The document outlines the objectives and phases of the AccessACE focus group meeting held on April 27, 2007, aiming to investigate and promote ICT-enabled blended delivery models for adult education in Victoria. It discusses the challenges faced by rural and regional organisations in implementing flexible learning, including issues with technology, accreditation, and resources, while highlighting the importance of community involvement and the evolution of learners' needs. The document concludes with a call for participation in trials and resources for ongoing dialogue on e-learning in adult and community education.

1. Welcome to the AccessACE focus group meeting 27 th April 2007

2. Project objectives To support sustainable models of blended delivery that support flexibility and accessibility for ACFE Board priority learner groups in ACE across Victoria. To research, describe and trial at least three ICT enabled blended delivery models. To develop an action plan and lessons learned document to assist ACE providers in planning blended delivery strategies

3. Phase 1: Research and consultation The first phase project will involve research into current blended delivery models, and will culminate in a consultation session with Regional Councils, ACE providers and Adult Education Institutions (AEIs) to gather information around implementation issues and the suitability of the available tools and technologies.

4. Research questions: context What does clever use of ICTs in ACE mean and look like ? What could clever use of ICTs in ACE mean and look like ?

5. Research questions in context

6. Phase 2: Design and delivery of three trials In semester two ACE organisations and AEI’s will be invited to participate in three trials to test three blended delivery models. The trials will be conducted over an eight week period between July and September, and could involve a specific learner group or technology as negotiated with participating ACE providers and AEIs. There will be funding available to support participating teachers. Interested participants will also be funded to conduct action research during the trial period.

7. How you can get involved… Contribute to the blog and the wiki Apply to be part of the trial in semester 2 Attend a PD session on tools and technologies involved in trialling the models

8. Flexible ACE background and outcomes Glenda McPherson

9. Discussion 1: Towards a definition of e- ACE organisations define flexible learning in the ways that relate to their ethos and culture. ACE sees its approaches as inherently flexible - providing what the learners need when they need, i.e. “creating a whole program that is flexible, with an increasing use of technology to support this”. Rural and regional participants initially equated flexible learning with online learning. In fact the term o nline – and specifically as it equates to online delivery platforms - is not well understood in many regions of ACFE. The majority agreed that online learning was term that did not sit well in ACE – there was still resistance from many teachers in taking up anything online . This would specifically include online management systems such as the TAFE VC. Many felt that sustaining online activity over a period of time is problematic. P4 /5

10. Accredited / non accredited: size does matter? “ Another area of particular concern to many small ACE organisations in rural communities is the absence of a local TAFE, or private providers able to offer accredited courses. For these small rural ACE organisations the cost in adding courses to a scope of registration is prohibitive, and this impacts greatly on the educational opportunities and pathways available within a local community”. p7 “ Many smaller ACE organisations are now modularising larger certificate courses into smaller chunks to better meet the needs of their local community”. P 6 “ Participants felt that when small regional and rural ACE providers deliver accredited courses as short, non-accredited courses, the client can be grossly disadvantaged”. p8

11. Organisational readiness: top down or bottom up? “ The changes in delivery practices around the uptake of ICTs have been mainly a bottom up approach – a professional development led change management model. For many teachers it was also a shift in attitudinal change. The uptake of ICT enabled teaching and learning specifically, represents a significant shift or even in some cases threat to the way ACE sees its role in meeting community and individual needs”. “ The ACE organisations represented felt that budgets are still a restraint and that most of their flexible learning initiatives were reactive rather than proactive, they felt that they would like to change this but that required money”. “ The integration of ICTs into work practices was seen as both a personal and organisational achievement – it empowered staff and individuals reported that it made the organisation more effective”. P 9

12. Greyware: at a centre near you? “ The availability of a person who can provide that immediate just-in-time support was recognised as crucial. The role of the person depended somewhat on the size and the region in which the organisation operated. Some organisations in rural and regional ACE appointed an IT technical expert who was responsible for the organisation’s infrastructure, and also had the brief of developing ICT enabled flexible learning solutions”. P12 “ There was also a problem with funding ongoing time to continue to develop skills for teachers individually, until it became an integral part of their work commitments. Sustained funding to cover hidden cost of flexible delivery and sustained support for deliverers needs to be ongoing, and current ACFE funding models do not support this”. P11 ACE has developed considerable expertise in embedding ICT into a range of program areas. Knowing who these key individuals in flexible teaching and learning are in ACE, and utilising their considerable expertise, will do much to share skills and expertise across centres and regions. p12

13. Resources “Knowledge of and expertise in accessing the range and depth of courseware available to ACE on the TAFE VC was patchy. Rural ACE managers and teachers were not particularly convinced of its application or even benefits in ACE program delivery. The focus groups identified that the learning curve in becoming conversant with a Learner Management System such as TAFE VC was beyond the time allocation of the sessional ACE teacher, or often out side the reach of regional and rural ACE, due to connectivity problems”. P5 Many participants highlighted issues around resources (or the lack thereof) in delivering accredited courses – be it multimedia or print based. This is an issue for smaller RTOs who are reliant on a sessional workforce. They reported that toolboxes are being used but more as an “add on” in the classroom or as a reference for the trainer. Many identified the need for more information on how to integrate these “off the shelf” products into their programs. Participants highlighted the fact that getting and keeping qualified staff was really difficult and funding models were often restrictive and unhelpful. p8

14. Software and hardware “Many smaller organisations reported ongoing problems with upgrades, internet access and maintenance. Both centres and students need up-to-date equipment, software and internet access to make ICT enabled learning work.” P15 “For regional and rural and some metropolitan ACE organisations connectivity is still an issue. Although everyone agreed that Internet access and connectivity has improved considerably , many regional and specifically rural ACE organisations deliver to communities that can still not access this improved bandwidth. ICT enabled teaching and learning has tremendous potential in regional and rural ACE as a means of conquering distance. Constant dropouts and unstable connections make this a less than attractive option. Internet speed varies widely across the region and for some it offers wonderful opportunities, whilst for others, frustration and disappointment”.p16

15. The ACE blend ACE is characterised as having a “facilitated, interactive, group based, learner-centered delivery driven by participant objectives, with or without formal assessment and recognition.” Its dominant e-learning model is “web in the classroom, with emphasis on collaborative tools and learner publishing”. And the meaning of blended learning for ACE is one of “short courses online, with emphasis on building the learning community”. “ A constant theme was concern about the hidden cost of online delivery. Managers feel that they do not have the relevant information regarding what is available to them for free. Organisations need information to make decisions around appropriacy and cost. Online delivery components are not factored in to the SCH rate, which is the same for all regions across the state”. p17

16. Community demand / readiness “Is ICT enabled teaching and learning what learners in ACE want? As the example above indicates, once introduced…they do! Participants reported that in general learners’ skill levels were developing and they were becoming much more enthusiastic towards experimenting with a range of flexible learning options. Some regions reported that students were becoming more familiar with online terminology and they were also becoming more sophisticated in their requests of what they wanted to learn. They wanted to design and develop web pages and explore more sophisticated online tools. Most teachers still only have limited access to computer time but despite that the students still use online tools very creatively. P 20

17. E-business in ACE During the break, could you please take a few minutes to complete the e-business questionnaire? You can do so anonymously if you like, or if you are happy to discuss aspects of e-business with the project team, please add your contact details. Thanks, Glenda, Mary and Josie

18. Discussion 2: What could e-learning in ACE mean and look like ? Facilitated by Mary Schooneveldt

19. Discussion 2: Consider these two questions: What are your worst fears for adding technology to teaching and learning? What are your best hopes for adding technology to teaching and learning?

20. The AccessACE PLE Project blog @ http://accessace.edublogs.org Project wiki @ http://accessace.wikispaces.com Project podcasting site: http://accessace.podomatic.com Social bookmarking tools: http://del.icio.us/accessace Information sheets: nr 01 - What is AccessACE? nr 02 - why do we need these tools?

21. Project blog: an ongoing dialogue

22. Http://accessace/wikispaces.com http://accessace.wikispaces.com

23. http://accessace.wikispaces.com

24. http://accessace.podomatic.com