Vocational education and training: Can ICT enhanced learning and teaching help?

Image via Wikipedia

The Vocation Education and Training (VET) Sector, for those who are not sure, "prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation". In New Zealand the VET sector is in part serviced by 39 Industry Training Organisations (ITOs), as well as by Polytechnics, Private Training Establishments, and Wananga.

A couple of the key points that make it necessary to think creatively when considering ICT enhanced learning and teaching (ICTELT) and the VET sector include meeting the needs of these learners who will, like all learners, have a variety of learning preferences, but may also face literacy, language and numeracy challenges, and life and work commitments. These same learners are likely to also have a rich range of skills (both formal and informal) and need a way to capture their prior learning and experience (click HERE to watch a student speak about Recognition of Prior Learning - RPL). If  ICTELT is seen as a positive way of assisting learners to learn creatively, however, then these are also the students and trainees, who are likely only to have limited access (at best) to connectivity and technology. On top of all these factors is the culture that is often prevalent in industry where learning 'virtually' at a distance or in a blended course is perhaps not seen as feasible or effective (click here to download a report from 2008 around the New Zealand context entitled "Using e-Learning to build workforce capability: A review of activities", and for comparison a report about small businesses and eLearning in Australia in 2008).

Civil Engineer Students at Dubai Men's College

Nevertheless, times are changing, and with them is increased access to broadband (see for example the National Broadband map for NZ and click this link for an explanation why bandwidth is important), personal ownership and use of computer(s) and mobile phone(s) is increasing (click here to see the 2009-2010 statistics), a greater awareness that 'soft' skills such as critical thinking, as well as social and communication skills are as important as the key competencies required to be effective in a specific career.
Flexibility and meeting learning needs and preferences, while making learning accessible to as many people as possible are key factors, and ICTELT and well-designed blended and distance courses appear to offer the potential to work towards these ideals.

This resource provides links to a few examples and case studies of ICTELT use in VET, in particular from Australia where there is a massive initiative in this sector see for example the Australian Flexible Learning Framework who have a massive range of resources, events, research, case studies, reports, training and ideas). There are also links to a couple of associated research articles and tools. Please let me know if you have anything you would like me to include in this resource - I would be really glad to do so :-)

Community and learning

One of the most exciting examples of bringing together community and VET training in a culturally responsive way is the initiative trialled in 2009 in conjunction with the Garma festival (located 40km from the township of Nhulunbuy (Gove) in the Northern Territory, Australia at the Gulkula festival site. The festival theme was  Creative Industries, with four vocational foci:

• Construction
• Multimedia
• Tourism - specifically tour guiding
• Music

To listen to Roger Bryett speak at the Creative Indigenous Economies forum please click HERE (mp3 - 8.75mb).

To view the streaming video of Roger Bryett speaking at the forum about this initiative please click HERE

Image source

Other examples include (all from Australia):

• 'Top End Groove' - a project that aims to establish a cultural tourism business and training network. The project aimed to develop and grow indigenous and cultural tourism businesses through the use of technology and eLearning by enabling knowledge sharing, improving access to skills training and creating a central point for promotion and marketing indigenous tourism. Click HERE to listen and find out more about the project
• The Jobs for our Mob project was established to develop an e-training centre which incorporated technology to identify and deliver the pre-vocational skills required for indigenous people wanting to enter the mining, construction or engineering fields.Click HERE to listen and find out more about the project.
• This case study, "Panel beating apprentices take to technology", describes an Australia-wide skill shortage in the automotive vehicle body repair industry first prompted Brisbane North Institute of TAFE todevelop a programme with training materials available on CD-Rom and online, thereby making a traditional industry area more technologically savvy.

Examples of online environments in the VET sector

Example home page designed for an LMS

• The Diploma Children's Services - an open Moodle site that is a document and information repository for the qualification
• TAFE Port Adelaide Community Service and Health External Studies - an open Moodle site with information about the qualification and its requirements

ePortfolios

To view this video full size, please click HERE

An ePortfolio helps students with the identification, assessment and recognition of what they know and can do, and could include evaluations, comments, feedback and reflections from peers, managers, facilitators etc who have been involved in the applicants life/learning journey. The assessment, therefore, of what a person can do is from authentic sources, collected over time (click this link to access "Verification of a person's aualification e-portfolio use cases", and this link to access "Vocational Education and Training e-portfolio use cases").

The contents of an ePortfolio would be assembled over time, and could include some or all of the following:

• Evidence of informal or professional networks regularly cultivated, contributed to, and participated in online and why these have been important / influential
• Examples of ideas, thinking, innovations from the applicant that have been shared in communities (including online) and what comments, feedback and reactions were elicited
• Illustrations of collaborative creativity, problem-solving and work (including with online contacts and communities)
• Work samples  e.g. something the applicant has designed, created, done or written (including video records of processes, images of projects at various stages of completion, and a selection of images of showcase, finished pieces)
• A record of  performance  e.g. video recording, reflections (audio/written), appraisals (audio/written - elicited and spontaneous)
• Copies of any statements, references, images, video clips, audio, or articles about the applicant's employment or community involvement 
• Documents which recognise the applicant's expertise, e.g. copies of licences, awards, prizes, membership of professional bodies - along with reflections / comments around these achievements
• Evidence of training  e.g. copies of school reports, certificates or statements about education and training / outline of any course the applicant may have undertaken
• References or letters / performance reviews from employers, work colleagues, clients, community leaders that link specifically to required competencies or elements covered

For a fuller list of resources around using ePortfolios to enhance education in general, with some examples relevant for VET, click HERE.

Hairdressing, a case study using Mahara

Examples of ePortfolio use in the VET sector include:

• "Skills recognition using e-portfolios: Hairdressing, a case study using Mahara": This is a case study, again based in Australia, that is trialling the use of the Mahara online e-portfolio platform to support the existing skills recognition services being offered to students undertaking WRH30106 Certificate III in Hairdressing & WRH40106 Certificate IV in Hairdressing
• Example E-portfolio View: Permaculture - Demonstrating the principles
• Aquaculture example - the machinery: A workplace learning and assessment ePortfolio

Multimedia

For a fuller list of resources around using multimedia to enhance education in general, with some examples relevant for VET, click HERE.

• Overview of a short case study (NZ) conducted in 2008, which aimed to foster information literacy with automotive students at Unitec NZ (to read the full paper about multimedia and education, click HERE).
• Example of multimedia used by a boat building student from Unitec NZ to capture their work over time
• Example of students at Unitec NZ in vocational courses using multimedia and mobile devices for reflection, collaboration, inspiration, and creativity

Support: Completion, retention and success

This report ("Student Learning Support Programmes that demonstrate tangible impact on Retention, Pass Rates and Completion") is a combination of summaries and brief case descriptions of some of the effective programmes and other support mechanisms that NZ Tertiary Learning Advisors (TLAs) provide for students in universities, polytechnics, institutes of technology, and other tertiary institutions (click HERE for the executive summary). Findings indicated that there were significantly higher course pass rate for students who used the programme (84.4%, compared to 69.8% for those who did not use the programme), as well as significantly higher final exam pass rates (71.6%, compared to 62.8%). Some of the strategies included the hosting of models, guides, examples and support in a Learning Management System (LMS) alongside personal, one-to-one support, and the use of an online skills survey. However, the main finding was that relationship and trust building, as well as recognition of learning preferences and cultural appropriacy, were key factors for success.

It's not what you've got, it's how you use it

Assessing and assessments

Assessing and assessments can take many forms, including:

• Facilitate and record a discussion within a trainee's community, where members of that community speak about the applicant
• A narrated 'learning story' (recorded - audio or video)
• Record an oral presentation for the assessor or assessment panel
• Take part in a role play (asynchronously or synchronously - face-to-face or virtually; e.g. in Second Life)
• Demonstrate knowledge/application of skills through a scenario with video/audio evidence recorded
• Be assessed on the job with video/audio evidence recorded
• Complete an online assessmen
• Complete a project that is partly or wholly online, and possibly part of an ePorfolio
• Have skills and knowledge attested to by an appropriate person, e.g. Kaumatua

Where multimedia is used there can be no question as to the authenticity of the event / process. Furthermore, there is potential for reliable evidence, when compared with a paper-based portfolio, of competency and application of the in required skills in 'real world' contexts.

Although there is no mention of ePortfolios or alternative ways of collecting evidence in these following reports, it is worth bearing in mind some of the principles mentioned: "Assessment of Learning in the workplace: A Background Paper", which can be read in conjunction with "A guide to good practice in ITO structures and systems for on-job assessment".

Links to ideas, resources, and tools for learning and teaching te reo Māori

Image via Wikipedia

Kia ora koutou katoa.

Ideas for communication around and through Web 2.0 can be in a vast array of languages. Language learners and teachers are increasingly recognising computer mediated communication and multimedia as key factors in learning the mechanics of the language, as well as for connecting learners, encouraging students to create their own artefacts, and enhancing the exploration of socio-cultural aspects of language. Te reo Māori is one such example.

The following represents a brief selection from a large range of ideas, exemplars, resources and tools for te reo Māori. Please make recommendations around other resources you may have found useful, and share any feedback you may have about those mentioned below.

Ideas for learners
Ngā whakaaro mō Te Wiki Reo Māori - Ideas for Māori Language Week: The introduction to these ideas reads "No matter what your level of fluency, there are many things you can do to celebrate te reo Māori. Of course, you can try these suggestions all year round, but Māori Language Week is a great time to start!". The page goes on to make over 20 suggestions, with links to supporting resources and sites. There is also a language club that enables students to make contact with other learners.

For learners making their own resources, these two short videos - Let's go out and eat (by Lucy, Maddy and Darren), and one by Katie, Evie and Fran about a hangi, give a nice example of students working together to create something that they have shared with the world in general, and which can be rated and commented on.

For material for discussions around language and culture, there are a couple of interesting resources that could be used with learners. For example:

• A short, thought-provoking compilation of the voices of "four young people and four elders from sharing their thoughts, fears and hopes for the future of whānau (family), of technology, of te reo..., of environment, of Ngāi Tahu, of our country and of our world". Other videos from this video stream can be found by clicking HERE.
• With reference to the contemporary influence of the language, Te Reo Māori plays a part in Hollywood blockbuster Avatar is well worth a watch.
• The Channel 9 video: Should Te Reo be a Compulsory language in New Zealand Schools?
• Two short recording entitled: 'Mauri Tu! Mauri Toa! Mauri Ora!', and 'Ahai' which could be used to lead into a discussion around the implementation of Mau Raakau (The Art, Values & Disciplines of Māori Weaponry) into NZ High Schools.
• For images related to Māori life and New Zealand, www.maori.org.nz have a variety of graphics, including clip art and Web art, that can be used (as long as the source is acknowledged). For a wider range of resource types, including multimedia, the University of Otago Library has compiled a useful list.

Resources

This site has a rich selection of resources, some of which are interactive. Learners can, for example, click on a word and hear the pronunciation, then test their knowledge with online activities. There are also sections suitable for beginners and advanced learners, as well as for businesses. A great place to find out about protocols as well. There is also a downloadable resource with language learning strategies.

There is a reasonable selection of online resources around the meanings and pronunciation of Te Reo Māori on the Internet. Some of the best include really clear videos that show the mouth shape as well as the audio, (from www.maorilanguage.net who also have a You Tube channel you can subscribe to), which model the pronunciation of the vowels and consonants. The site also has an annotated list of links to online dictionaries and translators, and a range of commons phrase 'drills'.

Māori television and Māori radio are both good sources of authentic language, but would need scaffolding for early learners, and it would be a good idea to have some sort of task associated, such as a blog post about a programme enjoyed in a specific week, which is then shared with other learners.

The Treaty of Waitangi can be read in Māori (with accompanying audio read by Whetu Scott that needs Windows Media Player installed to play the files) and English.

Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) – The Online Learning Centre have a wide range of multimedia and interactive resources, related to Māori Education including myths, dance, ancient civilisations, collaboration and cooperation, and dramatic performance - to name but a few!

Initiatives / Creative Projects

Tools

The launch of Google in Te Reo Māori is discussed in this blog post and this video. To change the language that you view the Google interface in follow these instructions.

Voicethread for general education and second language learning: Examples, ideas and how to

Voicethread has been around for a while now, and what this means is that there are a lot of examples of innovative use in education to be had. One area in particular where it has been used a lot in learner-centered activities - often with a collaborative, social focus - is in second language learning, although there are plenty more from others from a variety of disciplines and education sectors.

One of the great things about Voicethreads is that they can be embedded in blogs, Learning Management Systems (e.g. Moodle), and in ePortfolios if you wanted students to showcase their work. The combination of media can be a great way of encouraging students who prefer an oral/aural and/or visual approach to learning too.

The first question you might want to ask is what is Voicethread? This Voicethread answers just that question:




The links below are to a few key examples and ideas, as well as to some Voicethread communities, along with some to "how to..." resources around the nuts and bolts of using Voicethread.

Examples and ideas for using Voicethread

• The first few examples focus on learning Spanish, and some of the interesting ways in which Voicethread has been used. At Mount Vernon High School, the Spanish teacher there uses Voicethreads to help students practice their vocabulary and pronunciation, to make presentations, and as part of assessments.
• Eve Millard explains that Voicethread helps her students of Spanish with listening, reading, writing and speaking practice, as well as increading opportunities to work on pronunciation, and other specific themes or skills. The featured Voicethread covers using adjectives.
• Two examples of a specific topic being covered using Voicethread can be found here: La Familia Rivera, and here: La nia de los tres maridos.
• For literacy skills for fourth grade classes from around the world, Voicethreads are being used to record students' book reviews on the Books Go Global wiki space.
• Three examples of how 8th grade students are using VoiceThread for oral interpretation of literature
  
  
  • Performing William Wordsworth
  • Performing Maya Angelou
  • Performing Robert Frost
• An example from the world of Geography, where students in Katikati use Voicethread to analyse and practice a past exam question on natural landscapes. The idea was to collect and share a wide range of interpretations of the exam and responses to learn from.
• From a higher education/tertiary sector background, this example looks at using Voicethread for digital storytelling and the enhancement of reflective practice. The featured example illustrates how Voicethread has been used to help medical professionals learn Spanish. At the University of Albany, Voicethreads are being used to create a sense of community.
• A comprehensive collection of Voicethread examples from students and teachers of all ages and groups can be located at the Voicethread 4 Education wiki, where you can also find a page with Classroom Partners should you be interested in collaborating with other classrooms on a Voicethread project. Other examples of Voicethreads in use can be found at the CARLA Technology wiki site.
• For a general collection of Voicethread resources, the My Web 2.0 Adventures wiki is worth a visit, as is the Educational Software wiki put together by Suzie Vesper.

How to use Voicethread...
There are a lot of tutorials available about how to create Voicethreads, not surprisingly with many made in Voicethread. Some of the key ones are:

• A thorough, well designed tutorial in Scribd (can be downloaded).
• Mini-tutorial on VoiceThread
• You can read a Voicethread tutorial from Jennifer Wagner's EggRoll site by downloading this .pdf file: VoiceThreadtutorial.pdf.
• If you need help with how to create a free account for teachers, and student spaces within that account the VoiceThread Help is really useful.

Related articles about Voicethread

• Voicethread (slideshare.net)
• Voicethread Intro (slideshare.net)