Recordings of a series of web conferencing sessions looking at e-learning pedagogy, e-assessment and the use of technology in vocational education and training (VET) are now available.

A series of one-hour lunch time professional development sessions, e-Gems provides learning and networking opportunities for VET practitioners, offering information, handy tips and exploration of a variety of topics.

The 2011 e-Gems series comprised:

• Off and Racing…Top finish, low budget - showcasing how the thoroughbred racing industry is using electronic resources, collaborative forums and virtual classrooms to deliver nationally approved training.

• Copyright in Context - looking at copyright legislation in plain English with the focus on creative commons resources, such as images,  audio and video, this e-Gems session is a ‘must’ for anyone designing e-learning courses and digital materials.

• Think outside the square with Moodle - demonstrating how to avoid the ‘scroll of death’ in Moodle using the book feature. A series of step-by-step video resources have also been provided by the presenter and are available on the e-Gems site.

• Learning objects: Create, reuse, deploy for better teaching and learning online - showing practitioners how to create, reuse and deploy learning objects using the VET Reload Tool.

• Strategies for implementing e-portfolios in VET - a first for e-Gems sessions was a blended face-to-face and online session exploring the issues, challenges and benefits of implementing e-portfolios in VET.

• Where can I find a training partner to support my business? - investigating the role of registered training organisations in partnering with business and industry to embed e-learning.

Funded and supported by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, this is the fourth series of e-Gems sessions.

Other notable topics from previous series include:

• virtual worlds/Second Life
• cloud computing
• e-assessment
• instructional/learning design
• getting started in e-learning
• web accessibility
• building e-capability
• e-portfolios and online recognition
• e-learning resources
• mobile learning and web 2.0 tools.

Recordings of these and other e-Gems sessions are available from the e-Gems website - flexiblelearning.net.au/egems - using the links on the right hand navigation menu.

Image: ‘Shiny rocks! (fancy sapphire) - free image‘
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29923350@N05/2862908345

E-portfolios are the focus of a number of interactive events during May, especially designed for vocational education and training (VET) practitioners.

The VET E-portfolios Community of Practice (EpCoP) is holding four Elluminate webinars, featuring Australian and international guest presenters:

• 2 May: Strategies for creating/maintaining local e-portfolio Communities of Practice(5.00pm AEST) with presentations from the Melbourne Moodle user group (MMUG), eWorks Mahara groups, JISC EpCoP and the Australian PebblePad user group (APpUP).
• 10 May: E-portfolios for the professions (10.30am AEST) with presentations from the teaching, nursing and dental hygiene industries.
• 17 May: E-portfolios for the trades (8.00am AEST) with presentations from the hairdressing and building & construction industries.
• 23 May: e-Gems session - Strategies for implementing e-portfolios in your organisation (10.30am-12.00 noon AEST) - online and face-to-face in Hobart.

All sessions will be facilitated by Carole McCulloch, aka Coach Carole, from EpCoP.

Take part in the EpCoP 

23 May e-Gems session

The Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework) is supporting the EpCoP with an interactive e-Gems session on 23 May.

Allison Miller, the Framework’s E-portfolios Business Manager, and Roger Stack, from Tasmanian Polytechnic, will be presenting the session face-to-face in Hobart. The online facilitators will be the Framework’s e-Events Manager Jyothi Jayaram and Carole McCulloch.

The e-Gems session will workshop the newly developed Key considerations for implementing an e-portfolio system (outlined in an E-portfolios blog post) based on the findings from the 2009 and 2010 E-portfolios implementation trials.

Participants will discuss the best way to implement these considerations for their organisation and clients.

Contributions from the session will be used in a collective online Getting Started with E-portfolios in VETtoolkit being developed by the EpCoP.

Take part in the e-Gems session online

Take part in the e-Gems session face-to-face: register your interest by emailing kate.bucher@skills.tas.gov.au (places are limited)

Allison will also be running a hands-on workshop, Creating your own e-portfolio, on 23 May in Hobart from 1.30-4.30pm (AEST), where participants will create their own professional e-portfolio using the Mahara e-Skills website.

Register your interest by emailing kate.bucher@skills.tas.gov.au

Image: ‘Shining‘
http://www.flickr.com/photos/63583256@N00/14939014

Play Doh, Lego, Nintendo: Metaphors for the building blocks of good learning design

What constitutes good learning design?

Using iconic building blocks from the real world, this session will look at how to create meaningful and engaging learning experiences in vocational education and training (VET).

Focusing on the importance of thoughtfully designed learning objects, online learning sequences and teaching strategies, the session will introduce three concepts that together provide a scalable framework for proactive and quality learning design.

Presenter:

Helen Lynch is an advocate of e-learning and Flexible Learning Toolboxes. She has worked as an educational management and curriculum consultant; conducted e-learning research and worked with registered training organisations to manage Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) and business requirements.

Helen holds post graduate qualifications in educational management, online education and Indigenous education and is currently undertaking a doctorate at the University of Southern Queensland researching professional development and learning object reuse.

Date:               Monday 24 May 2010   

When:             12:30pm – 1:30pm AEST 

Where:            http://tinyurl.com/2010-egems-playdoh

Full URL for session (copy the complete link):

https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=675&password=M.41D2990401C898594B492DD91181E5

Helen is an outstanding presenter and this is a great opportunity. She presented on learning design last year at e-gems and in was indeed a jewel. Click here for a recording of that session if you have enjoyed this one.

The good news is that Monday’s session will also be recorded so if you are unable to attend the information will still be available to you.