Tag Archives: Learning Materials

elearning, ESC515, INF541

Instructional Software for Construction Pathways (VET)

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The Certificate II Construction Pathways program largely consists of 16-18 year old males with high levels of disengagement with paper-based learning that have a preference for practical, ‘hands on’ activities. I have focused on this learning area to seek out resources for the Instructional Software 5 areas as outlined by Roblyer (2013).

In the VET sector we have been fortunate that the National VET eLearning Strategy funded a large amount of resource development that align to various curriculum documents.

Drill and practice; Tutorial; and Problem Solving.

Flexible learning Numbers Toolbox
Flexible learning Numbers Toolbox

 

Numbers toolbox

http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/series14/14_01.htm

This is a multilayered resource that actually comprises of all the Instructional Software areas. It deals with numeracy with a focus on Certificate II in Construction Pathways to ensure students have an appropriate skill level in numeracy as outlined by industry. Within the toolbox there are drill and practice activities that if you house in a Learning Management System such as Moodle can track the students’ progress as these are all SCORM learning objects that report through to the grade book.

Note this is an interactive learning simulation which I am classing as a serious game that will support the construction trades.

 

 

 

Simulation

The White Card Game - entry page
The White Card Game – entry page

 

The white card game

http://www.whitecardgame.com.au/

Aimed at CPCCOHS1001A – Work safely in the construction industry

This is an excellent ‘off-the-job’ simulation that works them through critical choices within a workplace context in terms of safety.

It can become a little click here to level up but it is worthwhile for a lower level VET qualification to support students who are new to the workforce.

 

 

 

 

Instructional game

Estimating and Costing interactive game.
Estimating and Costing interactive game.

 

Estimating and costing carpentry jobs

https://nationalvetcontent.edu.au/share/page/document-details?nodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/dfe8d668-bf05-4542-84ce-029915092f7c

This game has the user work through measuring a deck to work out the cost of the timber needed to replace the decking boards for the customer. It particularly good for low literacy and numeracy level students working in the construction area.

 

 

The Certificate II Construction Pathways program lends itself to a blended delivery approach, in-particular when students have block release to a Registered Training Organisation. These e-learning resources a supportive and provide valuable underpinning knowledge that the students do require when they are on work placement. These resources could also be used in a ‘Flipped Classroom’ (Sams and Bergmann, 2013) style class format which lends itself to having the student work through formative activities at home prior to working with the teacher in the classroom to ensure that while on block release the students use their teacher class time to greatest advantage.

References

Nationalvetcontent.edu.au,. (2006). National VET Content:Estimating and costing carpentry jobs. Retrieved 20 January 2015, from https://nationalvetcontent.edu.au/share/page/document-details?nodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/dfe8d668-bf05-4542-84ce-029915092f7c

Roblyer, M. (2013). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Harlow: Pearson.

Sams, A., & Bergmann, J. (2013). Flip Your Students’ Learning. Educational Leadership, 2013, Vol.70(6), P.16-20, Vol.70(6), p. 16-20.

The White Card Game,. (2013). The White Card Game. Retrieved 20 January 2015, from http://www.whitecardgame.com.au/

Toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au,. (2015). Flexible Learning Toolboxes – Numbers 14.01. Retrieved 20 January 2015, from http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/series14/14_01.htm

elearning, ESC515

Western Australian – lesson planning and free resource sites

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Example Moodle site design
Example Moodle site design

In Western Australia there are government divisions setup to support professional learning for both K-12 teachers and VET practitioners for both ‘traditional teaching’ and e-learning. Some very useful sites are listed below.

We have been very fortunate with funding and careful planning which has meant that have been many initiatives setup that support teachers and trainers in Western Australia.

K-12 resource sites for WA

Aboriginal education lesson plans and resources –

http://www.det.wa.edu.au/aboriginaleducation/apac/detcms/navigation/lesson-plans/?oid=MultiPartArticle-id-9197505

Curriculum council internet resources –

http://www.ceo.wa.edu.au/home/carey.peter/cfi4.html

VET resource sites for WA

Department of Training and Workforce Development various resources that relate to VET in Australia with a Western Australian focus on National initiatives –

http://www.vetinfonet.dtwd.wa.gov.au/Pages/Home.aspx

Sector Capability Moodle site is the Department of Training and Workforce Development free online resource centre that supports e-learning in the VET sector in Western Australia.

http://elss.dtwd.wa.gov.au/

WestOne Services free learning object repository (professionally developed resources for mainly the VET sector) –

http://tle.westone.wa.gov.au/content/access/home.do

Of course those these resources are available online does not mean I am endorsing their content, the mapping of resources, currency or the authenticity of the lesson plans or resources. It is always useful to take the prepared lessons and review them to your own context through methods outlined in documents such as Planning to teach an ICT lesson (Simmons & Hawkins, 2009).

References

Simmons, C.c & Hawkins, C. (2009). Planning to teach an ICT lesson. In Teaching ICT (pp.54-105). London; Sage Publications Ltd.

Augmented Reality, elearning, ESC515, Flipped classrooms

Short look at Yvette and my education background

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Yvette emailing from mobile
Yvette hard at work – emailing clients

Welcome and thanks for taking the time to look at my first blog post for ESC515 – Classroom Technologies

As you will be able to see this blog has formed part of my learning journey through the Master of Information and Communication Technologies (Education) and holds a wide variety of information on topics relating to education and elearning.

I started out as a high school teacher, with English, Drama and Music as my major study areas. I moved into the international film and theater industry where I worked on many famous faces and enjoyed the exciting years that this work area provided. I was offered the opportunity to lecture at Edith Cowan University in WA at WAAPA which was fantastic and renewed my interest and enthusiasm in teaching once more.

While working in the theater and film industry I maintained an interest in education and ran a small training organisation as part of my film company to up skill my employees and to teach as a special guest artist in high schools around Western Australia.

I was offered a position in a large WA TAFE in 1999 and worked as a casual lecturer/facilitator for them for over 10 years. This was around the time that the organisation was moving baby steps into the world of elearning. As I was working casual while running my own company I negotiated to become one of the first facilitators to offer online classes to my students. My first student groups were made up of mature aged ladies wanting to return to the workforce as teacher assistants, many of these people had very low computer skills and minimal experience in learning. Together we forged the new frontier together and had an amazing group learning experience.

From this first group a huge amount of students followed all having a unique and interesting experience ineffectively using an online classroom. From this wealth of experience I became a Learning Technology Mentor in the TAFE and helped other facilitators move into the elearning space using Learning Management Systems, podcasting, vodcasting etc way before it became mainstream. I was seen as cutting edge and ‘out there’ by my fellow facilitators.

I was offered a role presenting professional learning sessions for elearning and project managing the build of elearning resources for the WA VET sector for the Department of Education and Training, which has since become the Department of Training and Workforce Development. I was fortunate enough to become a project leader for the Australian Flexible Learning Framework and the National VET elearning Strategy (NVELS) which saw me working across Australia with the implementation of elearning in Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) in the VET sector.

With the demise of the National funding the NVELS the WA team (all three of us) still present training and consultations across WA, but also online sessions that anyone can access.

It is a fun and very challenging environment and with the ever changing landscape of technology it is amazing that I have a job that allows me the ‘play’ and the teach other how to use cutting edge technology such as Augmented Reality in their training spaces and to help people how technology can fit within a classroom using a blended or flipped approach no matter the circumstance.

This is an exciting time to be an educator and I am really looking forward to working with you all over the summer.