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The information presented in these documents is the result of two major
activities conducted in the ANTA Flexible Learning Project Clicks on Bricks:
- a series of search conferences conducted throughout Australia in
the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector to discover the issues
and strategies the professionals involved in facilities design and management
and those in new learning technology implementation perceive to be of
the highest importance to their work and
- an extensive review of the
literature about the impact of new learning technologies in educational
facilities design and management.
The literature review was conducted to examine what has been published
on the topic of the impact of the new learning technologies on VET physical
facilities. Although not exhaustive, it attempted a comprehensive look
at the topic to expose issues that may be new to both facilities, designers,
managers and flexible learning experts.
The search conferences served several purposes:
- To bring together representatives of the various interest areas -
facilities, flexible learning, institute management, architects and
designers - to exchange their ideas from their particular perspectives
about facilities planning and needs
- To develop principles and guidelines based on the experiences of
those in the institutes and check if the themes and issues found in
the literature review are reflected in local experience
- To establish a dialog amongst the participants in the states on this
topic to encourage wider involvement and more considered examination
of the facilities planning exercise in those states at as it relates
to incorporating the new technologies.
Approximately 150 people participated in the workshops resulting in over
5000 comments collected through the discussion process. Each group addressed
general questions about the underlying assumptions with respect to using
ICTs in teaching and learning and facilities planning and management in
the VET environment and which should be challenged, and the emerging trends
in both.
The following ideas can be drawn from the principles
as a summary.
- A more structured business planning process needs to be implemented
which incorporates clear identifications of user needs, quantified financial
analysis and the appropriate mix of clicks and bricks to maximise net
present value.
- Facilities and ICT planning must be conducted at various levels, from
specific places in a room to building to campus to community, for function,
impact, and sustainability.
- The physical environment needs to be designed to invite the acquisition
and support of the necessary ICT skills and applications by teachers
and learners.
- Building spaces and network access infrastructure need to be flexible
in responding to the rapid evolution of user needs in a dynamic training
and employment environment.
- Buildings, ICT and network architecture need to be designed to facilitate
access by students who are not able to obtain access using their own
resources.
- Building design and staff resource planning needs to ensure that the
future support needs of ICT are met.· Continual assessment of
buildings, ICT and other facilities is required to maintain a functional
learning and operational environment to take advantage of the continuing
changes in technology.
Join
the Discussion Conference on this topic
Read the Report on Literature
Search and Review
Read the Report on Best Practice
Principles and Guidelines
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