Robin Wilde’s Building and Construction workgroup have received a second round of Learnscope funding. Robin gives his opinions on whether trades courses can be delivered online and offers tips to other trade area managers who are thinking of giving it a go.

Welcome to the Community Robin!

Your Building and Construction workgroup has just received its second round of LearnScope funding. How are they building on the skills they have developed?

The key players in the team, ie Brian Gepp, Roger Parry and Phil Wilson are mentoring a number of staff through a process of up skilling to suit the needs of being an online mentor.

This process is one that will enable lecturing staff to understand what is required of them in becoming the link person for students who are addressing online modules. The staff are also learning about the modules through the eyes of the user.

At the same time we are working with a web developer to help us further refine our online competencies in liaison with Brian and the appropriate staff with content expertise.


Some people have said that an online learning environment is unsuitable for trade-based training? What has been your experience?

There are a number of concerns with the whole issue of online learning; of particular note is the differing opinion in various quarters as to the real value of pure online learning.

Essentially we take into account that people learn at different rates and require different circumstances to encourage learning. With this in mind, I believe that there is scope for integrating the many forms of delivering education and that we should design our resources to include various methodology.

I believe that online learning in isolation is not the best environment for learning a Trade subjec, but has value in assisting with the learning process particularly in relation to underpinning knowledge and assessment.

If we integrate online learning resources, developed both in-house and externally, with CD-ROM material that can either stand-alone or interact with the online resources, we will have a very good mix of methodology for student learning. Coupled with this could be some face-to-face interaction with lecturers and/or site-based trainers.

I still believe we have a fairly large portion of our society who prefers to interact with other people for their learning and we must give credence to the human need to interact with their peers as much learning happens within this environment.

I am not trying to suggest that online learning has very little application; on the contrary, it is going to be a powerful tool in delivering information, even in the Trade areas, so long as we ensure that we do not see it as a panacea of all our problems. What it will allow us to do is to have access to people who are not able to attend due to distance problems. We will need to ensure that in the case of Trade skills we incorporate well structured industry links to enable much of the practical application that the underpinning knowledge supports to occur in the workplace. In the case of students and employers who prefer attending to pick up their skills we can put together a good mix of face to face and online (in-house) as well as enabling access to learning externally. There is much work to be done here but we are definitely well on the way to addressing many of the issues.


What impact has LearnScope had on accelerating flexible learning options for your staff and students in Building and Construction?

It has been dynamic and without it I think we would really be floundering. It certainly helps to have a core group of staff who are willing to put in the effort. The staff must be congratulated in their positive attitude to this project. I am not too sure where we are at in regards to students as we are in the first stages of trialling. I must also add that even with the LearnScope support it is a very hard road to address being productive as required to deliver the Educational Program as well as being proactive in addressing the needs of technology it is still very expensive in both resources and time. We also tend to move much slower than we would like due to many constraints within the arena we work in.


What role do Managers have in ensuring that outcomes of professional development programs like LearnScope are sustainable?

If the Manager does not have vision and gives 100% support to the staff and the project it will basically stall. Even with my support it takes quite some time. I also assist where I can by attending some of the various LearnScope functions the Staff put on. To try to add value to their work I have offered my services in proofing the material generated and have employed a part time person from MindMedia to work in coordinating the material being generated into a workable resource.


How important is it for managers to have hands on experience in the electronic environment?

It is not essential if the team has the appropriate skills, but is a definite advantage in encouraging the process and knowing what they can do to add value to this process. I also find I can advise on aspects of the project because of my background in this area. At the very least the Manager should understand what online learning entails.


What is your vision for technology enhanced flexible learning for Building and Construction at Douglas Mawson Institute?

To have a suite of resources including; online, CD-ROM, Powerpoint and paper-based material as well as effective links between them all. This must be supported effectively by flexible lecturing staff who are able to deliver within this environment, which must also include the necessary application of practical skills as well as workplace training and assessment.


What tips do you have for managers in trades areas who are considering moving online as part of their flexible delivery options?

Don't try to do it all at once, but do aim for an outcome that has usability, even if as an in-house resource in the first instance. It would be worth trying a unit of Competence or Topic first then perhaps aim for a package of resources that aim towards a low level Certificate.

Actually it is hard to advise when you are really testing the water yourself. One thing I can say is, if you don't have staff who support the project, who you in turn support, then it most likely won't go far.