Recordings are on the TAFE Connects website.

To continue the conversation on the eCommunities site:

You can also browse information on eCommunities – follow the links under Finding resources.

Does mobile learning have the potential to drive innovation in education and training? What are the characteristics of mobile learning that teachers need to know to design appropriately for mobile learning contexts? Join us for a discussion with Thom Cochrane, Academic Advisor and Senior Lecturer in Educational Technology at Auckland University, who argues rather than specialist technology skills, teachers need to understand the mobility of learners and how learning takes place beyond the classroom. Thom will share his research and learning from having implemented 35 mobile learning projects, exploring new learning spaces and ways of accessing information, communicating and collaborating in the real world.

How do I attend?

On Thursday at 12 Noon, point your web browser at this online meeting room address:

http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/tafeconnects <http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/tafeconnects>  

Log in with your DEC username and password – or just enter as a Guest.

Start the discussion now

Have you tried mobile learning? What did you do? Were students more active in their learning? How did it go? Post your experiences on the eCommunities forum at: <http://ecommunities.tafensw.edu.au/mod/forum/view.php?id=612>  at any time before or after the session.

You can also browse the mobile learning resources <http://ecommunities.tafensw.edu.au/course/view.php?id=80&topic=1>  on eCommunities.

To catch up on previous sessions

Past recordings are on the TAFE Connects website <http://ecommunities.tafensw.edu.au/course/view.php?id=99> .

This week’s session is: Creating, editing and sharing video

Video is a powerful teaching medium that appeals to many different student learning styles. Join us this week as we examine different ways that video can be used in teaching. We will explore how you can use videos found on the web in your training. We also look at tools and resources to get you started in making and editing videos and sharing them online.  

How do I take part?
On Thursday at 12 Noon, point your web browser at this online meeting room address:

http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/tafeconnects <http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/tafeconnects>

NOTE: We are now using Adobe Connect Version 8 – log in with your DEC username and password – or just enter as a Guest.

Can I catch up on previous sessions?
Recordings and resources are now available through our eCommunities website – follow the link on the front page to TAFE Connects: http://ecommunities.tafensw.edu.au/
 
TO LOG IN TO ECOMMUNITIES: Use your regular DEC Username (firstname.lastname) and Password. To learn more, take a look at the movie called “First time here?” on the eCommunities homepage. If it asks you to “Enrol”, go ahead – there are no assessments!

TAFE_Connects_Program_2011_Term3

This week’s session is: Facilitating effective forums

One of the key requirements for successful e-learning is to encourage online student participation. Forums can be a simple and effective way of achieving this 

 This seesion will take a look at strategies for facilitating effective forums.  Guest speakers are:

• Jane Lally, Learning Technology Officer, New England Institute. Jane will outline the four elements of an effective forum – Communication, Dialog and motivation, Group dynamics and leadership, and Knowledge construction. 
• Vicki Marchant, Manager Teaching & Learning Initiatives, Illawarra Institute. Vicki will demonstrate how she implements those four elements in her eLf course.
•  Alison Roberts, Teacher, Management & Small Business, Northern Sydney Institute. Alison will show how she uses forums for different learners in Project Management and Environmental Sustainability units.               

How do I take part?

On Thursday before 12 Noon, point your web browser at this online meeting room address:

http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/tafeconnects <http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/tafeconnects> 

NOTE: The session will be using Adobe Connect Version 8 – some features may look a little different. Log in with your DEC username and password – or just enter as a Guest. Allow yourself a few minutes to do the sound check.

Can I catch up on previous sessions?

Recordings and resources are now available through our eCommunities website – follow the link on the front page to TAFE Connects: http://ecommunities.tafensw.edu.au/

Just under 4000 items produced by the Centre for Learning Innovation and the Australian Flexible Learning Framework have been added to the TAFE-wide Learning Materials collection.

Each item includes comprehensive metadata and access to the resource content is via the View and Download links.

The View link can be used by teachers to link to the resource from a Learning Management System. Download links to a zipped version.

To access all the TAFE learning resources available in Equella:

Log in to Equella: https://share.tafensw.edu.au/share/

Click on the TAFE-wide Learning Materials collection

·         Adobe Connect go-live reminders and tips

·         LMS Trial for TAFE NSW Institutes

·         VLE Tools for Information Technology Training Package ICA11

·         Equella Certified training for TAFE NSW Librarians

·         TAFE NSW well represented at Moodlemoot au 2011

What effect will a fast, high capacity internet connection have on the delivery of vocational education and training (VET)?

The topic will be explored at the free online conference being hosted by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework on 8–10 June 2011.

The Australian Government claims by delivering a fibre to home connection, the NBN will:

• reduce the need to travel for education services
• allow local institutions to reach new markets and create new job opportunities
• offer better access to education and training resources for young people.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said it will “end the tyranny of distance between rural and regional Australia and our capital cities – it will literally change the way Australians live and work.”

View  e-learning a Realit-e draft program

Register online now (registration is a must, even if you have registered for previous free online conferences hosted by the Framework)

There was amazing support for the TAFE Connects program in Term 1. It introduced a whole host of teachers and TAFE staff to a myriad of options for e-learning.  Over six sessions, there were close to 450 attendees developing their capabilities.

The new schedule has been released commencing on Thursday 12 MAY @ 12 Noon and continuing every week at the same time until the end of term. Find it here.

Remember that you can always catch up on previous sessions – especially those that you missed from Term 1 – through the new ecommunities website accessible by clicking on the logo at the top of this post. Just sign in using your DET ID and password.

How do I take part in the live sessions?

http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/tafeconnects

Murder under the Microscope 2010
Get set for another eco-mystery game!

Sites2See: The Green Office and Green Skills
More on The Green Office Sites2See
More on Green Skills Sites2See

Environment Units
BSBSUS201A Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices

BSBSUS301A Implement environmentally sustainable work practices

BSBSUS501A Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability

Green Skills research Spotlight
This Spotlight from Education and Training Information Service (ETIS) features Green skills – Green collar workforce. Contains links to papers and other work done by Dusseldorp Skills Forum.

BUILDING OUR FUTURE

Fast tracking TAFE NSW          Products and Services

Riverina Institute Learning Technology Mentors Showcase

9 x 25 mins inspirational presentations by our RI Learning Technology Mentors in which they will provide:

·         A ‘snapshot’ of their projects

·        Real stories from a teacher’s perspective about their learning journeys

·         Impact of the project on their students

·         A demonstration of PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES that are read for sharing

·         An overview of any lessons learned during the life of the project

WHEN?  7 August 2009 8.45am to 2.40pm

WHERE? – Adobe connect Room:  http://webconf.det.nsw.edu.au/ltm09/

Click on the Enter as a Guest, type your name and select Enter Room

Registration:  Go to:  http://tinyurl.com/lspkd2

Equipment?    You can listen in using the speakers in your computer, however the sound will be much clearer if you use a computer headset and if you’re sharing an office space with other people, you won’t disturb them as you listen in.

Recommended headset:  Verbatim Premium Headset C2303 RRP $18.99

Digital Education Revolution NSW Go to http://www.tale.edu.au and search for:

• Getting started with laptops
• Laptop wraps
• Tools4U
• Leading my faculty
• Using laptops in my subject area – Curriculum K-12 workshops
• Teachers talk laptops
• TaLe and DER NSW
• Connected Learning Advisory Service (CLAS)

Site2See:  Reconciliation

A one-page guide to the people, processes, information and events around reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians, with links to music, video and digital resources. The page includes activities and syllabus information. More on Reconciliation

Building the future

A selection of interviews with young Aboriginal people in interesting careers and training. They tell their stories to inspire other Aboriginal students to complete HSC. Activities encourage reflection on their experiences and help students to set their own education and career goals. More on Building the future

Inspiration and Influence

This unit of work focuses on Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. The resource explores local and internationally renowned contemporary artists, artworks created in the past, and a non-Aboriginal artist who is influenced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture. More on Inspiration and influence

Health Mob

Meet a range of Aboriginal Health Workers in Health Mob, a resource designed for NSW TAFE. In the half hour documentary more than twenty health workers describe their work, its challenges and rewards. Topics include ear and eye health, diabetes, home visits and building trust and communication. There are also short clips on the clinical skills which are integral to Aboriginal health work. More on Health Mob

The Apology

Links to sites with video and audio information about the apology to Indigenous Australians by the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Shows personal stories about what happened to members of the Stolen Generations and links to activities for younger students, with a focus on reconciliation. Includes syllabus and curriculum links for schools and TAFE. More on the Apology

Recognition for Aboriginal Learners

This resource supports teachers/assessors and Aboriginal people to undertake skills recognition. It features interviews with teachers and Aboriginal people who, by telling their stories, outline approaches and strategies for successful skills recognition. More on Recognition for Aboriginal learners

image from http://lrr.dlr.det.nsw.edu.au/Web/HealthyRecords/

A new resource – Healthy Records: recording and reporting in health and community care.

Supports HLT07 Training package and encourages learners to engage in two types of health care documentation       •aged care       •acute care

Two ways of access:

Click here if already logged to DET/TAFE network ; or

Click here if not logged in then Select TAFE and type in ‘healthy records’

A related resource is the ‘Guide to learning resources’ to support the Cert III in Health Services Assistance

image by sridgway
Synopsis

Recording of Marie Persson, Deputy Director General TAFE & Community Education address to the 2008 TAFE Managers Association Conference held in Sydney @ the Novotel Hotel Sydney Olympic Park, 11 Sept.

Links

TAFE Managers Association Website

Macquarie Graduate School of Management

Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations DEEWR

MD Customer Connect Australia

TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute

Photos from the day

My PLE is customised to meet my needs and changes regularly as I discover new tools, and move onto new projects. This is the great power of having a PLE that is customizable and accessible. On the other hand virtual learning environments (VLEs) tend to be more locked down ie controlled by an organisation rather than the individual and so much less customisable. In teaching and learning many connect VLEs with learning management systems (LMSs) and think that by adding a wiki and blog this opens up the LMS to current web 2.0 technologies. This is not the case because the very nature of web 2.0 is to allow people to connect on the WWW. LMSs are locked down i.e you need a user name and password to join and are not visible on the open web so by their very nature prevent connecting. Although it can be argued that those within the LMS can better able to connect using this type of software. LMSs restrict who you can connect with so limits opportunities for learning. Although it could be argued that in some cases in learning environments this may be desirable. The other argument for VLEs is that we need to be able to record student learning in one place i.e the LMS but again it could be disputed that with personalised and flexible learning, student learning experiences and assessment will and should occur in multiple different environments e.g online, in the workplace, in the classroom etc. and so recording activity and assessment also needs to be flexible and captured in multiple ways.

Teaching and learning in the 21st Century is complex and multi faceted but it is also exciting and as educators we are only limited by our imagination. I am interested in your thoughts on this hot topic!

Julie

A blog is an online presence in the form of a personal diary or collaborative space. Since blogs were launched (only about 7 years ago) they have reshaped the web, impacted on politics and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with others. It is believed that over 50 million people are Blogging worldwide and this is increasing. Perhaps the reason for this is that they are very easy to create, and edit. In teaching and learning they can be used to create a virtual classroom very simply without having any skills in web development. Blogs were one of the first tools in the Web 2.0 revolution.

Web 2.0 is a term describing the trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to enhance creativity, information sharing, and collaboration among users. These concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities and applications such as wikis, blogs, and folksonomies (Wikipedia2008). Web 2.0 has changed how people use the web making it so easy to use with tools such as blogs and wikis. All you need is to be creative!

I hope you enjoy using this blog site and I look forward to watching how people use blogging as a teaching and learning tool to engage and stimulate learning.

Julie