To ensure that VET practitioners can continue to share knowledge and expertise about e-learning, this activity area will support and sponsor online events, networking activities and communities of practice across the national training sector. 

Receive up-to-date information via:
             

http://flexiblelearning.net.au/egems

To twitter any of the e-Gems sessions please reference to #egems

e-Gems series of web-conferencing sessions provide unique learning and networking opportunities that are free and require no registration. For more information and recordings of previous sessions visit: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/egems

National VET E-learning Strategy 2012 – 2015 funding opportunities

To view the recording or to download the PowerPoint presentations select the relevant links below:

Order of presentations:
First (15mins) – overview of the strategy - download PowerPoint presentation
Second (15mins) – NBN - download PowerPoint presentation
Third (15mins) – Partnership for participation - download PowerPoint presentation
Fourth (15mins) – Access to skills - download PowerPoint presentation
Fifth (25mins) – Industry system change - download PowerPoint presentation
•    Regional business
•    Peak bodies industries

Overview

Stimulating improved skills levels for the Australian workforce

Investment in the National Vocational Education and Training E-learning Strategy for 2012-2015 will stimulate innovative approaches to increasing participation in training and improve the skill levels of the Australian workforce...more

This session provided information on the five different funding opportunities that are now available for businesses, RTOs and community groups.

http://networksevents.flexiblelearning.net.au

Conference Site now archived!

This year's online conference 'e-learning a Realit-e' was a huge success, and now that the site has been archived, all recordings and resources are now available to the public.

Among the highlights of the 2011 conference were:

• ‘Moodle 2 – The Next Generation’ – the ongoing evolution of Moodle, how the new tools, options and abilities better address pedagogical shifts, and ideals of connectedness and sharing.
• ‘The Framework’s FLAG – the untold journey of the Australian Flexible Learning Framework’ - reflecting on how the Framework (the national e-learning strategy for VET) influenced the uptake of e-learning thus far, and looking into the future of e-learning...
• ‘Marching into the Future with Head, Heart and Hands’ – Nancy White wowed the audience by taking them on an interactive story of the importance that social media plays in our learning with and from each other.
• ‘After Trenching:  Australia’s Digital Future’ – Dr Genevieve Bell shed light on what the future roles of the National Broadband Network rollout could mean for us not only in terms of education but in our daily lives...
• ‘The Knowledge Tree Gems’ – a look at how some key contributions to The Knowledge Tree (an e-journal of learning innovation for the VET sector) have influenced learning innovation in national and global e-learning practice.

Other sessions included:

• Twitter for Educators – how educators can use Twitter in their teaching practice and how to leverage it for networked learning – the future of professional development.
• MishMe – the award winning Marvin/Mishme animation suite - the next generation for engaging education through avatars
• Engaging Youth using Technology – the research using technology to engage young people
• Simulation in Manufacturing Training – examples of simulation technologies in training.
• -5 years 2011 +5 years – the Horizon report predictions for innovative e-learning technologies
• Gadgets & Gizmos – an extremely interactive ‘choose your own adventure’ looking at the latest e-gadgets and gizmos included augmented reality technologies.

For session recordings and resources of this year's conference just follow these steps:

• Log into the conference site - http://flexiblelearning.net.au/networksevents
• Click on the Program tab
• Select the Title of the Session you would like to review
• Click on the “Enter’ button to open the recording of the session.

 We are looking forward to “Staying Connected in the Future”

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Recordings of all previous online conference sessions, including resources from the presentations are now available and can be accessed by clicking on the session TITLE of your choice under the PROGRAM tab on the conference site http://networksevents.flexiblelearning.net.au/   

Contact the e-events team at e-events@flexiblelearning.net.au  

The 2011 eGems sessions are now archived with recordings available:

Previous 2011 sessions recordings now available:

• Where can I find a training partner to support my business?'  - investigating the role of registered training organisations with business and industry to embed e-learning.

• ‘Strategies for implementing e-portfolios in VET’ with Allison Miller & Roger Stack – this was part of a 1 ½ hour face-to-face and online workshop involving group discussions on teacher/trainer, learner, employer/industry, and organisation considerations for implementing e-Portfolios.

• ‘Learning Objects:  Create, Reuse and Deploy for better teaching and learning online’ with Helen Lynch – a step-by-step instruction on creating, packaging and embedding learning objects.

• ‘Think Outside the Square with Moodle’ with Stephan Schmidt – a step-by-step demonstration on eliminating the ‘scroll of death’ in Moodle and clever use of ‘Book’ feature.

• ‘Copyright in Context’ with Vanessa Tuckfield – all things copyright especially digital media session also included host of links to useful resources.

• ‘Off and Racing... Top finish, Low Budget’ with Pam Woodward and Cindy Curran – an E-learning Innovations project showcased how the thoroughbred racing industry is using electronic resources, collaborative forums and virtual classrooms to deliver Cert III qualification.
 

Access recordings of these session and resources (from the right hand navigation link)

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 e-Gems SESSION RECORDINGS 
You can access the recordings and other resources of previous 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008 sessions on the e-Gems page (from the right hand navigation)

'Copyright in Context' 

This Community of Practice finished on 23 March, however you can join the group to view the discussions and issues raised.

Join this asynchoronous group

Copyright is a contextual subject, how it looks, acts, is treated and behaves is different for every industry. Copyright in graphic design maybe unrecognisable when compared to copyright in radio broadcasting. How then does an expert in their industry come to vocational education and balance teaching in their copyright context?

Since 2004, Vanessa has worked with the Framework to help Vocational Education and Training practitioners understand their legal obligations regarding copyright law. As part of this role she also developed and continues to update an online resource for vocational teachers called the Copyright Kitchen. She also currently works at the Canberra Institute of Technology as the Repository Manager, managing the repository of all digital learning resources.

Join this asynchoronous group to review the discussions on how copyright relates to your teaching context.

This discussion topic culminated into a live chat with Vanessa as part of e-Gems series, the recording of which is now available via the e-Gems page.

In 2010, two Communities of Practice opportunities were created to explore instructional design as well as virtual worlds and games for the online environment.

Know it, try it, do it? - Instructional design and the online environment

Framework’s Benchmarking and Research Project Officer, Melanie Worrall presented good instructional design approaches, how they can be applied in an online environment, what tools are available and how to appropriate theories for learners....join this group

Explore the Metaverse: Virtual Worlds and Games for Learning

jokay Wollongong and members of the Islands of jokaydia Community explored some of the ways educators from around the world are using spaces like Second Life, ReactionGrid, Quest Atlantis and World of Warcraft with their students... join this group

Creating an Engaging Group

This Group gives you the know-how for engaging particpants in your group, especially for professional development purposes... join this group 

Questions and Answers: This forum topic enables you to ask questions about the Interest Groups environement and to get answers!

ONE TIP for engaging others online: This forum has the purspose of sharing ideas on how to involve others in an online enviornment especially for the purposes of professional discourse.

Learning Objects Fan Club!

This is a group for online educators who are facinated by learning objects: making them, customising them, reusing them... join this group

NOTE: You must be logged into the site to post your comments!

The Knowledge Tree turns 21!

The Knowledge Tree: an e-journal of learning and innovation is celebrating 21 editions. 

Since 2002, The Knowledge Tree has been sharing the latest research and innovation in global e-learning practice with Australian vocational education and training (VET) practitioners.

Produced by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, The Knowledge Tree features peer-reviewed articles, ‘think-pieces’, case-studies  and interviews.

If you’re new to The Knowledge Tree, or haven’t visited this resource in a while, here’s a snapshot of what’s been happening:

2010 – Edition 21, Inclusivit-e, examined the role e-learning can play in addressing social inclusion targets as part of the national VET agenda. Edition 20, It’s e-asy being green, explored how e-learning can provide a model of training delivery that uses sustainable practices and helps to meet demand for green skills training.

2009 – Edition 19 focused on Exposing e-learning skill sets that are vital for VET practitioners in order to develop lively, interesting, informative and educational e-learning. Edition 18 examined how practitioners are Putting the learner in the driver’s seat using e-learning tools such as e-portfolios and point of view technologies.

2008 – How training organisations are using e-learning to inspire young learners was the focus of Edition 17, Youth learning the e-asy way. Edition 16, Partnering with industry to embed e-learning solutions, included cases studies and perspectives on using innovative business strategies and training provider–industry partnerships to encourage the use of e-learning and promote workforce productivity.

2007 – Edition 15, Making ground, looked at how changes in teaching practice are playing out in learner achievement. Edition 14, Connecting Intelligence, focused on how organisations can make use of web 2.0 technologies and open source tools to promote organisational learning. Edition 13, From the fringe, examined what’s happening in teaching and learning innovation outside of, and despite, the formal structure and systems of education.

2006 – Five editions were published, looking at a range of topics, including Tensions in the Convergence of e-Learning and e-Business (Edition 8) and Connecting with learners (Edition 12). The year 2006 also saw a series of editions focused on social, aural and communal learning (Editions 9-11).

Seven further editions of The Knowledge Tree covering a range of hot e-learning topics were released between 2002 and 2005.

Browse The Knowledge Tree website to read and download the articles, interviews and case studies for FREE! 

http://kt.flexiblelearning.net.au