraging students to access and download
  learning materials and resources
• Electronic submission of work
• More teachers are using e-learning in more and
  different parts of their teaching programs,
  including class discussions and assessment

18
Communication tools

• Website
• Dynamic website updated regularly
• Reports
• Analysis in PPT format
• Practical tools
• What matters

19
What is Social Software

• Social software
• ...enables people to rendezvous, connect or
  collaborate through computer mediated discussion
  and to form online communities. Broadly
  conceived, this term could encompass older media
  such as mailing lists but some would restrict its
  meaning to more recent software genres such as
  blogs and wikis
• Wikipedia September 2006

20
Social Software

• Use of social software in
• Teaching and learning
• Capability building
• Methodology included using social software for
  data capture
• Wiki is a communication tool in itself

21
What does the research tell us?

• Case studies to demonstrate how social software
  is being used for
• Project management
• Knowledge sharing
• Capability development
• VET delivery
• http//socialsoftware-research/wikispaces.com

22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
(No Transcript)
25
Contact

• Alison McAllister
• Project Manager
• Research and Policy Advice
• alison.mcallister_at_tafesa.edu.au