THE LEARNING POWERHOUSE: Sustaining the Spark
Friday, 10 August 2007

Session details

Webcast Session

Workplace Learning

Effective Employment based Training Models

Lead Presentation
Session 2

Kaye Bowman
Private Consultant

Recent policy changes, via COAG, are attempting to address persistent issues with employment based training (EBT) models and simultaneously increase interest and growth in their uptake to respond to skills shortages. Kaye will present findings of a DEST funded, NCVER commissioned research project just completed by a QUT led team of researchers that set out to explore effective (EBT) models at the Australian Qualification Framework Certificate III level and above. A key finding from their case studies in process manufacturing and child care is that two forms of EBT models are in operation for VET qualifications at Certificate IV and Diploma levels. Formal contracted EBT arrangements are emerging along side the traditional vocational course approach, with fast tracking and new skills sets /qualifications features. Current concerns regarding each model were identified and a variety of possible EBT models suggested that reasonably withstand the issues. Sorting out higher level VET qualifications might lead to a reduction in employers showing greater preference for university degree graduates over Diploma and Advanced Diploma graduates in future.

- Effective Employment based Training Models

Mixing it Up - a journey into the electronic frontier of workplace and online learning

Presentation
Session 1

Bob Thurlow
Teacher, TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute

Tim Smith
Head Teacher, TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute

What would happen if you took a group of traditional face-to-face TAFE teachers and asked them to bring workplace and online students virtually, electronically into the classroom, alongside their face-to-face students? What if you gave off-campus students the option of attending online either synchronously or asynchronously with a face-to-face class? The IT Section at Richmond College of TAFE did just that. We had the technology and we knew how to use it, but were we able to teach the same course, over the same time frame, in an environment that effectively deprived us of much of the five senses we take for granted in face-to-face teaching?
This presentation will describe the evolution of our approaches, technology and pedagogical strategies on our journey into the electronic frontier of workplace and online learning. There will be time for discussion around the challenge of using technological skills, and more critically, pedagogical skills to relate to students with whom we seldom or never come face to face. We’ll also be addressing the issue of how teachers must learn to adapt to an online world without many of the visual, audible and non-verbal cues they've taken for granted throughout their teaching life.

- Mixing it Up - a journey into the electronic frontier of workplace and online learning

Knowledge and workplace learning

Conversation
Session 1

David Wallace
Manager Industry Projects, Learning Design & Resource Development, Centre for Learning Innovation

The VET focus on workplace learning challenges beliefs about the nature of underpinning knowledge and theory and how this can be acquired. It also raises the more fundamental question as to what level of underpinning knowledge and theory that is needed. These questions arise at a time when there is need for more ‘knowledge workers’ but what has been accepted as ‘knowledge’ is under scrutiny. You are invited to join a conversation that looks at how we determine what underpinning knowledge and theory is essential. It will begin with the following questions: When is it better to ‘google’ than to know something? When is it better to know something than to ‘google’? 'Google’ is used here as a metaphor for searching for information as and when it is needed. There may even be time to explore: What is an educated person? How do the current approaches to VET develop an educated person?

Flexible training for Family Day Care workers

Presentation
Session 1

Christine Hitchens
Coordinator, WELL Programs, Family Day Care, TAFE NSW Hunter Institute

Gai Ellerington
Teacher, Children's Services, WELL Programs, Family Day Care, TAFE NSW Hunter Institute

The presentation will outline the development of a partnership that has 'sparked' the interest of enthusiastic workers in the Family Day Care industry and addressed the training needs of this industry. The Family Day Care Scheme is an essential service, providing a quality child care option for thousands of working families throughout Australia. The nature of the industry makes it very difficult for carers to attend traditional training options. Carers are the sole workers in their own business, operating their service from their own homes, working long days and sometimes weekends as well. Although accredited training is available, carers are not always able to commit to long term attendance or to the completion of self -paced training packages without inbuilt support. The WELL Hunter TAFE partnership with a number of Family Day Care schemes now provides a real opportunity for carers to participate in accredited training that is flexible with inbuilt support critical to successful participation for the Family Day Carers.

- Flexible training for Family Day Care workers

Personal Learning Environments Using Web 2.0 for learning

Workshop
Session 2

Janet Burstall
Senior Education Officer, Research & Liaison, TaLe, TAFE NSW Centre for Learning Innovation

Grant Casey
Senior Project Officer, Connected Learning Team, TAFE NSW Centre for Learning Innovation

The Teaching and Learning Exchange (TaLe) has so far focussed on providing a search point for teachers to access teaching and learning resources. The emergence of Web 2.0 technologies could allow much greater collaboration and sharing. This workshop will discuss and ask:
- how can teachers use a web2.0 learning environment to transform the TaLe model for themselves and for their students?
- how are these Web 2.0 technologies being used already?
- what are the needs for a personal learning environment that allows teachers (and possibly students) to discover, organise, manage, create, present and share content on the web.

Meat retailing and bakery apprentices - workplace delivery

Presentation
Session 2

John Paterson
Head Teacher, TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute

Michele Walsh
Teacher, TAFE NSW

Ron Clark
Part-time Teacher, TAFE NSW

Nepean College is currently delivering on-the-job training and assessment to approximately 50 Meat Retailing Apprentices and 30 Baking Apprentices in the Western Sydney Metropolitan area and Western New South Wales. This involves all of the delivery occurring at the workplace. The trainers visit the individual workplaces approximately once a month. For our presentation we will showcase the training and assessment resources/tools used to monitor and record the training and assessment processes and events. In addition we will explain how the training is implemented at each workplace and provide an overview of the assessment process. We will then open the session up for discussion providing participants with the opportunity to converse with the trainers on their experiences in delivery training and assessment in the workplace.

Social and networked approaches to Workplace Training

Conversation
Session 2

Cecile Bower
Chief Learning Design Officer, TAFE NSW Centre for Learning Innovation

Neil Harper
Relieving Manager, Food and Pharmaceutical Programs, MECAT Curriculum Centre

This facilitated conversation will look at a model of workplace training and assessment. The model was created as a starting point to assist with the development of resources to support trainers, assessors and trainees in the Certificate IV in Food Processing. The conversation will focus on feedback from the major stakeholders in the project and then move into a general discussion of the issues raised by the model, for example: workplace assessment as opposed to a TAFE campus; workplaces which do not have easy access to an online environment; customising resources; and assisting the high percentage of trainees from an NESB.

Sharepoint as a delivery tool

Conversation
Session 2

Tom Hore
Teacher, TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute, Hornsy Campus

Sharepoint is a useful online tool for sharing documents. We will discuss the ‘usage issues’ for a Sharepoint site at Hornsby college. Sharepoint is being used as a delivery tool for the Architectural Diploma after trialling a number of other online facilities including ‘wikis’, ‘blogs’, ‘Janison’. However, there are limitations in the operation of the system which are currently being reviewed. Logon and student uploads are problematic and some solutions are being investigated. During the conversation we would also like to focus on usage as well as some of the following: Online resources / facilities as opposed to online delivery of the course: Sustainable delivery practice, reducing the volume of photocopying, and encouraging the use of online resources and research : Interactive facilities built in; tracking of student work and authenticity; Interoperability of new 3D CAD systems used in industry, relying on common accessible models and the interchange of information; integration / capture of existing teaching resources and experience.

Implementing Life Based Learning

Presentation
Session 5

Julie Collareda
Manager Learning and Innovation, TAFE NSW Sydney Institute

Jai Waters
Director Organisational Development, TAFE NSW Sydney Institute

Sydney Institute is in the process of implementing the Life Based Learning Model (Staron, Jasinski, and Weatherly 2006) as a tool for organisational development and capability building. This presentation will detail the value of the Life Based Learning model as a tool for organisational development and will describe how we are moving away from the traditional model of staff development to one that is more dynamic. The Institute is developing capability frameworks in key areas such as leadership, business, teaching and core competencies. Staff are encouraged to self assess their performance and identify what they need to do to increase their capability using a strength based approach. Individuals can choose from a range of development options to develop their knowledge and skills including learning networks, mentoring, coaching, and working on committees and projects, return to industry and workshops. The Institute is also reshaping meetings and other learning activities by including emerging practices that emphasise conversation-based learning such as complexity theory, strategic conversations, café conversations and open space technologies. This new approach to learning is empowering staff by making them active participants in the learning process and maximising opportunities for customising their learning to their own needs. As a result we are witnessing the transformation of the culture at Sydney Institute through higher levels of staff engagement and motivation.

- Implementing Life Based Learning

Sydney Institute Leadership Development Program

Workshop
Session 3

Jai Waters
Director Organisational Development, TAFE NSW Sydney Institute

Jean Burns
College Director Petersham, Sydney Institute

Julie Collareda
Manager Learning and Innovation, TAFE NSW Sydney Institute

In May 2006 Sydney Institute implemented a leadership program. The model has been used to inform Sydney Institute’s implementation of Life Based Learning Model. The myLeadership program includes self assessment that allows staff to identify their existing skills and knowledge and then planning how they will develop their leadership skills from a variety of activities including coaching, mentoring, being part of a collaborative leadership network, self directed study and online resources including an Institute wiki site. Seventy five senior staff are involved in the program and coaching is being delivered by Institute staff and by an external coaching company. The program will be evaluated at the end of the trial in November and recommendations made for implementation in 2008 including how it can be extended to include head teachers. This workshop will involve an overview of the program and exploring opportunities offered by this program in developing leadership skills.

- Sydney Institute Leadership Development Program

Communicating the ’E’ in TAFE industry training

Lead Workshop
Session 3

Mailyn Enders
Senior Educator, University or Ballarat, School of Business Studies

TAFE has a unique role designing workplace training programs in partnership with industry. This is because TAFE has the capacity of being able to advise on training options and the variables which can bring about effective changes in skills and workplace behaviour. Designing and implementing workplace training is very complex because of the many players and competing needs. A training program in itself is not enough for a successful outcome. A dynamic communications strategy is needed to bring the program together and address the issues arising from the stresses of that process. To be successful, both employers and employees need to be convinced of the program’s worth. This workshop will focus on practical applications and personal anecdotes that illustrate the importance and pitfalls of communication strategies in developing and delivering workplace training programs.

- Communicating the ’E’ in TAFE industry training

The Learning Object Repository Network (LORN) Project

Dheeraj Chowdhury Presentation
Session 5

Dheeraj Chowdhury
Manager, Learning Systems and Publishing, TAFE NSW Centre for Learning Innovation

The Learning Object Repository Network (LORN) is an Australian Flexible Learning Framework (AFLF) project being lead and managed by the Centre for Learning Innovation. The Learning Object Repository Network Project (LORN) is building the capacity of the Australian VET system to share teaching and learning resources that support flexible delivery. As the key source of e-learning resources for the VET system, LORN provides a foundation for sharing resources within the VET system, and establishing and embedding agreed principles in the design and development of online training resources and resource repositories across the various state VET systems based on a set of common standards ie. VETADATA, OAI – PMH and IMS Content Packaging

- The Learning Object Repository Network (LORN) Project

Delivery of the new National Training Package for Plant & Heavy Vehicles, on-the-job

Presentation
Session 2

Paul Hill
Trainer Assessor TAFE NSW North Coast Institute

The heavy vehicle industry on the North Coast of NSW is diverse and distributed and has raised concerns from employers and apprentices regarding disruption to business, distances traveled, cost and risk to apprentices when attending training at established training centres. The presentation discusses a different model for delivery where a Heavy Vehicle Trainer and Assessor travels to each apprentices’ workplace regularly to support their training, assess the workplace competencies, and track the progress of learning. The teacher/assessor liaises with the workplace mentor to ensure a consistent quality approach. The trainer negotiates the training plan to match workplace skills and the needs of both the apprentice and the business. The advantages include training on up to date equipment used in industry, and apprentices and businesses gaining greater awareness and taking responsibility for the learning process.

- Delivery of the new National Training Package for Plant & Heavy Vehicles, on-the-job

Reframing the Future Transforms VET practice

Presentation
Session 3

Suzy McKenna
National Project Director, Reframing the Futures

Reframing the Future Transforms VET Practice
This presentation will look in depth at how two Reframing the Future projects sponsored by TAFE NSW in 2006 and 2007 are using work-based learning and change management methodologies to transform their VET practice in areas of innovation, industry partnerships and entrepreneurship

- Reframing the Future Transforms VET practice

When Speaking Louder Doesn’t Work

Workshop
Workplace Learning

Catharine Robinson
Teacher, Numeracy and Literacy TAFE NSW Hunter Institute

This workshop session describes the challenges faced in providing for the flexible delivery of competency unit TAALLN104A 'Addressing the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Issues within Workplace Training and Assessment' to 19 supervisory staff at a large Sydney Hospital, as part of a Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program. The unit was delivered in an innovative and participatory manner through a combination of face-to-face workshops and online delivery. However with a high proportion of staff having low literacy/numeracy levels or coming from a Non English Speaking Background (NESB) it was necessary for supervisors and trainers to be more aware of how to adapt and customise training materials to meet the needs of these employees

THE LEARNING POWERHOUSE: Sustaining the Spark Friday, 10 August 2007

Session details

THE LEARNING POWERHOUSE: Sustaining the Spark
Friday, 10 August 2007