News and Reports

The Framework's E-standards for Training business activity has allocated funding to four emerging technology trials. E-standards for Training is focused on developing national standards to underpin essential e-learning infrastructure, conducting research into new technology areas and providing guidance materials and tools to support the effective use of emerging technologies.

The innovative trials will investigate:

• using e-portfolios (electronic portfolios) with web 2.0 social networking tools (Charles Darwin University, NT)
• developing innovative virtual teaching and learning spaces (Canberra Institute of Technology, ACT)
• trialling the use of video for remote assessment during workplace training  (TAFE Tasmania, TAS)
• creating a self-guided induction tour of an industrial workshop with mobile devices (Wodonga TAFE, VIC).

View the Today's new technology becomes tomorrow's e-learning press release/article in the latest Flex E-News for more detail.

The Framework's E-standards for Training business activity has a total of $80,000 available for up to 6 projects for registered training organisations (RTOs) to trial emerging technologies that may have wider applications in the national training system.

E-standards for Training is focused on developing national standards to underpin essential e-learning infrastructure, conducting research into new technology areas and providing guidance materials and tools to support the effective use of emerging technologies.

This document provides information for developing and customising e-learning content according to the national training system's e-learning standards (e-standards). These e-standards have been endorsed by the E-standards Expert Group on behalf of the National Senior Officials Committee (NSOC) for use in each state and territory.

The guidelines are aimed at anyone involved in the planning, management or development of vocational education and training (VET) e-learning resources. It is also applicable to those involved in customising existing content, including Flexible Learning Toolboxes (Toolboxes), and learning objects intended for LORN.

• VET e-learning content development guidelines in PDF (172KB) and Word (205KB)

The E-standards for Training business activity commissioned a survey aimed at documenting current Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and recognition of current competency (RCC) systems and tools throughout the Australian training system. The report makes recommendations for priorities of future work and advancement of technical standards and software tools for supporting RPL and RCC in the national training system.

The research was conducted based on recommendations of the Eportfolio report published in June 2007.

• RPL tools and systems survey in PDF (433KB) and Word (780KB)

The recommendations in this report will be considered as part of future work and collaboration with the AQTF. This report has been approved for release by the E-standards Expert Group.

The E-standards for Training and Access to Bandwidth projects have recently completed a study examining the use of innovative software applications across VET computer networks and firewalls. The aim of the review was to identify ways of achieving a balance between innovative e-learning practices and computer network security. For more information, refer to the E-standards computer network access page. Outcomes of this study include a report and accompanying documentation on commonly used e-learning applications:

• Finding the functional balance: The impact of computer network access and firewalls on e-learning [PDF 100KB] is a report which contains the findings from the study and explores ways of improving the adoption of technologies to support e-learning.
• Basic technical requirements for commonly used VET e-learning applications [PDF 236KB] is a list of commonly used software applications designed to help practitioners negotiate with IT staff for access to popular e-learning applications. It provides information on a range of applications and functionality including virtual classrooms, blogs, wikis, social bookmarking and other tools for creating and sharing knowledge in innovative ways.

This report has been approved for release by the E-standards Expert Group.

The E-standards for Training project has released a report on e-portfolio systems in the VET system. This report specifically focuses on e-portfolios to support transitions between training, other forms of learning, and employment. The study shows the potential for e-portfolios to provide a systematic, electronic method for learners to record and control access to evidence of their learning.

• VET E-portfolio report in PDF (325KB) and Word (1.24MB)

This report has been approved for release by the E-standards Expert Group.

The E-standards for Training and New Practices projects have developed a set of recommended standards for mobile learning (m-learning) content in the VET system:

• M-learning teacher and trainer guide in PDF (159KB) and Word (685KB) – for teachers and trainers using m-learning in the VET system
• Summary of recommended m-learning standards on the E-standards for Training website
• M-learning report in PDF (491KB) and Word (826KB) – This document is primarily aimed at technical users and contains detailed information on recommended m-standards.

These standards have been approved by the E-standards Expert Group for use in the Australian VET system.

The documentation for Vetadata has recently been updated to provide more information and support for people describing different types of content including:

• Adult and community education (ACE)
• State-accredited
• Mobile learning (m-learning).

If you are an existing user of Vetadata or are interested in finding out how Vetadata can be used in your organization, check the Vetadata page.

The VET Vocabulary Review report entitled "Vocabularies to support vocational and technical education" is now available and provides a comprehensive review of the use of VET vocabularies for describing resources. The report contains a number of recommendations to improve the use of vocabularies in the VET system

VET Vocabulary Review report available in PDF (488KB) and Word (549KB)

VET Vocabulary Review report (Word 549KB)

A response document has been drafted by the E-standards Expert Group and Resources and Innovation Program Management Committee:

VET Vocabulary Review response available in PDF (56KB) and Word (90KB)

Sustaining the Momentum – Directions for Interoperability in the VET Sector was commissioned by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework to review the progress of the Framework’s interoperability focus to date and recommend directions and strategies for the future. This report, researched and written Jon Mason and Helen Galatis of education.au, finds that the strategic approach to date has been effective, and identifies areas in which the scope should be broadened to accommodate new requirements and diverse stakeholder interests.

View the Sustaining the Momentum – Directions for Interoperability in the VET Sector report (PDF 525KB)

View the Sustaining the Momentum – Directions for Interoperability in the VET Sector report (Word 732KB)

The Flexible Learning Advisory Group (FLAG) has reviewed the report and agreed on a set of actions. The recommendations identified by FLAG as having high priority will form the basis of the Work and Finance Plan for the Framework’s E-standards for Training project in 2006.

View Flexible Learning Advisory Group - Agreed Actions in Response to the Interoperability Research report (PDF 99KB)

View Flexible Learning Advisory Group - Agreed Actions in Response to the Interoperability Research report (Word 125KB)