ConVerge 2007 – Gordon Institute of TAFE – 2 Nov 07 – Geelong, Vic

John Mitchell, VET Strategist, JMA Consulting – Strategies for e-learning within whole of organisation change

- RTO with responsive strategies will rule VET = responsive RTO’s
- Kevin Harris – North Sydney of TAFE – ‘put his senior managers through 12 wk mktg course’ – RTO’s need to be client focused
- Francis Howes – Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE - Need to involve all levels of the organisation to embed e-learning in whole of organizational change
- Clint Smith – e- opportunity analysis tool – what benefits would you expect to gain by using e-learning? From the ConVerge Memory Stick – will be available on the upgrade of the Designing e-Learning website at: http://designing.flexiblelearning.net.au/. Helps you develop a Business Case


John Mitchell, VET Strategist, JMA Consulting – Identifying management skills for introducing and embedding e-learning in VET
- a responsive manager needs – a good understanding of educational delivery in all of its forms (f2f, flexible, blended etc), as well as contemporary business practices
- Types of ‘managers’ include: supervisory leaders, team leaders, heads of depts, educational managers, co-ordinators – leaders with budgetary control and minimal strategic directional influence
- Accelerated training/learning – shortened apprenticeships, 2 year uni degrees, RPL, recognizing informal learning
- Need to re-focus on COAG agenda – addressing skill shortages – we can’t compete with low skill/low salary jobs – China & India have this market – Australia needs to develop a high skilled market economy
- staff aren’t interested in learning new skills – unless there’s something in it for them – the age old ‘what’s in it for me?’ – Howard Errey’s response: “meaningful professional development and tools such as access to laptops, phones and even tablets”
- Francis Howes – Director – Sunshine Coast of TAFE – is a leader in change management in VET
- “VOMIT’s” – very old men in TAFE – are what’s holding up e-learning/innovation in TAFE
- Brad Beach – “industry/new staff to TAFE from industry – are much more responsive to change, and uptake of e-learning”
- who is industry? - who is asking for shortened apprentices? Some industries are saying NO - they want quality tradespeople

Vicki Rose, Teacher, North Melbourne Institute of TAFE – Gen Y social networking trial
- using www.message-media.com.au text message service (WebSMS) to text apprentices block training dates


Carole McCulloch – Innovate & Integrate
- based on Marie Jasinki’s research
- Case Studies, Wiki, Ripples Survey, Key Findings, 4 phase strategy, literature review & analysis
- is the e-learning approach the best way of delivering this content?
- what type of innovator are you?
- hand picking a team of change agents would be ideal
- Danny Allwood – Gordon Institute – was a writer for the Series 10 toolbox – Build Right – Cert IV in Bldg & Construction – Peter Verrion – Bendigo TAFE
- Rogers Innovation Attributes – template – use to help to effectively embed innovative practice

Plenary Session
Clint Smith (employer) and Brad Beach (tafe) – role playing – my staff need to learn how to do ‘mail merge’
- how ridiculous the TAFE structures are – large, inflexible, ‘hour-grabbing’ focused on ‘accreditation’