Meet a showcaser: Maria D'Angelo
Linking together, not just across the corridor, or across the border, but across the world! That’s the aim of the Business Educator Network, which was showcased at the Learning Powerhouse Conference, 2007. Maria’s purpose in showcasing was to communicate the network to fellow TAFE business educators and encourage them to be part of it.
What is the Business Educator Network?
The Business Educator Network (BEN) is the Australian Chapter of the International Society for Business Education. It is an international organisation which provides links between business educators, TAFE colleges, community colleges, schools, universities and private providers for the purpose of networking, professional development and sharing of ideas.
What was the motivation for the project?
Australian business educators are a very large group of professionals with a broad range of areas in which their business expertise is utilised. In Australia they can be isolated and don’t necessarily have a lot of opportunities to connect with their overseas colleagues. The BEN focuses on using technology to link business educators. At present, all members are northern hemisphere organisations, but the issues and challenges faced by business educators are global, so it makes sense to share and collaborate.
What are the aims of the Australian chapter?
We want to break down the isolation among business educators and communicate the benefits of membership nationally.
Our main aims are to:
- provide forums for the exchange of ideas
- provide networking on a global scale
- provide access to resources and use technology to disseminate
- build collaborative partnerships among business educators
- provide a link to the International Society for Business Education.
- enable participation in opportunities for collaboration on assessment, RPL, articulation and pathways, etc.
The Australian Chapter will provide a valuable means of connecting with the international scene. . The Business Educator Network will provide a forum for teachers, administrators and managers within education in Australia and from all sectors of education to join together and share their knowledge and expertise and develop professionally.
How was the project put together?
Initially, discussions were held with my counterpart at Wodonga TAFE. We talked about the need to link business educators, the common ground we all shared, the need to share resources and target growth for professional development as well as economic and practical reasons. Its grown from there.
How is it making a difference?
The Australian Chapter will provide a valuable means of connecting with the international scene. The Business Educator Network will provide a forum for teachers, administrators and managers within education in Australia and from all sectors of education to join together and share their knowledge and expertise and develop professionally.
Where are you now?
So far, we have had two successful forums locally, with participants from schools, colleges, universities and private providers. We are seeking to grow slowly and looking at areas of professional development, collaborative partnerships and networking locally, and eventually nationally and globally.
We want to encourage others to set up regional chapters using our model, with the aim of Australia having a strong representation internationally.
What of the future?
It’s hard to know but certainly more local forums, publicity about the Australian Chapter – The Business Educator Network - possibly forums in other Institutes, increasing the membership within TAFE NSW and other educational providers, and promotion nationally too. We are also looking to host the 2010 International Conference for the Society and are working towards planning and preparing for that. This will be a great opportunity for Australian business educators to network as well as link with their overseas counterparts.
What have you learned personally from your involvement in this project?
It’s the journey that’s important and the small achievements on the way which are motivators to keep you going. I think that ‘online anything’ is going to become the norm and I’m interested in using technology in a very practical way to link business educators and provide professional development and knowledge sharing opportunities for them.
Any final comments?
Yes – go to our website and join!
www.businesseducators.com.au
As a postscript, this website will be changing soon, but as with all things technological, it will link to the new address for a little while.