ALA

It can be hard to know where to start when it comes to all the great e-learning benchmarking and research resources available. The national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), has pulled together five handy resources from its Benchmarking and Research team to help get you underway.

E-learning for small business (2008)

Small businesses make up over 95% of all businesses in Australia and are the nation’s largest employer, responsible for generating 3.6 million jobs.*

As a representative of such a large portion of both Australian businesses and workers, the involvement of the small business sector in e-learning is key in contributing to addressing the nation’s skill shortage.

Published earlier this year, the An investigation of the enablers and barriers to industry uptake of e-learning: Small business research report examined the current status of e-learning in small business, barriers to the increased use of e-learning solutions and the potential for increased uptake of e-learning by small businesses.

The report drew on findings from existing research, and featured surveys with more than 300 small businesses, as well as in-depth interviews with small business owners or managers about their training practices and perceptions of e-learning.

Key findings of An investigation of the enablers and barriers to industry uptake of e-learning: Small business included:

• On-the-job informal training is predominant in the small business sector.
• Training is important to small business and more effort would be placed on staff training if time and money permitted.
• Convenience, flexibility and accessibility are key factors driving the use of e-learning by small business.
• Key factors discouraging the uptake of e-learning by small business include time, cost, concerns about effectiveness, and a perceived lack of relevance to their business.
• Many small businesses who are not using e-learning indicated they were unaware of suitable e-learning tools or had not considered e-learning as a viable training option.

The research findings also include a set of good practice guidelines, case studies and future directions for e-learning in small business.

E-learning in the trades (2006)

The above small business research also highlighted the construction industry as an area where an increased focus is needed to address challenges to the uptake of e-learning, such as concerns about e-learning’s relevance to the industry.

The Framework’s E-learning in the Trades website, developed in 2006, demonstrates the practical use and application of e-learning in traditional trades, among other things. It outlines research and practical online resources and tools to support the training of traditional trades. It focuses on building and construction but the research findings and e-learning tools can easily be adapted for use in other trade areas.

There are four entry points to the website:

·                 Case studies: Six examples of teachers from building trades using technology to improve the flexibility and the impact of their teaching.

·                 Research report: E-learning within the building and construction and allied trades.

·                 E-learning model: A model to guide trades teachers through their e-learning journey.

·                 E-learning tools: A list of mostly free e-learning tools that teachers are using in the building trades, including a description of what they are and where to find them.

E-learning indicators (2005-2008)

To know how far you’ve come, you have to know where you came from.

If you’re about to kick off e-learning make sure you visit the E-learning indicators website for access to information and resources that will assist you to measure the current and future levels of e-learning in your organisation, business or industry.

The uptake and use of e-learning in the VET sector can be measured using a set of 12 indicators, which have been realigned for the Framework’s 2008 Benchmarking Survey in line with the Framework’s new direction, as set out in the 2008-2011 Framework Strategy. These indicators have been identified by the Flexible Learning Advisory Group (FLAG), the Framework’s managing body. The indicators can be used by individual education and training providers to establish their own goals and benchmarks for e-learning.

The E-learning indicators website is split into sections offering comprehensive information and resources. Sections include:

·                 E-learning indicators: A list of primary e-learning, e-business and teaching and training indicators used to measure the impact of e-learning in VET.

·                 Survey results (from 2005-2007): The full 2005, 2006 and 2007 survey results from the perspective of RTOs, teachers and trainers; students; RTOs; employers; and ACE.

·                 Templates and tools: Easy to use resources for running your own surveys.

·                 Case studies: Survey transcripts in audio, PDF and video formats from three organisations which have been involved in the benchmarking process.

Innovate and integrate (2007)

What is innovation, how does it happen and how can an innovative practice become embedded into mainstream practice within VET?

The Framework’s Innovate and integrate website looks at models and practices in the embedding of innovation, examining characteristics of successful organisations, innovators and innovative practices. It provides an insight into the interrelationship of the many complex factors involved in the process of embedding innovation.

The Innovate and integrate, Embedding innovative practices research report investigated the stages of an innovation process, starting with an initial decision to engage (adoption), moving to spreading the work (diffusion), consolidating in utilisation (implementation) and culminating in embedding (integration as core practice).

Copyright Kitchen (2005-2008)

Emerging technologies are providing teachers and trainers with access to more information and resources than ever before, in more formats than ever imagined possible. However these new technologies also have new implications for copyright.

Copyright Kitchen focuses solely on copyright and intellectual property issues. It offers an interactive, user-friendly guide to the legal loopholes and pitfalls of copyright law.

Users can read about a number of copyright and intellectual property issues including the length of time copyright lasts and the costs involved for using copyright material.

For information about more of the Framework’s benchmarking and research resources, visit: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/research

For more information about the Framework, its products, resources and support networks, contact: (07) 3307 4700, email: enquiries@flexiblelearning.net.au or visit: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au

*Source: Council of Small Business of Australia, http://www.cosboa.org/webs/cosboa/cosboaweb.nsf/