045

**Applying e-learning solutions at SAE Institute.**

 * Manager:** Guy Chandler – chandlerg [at] sae.edu
 * Facilitator:** Bill Wade - wcwade [at] yahoo.ca


 * Sponsoring RTO:** SAE – Byron Bay


 * Target client groups:** Youth; Learners in the workplace


 * Project summary:**

SAE Institute International (www.sae.edu) is a private provider of quality training and education for audio, multimedia, animation and digital film production. With a worldwide reputation as an industry leader, SAE’s primary focus through LearnScope is to maintain its leading position by further enhancing the teaching and learning experience for its teaching staff and students. Central to this aim is the need to explore, identify and apply current and emerging e-learning trends and innovations (e.g., blogs, moblogs, podcasts, wikis, v-conferencing, toolboxes, EdNA, Moodle, Elgg, Elluminate) to SAE’s current repertoire, assuring a value-added business strategy through provision of a dynamic learning environment.


 * Online presence:**


 * EdNA:** http://www.groups.edna.edu.au/course/view.php?id=765
 * Blog:** http://www.blogger.com/i.g?invID=6532758293945087491&hl=en


 * Postcard from the Field due date:** week staring 16 October


 * Proposed LearnScope visit/s:** ¦ Aug. 25/26 ¦ Sept 1 ¦

Scheduled SAE Visit Agenda

Sept 1 10-11 am Alex and Robyn to Byron Youth Services 10:00 - 11:00 meet with Simon and Julian and other BYS staff to explore generated interests in blogging, fllash mob blog project and interest in SMS/text gaming. This is a follow up suggestion from the workshop held there last week.

Sept 1 11:30 - 12:30 Alex and Robyn to meet with Bill and Chandler at SAE. Review project outcomes to date. Review identified risks and challenges we are experiencing. Explore a proposed new objective and redirecting of efforts at SAE from broad-based opportunity for staff to explore e-learning to a targeted e-learning projected including key and engaged staff to date. This will culmionate in a focussed effort to apply e-learning skills explored to date.

Sept 1 12:30 - 1 pm Alex and Robyn to meet with Peter Houtmeyers, SAE Instructor for an interview regarding the impact of LearnScope on his teaching practice at SAE. Peter has visibly made exceptional efforts to alter his teaching strategies, incorporating more live web content, use of links and online resources, PowerPoint lecture resources (distributed to students) distributed pdf - classnotes, a blog to further explore student interests, e.g., postaudio and a current initiative to engage students in creating distributable videocasts of "How To Guides" to the major recording consoles at SAE. Peter has also begun exploring recording class lectures for podcasting to students.

Lunch at SAE 1 to 2 pm (Casual chat with Bill and any other SAE staff available).

2 to 5 pm Alex and Robyn to join our planned PD events

2 to 3 pm - A Virtual Conference with Frankie Forsyth to explore some distributed/flexible solutions for RPL and Cert IV Training and Assessment

3 to 3:30 - A focus session with SAE Instructor Gert Gast, as he shares some of the existing strategies used to support SAE students and how we might extend other possible supports.

3:30 to 5:00 - A presentation followed by discussion with Alex Hayes regarding "All Things Web 2.0" Strategies, favourite tools, possible ideas for SAE to explore.


 * Team events**

We have had two "E-Lunches" to date. These are an opportunity for exploring E-learning concepts and for team members to share with each other what they have been up to or report back from f2f workshops they may have attended.

During the last E-Lunch we focussed on Elluminate and virtual conferencing.


 * FURTHER DETAILS:**

A tour of any SAE College will reveal initial e-learning practices in action. One will encounter: § Instructors accessing e-learning resource repositories; § Students accessing a sizeable database of learning objects; § Assessors utilizing competency based testing through SAE’s online learning assessment system; and § Industry partners joining SAE Platinum Panels for virtual conferencing and PD. Building upon these initial e-learning approaches at SAE, the primary challenge that this project will address is to identify e-learning solutions that will facilitate accessible and flexible workbased training to enhance competency in instructional pedagogy and teacher certification. This project aims to identify and deliver e-learning solutions to meet this challenge. In addition, the emerging opportunity for our project team is to explore how e-learning is being applied Australia-wide and strategically adopt best practices within course instruction, professional development and support of a quality enhanced teaching and learning experience at SAE.
 * Background to the project:**

§ Explore a broad range of current and emerging e-learning technologies and innovations. § Participate in v-conference(s) and e-learning networks to learn about and share in an acquired knowledge base of the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, e-learning solutions, innovations and best approaches. § Identify and utilize 1 or 2 e-learning solutions for ongoing SAE teaching staff workbased professional development and integration into their teaching practices; § Document the integration of identified e-learning teaching strategies through the use of personal learning records and social networking solutions, e.g., blogs and/or Elgg. § Pilot an opportunity for SAE students, e.g., the Creative Club, to use moblogs and personal learning records to enrich their learning experience through social networking. § Assess the suitability of existing Training and Assessment (TAA) Toolboxes as an e-learning resource for use in SAE teaching staff professional development. Develop a flexible delivery plan for one selected TAA module. § Engage SAE Management in an environmental scan and analysis of current and emerging e-learning strategies in order to identify opportunities, challenges and potential e-learning solutions and prioritise longer-term sustainable e-learning goals and objectives at SAE. § Assess the project team’s interest level, skill base and potential to participate in future e-learning enriched course development teams and/or future blended learning deliveries, which will utilize e-learning strategies.
 * Proposed project outcomes:**

This LearnScope project enriches teaching and learning for SAE students and industry partners in a variety of ways. Initially, the combined focus of e-learning and instructional pedagogy means that teaching staff will explore and pilot innovative ideas for the presentation of course material, e.g., utilizing in-class PDA’s with discovery learning approaches or student collaborations using moblogs. Secondly, teachers may elect to pilot web-based e-learning supports such as Moodle or podcasts and personally engage in blogs or Elgg to archive personal learning records. It is expected that these types of teacher engagement will lead to direct integration within the teaching and learning process at SAE and may be directly expressed in the way they observe and assess student learning, e.g., construction of class blogs/wikis. Thirdly, learning becomes more accessible as teaching pedagogy leverages more asynchronous learner supports, i.e., 24-7. Accessibility addresses multiple learning style needs and differentiates instruction for SAE students enabling possibilities to engage in approved real-world production projects that might normally have interfered with class attendance. It is expected that this increase in capacity for e-learning will also lead to SAE’s increased ability to provide professional development workshops for industry partners. In essence flexibility and open learning are enhanced.
 * Benefits to client group:**

Evaluation of the impact of our project will be assured through: 1) direct involvement of student representatives, 2) utilization of small group instructional feedback (informal) and 3) existing student evaluation surveys (formal). Exit surveys will also be conducted with student cohorts this year to identify any noticeable impact upon their learning experience. Student representatives will be invited to project team meetings and encouraged to disseminate information about the LearnScope project to their student cohorts. In addition, involvement of students by piloting social networking solutions, e.g., personal learning records, Elggs or blogs etc., will be evaluated using an appreciative inquiry (AI) approach.
 * Evaluation strategies:**

A combination of data collection techniques capturing both tangible (quantitative content items) and intangible (qualitative process items) will be utilized. Tangible approaches may include, but not necessarily be limited to suggested approaches such as: pre-project and post-project questionnaires; reflection times at team meetings; minutes and brainstorms; email and online meeting discussion logs/recordings; team digital stories, case studies, anecdotes and quotes from team members; development of model documents and guides; evaluation forms; use of EdNA Groups; input to network groups, e.g., Byron Youth Services, EYE C MediaART. Intangible approaches will flow from a process of ongoing dialog and the collection of narratives pertaining to team and individual learning experiences. Within these dialogs, the principles of appreciative inquiry and a phenomenological approach will aid in capturing the “stories” that will underpin the impact upon teaching and learning at SAE.
 * We are capturing our learning via:**

In addition to the recommended participation in: NSW LearnScope EdNA Group(s); national Framework events; and NSW LearnScope network groups, SAE will use the following collaboration strategies. · Guest presenters, for Framework, LearnScope and Toolbox workshops drawn from experienced and knowledgeable Framework personnel and consultants. · Participation in sector specific e-learning networks, e.g., SAE will participate in EYE C MediaArt–a Youth and the Media Arts E-learning network via EdNA. · SAE led virtual conference and panel discussion on flexible and e-learning applications with other sector specific private colleges, e.g., Martin College, QANTUM, Computer Graphics College. · Elggs re: personal learning records, and staff generated blogs
 * We hope to share our learning :**

In order share and extend our learning, we will make use of the following recommended strategies: § Reports to in-house meetings, staff meetings, Managers § Conference or workshop presentations § Ongoing involvement in national network groups, e.g., EYE C MediaArt § Involvement in industry, community or VTE networks § Poll Industry colleagues for ways in which we might extend PD utilizing acquired knowledge of e-learning strategies § Share acquired knowledge base of e-learning solutions and approaches both nationally, with similar VTE providers and industry colleagues, e.g., Southern Cross University, Computer Graphics College, Martin College and QANTM College, and internationally, through the broader network of over 40 SAE Institutes and partnerships worldwide, e.g., Southern Institute of Technology, New Zealand and Middlesex University, London, England.
 * We’ll connect with others via:**

In addition to formal reporting requirements, our team will make use of the following reporting techniques & innovations: § Team blogs & regular intranet updates/feeds to keep the team informed § Flickr site for image documentation and narrative comments § Project multimedia portfolio – web-based information including links, stories, products, MP3 and video testimonials from participants, and a Flash animation (image slideshow). //This will be presented via CDROM and/or DVD as well as an optimized version delivered for low bandwidth distribution.//
 * Proposed project products/outputs:**


 * [|ggregator]
 * [|ajax]
 * [|alistapart]
 * [|audio]
 * [|bbc]
 * [|blog]
 * [|blogger]
 * [|blogging]
 * [|blogs]
 * [|eportfolio]
 * [|extension]
 * [|extensions]
 * [|feed]
 * [|feeds]
 * [|flock]
 * [|folksonomy]
 * [|geek]
 * [|generator]
 * [|geotagging]
 * [|GoogleMaps]
 * [|greasemonkey]
 * [|hacks]
 * [|identity]
 * [|im]
 * [|interactive]
 * [|iPod]
 * [|itunes]
 * [|Jabber]
 * [|mapping]
 * [|maps]
 * [|mashup]
 * [|Mix06]
 * [|mixing]
 * [|mlearning]
 * [|O'Reilly]
 * [|onlineworlds]
 * [|oreilly]
 * [|Peoplefeeds]
 * [|photoblog]
 * [|podcast]
 * [|podcasting]
 * [|podcasts]
 * [|radio]
 * [|Rails]
 * [|recording]
 * [|remix]
 * [|rss]
 * [|ruby]
 * [|Skype]
 * [|social]
 * [|socialsoftware]
 * [|sound]
 * [|sounds]
 * [|storage]
 * [|syndication]
 * [|tagging]
 * [|tags]
 * [|talotools]
 * [|video]
 * [|videoblog]
 * [|videoblogging]
 * [|Videoconferencing]
 * [|videos]
 * [|vlogging]
 * [|VoIP]
 * [|web2.0]
 * [|webapp]
 * [|webcast]
 * [|webstandards]
 * [|Wiki]
 * [|wikibooks]
 * [|wikipedia]
 * [|wikis]
 * [|wordpress]

=My Web Office Toolkit=


 * ONLINE - INTERNET / WEB**


 * 1.0 Communicating**

//Audio / Rendering / Podcasting Tools - Web//

[|Springdoo] - Audio and video emails [|Odeo] - audio / podcasting feeds / storage podcastingwith onboard personalisation features [|Podomatic] - audio / podcasting feeds / storage with onboard personalisation features [|Streamload] - audio / video storage with open web access [|Box] - Multi-media storage point

//Video Tools//

[|Niceshorts] - video upload / share / distribute [|Google Video] - video upload / share / distribute [ //open web links// ]


 * 2. Managing**

//Tracking / Searching / Social Bookmarking//

[|Bloglines] - feed reader used to keep track of who I'm reading on the web [ //RSS, XML// ] [|Del.icio.us] - social bookmarking tool with feedcast and personalisation features [ //tagging, RSS feeds// ] [|Technorati] - keeping track of who is reading me and a great blog search tool ( community )


 * 3. Publishing**

//Text / Imbedded Media - online//

[|Blogger] - blog that allows template hacking and multiple PLE functionality [ //PLE, commenting, trackbacks ]// Wikispaces - wiki pages that allow multiple authorship and imbedded media [ //versions, discussion, RSS feeds// ] [|Edublogs] - blog integrated with Wikispaces [ //PLE, commenting, trackbacks// ]

//Images / Imbedded media - online//

[|moblog.co.uk] - multi-media PC / moblogging gallery [ //tagging, rating, posting, commenting// ] [|flickr] - multi-media PC moblogging gallery [ //tagging, rating, posting, commenting// ] [|bubbleshare] - multi-media PC or moblogging / audio gallery [ //tagging, rating, posting, commenting// ]

//Calendar - online//

[|Google Calendar] - integrated web calendar [ //HTML, ICAL, XML// ] [|RSS Calendar] - integrated web calendar [ RSS, XML ]


 * 4. Syndication**

//Web feeds//

[|Feedburner] - Managing RSS feeds and multi-media syndication [ //tagging, RSS feeds, blends// ]

Start Pages

[|Protopage] - start page with personalisation features [ //RSS, webpage// ]


 * OFFLINE - PC / MOBILE / OTHER**


 * 1.0 Communicating**

//Audio / Rendering / Podcasting Tools - PC//

[|Audacity] - Audio recording tool for podcasting and general editing [|Erightsoft Super] - Simplified universal player encoder and renderer. [|Juice] - podcast reciever

//Internet Telephony / VOIP//

[|Skype] - Integrated desktop - VOIP communication - PC-to-PC, PC-to-phone etc. ( internet telephony ) [|Gizmo Project] - Integrated desktop - VOIP communication - PC-to-PC, PC-to-phone etc. ( internet telephony ) [|Google Talk] - Integrated desktop - VOIP communication - PC-to-PC, PC-to-phone etc. ( internet telephony ) [|Ineen] - Integrated desktop - VOIP communication - PC-to-PC, PC-to-phone etc. ( internet telephony )