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ADULT MULTICULTURAL
EDUCATION SERVICES
(AMES), Victoria
Summary
AMES blends the flexibility of online learning with the supportive environment of face-to-face classroom interaction to meet the needs of its clients.
Context
Adult Multicultural Education Services Victoria maintains 26 locations across Melbourne, offering a wide range of nationally accredited, competency-based programs to a client group that is predominantly unemployed. Its core business is to meet entry level and literacy skill development needs in a high support environment.
Online learning is used across the organisation and is integrated into most learning opportunities that AMES offers. Much of the online material sits on AMES’ ‘Virtual Independent Learning Centre’ web site.
Each unit within AMES is seen as a customer to the others, so that units purchase services and products within the organisation. This is how much of the development in the AMES Online unit is resourced.
Key Features
None of the AMES courses are offered totally online, however most courses use some online components, although the proportion varies. Because of the high face-to-face support needs of AMES clients, and their lack of access to home computers, online learning is predominantly used as a tool in the classroom. There is no real distinction between face to face and online delivery.
Most of the online materials at AMES are text based learning materials developed by teachers as a normal part of resource development. AMES also uses the Victorian TAFE Virtual Campus, which uses the Web CT.
Key Messages
- Context and clients’ learning needs determine how online learning materials should be used. The AMES case study is a useful reminder that online learning does not necessarily imply independent or isolated learning. It can make a powerful contribution by adding flexibility to a conventional classroom
situation.
Contact
Acting Mamagers, AMES Online
Sandip Rattan, rattans@ames.vic.edu.au
Terry Taylor, taylort@ames.vic.edu.au
http://www.ames.vic.edu.au/
http://www.virtualilc.com/
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