Flexible Learning Toolboxes (Toolboxes) are a great way for teachers, trainers and employers to get started in e-learning. While research has shown that 90% of vocational education and training (VET) learners would like at least ‘a little’ e-learning in their course, creating online content that is standards compliant and tailored to learner needs is not always easy.

Toolboxes can provide the answer!

So what are Toolboxes?

Toolboxes are online learning resources that use scenarios, images and interactive activities to reflect a real life workplace environment. They are developed by registered training organisations (RTOs) with funding and support from the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework). They are designed for use by RTOs, business and industry to deliver on and off the job training.

How can Toolboxes help me?

Toolboxes support training packages

Toolboxes are aligned to nationally endorsed training packages and are developed in line with Industry Skills Councils’ and Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) priorities, including access, equity and skills shortage areas.

There are currently more than 110 Toolboxes, covering approximately 190 qualifications and more than 1,000 units of competency across a wide range of industry areas including education, horticulture, IT, tourism, retail, management, health and in-demand trade areas.

In addition, there are 12 Equity Toolboxes, developed to support Indigenous learners, learners with a disability and learners with low levels of literacy and numeracy.

Download the 2010 Toolbox product catalogue for a full list of Toolboxes.

Toolboxes increase the relevance of training

Toolboxes offer a more engaging form of learning, providing the opportunity to develop theoretical knowledge and practical skills in an authentic virtual environment.

For example, each competency in the Panel Beating Toolbox is supported by activities that simulate the tasks carried out in a real-life workshop. This provides a hands on learning environment for apprentices who may not respond well to theoretical or text based approaches to training. Many of the competencies are also supported by images demonstrating the correct way to perform practical tasks on-the-job.

Toolboxes can allow learners to complete the theoretical component of their training online at their own pace, during down time at work or in their own time. With the necessary theoretical knowledge in place, trainers are able to focus more of their time and energy on the hands-on, practical side of training.

Toolboxes increase access to training

By cutting down on the amount of face-to-face training required, Toolboxes can make training more cost-effective and efficient and can remove or reduce physical barriers to training such as distance.

For example, Royal Adelaide Hospital used the Interactive Ochre Toolbox to strengthen staff awareness of Indigenous culture and improve the way they perform their jobs. The Toolbox allows staff to hear first-hand from Indigenous Australians about the historical and current issues which have affected Indigenous people.

Bringing this range of speakers together in one place and providing such a rich learning experience would not be economically or logistically possible without the Toolbox.

Toolboxes can be customised to meet individual learning requirements

Toolboxes can be easily customised to meet individual requirements and help employers and VET practitioners increase the flexibility and relevance of their e-learning programs.

For example, RTOs could customise the A Balancing Act Toolbox to meet the requirements of two distinct learner groups: young learners with no bookkeeping experience and business owners with existing bookkeeping knowledge and experience. When customised for younger, inexperienced learners, the Toolbox would be highly interactive and engaging, with a focus on explaining basic bookkeeping concepts. By contrast, the version for business owners would cater for learners who understand bookkeeping but are seeking a formal qualification.

How easy is customisation?

According to New South Wales Toolbox Champion, Shane Dowd, Toolboxes are easy to customise. Mr Dowd said that because Toolboxes are built with HTML content, they can be edited and customised using web editing software. He said that teachers and trainers with skills in using Microsoft Word can be trained to use web editing software basics (eg Adobe Dreamweaver, Microsoft FrontPage, Microsoft Expression, Kompozer) in 2-3 hours.

Toolbox Champions operate in every state and territory to provide advice about customising Toolboxes.

How much do Toolboxes cost?

Toolboxes cost approximately $400 and come with a teacher guide and installation booklet. Toolboxes can be copied or distributed within a RTO or workplace free of charge, provided they are not on-sold for commercial gain or made publicly available.

Where can I get Toolboxes?

Toolboxes can be purchased as an entire resource on a CD, which can be installed on a server or used on a stand-alone computer. To purchase a Toolbox, email: sales [at] tvetaustralia.com.au (replace at with @ to use the email address) or visit TVET Australia.

Alternatively, smaller self-contained components of Toolboxes (learning objects) can be downloaded for free from the Toolbox Repository. The LORN online portal allows you to find and download learning objects from collections across Australia, including the Toolbox Repository.

Where can I get more information?

The Toolbox website includes guidelines for developers, case studies, national reports on the use of Toolboxes and current news. The website also includes detailed information about each Toolbox, related training packages, qualifications and competencies, and previews of the Toolbox resources.

Who can help me with Toolboxes?

Give me a call (Peter Shanks) on 6233 4617 or email peter.shanks@skills.tas.gov.au. I’m available to organise and conduct professional development activities, mentor teams wishing to implement Toolboxes and provide advice about using and customising Toolboxes… all for free

For interstate technical support, you can phone the Toolbox help desk: 1300 736 710 or email: toolboxhelp@ flexiblelearning.net.au

For more information about the Framework, its products, resources and support networks, contact: (07) 3307 4700, email: enquiries@flexiblelearning.net.au or visit: http://flexiblelearning.net.au

With $1,100,000 of funding and support from the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), seven new Flexible Learning Toolboxes (Toolboxes) that support the delivery of nationally endorsed training packages in critical industries will be developed in 2010.

Many of the Series 13 Toolboxes, to be developed by registered training organisations, will focus on providing customisable learning objects covering sustainability units. This is in line with the Australian Government’s National Green Skills Agreement which aims to embed green skills in all training packages over the next few years.

The 2010 Toolboxes will also have a strong trades focus, and are aligned with skills shortage areas as identified by Industry Skills Councils and Industry Training Advisory Boards.

Toolboxes are high quality, cost effective, interactive e-learning and assessment resources, designed to provide flexible and engaging support for learning on the job, in the classroom or in remote locations. They can be cheaply and easily customised to form complete training programs and meet individual learner requirements.

Series 13 Toolboxes are expected to be available from late 2010, either for purchase on CD-ROM through TVET Australia or as free, downloadable learning objects from the Toolbox Repository.

The new Toolboxes will be developed to support training in the following industry areas:

Plumbing

·         Licensed to Plumb (Part II) will extend the Series 12 Licensed to Plumb Toolbox by supporting an additional three units from the Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services, covering eight units in total. It will focus on core skills and knowledge for licensed plumbers including water, drainage, sanitary, gas, roofing and mechanical services.

Electrotechnology

·         Harness the Sun will address three units from Certificate IV in Electrical (Photovoltaic Systems), a qualification required by licensed electricians to operate as accredited designers and installers of photovoltaic systems. This Toolbox will provide timely support for training in a high growth industry. Formerly a niche product, photovoltaic systems have gained national status as an environmentally friendly product, attracting an Australian Government rebate for businesses and individuals.

·         Fresh or Freezing will support selected units from Certificate II, III and IV in Refrigeration and Air conditioning. This Toolbox supplements technical units with theoretical units addressing energy saving strategies and renewable energy concepts. This will help meet the industry’s growing demand for employees who understand how domestic and commercial appliances use energy.

Music

·         Music Box will support the Certificate II in Music. The music industry is experiencing revolutionary change and requires employees who are skilled in working with new technologies. This Toolbox will address industry training needs to help cater for the shift towards multi-skilling and independent artist business models and the uptake of new technologies for the production and distribution of contemporary music.

Manufacturing

·         Sustainable Manufacturing will support Certificate II and Certificate III qualifications in the Manufacturing Training Package. The process manufacturing sector is facing a number of challenges including a high number of highly experienced workers without formal qualifications and rising costs associated with sustainability. This Toolbox will provide a user-friendly and innovative form of learning to introduce experienced workers to a formal learning environment and effectively engage them in structured sustainability training.

Forestry

·         Timber ‘Plus’ will extend the Series 12 Timber Toolbox, covering a total of nine competencies from the Forest and Forest Products Industry Training Package. The Toolbox will include more in-demand core units as well as sector-specific units relating to the timber manufactured products sector. This sector has a high demand for training resources for frame and truss makers, who account for the majority of the sector’s 38,000 workers.

Asset maintenance

·         Squeak e-Clean will support the Certificate III in Asset Maintenance (Cleaning Operations). The learning objects in the Toolbox will be contextualised to relate directly to the knowledge, skills and activities covered in workplace inductions for the cleaning industry. The Toolbox will address the significant lack of high quality resources available to support learning and assessment for this qualification and provide flexible learning opportunities for asset maintenance workers, allowing them to complete practical training on-the-job.

Visit the Toolbox website to preview the Framework’s full range of Toolboxes. Alternatively, you can access learning objects from past Toolboxes for free through the Toolbox Repository.

Toolbox Champions operate in all states and territories and provide free advice, mentoring and professional development for practitioners using Toolboxes. Call Peter Shanks here in Tasmania for more information - 6233 4617 or email peter.shanks@skills.tas.gov.au

For more information about the Framework, its products, resources and support networks, contact: (07) 3307 4700, email: enquiries@flexiblelearning.net.au or visit: http://flexiblelearning.net.au

Series 12 Flexible Learning Toolboxes (Toolboxes), expected to be available for purchase in early 2010, are now available for preview at: http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/preview/byseries.htm

The Toolboxes are currently being developed in consultation with Industry Skills Councils to support the delivery of nationally endorsed training packages and address skills shortages and e-learning resource needs in priority industries.

Toolbox Business Manager Harriet Wakelam said that the Series 12 Toolboxes add to a collection of more than 100 existing Toolboxes across a diverse range of educational and industry areas, helping deliver over 170 qualifications and supporting approximately 930 units of competency.

“Toolboxes are highly visual, hands-on education and training products. They are ideal for just-in-time learning, either on-the-job, in the classroom, or in remote locations”.

The Series 12 Toolboxes are:

·         Licensed to Plumb (12.01) will address a shortage of e-learning materials for the plumbing industry, providing an engaging, media-rich, interactive learning experience to support five units of the Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services. It will focus on core skills and knowledge for licensed plumbers, including drainage, water, gas, plan sizing, and layout of plumbing systems.

·         Satellite City (12.02) is designed to support four units from the Certificate IV in Spatial Information Services, and the Certificate IV in Surveying. It will guide learners through the processes involved in reading and interpreting spatial data, conducting a field survey and managing, storing and presenting data, in line with industry practices.

·         Indigenous Spiritual Wellbeing (12.03) will cover five units from the Certificate III and Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care. It will provide training for health care workers in Indigenous communities, focusing on supporting and assessing clients with mental health, alcohol and other drug issues.

·         Electrotech (12.04) will support five units from the Certificate III in Electrotechnology (Electrician). Learners will complete hands-on activities and challenges to develop problem solving skills while learning about basic electrical concepts, electrical occupational health and safety and fabricating electrical components.

·         Timber (12.05) will cover five competencies from the Forest and Forest Products Training Package and support a wide range of Certificate II and Certificate III qualifications including sawmilling, merchandising and manufactured products. Timber will deliver crucial e-learning resources for workers in an industry that has traditionally relied overwhelmingly on face-to-face training.

·         Retailer 2 (12.06) will extend the Series 10 Retailer Toolbox (10.05) by covering the core units of the Certificate II in Retail, as well as five selling, merchandising and marketing electives. Rather than taking a traditional unit-by-unit approach, learners will complete activities guided by a range of customer-focused scenarios and case studies, which will be mapped back to core units. A skills recognition pathway will be available for new and existing resources.

·         TAA (12.09) supports delivery of 13 units from the new Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. The learning design of this Toolbox places the learner as a trainer/assessor for Optimal Learning Solutions (OLS), a fictitious registered training organisation providing training and assessment services to a range of government, private and industry organisations.

·         TAA E-learning E-lectives (12.10) supports delivery of three units from the e-learning stream of the new Diploma in Training and Assessment. It also acts as a useful professional development tool for trainers or assessors that would like to develop their skills as an e-learning facilitator and/or designer of e-learning resources.

·         Cybertots (12.11) supports delivery of the Certificate III in Community Services (Children’s Services). The revamped Toolbox immerses the learner in a virtual child care centre allowing them to experience the role of a caregiver. Through problem-based projects and communication activities in which they will ‘interact’ with the workers and children at Cybertots, learners develop skills and knowledge necessary for working in the child care profession.

·         Small Business Management (12.12) covers 10 units of competency from the Certificate IV in Small Business Management. Each competency provides a variety of information and activities to support qualifications in managing a small business.

To view the Framework’s full range of Toolboxes, visit the Toolbox website. Alternatively, you can access learning objects from past Toolboxes for free through LORN.

Toolboxes are high quality, cost effective, interactive e-learning and assessment resources featuring scenarios, images and activities. They are funded and supported by the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework).

Toolbox Champions are employed in every state and territory to support the implementation of Toolboxes. To contact your local Toolbox Champion, call or email Peter Shanks: 6233 4617 - peter.shanks@skills.tas.gov.au or visit: http://flexiblelearning.net.au/toolbox/champions

A new version of the ARED (Application for Rapid E-learning Development) resource development tool has been released, helping practitioners to easily build their own e-learning resources.

 With ARED version 2.1, practitioners can add their own content to one of ARED’s six e-learning templates and develop engaging e-learning resources for delivery via CD-ROM, website or learning management system.

 In addition to creating learning materials, the resource enables e-learning content to be packaged so that it may be easily uploaded into a learning management system.

 ARED can be used to create SCORM v.1.2 compliant content packages that meet the standards required for contribution to online portal LORN, as well as meeting Flexible Learning Toolbox standards.

 Through the updated ARED resource, practitioners can now:

·         produce files that meet the 2009 E-standards for Training which were developed by the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework)

·         create valid SCORM content packages

·         access new help material and instructions for developing their learning resource

·         create and modify valid metadata files using the integrated Vetadata Tool.

Practitioners currently using ARED should uninstall their old version and download the new version.

For trainers familiar with AREDv2, specific technical changes to AREDv2.1 include:

• recommended image dimensions are provided prior to adding media, and
users are warned of the impact if they add larger files
• the maximum dimensions of any image are 768×425
• users are given guidance about screen dimensions
• content is optimised for a screen resolution of 1024×768
• file and folder names are restricted to lowercase acceptable characters
• alternative text formats are restricted to txt, doc or rtf
• the acceptable image types now include GIF, PNG or JPG images
• the Framework Content Package Player is automatically included in SCORM
packages when a learning sequence is created
• the user guide has been updated – run index.html and select the AREDv2.1
Resource then select ‘User guide’
• HTML pages validate as XHTML 1.0 Transitional
• valid CSS 2.1 is used for styles
• files are encoded and characters are output as UTF-8
• improved metadata creation – the Vetadata Tool v1.4.0 has been integrated
for creating/modifying metadata

The 2009 Series 12 Toolboxes have been announced. Resources will be developed for the following industry areas:

Forestry industry

Timber will cover five core competencies from the Forest and Forest Products Training Package and support a wide range of Certificate II and Certificate III qualifications including sawmilling, merchandising, and manufactured products. Timber will look at generic communication and occupational health and safety skills, as well as technical skills including preparing and interpreting sketches and timber grading. Timber will deliver crucial e-learning resources for workers in an industry that has traditionally relied overwhelmingly on face-to-face training.

Retail industry

Retailer 2 will extend the Series 10 Retailer Toolbox by covering the core units of the Certificate II in Retail , as well as five selling, merchandising and marketing electives. Rather than taking a traditional unit-by-unit approach, learners will complete activities guided by a range of customer-focused scenarios and case studies, which will be mapped back to core units. A skills recognition pathway will be available for new and existing resources.

Community services industry

Spiritual Wellbeing will cover five units from the Certificate III and Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care. It will provide training for health care workers in Indigenous communities, focusing on supporting and assessing clients with mental health, alcohol and other drug issues. Learners will complete a range of learning activities in simulated rural, remote and urban health care clinics, with an emphasis on promoting illness prevention strategies and healthy lifestyle choices.

Electrotechnology industry

ElectroTech will support five core units from the Certificate III in Electrotechnology (Electrician) . Learners will complete hands-on activities and challenges to develop problem solving skills while learning about basic electrical concepts, electrical occupational health and safety, fabricating electrical components, and using drawings, diagrams, schedules and manuals.

Plumbing industry

Licensed to Plumb will address a shortage of e-learning materials for the plumbing industry, providing an engaging, media-rich, interactive learning experience to support five units of the Certificate IV in Plumbing and Service . It will focus on core skills and knowledge for licensed plumbers, including drainage, water, gas, plan sizing, and layout of plumbing systems.

Spatial information services industry

Satellite City is designed to support four units from the Certificate IV in Spatial Information Services, and the Certificate IV in Surveying. It will guide learners through the processes involved in reading and interpreting spatial data, conducting a field survey, managing and storing data and developing a presentation of the data, in line with industry practices.

Series 12 Toolboxes will be developed throughout the year and released in early 2010. They will add to a collection of more than 100 existing Toolboxes across a diverse range of educational and industry areas, helping deliver over 170 qualifications and supporting approximately 930 units of competency.

Link:  Flex-e-news

Image: ‘Rainbow in my living room - The+rainbow+connects+the+sky+with+the+earth.‘
www.flickr.com/photos/29487767@N02/2828476024

At our last Tas Flexible Learning Network Peter Shanks, the Tasmanian Toolbox champion introduced the discovery learning program: ‘Tassie Toolbox, 23 things for VET Practioners’ which will explore web technologies which can be used for training. The next workshop is scheduled for May 14 if you would like to attend please contact gail.wilson@skills.tas.edu.au

In May I’m going to offer some on-line professional development to Tasmanian VET practioners. The Tassie Toolbox is a discovery learning program that will be held over 10 weeks, exploring a range of different web and flexible learning network tools that trainers can use for content creation and delivery.

Click on over to http://tassietoolbox.blogspot.com/ and you’ll see the first couple of weeks up already (available via links on the 23 things post). There’s also a registration form. Registered participants can win prizes for completing the program (an mp3 player plus going in the draw for a toolbox of your choice).

I need some testers so I’d appreciate it if you could take a look around, sign up, and tell your co-workers to try it out too.

The toolbox is a work in progress, so if you have any suggestions for additional material please leave a comment on the blog and I’ll see what can be arranged.

Thanks in advance,

s

Image: ‘1′
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68387408@N00/246678645