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[photo of team]**
 * Blog2Blog ConnecTVETy**


 * Manager:** Rob Wales – rob@robonline.id.au
 * Facilitator:** Paula Williams – paula.williams@tafensw.edu.au


 * Sponsoring RTO:** OTEN – Western Sydney Institute


 * Target client groups:** youth; disengaged; indigenous

“**Blog2Blog ConnecTVETy**” aims to train and up-skill TVET teachers in the use of open source social software to further engage TVET and Trainee students studying by distance or classroom based delivery. The purpose of the project is to enhance the development of teacher’s technical skills in the functions and features of Web 2.0 tools and to learn about the appropriateness of various social software applications for 15-19 year students learning in the ‘connected era.’
 * Project summary:**


 * Online presence:** (blogs, wikis, EdNA Group, websites, flickr tag, del.icio.us tag etc)

Central blog ([|www.connectvety.blogspot.com]) Central wiki ([|www.connectvety.wikispaces.com]).

Proposed LearnScope visit/s:** ¦ 29 August ¦ Rob Wales attended this event at Penrith. I had a very productive day meeting Alex for the first time, getting reacquainted with Robyn, meeting some of other LearnScopers and sharing what we are doing in our projects.
 * Postcard from the Field due date:** week starting 18 September


 * Team events** - September 12th - We are holding a daylong workshop. This workshop will be in two parts. The morning will introduce attendees to audiologging and moblogging. We will set up the appropriate software accounts and include an audio/moblogging activity. We will also take a brief look at one or two the other social software tools. The afternoon session will focus on setting up ConnecTVETy team members' student focus activity.

The morning session is appropriate for everyone while the afternoon is directed toward our own group. Not withstanding that, everyone is most welcome to attend either the morning session or the whole day.

More details at ConnecTVETy wikispace. Please send me an email if you are interested.

Venue - OTEN computer training room Date - Tuesday 12th September Times - 9:00 for 9:30 till 3:30ish. Lunch provided

Bring your mobile and if you don't have a mobile phone with G3 technology we have some available for the day.


 * Team Discussion** **http://nswlearnscope.wikispaces.com/message/list/067**


 * FURTHER DETAILS:**

The purpose of the project is:
 * Background to the project:**
 * the development of core skills for today’s teachers in; problem solving, innovative thinking, communication skills and collaborative knowledge sharing and the effective usage of social software technologies to support teaching and learning.
 * Increasing VET opportunities to improve employment outcomes for indigenous people, learners with disabilities and disengaged learners,
 * Improving technology-based learning and infrastructure
 * Improving retention of 15 -19 year olds in education and training

Ostensibly, this project strives to explore new forms of delivery and flexible training and assessment through the use of social software applications. In addition, we anticipate further youth engagement through the creation of richer learning environments using Web 2.0

The project plans to: Benefits to client group:**
 * Proposed project outcomes:**
 * Create a core group of TVET teachers with the skills and experience to deliver high quality support to distance and F2F students using social software and e-learning technologies.
 * Improve technical skills and understanding of the features, functions and appropriateness of open source social software applications for designing, implementing and delivering TVET programs.
 * Develop - through action- learning –a protocol or model for using social software in the delivery of TVET that will assist in the continuing professional development of TVET practitioners.
 * The exploration of social software and its applications should result in higher levels of engagement and enhanced learning outcomes for TVET students.
 * TVET teachers will be better able to provide professional development and support for their colleagues in the application of these technologies to enhance connective learning environments for students.
 * TVET students engaging with social software applications will have opportunities to interact using personal mobile devices to learn. By familiarising students with constructive ways of learning using these technologies, it is anticipated that their employability skills will be increased as a result of becoming more engaged learners.

The key measures of the impact on clients (TVET and Trainee students) will be: · Contribution to learning communities · More timely submissions of assignments · Improved assessment results · Better completion rates of students in their course
 * Evaluation strategies:**

The project will build a ‘Blogosphere’ to capture the sharing of the TVET connectivism from blog to blog using a wiki space that filters into a central blog using **de.li.ci.ous.com** and tags. This will involve creating two key repositories for recording learning and documenting the project’s progress and outcomes. These are: § Central blog ([|www.connectvety.blogspot.com]) § Central wiki ([|www.connectvety.wikispaces.com]).
 * We are capturing our learning via:**

A discussion forum has been established which will record asynchronous interaction between team members. In addition to these public documents, a space on the WSI intranet will be created for maintaining project records such as meeting minutes, online meeting discussion logs/recordings, emails, etc.

All team members are required to maintain a personal blog of their contributions and learning throughout the project. During the creation of learning experiences/community development teachers will work in small groups to design and deliver their online learning experience. The journey of this process will also be recorded in a wiki maintained by each group. An ongoing evaluation through the central blog will provide links to past and current social software trials illustrating the findings that may merit further investigation. In addition, an evaluation of participants learning will be conducted using an online survey tool such as “Survey Monkey”. The entire project documentation will be transferred to CD as a permanent record of the project on completion. We hope to share our learning via :** The members of the project will be encouraged to participate in the wider e-learning movement so they can share their learning in the “Blogoshphere’ with others in the online communities. This will be achieved through RSS feeds and tags to join and participate in online communities such as: · NSW LearnScope EdNA Group · Other educational blogs such as Steven’s Web, etc. · LearnScope network groups, Youth & Community · WSI e-learning spaces ,TALs portal on Sharepoint and TaLE · Other Fellow LearnScope groups eg “Teacher Connect” (Illawarra TAFE) Learning in the Field (Blue Mountains)

The project will set up dynamic learning environments that will continue to engage participants after the life of the project and incorporate opportunities into the continuing professional development strategies of the Institute. This will be achieved using blogs which will be used to create a ‘continuing support mechanism’ to sustain teams and individuals in their current and future professional development needs in the use of high level communication technologies. This will consist of: · Maintaining presence on WSI intranet. · Staff development learning technologies workshops to non project teachers in OTEN. · Maintaining presence in EdNA LearnScope and other similar groups and networks. · Promotion of wiki spaces across institute and wider VTE community
 * We’ll connect with others via:**

Reporting of outcomes will be presented by: · Central project blog · Central team wiki · Discussion forum transcripts · Participant’s individual blog postings and team comments · Participant group wikis · CD presentation of project · Presentation at LearnScope showcase · Contribution to ICVET · WSI Showcase
 * Proposed project products/outputs:**