Choosing & Using Technologies in Education & Training 

Collaborative Venture in On-Line Delivery
North-West Institute of TAFE, Tasmania

1. General Description

The project uses TopClass software to enable students to work through a variety of modules in the Diploma of Business (Information Technology) on-line, to communicate with their instructors, and to discuss their work with other students via discussion lists. Initial enrolment registration is done on-line, and completed off-line by post. It is used both by distance students working from their homes or workplaces, and by on-campus students who prefer self-paced individual learning to a conventional class. All the modules involved are also offered in conventional mode. Assessment is also conducted on-line, using a variety of methods including multiple choice questions, short written tests, assignments and projects. All modules are competency based.

The project is at present in a developmental stage, with completion expected by the end of March 1998. The website can be viewed at http://flexlearn.nwit.dvet.tas.gov.au/

2. Project Aims

The principal purpose of the project is:

• to provide compressed training at the competency level to
  • remote and rural areas (in conjunction with CROP, Agribusiness and Farmwide
  • prospective trainees in Dairying, Rural, Food Industry, and Rural Health, at their workplace or home
• to provide training to disadvantaged clients via a home Internet link
• to service previously unmet demand, using cost-effective methods.

In addition, the project aims to:

• research current new developments and evaluate alternative methods of flexible delivery via the Internet
• develop continuing joint ventures with TAFE SA and Canberra Institute of TAFE to develop further modules, courses and competency level training.

3. Clients and Stakeholders

3.1 Learners

Learners are drawn from the following course areas:

• Rural
• Library Technician
• Management
• Food Technology
• Accounting
• Office Administration
• Hospitality
• Graphic Arts
• Industry Specific

Potential clients include students (and their employers) anywhere in the world who are seeking nationally-accredited training in any of these courses. The courses and modules presented will be both nationally accredited and industry specific, according to the needs of the student or the employer. For example, industry specific modules are currently being developed for Indonesia and Taiwan.

3.2 Teaching Staff

The members of the development group have varied interests in the teaching and learning processes involved in this project, including interest in the social impact of this style of learning, the technological aspects of delivery, the learning methodologies, the problems of assessment on-line, and the problems associated with resource development. The development group includes six full-time TAFE teachers, who are seeking both personal and professional development.

3.3 Other Stakeholders

Other stakeholders include the North West Institute of TAFE, which is hosting the delivery, and the local and wider community because of the additional access to training that the project will provide.

4. Teaching, Learning and Technology

4.1 Teaching and Learning

Prospective students can complete an ‘application for enrolment’ form on-line. Confirmation of enrolment and payment of fees are done by mail at present, but it is planned to extend the service to include completion of enrolment and payment on-line.

Students are required to complete an introductory module, which is free of charge. The module covers topics including:

• what you can expect
• what is available
• how to navigate using the system icons
• how to use the e-mail, chat and bulletin board features.

Students are required to demonstrate competence in this module.

4.2 Technology, Equipment and Facilities

The project has included the design and development of a delivery system to facilitate Internet delivery. This has included the setting up of a Windows NT server, and the creation of CGI scripting to support the delivery. Learning resource material has been purchased from a Victorian supplier. This material is then vetted by the subject specialist in the development team to ensure that the appropriate teaching sequence is maintained. It is then converted from Pagemaker format to HTML, and is then placed in the management system that has been purchased to control delivery.

The TopClass software includes the following features.

• A ‘What’s New’ section which lists additions and developments, with the date on which the update was made. Examples of additions include a notification form for those who wish to be notified when a new on-line module is added, and listing of modules proposed to go on-line in the future.
• Module lists for each course
• A discussion list for each class, to which both students and instructors can post messages
• An e-mail system for individual messages between student and instructor; this includes a facility which gives the instructor the URL of the page the student was working on when the message was sent, so that the instructor know which section of work the student is having difficulty with.
• A Class Announcements page, to which instructors and system administrators can post messages about Reading Lists and other items of general information to students.
• A Utilities page which allows users to change their password and do other similar activities.
• A ‘Go to Coursework’ button which takes students to module learning material.
• An on-line help facility.
• A ‘View Exercises’ facility which allows students to view exercises that they have submitted and to keep track of their marks.

Facilities available only to instructors include a list of their students, with icons which permit the instructor to send a message to a student, view a students’ profile, modify coursework and view grades. Because the project site is public at this developmental stage, only the first of these options is active at present.

5. Organisational Aspects

This project has been funded in two ways. It was originally funded as part of a national staff development project. It is currently funded by the Australian National Training Authority as part of a joint project with Canberra Institute of Technology.

The development group has supplied its time free of charge, but has received the full support and commitment of the Director of the Institute, which has resulted in a level of flexibility in the work loads of team members being granted.

6. Evaluation and Reflection

Trials were conducted with two types of software: WEB-CT and TopClass. Requirements for the software were identified as follows:

• Flexibility of question banks
• Ability for course developers to set parameters of achievement in question banks
• Ability to support graphic images in assessment questions
• Good capability for student-tutor communication
• Good capability for the management of student assessment
• Easy to use, clear and concise navigation icons and screen design
• General user friendliness.

TopClass was selected as the more satisfactory in all these aspects. As a result of site trials with on campus and remote clients, an on-line student feedback mechanism has been added.

Thanks to Graham Ratcliffe, North West Institute of TAFE, for providing the information on which this case study is based.

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