ICVET Update: March 2008
From Maret Staron, Manager, TAFE NSW ICVET
We have begun the new year on our feet and running. As you will see, in this eZine edition we launch a whole new look website.
What’s changed?
- The look and feel. We like it and feel its clearer and brighter – what do you think?
- Our priority areas have been changed, to reflect the outcome of discussions with institute Directors. These priority areas are reduced in numbers from previous years, but are still central to the prioirities of vocational education and teaching and learning.
- Our priority areas are now:
- Workplace Learning
- Recognition of Prior Learning
- Partnerships
- Life-based Llearning
- Workforce Capability Development
- Our priority areas are now:
- Our A-Z has been updated, with descriptors reviewed, websites checked and added as appropriate. Further updates are still in progress, particularly in the areas of assessment and indigenous learning. A number of pages will not continue to be updated by ICVET, but have beemn maintained for reference purposes. Those have been marked accordingly.
- Functionality - We have been fortunate to have working with us a talented TAFE NSW student. Luke has added functionality and usability to the site, ensuring all guidelines in these areas have been met. An independent professional review of the new site praised the site for its readability, search and usability, along with its accesability for screen readers and sight impaired individuals.
- Podcasts (annotated) – Podcasts are a part of the social networking future. So, we will be moving forward with some use of podcasts and the how to and why of this will be explored in later issues.
- Your Links – we have added to some of our priority areas a function that enables our readers to share any valuable websites they find in our key work areas (eg RPL, Workplace Learning, Partnerships This is a way of easily sharing and building resources, recognising that you, too, have useful resources.
Survey Results
A hundred people responded to our end of year survey on the site last year. Others provided written feedback. Thanks to those of you who did. You gave us valuable direction for the site. The winner of our book voucher was Helen Swain, a TAFE teacher from Tamworth.
The results told us:
- The majority of users came to the website to read our eZine articles
- Our users were happy with how easy information was to find on the website
- A majority of users didn’t use podcasts because they were unsure how to
Changes in our team
Our team has worked exceptionally hard over the last few months gathering and writing material for priority areas. You can see the results in the new material we have included. We have Robby Weatherley back with us from an overseas holiday and, sadly, have seen Cliff Trood return from his secondment with us to the North Coast Institute. Cliff was a pleasure to work with, and a talented thinker and writer.
We have been exploring the area of workforce capability development and its implications for VET practitioners. You will see this work reflected in our priority areas, in some of our stories. It will continue as a theme throughout later eZines.
Our next eZine will include Part II of the Innovation articles and of Patrick Longfield's thinkpieces on Sustainability.