From the Editor

Welcome to the third edition of the Knowledge Tree – the e-Journal of Flexible Learning in Vocational Education and Training (VET). We’ve refocused this, our August 2003 edition, on:

• innovation in leadership
• teaching and learning
• research
• an improved web presence and knowledge management strategy to encourage greater interaction between leaders in flexible learning.

If you’re into RSS, the e-Journal now has an RSS feed.

We hope you will be easily able to:

• find articles and interviews of interest through a better navigation system
• create new knowledge through our ‘discuss’ blog which is attached to each menu item.

Don’t forget our ‘Reward a Writer’ competition. You are invited to vote, until 31 August 2003, for the best peer reviewed article of our first three editions. The hard working author receiving the highest number of votes will be rewarded with a free NET*Working 2003 registration.

Highlights

§ John Mitchell clearly outlines the real issues and challenges at the nub of the Emerging Futures: Innovation in Teaching and Learning in VET research.

§ Rod Savoie of the National Research Council of Canada has kindly critiqued the work of Australian leaders in the learning objects and digital rights management debate. Find out what a LOX is!

§ Margaret Aspin casts her discerning eyes over the Australian Flexible Learning Framework RTO Case Studies.

§ Margaret Barron describes her experiences of intensive role-playing with standard discussion and chat software. Marg's strong social justice ethic is evident both in her dedication to enervating learning with lifelike experiences and in her generous modelling of ways to use commonly, freely available, tools to do so.

§ Julie Woodlock calls us to engage in New Explicit Learning/Teaching for Everyone (NELE) to harness difference as a resource.

§ Chris Horton and Katie Scholten outline the issues facing regional Australia in the implementation of online learning.

§ Jo Balatti and Martha Goldman outline structural reforms required to improve student outcomes for Indigenous learners.

§ Ian Robertson details a snapshot of some links between teaching principles and flexible learning practice.

§ Karen Ho discusses learner perceptions of increased quality of learning, but decreased quality of teaching, with greater experience of a range of delivery strategies.

§ Peter Coyne gives insider's view of corporate e-learning at Crown.

§ Jo Murray explores the development of this ejournal, as an innovation in knowledge management/sharing.

§ Martyn Wild talks about a brave new eLearning initiative from AMES Online.

§ Leone Wheeler discusses some recent developments in learning communities