Introduction
Kathi is Chief Executive of ELAN Learning Options which is located in Tasmania.
Her 2002 Flexible Learning Project examined aspects of flexible learning that
were likely to make learning click with the small business sector - a client group
that is notoriously difficult to engage in the National Training Framework.

This article summarises the outcomes of Kathi's project. You can access the full resport by
selecting the link at the top of this article. To find out what Kathi is currently involved in,
select the link at the bottom of this article entitled - 'Kathi's 2003 Update'.

Professional Development Goals
Strategies
Online Masters unit, site visits, work with mentor, conference, networks

Outcomes
• Gained a sound pedagogical grounding to guide the development of ELO’s online
learning system
• Researched commercial and affordable resources, ways to encourage online
dialogue as good teaching practice, and ways to avoid duplication of effort
• Used research as a basis for ELO to form (methodically)
- its own system for online instructional design
- its own system for capturing and encouraging ideas for innovation
- a dedicated strategy and business plan to implement online VET services

Learning & implications
Summary of learning
To achieve its aim of lifelong learning for Australians, VET needs to embrace the
notions of bite sized integrated learning along with brokering as an intrinsic duty
of learning facilitators and designers

Specific implications
Training organisations need to:
• find ways to integrate the process seamlessly and painlessly into
people’s lives, not as segregated experiences
• enunciate for clients the learning that they are already achieving in their
everyday activities and also to structure short, valuable learning
episodes that can become part of daily routines, with no finite start or stop
point
• fits this into the current model of whole qualifications, funding

Practitioners need to:
• provide engaging and thought provoking exercises

Tools need to include:
• technological approaches such as learning objects and knowledge base

Instructional designers and learning
facilitators need to:
• undertake a brokering role to assist clients make decisions about the way
that they spread themselves over the information mountain

The future
• Use the full capacity of flexible learning to shape VET to mirror industry learning
models — don’t expect industry to mould to a standard VET model
• Use flexible learning only for good practice teaching
• Deliver flexible learning in much smaller, but well-designed chunks, that learners
feel they can achieve in short snatches of time
• Kickstart small business online learning with some professional development in
best use of internet learning
• Nationally, produce models of assessment that utilise online strategies to the full
capacity available electronically
• Undertake analysis of the EXACT elements of the learning experience and
question if face to face is indispensable for the ultimate learning experience
• Place focus on developing new and innovative models that better ensure online
learning is a complete model of quality learning in its own right

Kathi's 2003 Update
http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/leaders/fl_leaders/fll02/kathi_eland.htm
March 2003