Choosing & Using Technologies in Education & Training
Under this heading the outcomes of the project for intended clients should be identified.
Education and training organisations have a number of types of clients. The first and most obvious is learners. Others include enterprises, industry bodies, unions, government agencies and staff.
The need to meet clients' needs and expectations is fundamental to good practice. Education and training organisations must ensure that they satisfy their clients. To do this, they must undertake a continuous process of identifying, anticipating and serving clients' needs. Information is gathered about current and potential clients, decisions are made on the services to be offered and the resources needed, plans are made, and services are delivered with checks that they continue to meet clients' needs.
In looking at the needs which clients may have, the most crucial are those of the intended learners. Their needs may be grouped under the headings of access considerations (which include information needs and equity), desired outcomes (including curriculum, assessment and recognition), convenience (including the time and place at which they learn and the way in which programs are administered), and learning effectiveness (under which can be grouped empowerment, support, delivery and courseware. See Flexible Delivery in Action, 'The Learner's Perspective') .
The kinds of information which organisations must know about their learners are discussed further in Principle 5.
Enterprises and industry bodies are likely to want training which improves profitability, at minimum cost and causing the least possible disruption to work processes. Australian governments are clearly stating that industry should take a strong role in training, so that providers must elicit and meet the needs of industry. At the same time, this strong role should include active participation in the planning of training. In order to meet the needs relating to economy and efficiency while maintaining quality of training, it is essential to set up communication processes in which the roles and expectations of each party are clearly delineated.
Unions can have a valuable role in training In some cases unions are formally required to take part in the planning process; in others they can provide useful research and advice. Unions may have important information about the learning needs, learning styles and access opportunities and problems of learner in the workplace.
Government agencies are clients of education and training organisations in that they set priorities, provide funds and require accountability. They may also themselves require education and training programs in the workplace. Their needs will revolve around these. Again, clear communication is vital. Government agencies will need to know that programs fall within policy guidelines, and that funds are spent according to the rules. This may be difficult in innovative projects, where the rules may not cater for the proposed activities; for example where investment in expensive technology is required, the proposed activity may fall between the definitions of capital expenditure and equipment.
Within the organisation, there are two main types of internal client: managers and the practitioners who will deliver and support the program. Managers will want assurances that the project will enhance their organisational objectives (see Principle 2), and that it will be manageable for themselves and their spheres of responsibility. Practitioners will be concerned about the quality of outcomes. At a personal level, they may have fears about implications for their workloads and job stability, and they may be uncertain whether they have the skills required. It is important not to ignore these fears, but to discuss them in as open a way as possible, whether they are justified or not.
From time to time, conflict may arise between the interests of the various stakeholders in the project. No blanket solution can be given to this problem. One way of tackling it, however, is to encourage discussion about what each stakeholder wants to get from the project, and what each is prepared to put into the project. This discussion should be initiated as early as possible, and revisited from time to time during the course of the project.
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