Australian Flexible Learning Framework
All EditionsThe Knowledge Tree - An e-Journal of Flexible Learning in VET
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All editions Contents

Edition 01 Contents

Welcome to the first edition of the Knowledge Tree. In this edition we aim to:

  • provide a platform for sharing new ideas in flexible learning and leadership
  • keep learning leaders and practitioners up to date
  • promote the practice of flexible learning and leadership
  • facilitate flexible learning leader networking on a national and international basis.

Peer Reviewed Articles:

  • 'Beyond W3C: TruVision - Enhanced Online Learning for People Blind Or Vision Impaired' - Frank Bate writes about accessibility in the design of online learning environments
  • 'e-magine Online Campus: VET in Schools implementation' - Mick Chalmers describes the use of a mentoring model to implement change to online delivery (in a VET in Schools context)
  • 'Considerations for a Digital Repository' - Ralph Wirski et al. write on digital repositories for learning objects
  • 'The Evolution of the Flexible Learning Leaders Program' - Jenny Dodd explores leadership development through storytelling, metaphor and dialogue.

Critique:

  • Kate Fannon raises issues of aging teachers and Peta Pash considers the importance of collaborative assessment in 'Knowledge Builders - fresh thinking about learners and their teachers', ANTA 2002
  • Sally Drummond asks why cites the disadvantage faced by teachers is not mentioned in 'Access and Equity in Online Learning: Digital Divide', ANTA, 2001.

Download the original papers and the critiques.

Interviews:

National perspective

  • Cecilie Murray - The Le@rning Federation describes the schools sector's learning object approach to online content development

International perspectives

  • David Sloane and Scott Milne - Digital Media Access Group, Scotland and Cyndi Rowland - WebAIM, USA discuss approaches to accessibility and learning objects.
  • Sandy Smith and Claire Johnson - The Scottish University for Industry (UFI) - describe successes and learning experiences with LearnDirect.
  • Dr. Rachel Harris - Scottish Centre for Research into Online Learning and Assessment (Scrolla) - discusses her role in the international Online Tutoring Skills Project

2002 Conferences:

  • Access summaries and links to 2002 conferences in flexible learning.

Digital Storytelling:

  • Linda Smart explores her journey to life in TAFE frontiers

From the Branches:

  • Access reports from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory on activities in flexible learning during 2002.

Where are they now?

  • Find out what Sue Thompson and Peta Pash are doing, since being Flexible Learning Leaders in 2000.

Edition 02 Contents

Welcome to the second edition of the Knowledge Tree. In this bumper edition, we have focused on elearning as an international business venture, including consideration of the business improvement, partnerships, collaboration, web services and human resource implications required to satisfy such markets.

Peer reviewed articles:

  • Consider current barriers that restrict business improvement in Elizabeth McPherson's article on 'How are you Measuring you Teaching Time in Flexible Learning?'
  • Steve Hatch in 'Network Security: Issues for Online Education', outlines problems that currently face RTOs trying to communicate and collaborate, with clients and partners.
  • Grapple with Linda Smart's 'Validated Individual Learning Pathways' in a challenging view, from the future, of vocational education in Australia.
  • Leura Cathcart raises some issues to consider in 'Web Services, Portals and eXtensible Markup Language (XML) - An Organisational Perspective'. She considers how XML Web Services can strengthen knowledge management and communication within educational institutions, while improving services to internal and external clients.
  • 'Elearning in the WA Schools Sector: Lessons Learnt' by Jean MacNish and Dr. Sue Trinidad reports on two innovative e-learning and assessment projects undertaken in the Western Australia VET in Schools arena in 2002. They consider the key factors that enhanced or inhibited the success of the e-learning experience in retail training

Special Feature:

  • Read about Flexible Learning Toolboxes implementation in 2002

Critique:

  • Examine how to use elearning as a business improvement tool, through Lyn Ambrose's summary of Kaye Schofield's research into elearning in four large Australian companies.
  • Frankie Forsyth posits systemic, 'big picture' implications in her critique of the Australian Flexible Learning (AFL) Framework research into teaching and learning online.

Interviews:

  • Private Sector Registered Training Organisations (RTO) harness technology:
  • View an interview with Julie Boyd of Multiversity Digital, an educational export broker marketting educational products (including qualifications) internationally. You will be pressed to consider how a broker can help VET sector organisationa to work together and collaborate with other sectors, to service markets way too big for any single Australian RTO/university/school provider.
  • View Bernadette Harris' (Harris Bromly) reflections on e-learning in workplaces, from the perspective of a small innovative RTO going it alone.
  • View conversations with leaders Peter Robertson, Ken Gooding, Donna Hensley, Vicki Marchant, Marie Jasinski, Brad Beach, Claire Brooks, Leone Wheeler and Carol Hampton about innovation with communities and their collaborations in fee-for-service online facilitation training and virtual team work.\

Digital Storytelling:

  • View digital stories by Marlene Manto on online communities, Megan Funston on flexible learning with remote communities and Carole McCulloch on her Flexible Learning Leader journey.

2002 Conferences:

  • Access summaries and links to 2002 conferences in flexible learning.

From the Branches:

Access reports from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory on activities in flexible learning during 2002.

Where are they now?

  • Find out what Claire Brooks, Bev Childs, Marie Jasinski and Margaret Aspin are doing, since being Flexible Learning Leaders in 2000-2001.

Edition 03 Contents

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. Put the following URL into your aggregator: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/knowledgetree/edition03/site.rss

Peer reviewed articles:

  • Jo Balatti and Martha Goldman outline structural reforms required to improve student outcomes for Indigenous learners.
  • 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.
  • Karen Ho discusses learner perceptions of increased quality of learning, but decreased quality of teaching, with greater experience of a range of delivery strategies.
  • Chris Horton and Katie Scholten outline the issues facing regional Australia in the implementation of online learning.
  • Jo Murray explores the development of this ejournal, as an innovation in knowledge management/sharing.
  • Ian Robertson details a snapshot of some links between teaching principles and flexible learning practice.
  • Julie Woodlock calls us to engage in New Explicit Learning/Teaching for Everyone (NELE) to harness difference as a resource.

Critique:

  • Margaret Aspin casts her discerning eyes over the Australian Flexible Learning Framework Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Case Studies.

Learning Object Hot Spot!

  • Rod Savoie of the National Research Council of Canada has kindly critiqued the work of Australian leaders (Tim Hand, Peter Higgs and Sam Meredith) in the learning objects and digital rights management debate. Find out what a LOX is!

Interviews:

  • Vivienne Blanksby and Graeme Brownfield update us on the national Flexible Learning Toolbox initiative
  • Peter Coyne gives an insider's view of corporate e-learning at Crown Casino.
  • Flexible Learning for Small Business? View presentations by Kathi Eland and Barb McPherson, Flexible Learning Leaders in 2002.
  • Leone Wheeler discusses some recent developments in learning communities.
  • Martyn Wild talks about a brave new eLearning initiative from AMES Online.

From the Branches:

  • Access state reports from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria on activities in flexible learning during 2002.

Current Research:

  • View interviews about Applied Research projects with recipients Frank Bate and Linda Smart, Chris Howell, Reece Lamshed, Prue Madsen, Ellie Thompson
  • John Mitchell clearly outlines the real issues and challenges at the nub of the 'Emerging Futures: Innovation in Teaching and Learning in VET' research.

2003 Leaders Projects:

  • Over 40 Flexible Learning Leaders were funded in 2003. View a selection of them or download the summary of the whole group and their goals.

Edition 04 Contents

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Knowledge Tree - the e-Journal of Flexible Learning in Vocational Education and Training (VET). Read on for the latest e-learning practice, research and opinion in Australia.

Peer Reviewed Articles:

  • 'Blogging to Learn' - Anne Bartlett-Bragg describes the phenomena of blogging, the process of blogging and how it can be used to enhance learning.
  • 'Online adventures in the global world of e-learning - the musings of 3 'armchair' cultural explorers' - Louise Housden, Frankie Forsyth and Christine Bateman discuss cross cultural issues in e-moderation through reflection on their experiences e-convening in international e-moderation courses. Gilly Salmon introduces this article.
  • 'Watch this space: Developing a music/education partnership' - Dawn Bennett, Flexible Learning Leader funded in 2003, surfaces the pivotal role communities of practice (CoP) can play in ensuring that education and industry groups plan, teach and assess in partnership as she describes the establishment of the Australian Music Network CoP.
  • 'Real Time, Real Young, Real Smart.The use of the Internet for real time teaching with 5 to 8 year olds.' - Megan Hastie and Dr. Allan Palmer provide an inspired and refreshing insight into the possibilities for using information and communication technologies (Netmeeting) for individualised direct instruction in real time with young children. They describe highly motivated students, higher levels of cognitive function, enhanced memorisation of new concepts and an increase in attention span.
  • 'Developing the Diploma in Human Resources (HR) toolbox' - Barry Reeves, Sheevaun Gallacher and Kate Robinson describe the experience of developing an online learning resource, which integrates reusable learning objects with a case study, and piloting one unit in the Toolbox with enrolled students.

Critique:

  • Read Frank Bate's critique of the discussion paper 'e-Learning: emerging issues and key trends'by Dr John Eklund, Margaret Kay and Helen M. Lynch, developed to inform the decision making of the Australian Flexible Learning Advisory Group. Frank finds a number of problematic points, particularly the forecasted 'limited applicability in VET [of the learning object model]'(Eklund Kay et al.:30). The original paper is provided together with the Frank's critique. What do you think?

From The Branches:

  • View recent activities in Australian States and Territories. Reporters from Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania fill us in.

Interviews:

  • View our Feature Interview with Janina Gawler, the new Chief Executive Officer of the Australian National Training Authority. Hear her clear perspective on vocational education and training.
  • Find out how Open Source products like moodle can help you! Michael Chalk's interest in Open Source systems and learning management platforms lead him to interview Australians, Martin Dougiamis (developer of moodle) and Marty Cielens (user of moodle) as part of his Flexible Learning Leader research in 2003.
  • View Alison Gotts outlining new approaches to e-learning professional development (Diploma in E-learning) in the context of the last ten years of flexible learning innovation in vocational education and training.
  • View Nola Campbell in discussion with Janice Anderson and Elizabeth McPherson on Role Playing and Open Source.

Current Research:

  • Update on the Applied Research projects funded under the Policy and Research program of the Australian Flexible Learning Framework with Project Manager Kate Fannon.
  • Follow up the New Practices research projects and hear from:
  • Myree Russell, Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) on Building Communities - Managing Community Content
  • Barbara Roszkowski, Onkaparinga Institute of TAFE, on Competitive Manufacturing education via a project centred learning strategy
  • Tim Hand, Sam Meredith and Peter Higgs, Open Training and Education Network on a Framework for rights enabled learning object exchange trial
  • Steve Fisher, Centre for Innovation & Development, TAFE Queensland on an XML Educational Tool Suite for Peer-to-Peer Collaborative Learning Environments
  • Shaun Crispin, Tropical North Queensland TAFE on a Fishing Industry Trial
  • Merv Edmunds, Corangamite District Adult Education Group Inc on Avec Esprit: creating curricula options for improved learning and enhanced work and life prospects for young people
  • Dorothy Lucardi, Central Australian Remote Health Development Services, on Online Learning for Healthy Communities
  • Pauline De Vries Douglas Mawson Institute of Technology on Port-Ability: Integrated Learning Options, Skilling people, growing business, building community
  • Theo Kavadias and Joan Salmon Holmesglen Institute of TAFE on a Just-In-Time Learning Assistant

Good News Stories:

Check out the Good News Stories segment outlines some highlights of the NET*Working 2003 conference.

2004 Call for Contributions!

We have 2 editions planned in 2004 and we are registered with the Department of Education Science and Training (DEST)! If you wish to contribute, view our guidelines and review criteria at http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/knowledgetree/edition03/html/submit.html

Contact the editor on: jomurray@southcom.com.au