Contents

• News

• Project Objectives

• Relationship with National Strategy

• Outputs, Outcomes and Performance Criteria

• Implications for Equity Groups

• Project Funding

• Indicative Timelines

• Proposed Management Arrangements and Composition of Steering Committee

• Contacts

• Project Links & Other Resources

News

July 2002 - Expressions of Interest for 2002 Commissioned Research

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) are seeking Expressions of Interest from suitable qualified people or organisations to conduct commissioned research in the following areas:
(i) Factors influencing demand for online learning; and
(ii) Professional development needs of contract and casual staff in the area of flexible learning.
Expressions of Interest closed on Wednesday, 7 August 2002.

Please note that a third research topic will be advertised nationally in the near future.

August 2002

The NCVER received 28 Expressions of Interest from interested parties. The Research project Steering Committee will meet on Tuesday, 3 September 2002 to consider the applications.

The NCVER, inconjunction with the other facilitation programs of Strategy 2002 (inlcuding the Sharing Knowledge, Promotions and Adoptions & Communications projects) are coducting discussion forums as part of NETWorking 2002. The discussion forum commenced on Sunday, 25 August and will finish on Thursday, 29 August 2002. Anyone registered for the NET*Working 2002 conference is welcome to participate.

November 2002

The NCVER have awarded two contracts for the commissioning of Flexible Learning Research 2002. One contract for the Factors influencing demand for online learning and one contract for the Professional development needs of contract and casual staff in the area of flexible learning. Further information regarding the research project titles and contact details will be made available shortly.

The Flexible Learning Research project steering commitee have decided not to commission research in the area of Human resource policies and practices to support and facilitate online learning for 2002 due to the complex nature of the topic. Subsequently, the NCVER will conduct a forum for the topic of Human resource policies and practices on 6 December 2002. Information derived for the forum will be made available on this site as it arises.

June 2003

All research projects from 2000 and 2001 are now completed and published. Refer to the Research 2000 and Research 2001 web pages for links to the published reports.

[top of page]

Project Objectives

The Flexible Learning Research Program aims to facilitate the achievement of the five broad goals of the Australian Flexible Learning Framework for the National VET System 2000 - 2004 by increasing the understanding in the VET sector of the pedagogical, technical and managerial aspects of flexible learning. To achieve this goal, the program will undertake the following four activities: ·

• Conduct a national research forum (Part A),
• Undertake applied research and dissemination (Part B),
• Undertake the Sharing Knowledge program (Part C),
• Conduct good practice case studies (Part D).

Part A of the Program - Leading researchers will be brought together to consolidate current research evidence on online learning and to identify major research gaps that impact on the mission and vision of the Australian Flexible Learning Framework.

Part B of the Program - The commissioning of new research into strategically important areas that will contribute to an increasing body of knowledge around existing and emerging issues in flexible learning. Research will be commissioned in three (3) priority areas:

(i) Factors influencing demand for online delivery;

Research scheduled for completion: 31 August 2003

Research contact:
Ms Kristine Peters
08 8240 0491
Email: kristine@kppm.com.au
www.ncver.edu.au/cgi-bin/getpjm.pl?prID=nr2F02

(ii) Professional development needs of contract and casual staff in the area of flexible learning;

Research scheduled for completion 31 August 2003

Research contact:
Dr Tom Stehlik
08 8302 6241
Email: tom.stehlik@inisa.com.au
www.ncver.edu.au/cgi-bin/getpjm.pl?prID=nr2F03

Note: This part of the program also undertakes the dissemination function whereby information and findings are made available to a broad range of stakeholders at the policy, practice and client base levels. This information will assist stakeholders in making informed decisions about future directions in flexible learning.

Part C of the program - The Sharing Knowledge project is the continuation of a facilitation program designed at forging strong links between individual projects within Strategy 2002, Strategy 2001 and Strategy 2000 with the aim of maximising outcomes from the research aspects of these individual projects. These outcomes will be maximised through the undertaking of targeted dissemination of research findings and support of the research activities built into individual Strategy projects.

Part D of the program - Good practice case studies will be identified, described and disseminated through a dedicated web site, as a continuation of the 2001 good practice in Flexible Learning project.

[top of page]

Relationship with the National Strategy & the Australian Framework and Strategy 2002

The Flexible Learning Research program is one of four initiatives that will facilitate the activities undertaken under the Australian Flexible Learning Framework for the National VET System 2000 - 2004 to position Australia as a global leader in applying new technologies to vocational education and training products and services. In achieving this aim, the Framework addresses five goal areas:

1. Creative, capable people
2. Supportive technological infrastructure
3. World-class online content development applications and services
4. Enabling policies
5. Problem-solving regulation

In 2002, research projects will be commissioned in the following priority areas:

1. Factors influencing demand for online learning
2. Professional Development needs of contract and casual staff in the area of flexible learning
3. Human resource policies and practices to support and facilitate online learning

A fourth project may be commissioned in an open category.

The dissemination of the findings from these projects will inform the ongoing development of activities in the Framework's goal areas. In addition, activities undertaken to support and facilitate the linkages between the research elements of the Framework's projects will contribute to the achievement of quality outcomes from those projects.

[top of page]

Outputs, Outcomes and Performance Criteria

The Strategy 2002 Research Program will produce five (5) key outputs:

• A national research forum providing a consolidated approach to research involving online learning.
• Reports on the research undertaken in the three (3) priority areas outlined above.
• Dissemination products and services relating to existing and in-progress high quality research in flexible learning including, for example, strategic synthesis, discussion forums, newsletters.
• A facilitation program designed at forging strong links between individual projects within Strategy 2002. The outcomes of this program will be maximised through the undertaking of targeted dissemination of research findings, support of the research activities, and strengthening the links of research activities undertaken within Strategy 2002 projects.
• An Internet site showing the flexible learning core activities.
  

The Flexible Learning Research program will deliver the following outcomes:

• It will increase the body of knowledge available to VET practitioners and policy makers on the pedagogical, technical and managerial aspects of flexible learning.
• It will support informed decision making at policy and practitioner levels.
• It will highlight areas for further investigation.
  

[top of page]

Implications for Equity Groups

The Australian Flexible Learning Framework for the National VET System 2000 - 2004 is committed to achieving increased participation in VET as a result of the use of online technologies, especially amongst specific target groups who have difficulties accessing traditional institution-based training. These groups include people with a disability, indigenous peoples and regional communities.

The research program in 2002 will complement the activities of these projects by commissioning market research on the factors influencing demand for online learning, professional development needs of contract and casual staff in flexible learning and human resource policies and practices to support and facilitate online learning.

Project Funding

A total of $550,000 has been allocated to this project in 2002.
The funds will be allocated as follows to the three components of the project:

• Part A - National Research Forum ($23,000)
• Part B - Applied research and dissemination ($295,000)
• Part C - Sharing knowledge ($87,750)
• Part D - Good practice case studies ($100,000)
• Research program management fee to NCVER ($44,250)
  

[top of page]

Indicative Timelines

Proposed Management Arrangements, Composition of steering committee

Parts A and B of the Research Program will be managed by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) and Part C and D of the Research Program will be managed by ANTA within a nationally agreed framework agreed by FLAG.

The direction of the project will be guided by the project Steering Committee, whose membership is listed below.

[top of page]

Program Contacts

ANTA Project Manager

Matthew Jackson
Project Officer
Australian National Training Authority
GPO Box 3120
Brisbane QLD 4001

Phone: (07) 3246 2339
Email: jacksonm@anta.gov.au

NCVER Project Manager

Phone: (08) 8333 8650
Email: jenniferg@ncver.edu.au 

Project Links & Other Resources

The 2002 Research Program is the third year in which the Flexible Learning Advisory Group has conducted commissioned research in the area of Flexible Delivery and Online Learning. Further information concerning previous research programs and associated programs can be found at the following web-sites:

2000 Research Program - http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/research/index.html

2001 Research Program - http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/research/overview.htm

Sharing Knowledge Project - http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/sharingknowledge/index.html

NCVER Research Web Site - http://www.ncver.edu.au/research/listproj.htm#VET

In addition to the above-mentioned web-sites the following research report and guides are available for your information.

2002 NCVER - At a glance - Flexibility through online learning (PDF)(642 KB) Flexibility through online learning

2002 NCVER - Research Readings Volume 1 (PDF)(684 KB) Part 1 Volume 2 (PDF)(890 KB) Part 2

Research report (Word document)(523 KB): Readiness of the VET sector for Flexible Delivery including Online Learning

Reference guide (RTF document)(172 KB): A Guide for Developers of Curriculum and Training Packages

Reference guide (RTF document)(191 KB): A Guide for Practitioners

[top of page]

This project is an initiative within the Australian Flexible Learning Framework for the National Vocational Education and Training System 2000-2004.