Mental Space - $39.95
Tina Konstant ;Morris Taylor
ISBN 1843040166
Format PaperBack
Category Motivation - Business and Management
Publisher Pearson Professional Education
Publication Date 28-Jun-2002
Pages 214
more at http://www.pearsoned.co.uk/bookshop/detail.asp?item=100000000016213
Some of the ANTA documents that have moved to the DEST website for employers about new apprentices.
link to website
from Steen Elsborg, Learning Lab Denmark
"the workplace is primarily special as a learning arena due to its overriding focus on optimising the output. The informal learning takes place in a context where the ultimate goal is to produce a certain product as efficiently as possible." and "According to the consortium’s findings, there are two ways an organisation can strengthen the informal learning:
1. In terms of quantity by optimising the opportunities for informal learning in the daily work.
2. In terms of quality by highlighting the process and facilitation of conscious reflection on the daily practice. "
link to website
from George Siemens
"Informal learning is too important leave to chance. But why don't we have theories that provide guidelines (I imagine "steps 1, 2, and 3" approaches would be a bit at odds with informal learning) to designing in these environments? Or is the notion of informal learning to vague (free spirited?) and applying increased design is an effort in futility?"
after the post a conversation emerges which tackles the matter further.
link to website
from BBC News
"Digital technology is providing people with the tools to produce and share content like never before, and it is set to throw the relationship between them and institutions into turmoil, say experts.
"I am predicting 50 years of chaos," says leading digital thinker Clay Shirky. "Loosely organised groups will be increasingly given leverage."
and...
At a time when companies are grappling with how to make cool new stuff, it is the rising tide of creative collaborators working through the channel and tools of the net that is showing the way ahead.
"It is when the net combines with these passionate consumers that you get the explosion of creative collaboration," says Mr Leadbeater.
"Out of that you get the need for better organisations; how do you organise yourself without organisation?"
"For the first time since the industrial revolution, the most important means and components of core economies are in the hands of the population at large," explains Yale Law professor Yochai Benkler.
and...
What these power tools enable is the ability for people with small ideas to make them real, share them, and let them grow.
link to website
from George Siemens' Connectivism Blog
"I'm trying to wrap my head around how learning objectives became the de facto approach to learning design (in particular in elearning). Almost all training and learning design begins with a "learning objective" - a clear, concise statement of what the learner will be able to do after exploring the content. Most resources for developing learning objectives include a lengthy list of appropriate verbs useful in crafting the objective. These verbs, coupled with specific criterion, conditions, and standards, are central to writing "good" objectives.
Is there another way? Do we have the wrong view of designing? Instructional designers assume that learning will occur in a course-based format. Yet our learning occurs in a rich environment of diverse experiences - email, conversations, communities, workshops, tutorials, seminars, etc. If instructional designers remain focused on the narrow subset of designing for courses, they will quickly usher themselves into irrelevance."
link to website
From Knowledge Lab, Denmark, comes some streaming video interviews and a lecture by Etienne Wenger on learning, social learning theory, communities of practice and developing competence. Click on the topics listed on the page to view the video.
link to website
From Knowledge Lab, Denmark, comes some streaming video interviews and a lecture by Etienne Wenger on learning, social learning theory, communities of practice and developing competence. Click on the topics listed on the page to view the video.
link to website
I can see Elgg being a really useful tool for someone wanting to start a community site, or where online presences persist beyond the boundaries of a course. This could be great alternative to trying to use a LMS as a community tool, given that community is built in from the word go.
from the elgg website
What is the purpose of Elgg?
"Elgg has been developed to serve as a stand alone personal learning landscape or as a complimentary addition to existing learning environments. The emphasis with Elgg is very much on the learner. Elgg looks to give learners the means to control and own their own development and growth through the use of everyday web technologies.
Elgg's initial concept was as a different type of e-portfolio, developed to contrast most current e-portfolio systems which are nothing more than form filling exercises to satisfy institutional requirements.
However, as the system has grown and developed (thanks to huge user input) Elgg has morphed into what we have coined a personal learning landscape. This learning landscape provides learners with the ability to control their own learning through the creation of their own online learning communities (both formal and ad-hoc), connection to other learners and resources, reflective potential, information gathering and sharing."
What’s in it for me? Recognition of Prior Learning in enterprise based registered training organisations
NCVER report by Kaaren Blom, Berwyn Clayton, Andrea Bateman, Marie Bedggood and Elvie Hughes
This report focuses on recognition processes within enterprise RTOs (rather than recognition within public or private RTOs who have training and assessment as their core business). Six enterprises participated in the research, all medium-to-large enterprises.
Goals and Outcomes
· All enterprises “had as their ultimate goal, improved productivity and enhanced business practice.” P 5
· Many of the enterprises which participated in the research had used recognition in response to a certain event eg change in legislation, quality certification, ISO accreditation, perceived staff skills shortfall, enterprise becoming an RTO. After an initial period of high demand for recognition services, demand stabilised. The impetus was invariably business focussed. P 11-13, 17
· Where organisational development, team building, cultural change or change in practice are needed, enterprises favour training over recognition. Recognition tends to maintain the status quo. P 16-17, 26
Practice and Process:
· Most enterprises offered some supports and services to recognition candidates including information sessions, printed information and guides to candidates, recognition workshops, provision of evidence requirements and exemplars, and meetings between candidates and assessors. P 6, 18
· Not all enterprises agreed on the value of guidelines and checklists to help candidates prepare for assessment. One enterprise provides detailed checklists whereas another felt this practice had lead to influencing candidates to using the portfolio methodology even where it was not appropriate. P 16
· Training needs need to be identified at the local level as people with the same job title can often be performing quite different roles. P14
· Some enterprises supported the recognition process through their intranets eg assessment matrix, self assessment forms etc. P 15
For Employees: Positives and Negatives
· Skills recognised and certified p 19 – mobility for workers with nationally recognised qualifications and being competitive in recruitment processes internally.
· Flexibility in the process
· Identify skills gaps (p6)
· Support for the candidate is critical to the success of the program. Confusion about the process was a barrier for candidates. P 19-20
· Some enterprises made limited time available to candidates, although time required to participate in the recognition process was cited as a major deterrent to undertaking further recognition. P 20
· Training was sometimes the preferred option even where employees already had skills p 21
For Employers: Positives and Negatives
· Recognition can lead to IR issues – people asking to volunteer to assess, recognition being linked to pay points etc. P 9 and XX
· Recognition is often a subset of a business’ quality activities P 17
· One benefit for enterprises from the recognition process is the uncovering of the existing skills of the workforce. In addition the learning culture within enterprises has been strengthened. P 6, 18
· Middle managers were found not to promote or understand recognition unless they themselves had experienced it. P 18
· The role of local trainers and assessors is “vital in actual implementation of training policy” within large organisations. P 14
· Recognition appeared to be more closely integrated with training and assessment as a whole than in non enterprise RTOs P 14-15
Conclusion:
“For the enterprises in this study, recognition is seen as a financially sound strategy for enhancing business practice and improving productivity. It offers managers a clearer picture of existing workforce skills and lessens the potential for delivery of unnecessary training. The complexity or apparent complexity of recognition processes, however, remains the major barrier to ready and extensive uptake by employees. For some, just as with some learners in other vocational education environments, training rather than recognition will always appear the more attractive option.” P 21
link to website
via Leigh Blackall
Casting the Net Podcast: AUSTAFE Conference 2005 - David Wilson, Developing Partnerships with Industry - really enjoyed listening to David talking about Optical Dispensing Industry partnerships and impact on the training that he runs in many parts of Australia and New Zealand. You have to listen carefully to hear the questions from the audience, this section really adds value to the presentation.
Thanks to the Casting the Net Learnscope Project for recording and making them available!!! I took a bit of time to get around to listening to these but very worthwhile.
Elephant Talk: Eno's Oblique Strategies
New Territory: Adding Video to Online Learning Offerings
By Ed Mayberry (Learning Circuits)
"Here are key questions to ask when using of streaming video for online learning.
Streaming video can be an effective component of online delivery. If properly used video components can improve the quality of online learning by offering learners to view processes, procedures, and examples."
link to website
from the BBC
"Computer Tutor is a resource for people who don't know how to use a keyboard, mouse or computer screen.
If you're a friend, family member or tutor helping someone learn, all you need to do is choose your connection speed and start the resource. That's it!
Computer Tutor presenter Amani is then on hand to take computer novices from start to finish
step-by-step.
Sit back and watch as Computer Tutor teaches all the skills they need to use a computer."
link to website
from Leigh Blackall
two tools - one to make movies and one to make comics.
2005 Minister's Awards for Excellence - Employers of New Apprentices
"The award winners were announced on Monday August 1, 2005. Now in their fifth year, these awards represent a great opportunity for all businesses to be recognised for their important work in providing training opportunities to local communities. "
Each winning employer has a 2 page pdf that links to the benefits of training, why they use new apprentices, and several of the case studies also include stories from new apprentices. These could be a useful tool to use in discussion with teaching teams about what businesses see as important and adding value to their business.
link to website
by Colin Mc Cullough writing in webpronews
"So what are the obstacles to making elearning happen in SME's
Firstly I believe that people are ready to learn when they realise that they don't know something that they need to know in order to accomplish a goal they wanted to approach. Thus there is little use in a philosophy of one size fits all, To date most elearning has been an attempt to put books on computers interrupted by a multiple choice test, The advocates of elearning have not spent time trying to understand how the new medium changes the educational experience. They are simply trying to replicate what is there now while leaving out some of the important parts such as the teacher. The value of a computer may seem at first to be its ability to deliver information anytime anywhere but its value in education is much more important. When the air flight simulator was invented what was important was not the fact that it could be used in any remote location. It enabled pilots to learn to fly without risk and to accumulate the experience but not be harmed by it."
"Crocodile Physics is a simulator which lets teachers and students model physics experiments on-screen.
There are over 100 electrical components, with the basic ones available as pictures. Optical components include lenses, mirrors, prisms and screens. The powerful new force and motion parts let you investigate collisions, acceleration, velocity, energy & much more. You can also look at oscillations, SHM and hookes law. The waves simulation covers transverse & longitudinal waves in different media. Finally, the graphing tools let you plot results from your simulations."
this is aimed at Yrs 7-12 but may be useful for basic electrical principles and concepts.
a resource bank from FERL in the UK which includes some interesting items. Arranged by subject areas.
From a quick read some of these may prove useful for a resource development project I'm working on.
American Red Cross - Decision-Making Skills for Young People-- Health and Safety Tips
Make-Up Your Mind -- Improving Your Decision-Making Skills
Decision Making Techniques and Decision Making Skills - Mind Tools
Decision making skills and techniques guide
"edublogs.org is a no-profit adventure into providing free WordPress blogs and hosting for teachers, students, researchers and writers who are interested in education.
It's really very simple. If you want a blog you can create one here and enjoy it for as long as you want.
Our initial upload limit is 10MB per user and unlimited posts although we're trying to upgrade that upload limit to somewhere near 'unlimited' as soon as possible. In the meantime ourmedia might be a good place for you to visit)"
from James
How you SHOULD use blogs in education and How NOT to use blogs in education
Building Industry Training Networks by John Mtichell for RTF
"This report on networks in the vocational education and training (VET) sector expands on
all of the above features of networks. The networks described in this report provide the VET sector with models of how to effectively build networks that impact positively on the individuals and organisations involved, as well as assisting with the implementation of the national training system. The networks described in the report also attempt to meet challenges that are commonly faced by networks, such as continuously providing value for all members."