Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the Flexible Learning Advisory Group (FLAG) and the National VET Equity Advisory Council
(NVEAC) for providing the opportunity to investigate such an important area for Vocational Education and
Training.
We are also grateful for the support provided by both these National Secretariats and for the wisdom and advice
received from our Project Reference Group whose members are listed below:
Project Reference Group
Kay Dean
National Disability Coordination Officer
Marlene Manto
National VET E-learning Strategy (South Australia)
Robin Miles
Social Equity Works
Georgina Nou
Online educator Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands
Ruth Wallace
Charles Darwin University
Alicia Wein
Secretariat for the National VET E-learning Strategy
Authors
Donna Hensley and Christine Goldsmith
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
© 2013 Commonwealth of Australia
With the exception of FLAG Logos, any material protected by a trademark and where otherwise noted, all material
presented in this document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/
The details of the relevant license conditions are available on the Creative Commons website as is the full legal
code for the CC BY 3.0AUlicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/legalcode
The document must be attributed as: Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................2
Project Reference Group ........................................................................................................................................2
Authors ...................................................................................................................................................................2
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................................5
Background .................................................................................................................................................................6
Context ...................................................................................................................................................................8
Aims ............................................................................................................................................................................9
Scope ......................................................................................................................................................................9
Overview of Report and Guidelines ...........................................................................................................................9
Key Definitions......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Assumptions ........................................................................................................................................................ 10
Search focus......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Definition of Terms .............................................................................................................................................. 11
Focus questions ................................................................................................................................................... 16
Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................... 17
Rationale.............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Limitations and Challenges.................................................................................................................................. 17
Findings.................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Discussion and analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 22
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 33
Recommendations................................................................................................................................................... 35
Appendix A: Good e-practice guidelines ................................................................................................................. 36
Appendix B: Resources ............................................................................................................................................ 43
Appendix C: Key search terms ................................................................................................................................. 44
Appendix D: Methodology notes............................................................................................................................. 45
References ............................................................................................................................................................... 50
Abbreviated Terms .................................................................................................................................................. 55
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
ABSTRACT
This project consists of two key outputs:
(1) A literature review and analysis of projects funded by the Australian National VET E-learning Strategy and
other national and international literature identifying good practice in e-learning for disadvantaged learners.
(2) Guidelines to support Vocational Education and Training (VET) practitioners incorporating e-learning into
their practice with disadvantaged learners.
The review examines what is effective in the e-learning environment for disadvantaged learners that can achieve
successful learning outcomes and experiences. It also explores various e-learning pedagogical approaches to
inform good e-practice.
Multi-literacy competencies for both learners and practitioners are required to enable full participation in the
knowledge society. As identified by Lee (2013) these competencies embrace areas including connectivist
thinking, digital citizenship, cross-cultural interaction skills, innovative thinking, problem solving and social
networking skills. These are just some of the new skills required to function and participate in the 21st Century
domain. The challenge for VET practitioners is how to re-engineer their pedagogy in an e-learning environment
to facilitate the achievement of these competencies and ensure inclusive learning.
The focus of the review, disadvantaged learners in VET who are engaging in e-learning, was broad and diverse
and identifying good practice guidelines for each of these individual focus groups was not possible within the
scope of this review.
What did emerge from the projects and literature were four themes that are critical to address when
implementing e-learning strategies:




learner-centred approach
support strategies
blended delivery models
accessibility
The Guidelines and checklists are framed by these four themes and three areas that impact on the individual
relationship between learner and practitioner in an e-learning environment:



know the learner, their community, their culture;
know yourself, your skills, approach and practice and
know your environment, the technology and learning space
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
BACKGROUND
This research project was jointly commissioned by the Flexible Learning Advisory Group (FLAG)1 and the National
VET Equity Advisory Council (NVEAC)2.
FLAG is an advisory group of the National Senior Officials Committee (NSOC). As the key policy advisory group
on national directions and priorities for information and communication technologies (ICT) in the vocational
education and training system (VET) and Adult and Community Education (ACE), it has oversight of the National
VET E-learning Strategy 2012 - 2015 (‘the Strategy’).
NVEAC provides independent advice to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Standing Council on
Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment (SCOTESE) on how the VET sector can support disadvantaged learners
to achieve improved outcomes from VET. The NVEAC Equity Blueprint 2011 – 2016, Creating Futures: Achieving
Potential through VET sets the policy direction for the Council’s advice.
This project provides an opportunity to consolidate past work in the area of e-learning for disadvantaged
learners in VET, examine contemporary national and international thinking and to utilise the joint expertise of
the two councils.
NVEAC’s aspiration, as expressed in the Equity Blueprint, is for an equitable and inclusive VET system that
enables all learners to achieve their potential through skills development and to access the opportunities society
has to offer.
There is no doubt that an inclusive VET system leads to considerable benefits for the economy, communities and
individuals. Deloitte Access Economics (2011), Australian Social Inclusion Board: Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet (2012), National VET Equity Advisory Council (2011a)
We also know that education systems can reduce the extent to which differences in socio-economic background
relate to student performance. (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2013)
Access to, and the capacity to use information and communication technologies, is critical for full participation in
Australian society today.
“…dot com and not.com now define a new social order of individual economic power and individual economic
alienation”. (Graham, 2000: 21 cited in Australian Institute for Social Research 2006 p.4)
In 2006, the Australian Institute for Social Research commissioned a study to evaluate the barriers to e-learning
opportunities for women, people with disability and Indigenous3 people in metropolitan and regional areas.
1
Flexible Learning Advisory Group 2013, National Advisory for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Australia, viewed
28 March 2013, http://www.flag.natese.gov.au/.
2
National VET Equity Advisory Council 2013, National Advisory for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Australia,
viewed 28 March 2013, < http://www.nveac.natese.gov.au/>.
3
Indigenous people in this paper refers to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from Australia
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
They noted that technological and social change are mutually reinforcing phenomena and need to be located in
their wider social context.
“With appropriate policy intervention, the Digital Divide can be reconfigured to be an instrument of positive
change – a Digital Bridge - providing a means of overcoming disadvantage, or it can be a mechanism of
entrenching inequity. It can be a support for community capacity building or a means of widening divisions in
communities. The VTE (VET) sector, and the effectiveness with which it marries ICTs and learning methodologies,
can significantly affect these directions.” (Australian Institute for Social Research, 2006)
In 2002, (Cashion and Palmieri, 2002) noted, in their research which investigated the meaning of quality learning
from the perspective of VET online learners, that “the greatest deterrents to high quality online learning for
students have been found to involve problems with technology and access to the internet”.
Is this still the case? During 2010-11, 79% of Australian households had access to the internet at home, up from
72% in 2008-09. However, low income households remained much less likely than high income households to
have a home internet connection. (Australian Social Inclusion Board: Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet, 2012)
The ABS Survey Indicator ‘Household Use of Information Technology 2011’ also found that the use of the
Internet at home was higher among younger people, those with high levels of educational attainment (such as a
Bachelor degree), and people who were employed. It also showed that home internet use was more common
among people who were born in Australia or in other English speaking countries compared with those born in a
non-English speaking country. (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011).
The issue of access is also critical for rural and remote communities where infra-structure is currently
inadequate to meet e-learning needs in many locations. There are significant costs associated with equalising
access to technology for e-learning. This is an important topic that is outside the scope of this report, however
access to technology for disadvantaged learners needs to be considered at a systemic level if VET e-learning is to
be truly inclusive and its social and economic benefits enjoyed by all.
For a number of years, FLAG has supported using e-learning to improve accessibility, participation and outcomes
for disadvantaged VET learners through a range of projects and studies. Support has comprised of innovation
projects using seed funding to finance individual Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) using an e-learning
intervention for delivery of training to disadvantaged learners; as well as leadership projects that oversaw the
development of a wide range of resources to build VET sector capability. A significant number of projects have
been undertaken which have provided a rich source of information for this report.
There is no doubt that e-learning provides advantages for learners. An E-learning Benchmarking survey has been
undertaken under the auspices of FLAG since 2005, undertaking annual national surveys of the uptake and use
of e-learning by employers, training organisations, VET students and VET teachers and trainers. The surveys
illustrate trends in the uptake of e-learning, the way in which technology is used in training, and the impact of elearning on skills and employment.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
More than 6,000 VET students and 250 (RTOs) responded to the 2011 survey which focused on the uptake, use
and impact of e-learning.
“Student feedback has consistently shown that it is not just the formal qualifications and skills that they acquire
through VET that is of value in the workplace. Their capacity to use technology more effectively and with
confidence has currency in the job market. The impact of e-learning on employment outcomes is at its highest
recorded level. Fifty-five per cent of students said e-learning helped them to do their current job better, 42% said
it helped them to get a better job, and 66% said that they expected improved employment outcomes in the
future as a result of the e-learning in their course.” I and J Management Services (2011)
FLAG has also recently undertaken related research into developing a set of clear criteria for quality e-learning
delivery and assessment by VET practitioners, relevant to all Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) levels.
FLAG is also in the process (2013) of funding eight small projects to develop e-learning content to support equity
in VET.
What this report sets out to find is: What works in the e-learning environment for disadvantaged VET learners
that achieves successful experiences and outcomes for them? What can we learn from case studies and the
literature to inform pedagogy to support improved outcomes for learners?
Finding an agreed definition of VET e-learning pedagogy appears unresolved and an ongoing process. Research
that examines e-learning pedagogy in VET specifically related to disadvantaged learners is limited and we don’t
know as much as we would like to know. It would be advantageous to have a formula, a way of doing things
that works for all but as we know, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to learning. What we do
know is that the effectiveness of all education systems depends critically on the quality of the teaching and
learning that it delivers.
Context
This research relates to Reform Area 3 Building the Capability of the VET Workforce in the NVEAC Equity
Blueprint (2011-16) and Goal 3 of FLAG’s National VET E-learning Strategy (2012-2015): Expand participation and
access for individuals through targeted e-learning approaches.
It is being undertaken in conjunction with a second NVEAC project relating to Reform Area 3 in the NVEAC 201213 Work Plan; project 3.1 – to develop a Framework of Pedagogic Knowledge outlining the principles and
strategies for training and teaching disadvantaged learners in VET. The audiences who will benefit from both
projects include:


VET teachers, trainers, assessors
Disadvantaged learners in VET
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
AIMS
The general aims of the research project were to undertake a review and analysis of FLAG projects and national
and international literature to identify good practice in e-learning technologies and pedagogical approaches in
vocational education and training, including a focus on learner centred approaches and teacher training to
deliver training and assessment for disadvantaged learners.
Scope
The evidence to review and analyse to inform the development of the good practice guidelines was limited to:

FLAG projects targeting disadvantaged learners in e-learning technologies and pedagogical approaches
in the design and delivery of training and assessment.
To further support the findings from the analysis of the FLAG projects, reference was made to international and
national research literature of good practice in e-learning technologies and pedagogical approaches for
disadvantaged learners including VET provision in:




secondary schools, community sector and dual sector organisations
e-learning technologies and pedagogical approaches which are learner-centred
teacher training in e-learning approaches and technologies
socially just principles and strategies for engaging learners through e-learning technologies and
pedagogical approaches in VET.
OVERVIEW OF REPORT AND GUIDELINES
This project consists of two key outputs:
1.
The development of Guidelines to support VET practitioners incorporating e-learning into their practice
with disadvantaged learners (the Guidelines are listed in Appendix A)
2. A Report providing the Guidelines as an attachment that examines the evidence that explains how 1.
was achieved.
To ensure the project stayed focused on key issues and to ensure that current thinking and knowledge about
strategies for disadvantaged learners in VET remained central to our approach, a Project Reference Group was
established. The membership of this group represented the diversity of the area that we were focusing on. (See:
Acknowledgements for members of this group)
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
KEY DEFINITIONS
Defining the terms for this study is important as it provides a structure for investigation for the literature review
and outlines some of the key assumptions about current research in the area of VET disadvantaged learners and
e-learning.
Assumptions
As defined by the project brief, the following assumptions were applied.



Central to building the capability of the VET workforce is improved pedagogic approaches to effectively
teach and train disadvantaged learners in Australian VET context, particularly when contemplating the
use of e-learning.
Engaging disadvantaged learners through e-learning delivery and assessment is more than adding a new
gadget to their learning experiences. Through an emphasis on learner-centred approaches and teacher
training, e-learning technologies are improving the connection between learners and their trainers and
improving learner experience and outcomes.
E-learning technology in delivering training and assessment has the potential to support pedagogy that
can improve disadvantaged learners’ engagement and learning outcomes.
Search focus
Focus questions were originally developed by an NVEAC/FLAG Action Group in response to policy imperatives. It
was important before beginning the review to have a clear understanding of the meaning and intended
outcome of the questions.
In consultation with the Project Reference group, the questions were reviewed and terms identified that
required clarification for the contextual evolution of the project.
As (Anlezark et al., 2005) points out; generally the recognised format to focus a systematic review question is to
consider the population of interest, intervention for investigation and outcomes considered most important for
assessing the results.
After an initial scan of the literature, the aspects of focus for the literature review: population, interventions and
outcomes were discussed with the Project Reference Group at the first meeting held at the beginning of the
project and the focus areas for investigation were identified below:
FIGURE 1: FOCUS OF INVESTIGATION
Population
• Disadvantaged learners
• VET Practitioners
Intervention
• E-learning
Outcomes
• Improved learner experience
• Improved e-learning
pedagogy
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
The focus areas were further defined into sub-descriptors to refine the search and these are outlined in the
methodology notes in Appendix D.
Definition of Terms
The fields of both VET and ICT are littered with jargon and acronyms. Further confusion arises due to such a
rapidly developing field and the meaning of terms changing over time, with new terms emerging due to changes
in emphasis, use, or meaning. (Australian Flexible Learning Framework, 2003).
The following terms are defined for the context of this project.
E-learning
A range of definitions for e-learning were identified in the literature. E-learning is a term that “characterises
educational systems at the start of the 21st Century. Like society, the concept of e-learning is subject to constant
change…. It’s about doing things differently.” (Sangrà et al., 2012)
Various tags are currently used to describe e-learning including: online learning, web-based learning, distance
learning, mobile learning, flexible learning and more, all of which can prove confusing for teachers wanting to
embark on new approaches.
The different interpretations of e-learning are often dictated by professional approaches and interests and fall
into definitions that are categorized by Sangrà et al. (2012) into four areas; technology-driven definitions,
delivery-system definitions, communication-orientated definitions and educational-paradigm definitions.
Representative samples of definitions relating to these categories are listed below:
Technology-driven definitions
 Learning conducted via electronic media, typically on the Internet. (Oxford Dictionary, 2012)
 E-learning, sometimes termed computer-based training (CBT), internet-based training (IBT) or web-based
training (WBT), includes all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching, including
educational technology. The information and communication systems, whether networked learning or
not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process. (Tavangarian et al., 2004)
Delivery system definitions
 E-learning is the delivery of education (all activities relevant to instructing, teaching, and learning)
through various electronic media. (Koohang and Harman, 2005)
 E-learning uses electronic media to deliver flexible vocational education and training. It includes access
to, downloading and use of web, CD-ROM or computer-based learning resources in the classroom,
workplace or home. It also includes online access to and participation in course activities (e.g. online
simulations, online group discussions); directed use of the internet, mobile and voice technologies for
learning and research purposes; structured learning- based email communication; and online assessment
activities. (National VET E-learning Strategy, 2011)
 E-learning is the delivery of learning, training or education programs by electronic means. (Li et al., 2012)
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Communication-orientated definitions
 E-learning is learning based on information and communication technologies with pedagogical
interaction between students and the content, students and the instructors or among students through
the web. (González-Videgaray, 2007)
 E-learning is defined as learning facilitated by the use of digital tools and content that involves some
form of interactivity, which may include online interaction between the learner and their teacher or
peers. (Ministry of Comunication and Technology of New Zealand, 2008)
Educational paradigm definitions
This category defines e-learning as a new way of learning or as an improvement on an existing educational
paradigm.


E-learning is the use of new multimedia technologies and the Internet to improve the quality of learning
by facilitating access to resources and services, as well as remote exchange and collaboration. (Alonso et
al., 2005).
E-learning is defined as information and communication technologies used to support students to
improve their learning. (Ellis et al., 2009)
For the purposes of this project, a definition of e-learning which encompasses an educational paradigm
orientated definition has been chosen. This definition also encompasses the notion of pedagogy and the notion
of improving learning outcomes; therefore we have not listed the term e-learning pedagogy separately but
understand that it is implicitly included in the e-learning definition identified for this project. The definition of elearning used for the purposes of this project is:
E-learning is an approach to teaching and learning, representing all or part of the educational model applied,
that is based on the use of electronic media and devices as tools for improving access to training, communication
and interaction and that facilitates the adoption of new ways of understanding and developing learning. (Sangrà
et al., 2012)
In this paper we sometimes refer to e-learning that includes pedagogy as e-practice.
Disadvantaged learners in VET
For the purposes of this project we have used the NVEAC definition as outlined in their Equity Blueprint:
(National VET Equity Advisory Council, 2011a)
-
People from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds
Indigenous Australians
Women
People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds particularly new arrivals to Australia,
refugees and emerging communities
People with disability
People from rural, regional or remote locations or communities with high levels of disadvantage.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
NVEAC agrees that these are important population groups to monitor in the context of VET. Further, the Council
argues that we also need to monitor the system’s success in providing a ‘second chance’ for people across these
populations who are experiencing particular life circumstances, especially people:
-
with less than Year 12 or equivalent level of educational attainment
returning to learning after a long period of absence from study and/or work
reskilling following redundancy
involved in the criminal justice system
of working age who are neither working nor studying.
Aspects of literacy and numeracy skills and competence, although not identified as a distinct group, are often
inherent across these cohorts. For example, just over half of Indigenous students in year 9 meet the national
minimum standards for writing (55%) compared to 86% of non-Indigenous students. Disadvantage continues to
be concentrated geographically. “We also know that different kinds of disadvantage tend to coincide in
particular locations and persist over time. Those in the lowest socio-economic areas are around 20% less likely to
attain Year 12 or equivalent (74% compared to 94%)” (Australian Social Inclusion Board: Department of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2012)
The report, Social Inclusion in Australia: How Australia is Faring (2012) notes that; “while the experience of a
single disadvantage can create difficulties for people, the experience of multiple disadvantage can have a
compounding and persistent effect, reinforcing barriers to getting ahead and increasing the likelihood of other
related problems later in life”. In Australia, based on ABS (2011) statistics, around 5% of the working age
population, or 640,000 people, experience multiple and complex disadvantage which may affect their ability to
fully participate in society.
E-learning offers great opportunities to reduce disadvantage by enabling access for people who may have been
previously unable to attend formal classroom based learning; people with disability, people from rural and
remote locations, women who are primary carers etc. however, this is predicated on a 'level playing field' notion
of access that currently does not exist. People and communities who do not have access to infrastructure or
technology are clearly disadvantaged from the benefits e-learning can afford. While access and infrastructure
are no guarantee of 'learner engagement' or 'learner outcomes' (as we will discuss in more depth later in this
report) and the focus of this research is on e-teaching and e-learning, the researchers would like to acknowledge
that 'lack of access to new technologies' as a category of disadvantage may need inclusion on the above list and
needs to be factored into policy and planning decision making of Governments, funding bodies and RTOs.
VET (Vocational Education and Training)
It was important to define this term as various descriptors are used internationally. The following definition from
the NCVER VET Glossary was used as a guide.
Post-compulsory education and training, excluding degree and higher level programs delivered by further
education institutions, which provides people with occupational or work-related knowledge and skills. VET also
includes programs which provide the basis for subsequent vocational programs. Alternative terms used
internationally include technical and vocational education and training (TVET), vocational and technical
education and training (VTET), technical and vocational education (TVE), vocational and technical education
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
(VTE), further education and training (FET), and career and technical education (CTE).(Accessed 28/3/13
http://www.ncver.edu.au/resources/glossary/intro.html)
As part of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, studies that focused on VET courses beyond Level 5 (Diploma)
were not reviewed.
Good Practice
Good practice is based on the gathering of evidence, for example a teaching method that has been proven to
work well and produce good results and outcomes for both teachers and learners, and is therefore
recommended as a model.
Within the context of this report, ‘Good Practice’ was identified where VET students from diverse backgrounds
and with diverse needs were valued, supported and integrated into the community of learners by means of
flexible approaches on the part of institutes, colleges, faculties, co-ordinators and individual practitioners.
Evidence from case studies and research projects were included if they demonstrated outcomes that improved
the learner experience and revealed a progressive process of improvement in pedagogy that engaged the
learner across a range of contextualised learning experiences.
The Equity in VET: Good Practice Principles (National VET Equity Advisory Council, 2011b) were also used as a
guide to select readings that would inform the Good E-Practice Guidelines for Disadvantaged Learners in VET for
this project (see Appendix A)
VET Practitioners
VET practitioners for this project are defined as:
Practitioners are those trainers and assessors who have a substantive involvement in VET delivery, whether
employed on a permanent or temporary basis. They are expected to be suitably skilled in the practices of
teaching, training and assessment, and also to possess sound industry currency. (Australian Productivity
Commission, 2010)
Learner Voice
Common themes throughout an initial scan of the literature included learner-focus, empowerment of learners
and the positive outcomes from listening and acting on learners’ feedback to inform pedagogy and outcomes.
(Golding et al., 2012, Achren et al., 2012, Brown and North, 2010, Sawang et al., 2013, Guiney, 2012, TylerSmith, 2006)
‘When learners participate in decisions affecting their learning experience, they are likely to play a more active
role in the provider’s quality improvement processes – a key lever of service improvement’. (Department for
Education and Skills Great Britain, 2006)
Systematic collection of the views of learners is a rich source of valuable feedback, and when acted on
effectively it can influence the shape and availability of services to ensure maximum benefit to the learner. This
is especially relevant for evaluating e-learning systems and implementation of learning approaches with
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
disadvantaged learners. Aspects of the emerging area of learner analytics are further discussed in ‘Discussion
and Analysis’.
For the purposes of this project the following definition was applied:
The engagement of VET practitioners and learners in a collaborative dialogue that informs, facilitates and
achieves mutual learning goals.
Digital Literacy
This term was consistently found in the literature, in the context of both practitioner and learner competence,
required for participation in an e-learning environment.
Digital literacy has become much more than the ability to operate computers – just like traditional literacy and
numeracy, it comprises a set of basic skills which include the use and production of digital media, information
processing and retrieval, participation in social networks for the creation and sharing of knowledge, and a wide
range of professional computing skills.
“Digital literacy improves employability because it is a gate skill, demanded by many employers when they first
evaluate a job application. It also works as a catalyst because it enables the acquisition of other important life
skills”. (Karpati, 2011)
Digital literacy can be an umbrella concept for important skills clusters which may include accessing information,
managing information and integrating and evaluating information. This last area provides one of the most
important roles for VET practitioners in supporting learners to critically evaluate information.
Lee (2013) in research commissioned by UNESCO states that future society will comprise the semantic Web, Big
Data, cloud computing, smart phones and apps, the Internet of things, artificial intelligence and various new
gadgets. “In short, it will be an information and communications technology (ICT)-based society”. She outlines
an integrated approach towards new literacy training by establishing a literacy framework of three categories of
“21st Century Competencies” as being essential to future society.
1) conceptual competencies: connectivist thinking, innovative thinking and problem solving, critical
thinking, reflective thinking and positive thinking skills;
2) practical competencies: media and information literacy (with ICT skills as a key component) and learning
skills; and
3) human competencies: social networking skill and virtual collaboration, self-management, humanistic
consciousness, digital citizenship and cross-cultural interaction skill.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Focus questions
After defining the terms and discussing the focus for investigation, the Project Reference Group agreed that the
final search questions were:
1. What are the common elements/characteristics in e-learning that support responsive and tailored
training and assessment; and produce successful outcomes for disadvantaged learners in VET?
2. What are the implications for good practice in the training of VET practitioners in e-learning that
support the delivery of training and assessment for disadvantaged learners in VET?
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
METHODOLOGY
Rationale
The main focus for data collection was the literature review conducted within the areas outlined in the Project
Scope on page 7.
To undertake the literature review, reference was made to the eight step model developed by (Anlezark et al.,
2005) which outlines the process for a systematic review of research to inform policy and practice. Reference
was also made to Randolph (2009) and Boote and Beile (2005)
The purpose of the methodology employed for this project was to undertake a quality review of the literature
utilising inclusion and exclusion criteria, weighting for relevance and quality and critical appraisal to address the
research questions.
This methodology, a systematic review of the literature, was selected as the emergence of e-learning and epractice approaches in education are constantly changing due to the rapid introduction of various new
technologies. It was important to have appraisal criteria that ensured the currency and relevancy of the studies
selected. Further information related to coding and appraisal criteria are outlined in Appendix D.
The research took place between February and April 2013. For the search strategy, a range of resources were
accessed including research papers and case studies of National VET E-learning Strategy projects that focused
specifically on disadvantaged learners. Fifty-nine (59) case studies from the ‘Participation & Skills 2012 /13’ and
‘Partnerships for Participation 2012’ projects were reviewed.
Online databases, web-based databases, web search engines, websites and hand-searching of bibliographies or
reference lists and journals—hard copy and content pages online were also accessed. The articles included in
this review include both qualitative and quantitative studies.
The Project Reference Group, FLAG and NVEAC Action Groups reviewed the methodology, literature search and
finalisation of the Guidelines for this project.
Limitations and Challenges
The evidence reviewed and analysed to inform the development of the good practice guidelines was limited to a
literature review (secondary sources).
Due to the scope of the project, it wasn’t feasible to conduct student/learner interviews and gather primary
sources of data. However, during the literature review, case studies, research projects and observations were
sourced that reflected the views of the diverse learner groups as well as those of practitioners.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
FINDINGS
Initially, a search was undertaken with key search terms (see Appendix C) to identify all potential studies for the
literature review. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were then applied and studies were selected for further review
and appraised using the evaluation criteria. (Appendix D: Table 2)
The ‘disadvantaged learner’ population defined for this report included the identified equity groups as well as
groups consistently referred to in the literature as disenfranchised, acutely marginalized or at risk. There are
also people experiencing multiple disadvantages and facing a range of barriers to participate in education and
training.
While some publications focused on individual cohorts or combinations of disadvantaged learner groups, such as
Indigenous learners from remote locations, and female refugees there was little research found which related
solely to the ‘women’ learner cohort in VET e-learning courses. As Karpati (2011) notes, research in this area is
ambiguous and points out that some studies emphasise that there are no gender-related differences in
computer skills acquisition: others document substantial gains when teaching strategies are specially tailored to
the needs of female learners.
Karpati (2011) provides examples of successful gender focused e-learning approaches including a project in
Malaysia for transforming women entrepreneurship from material business to an online venture. This proved to
be successful and sustainable because it considered needs that were gender specific.
In Australia, the national initiative called “girls and ICTs” resulted in a showcase of hundreds of ‘best practice”
examples about teaching girls computer related knowledge more appropriately.
“In the coming years, new digital competence models will probably be increasingly gender-specific, where the
special skills, abilities, user patterns, and attitudes of each gender will be more adequately represented and
developed through more inclusive teaching programmes”. (UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in
Education, 2011) Emergence and growth of the field of learner analytics in the future will support these new
individualised digital competence models.
In their study examining barriers for e-learning for disadvantaged learner groups, the Australian Institute for
Social Research (2006) explored gaps in three factors associated with the ‘digital divide’;
1. Connectivity (infrastructure and affordable access to the Internet)
2. Capability (skills, confidence and recognition of value in using the Internet)
3. Content (relevant, useful and accessible information and services online)
There have been some improvements and advances in connectivity (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011),
however issues in the areas of capability (for both learners and practitioners) and content remain problematic.
“The literacy demands and cultural homogeneity of many online courses and modules raises questions about the
adequacy of the skills of students from a range of backgrounds and groups. Fundamental issues such as the
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
cultural appropriateness of questioning, conversational conventions, language acuity and delay, and student
attitudes towards interaction with authority take on a heightened importance in an online environment. In face
to face classrooms, diversity is an asset. In an online environment it may be a distinct disadvantage.” (Brennan,
2003)
As at year-to-date (YTD) March 2013, there were 338,916 enrolments by full-fee paying international students in
Australia on a student visa and many of those are also undertaking online learning as part of their course. In
2011, there were 171,237 international students enrolled in the vocational education sector. (Australian
Education International, 2013)
“Students from the Asian region represent 85% of international students in Australian vocational education while
the VET curriculum and pedagogy has been largely influenced by European traditions.” (Tran, 2013)
Chen and Bennett (2012) explored Chinese international students’ experiences of studying online at an
Australian university. The findings indicated a strong culture clash between these students’ educational
dispositions, shaped by their previous learning experiences in China, and the online pedagogic practices, which
were underpinned by a constructivist approach.
“The logic of basing teaching and learning on a constructivist philosophy has become thoroughly
embedded in most spheres of education.” (Figgis, 2009)
There is evidence that rather than customising the online pedagogy to a particular group there seems to be a
trend to assume that ‘one size fits all’. For culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) learners, the “Lack of
culturally appropriate learning is considered to be a major cause of unsuccessful completions. Inadequate
teacher and provider sensitivity to cultural differences … as well as language difficulties all contribute”. (Guthrie,
2003)
During the past ten years there has been a substantial shift and increase in approaches and e-learning strategies.
The literature search revealed a number of common elements and characteristics positively impacting the elearning experience and outcomes for disadvantaged learners. To facilitate the discussion and analysis stage,
these factors are grouped under the following themes and discussed further below:




learner-centred approach
support strategies
blended delivery models
accessibility
A Learner-centred approach plays a significant role in the modern e-learning context. The case studies and
other literature researched consistently refer to this approach. Listening to the learner, adapting the learning to
suit the needs of the individual, customising resources based on the learner’s preferences, connecting learners
and practitioners in a way that unlocks a successful e-learning experience, are constantly referred to as good
practice.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
“To support VET participation, pedagogies need to recognise and respond effectively to the impact of the
disparities between those students’ realities and educational institutions’ assumptions about knowledge”.
(Wallace, 2009)
Support strategies in e-learning include both technological support and broader program design interventions.
The practical inclusion of interpreters (for the deaf, CALD learners), language facilitators for Indigenous learners,
e-literacy specialists and embedded LLN and digital literacy in the program design were identified as
contributors to the learning experiences for both the learners and the practitioners.
Blended delivery models mean various mixes of on-line, distance, face-to-face delivery (one-to-one or one-tomany) with the use of computers and a range of technologies. The literature indicates this delivery model is
emerging as the most successful approach to increase the learning experience for disadvantaged learners in a
variety of situations. A range of variables and contexts can be addressed through blended models such as
connectivity, capability cultural context and clarification of content.
Accessibility, for this project, means learner access to technologies, such as inclusive technologies,
infrastructure and appropriately designed resources and programs for diverse learners groups. It was found that
the impacts on accessibility to effective learning consisted mainly of:




economic and social barriers preventing physical access to technologies and equipment beyond the
onsite learning environment,
availability of appropriate inclusive technologies (either impacted by cost, not considered in the
learner’s plan, not available in time to complete the program, or not compatible with other technologies
available at the time),
physical availability of broadband and mobile coverage, beyond the city, suburban areas,
cultural barriers and sensitivities, particularly for the CALD and Indigenous learners.
The literature provided a rich source of material relating to and identifying barriers affecting the learner
experience. It’s no surprise to note that many of the factors contributing to the improved learner experience
also create barriers by their absence from the programs.
Referring to learners with disability, (Downie, 2010) reports on the importance of resources being “assessed for
usability and accessibility” however he suggests that while standards compliance is highly desirable, “as more
people without expert knowledge create e-learning resources, the likelihood of inaccessibility increases.”
Practitioners reported on challenges in meeting accessibility guidelines and standards. (Strategy, 2013) There
was evidence in some readings of too much responsibility being placed on practitioners when the organisation
was accountable for establishing appropriate resources, standards and systems to support learning.
A number of the National VET e-learning strategy project reports identified challenges, which negatively
impacted the learning experience. These include:


difficulties in maintaining regular attendance
constraints to accessibility of suitable technologies and infrastructure
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET

completion of tasks and programs impacted by learners’ skills, knowledge and circumstances, on entry
The Centre for Adult Education (2012) in its Employabilit-E case study, reported its learners, all of whom faced
multiple barriers to education, had experienced sporadic attendance. In fact, attending scheduled classes was
difficult, for a variety of reasons. “This issue is coupled with fear and lack of confidence, feeling out of their
comfort zone.”
Attendance and commitment to an almost full-time program proved to be a challenge for their Indigenous
learners in Get That Job! Anangu Speak Up. (APY Lands TAFE SA Regional, 2012)
TAFE SA Adelaide South Institute (2012) reported that learners in E-learning opportunities for the Deaf project,
didn’t respond to emails, or messages via Facebook or text. A further barrier to their learning was the lack of
digital literacy of their interpreters and mentors. Lack of time to provide support and facilitate the learning
experience became an inhibitor to the learning experience.
JobCo (2013) reports that progress of its acutely marginalised, disadvantaged and disengaged learners is slow
and some are unlikely to complete learning within the timeframe allocated. As the project is current, JobCo
intend to introduce continual enrolments, to provide an extended period for the learners to complete their
program.
The research findings identified a number of themes that could be further tested as good practice. The National
VET Equity Council in its ‘Equity in VET: Good Practice Principles’ provides a reference point for measuring or
aligning our findings. (National VET Equity Advisory Council, 2011b)
The findings demonstrate a good alignment with principles 1-4 and 6, which are discussed in detail later in the
report. These principles are:





Principle 1: Supported learner pathways and transitions are built into the learning experience.
Principle 2: Strong partnerships and connections exist to support learners’ needs and their successful
transitions to further learning and / or work.
Principle 3: Training has been integrated with work experience and / or is aligned with areas of labour
market demand to support sustainable employment outcomes.
Principle 4: There is embedded support for foundations skills within vocational training.
Principle 6: A commitment to improving the capability of the VET workforce to address the needs of
diverse learners.
However, there appears to be a gap in measurement and continuous improvement strategies, requiring future
discussion and attention beyond this project. Principles 5 and 7, both relate to analysis of the learning
experience, impact the feedback loop and ability improve the overall learning experience and outcomes. These
two principles are:


Principle 5: The voice of the learner is heard and acted upon.
Principle 7: The outcomes of the program / initiative have been measured and positive results are being
achieved.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
This review has been focussed at the individual level and the personal relationship occurring between the
learner and the practitioner. This doesn’t mean that all of the other broader organisational and system issues
related to implementing e-learning haven’t emerged. The goal here was to seek out e-learning barriers, issues
and success factors (facilitators) from the literature from both the learner and practitioner viewpoint.
The responsibility for ensuring inclusive e-learning practices does not rest with just the practitioner. It requires a
whole of organisation approach.
To successfully implement an effective e-learning strategy, practitioners cannot work in isolation. “Both the
literature and the national consultations for this study suggest that one person or group of people (the
champions) cannot embed e-learning. To embed e-learning requires organisation, industry, community-wide
processes to be put in place that will aid the champions and the teachers/trainers they work with. The nature of
the management support required includes policy support, budget support and a responsive IT department.”
(Jolly et al., 2009)
There are also broader issues for policy makers, organisations and RTOs that require further research. “Any VET
institution wanting to implement learning at a distance needs to implement a range of policies to ensure
successful implementation of the programmes….. Decisions will need to be made about the education strategies
to be used, including the level of technology most accessible and appropriate to the needs of its learners” Le
Cornu et al in Moran and Rumble (2004)
Organisations cannot work alone if they are to provide the best opportunities for all of their learners. As Clarke
and Volkoff (2007) identified in their national survey of fifty-eight TAFE Institutes, “Effective inclusiveness
practice requires the exchange of knowledge about learner disadvantage and TAFEs to pursue collaborative
relationships with other educational, government and support agencies, particularly in the context of diversifying
populations and industries”.
So how has what we have discovered in the findings addressed our two main search questions? The first search
question asked:
What are the common elements/characteristics in e-learning that support responsive and tailored training and
assessment; and produce successful outcomes for disadvantaged learners in VET?
During the past ten years there has been a monumental shift in various approaches in e-learning strategies for
disadvantaged learners. As Kruse (2002) in (Downie, 2010) says ‘Like no other training form, e-learning promised
to provide a single experience that accommodates the three distinct learning styles of auditory learners, visual
learners, and kinaesthetic learners’.
Downie (2010) agrees with Kruse’s comment, made almost 10 years ago, that “e-learning has the potential to
meet the needs of widely diverse learners.” He suggests two crucial factors impacting this potential: the first is
the availability of suitable equipment and, secondly, “whether the e-learning resource has been developed with
the goals of addressing differing learning styles and accommodating people with disabilities.” The search of
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
literature published in more recent years remains consistent with these comments where ‘good practice’ means
a highly personalised, learner-centred, and accessible intervention.
Returning to the four emerging themes from the findings that positively impact the e-learning experience and
outcomes for disadvantaged learners; learner-centred approach, support provision, blended delivery models,
and accessibility provides a basis for further analysis.
Learner-centred approaches are highlighted in the Equity in VET Good Practice Principles which states under
Principle 5 “The voice of the learner is heard and acted upon”.... that a “flexible, learner-centred approach has
been adopted..... program and learning support services have been adapted.....around the needs of individual
learner (sic) and their circumstances.” (Brown and North)
Wallace (2010) notes that “through an emphasis on learner-centred approaches and teacher training, mobile
technologies have been found to improve connection between Indigenous learners and trainers”.
In a large-scale factor analysis study that determined the underlying constructs that comprise students’ barriers
to online learning Muilenburg and Berge (2005) found that lack of social interaction was identified by students
with individual differences4 as being the first of four critical barriers. Social interaction (a) was followed by
administration/instructor issues (b), learner motivation (c) and time/support for studies (d). This is a significant
identified priority for learners compared to the past where often technical or administrative issues were
identified as the main barrier for learners.
Fostering social interaction in e-learning environments can have a positive impact on learners’ experience. The
‘Employabilit-E’ project identified “What really worked well was creating a culture of learning through structured
social interaction during pair and team activities as well as the breaks”. (Centre for Adult Education, 2012)
The learning experiences and successful outcomes for disadvantaged learners were assisted by the inclusion of
various learner support strategies.
Successful strategies designed for “at-risk” students are identified by O'Connor et al. (2009) and provide a
number of international case studies that describe strategies trialled to increase the learning success for these
students:
The University of Technology, Auckland New Zealand developed a First Year Experience (FYE) Intervention and
Support Program, one component of which is an at-risk program using “triggers to identify at-risk students are
failure to attend a first class, failure to submit a first assignment, failing an assignment, consideration of
withdrawal or failing a unit of study.” The FYE strategy includes a “rapid and consistent response” by staff for the
“at risk” learner. The quantitative and qualitative evaluations demonstrate “significant increases in retention
and progress for those who received FYE intervention”.
4
Individual differences/variables included: gender, age, ethnicity, type of learning institution, self-rating of online learning
skills, effectiveness of learning online, online learning enjoyment, prejudicial treatment in traditional classes and the
number of online courses completed.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
In the same report, the South Plans College, Texas USA, designed a comprehensive retention plan for its special
learner populations. An early alert system was devised (for non-attendance and participation) along with
“individualized success plans”. For period autumn 2005 to spring 2006 the plan resulted in a retention rate of
84% for the pilot group compared to 46% for the control group.
The early intervention program at the University of Huddersfield, in Yorkshire United Kingdom was developed
for students from lower socio-economic groups and non-standard entry qualifications. A diagnostic skills
questionnaire (to identify additional support requirements such as for LLN, problem-solving, personal
effectiveness etc.) and attendance monitoring system (including a number of contact strategies such as text
messaging, contact by students’ personal tutor and letters generated through their student management
system) were introduced. One school of the university reported an increase in retention rate from 65% to 90%
over 3 year period. (O'Connor et al., 2009)
For Indigenous learners, support strategies include language support, involvement of Elders and community
members and provision of opportunities for story-telling.
Wallace (2009) examined whether learner engagement and improved educational outcomes would result from
the use of e-Portfolios and other technologies, knowledge systems and their associated literacies. “The inclusion
of a range of Indigenous trainers and learners at every stage in the design of e-Portfolio systems can have
benefits for learners and educational systems in the long term.”
In the ‘Get That Job! Anangu Speak Up’ project “....a big lesson was the importance of using a language
facilitator... to ensure communication between all of us was clear.” The value of support workers, mentors and
opportunities to tell stories was also reported “... Older community members have valuable work stories to tell
from old times and more recent times”. The project team noted the on-going engagement of the learners,
through the use of cameras to take images of various workplaces, increased the relevance of the learning, and
gave them ownership. (APY Lands TAFE SA Regional, 2012)
Wallace (2010), Norman (2011) and Drolet (2009) noted the value of story-telling to the learning experience.
Wallace (2010) notes that Indigenous learners can “use readily available technologies in socially approved and
recognized ways ....young people taking photographs with mobile phones, creating digital stories about their
lives, or in the case of Indigenous learners, recording Elders’ oral histories.” Norman (2011) notes “....when faced
with a story, the learner intuitively problem solves on behalf of the characters, thus creating an innate
motivation to learn” and (Drolet, 2009), “....for Indigenous learners .. the..... “guidance of Elders through artistic
creations; story telling; .... songs...” contribute to the e-learning experience.
Christie (2009) discusses Yolnju knowledge systems and culture, the significant role of Elders, and the
negotiations with senior Yolnju advisers to ensure curriculum and practice remained faithful to the Yolnju laws
relating to “knowledge exchange and representation”.
An important factor in achieving successful e-learning experiences for disadvantaged learners is the use of
blended delivery models.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
A range of blended delivery options contributing to successful learning experiences are identified within the
literature.
In the ‘Partnerships for Participation pre-employment program for Indigenous learners’ from remote
communities in South Australia, the project team reported “we needed a different balance of online and face-toface time in order to complete the tasks set”.(APY Lands TAFE SA Regional, 2012). A similar story for a different
group of disadvantaged learners was reported in case study: ‘E-Learning opportunities for Deaf students “......a
blended delivery with an e-learning approach would be beneficial ...... “ and in the ‘WorXskills’ project for
Indigenous men in a correctional centre “the mix of learning methods has enabled participants to develop their
skills .......the e-learning experience has given them the skills to continue their learning in remote locations”.
(YouthWorX NT, 2012)
APY Lands TAFE SA Regional (2012) team introduced a blended delivery model to facilitate completion of task
sets, and noted the “....freedom to choose tasks that appeal while practicing essential skills“ empowered their
learners. The project provided “Opportunities for people to answer and speak in their own time and be
encouraged to share their ideas have seen a growth in confident for several of the participants.” To increase
relevance and improve motivation, cameras were provided to film and do interviews in the workplace. “For the
fellas who have never been involved in online sessions they need additional strategies to keep them engaged”.
There were differing experiences for practitioners and learners involved in the ‘Migrating into the Retail
Workplace’ project. The practitioners found the e- learning “experience was more immersive...and engaging....
than the traditional face-to-face methods”, while “the team learnt very quickly that this method of integrating elearning into a blended model of delivery was one that they would have liked to have actioned much sooner” for
their CALD learners with lower than expected levels of digital literacy. (TAFE SA et al., 2012)
Digital literacy impacts both the teaching and learning experience. The Centre for Adult Education (2012) noted
the benefit of having an e-literacy specialist working with a practitioner to support learners who faced both
social and educational barriers, enabling a successful ‘Just In Time’ and ‘Just for me’ learning experience.
The positive impact was not limited to just the practitioners and learners. The APY Lands TAFE SA Regional
(2012) project team noted that increasing the digital literacy for their Indigenous staff enabled new skills to be
passed on to family and friends in their community.
TAFE SA et al. (2012) and the Centre for Adult Education (2012) also noted “....the project highlighted the
benefits of embedding a structured digital literacy program across the organisation ...... making the teaching of
digital literacy skills explicit across various curricula has been invaluable.”
The fourth theme emerging from the literature was accessibility. To support learners in the Australian VET
environment, a set of E-standards5 have been developed, originally under the Australian Flexible Learning
Framework, and now maintained under the National VET E-learning Strategy.
5
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/technical_standards/index.php
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
The E-standards for Training (V1.0) are designed to ensure that “resource development follows internationally
accepted specifications ........ and technologies and applications used to build the resources ensure the most
consistent operation and widest possible use and reuse of those resources. ...... and remove barriers to elearning”.
In an e-learning context, access to technologies, including inclusive technologies, infrastructure and
appropriately designed resources for disadvantaged learners should be ‘a given’.
UK based Epic Performance Improvement Ltd (2011) noted in their white paper ‘Accessibility and e-learning’,
that “E-learning, providing it is accessible, has the potential to open up fresh and innovative solutions for learners
with disabilities.” They also refer to 6 principles from the IMS Accessibility Guidelines6, which focus on learning
design and technologies for people with disability. These principles focus on the learner and include
“customization based on user preference ..... provide equivalent access.... based on user preference”. Downie
(2010) in his paper, ‘Creative inclusive e-learning’, notes for learners with disabilities that “resources should be
assessed for usability and accessibility” and that “assuming that all necessary technologies are present and
operational, there remains the issue of the needs of people with diverse learning styles, including those with
disabilities.”
The value of accessibility and inclusiveness goes beyond the learners to the community in the Get That Job!
Anangu Speak Up, e-learning project. A Jobs Board created, for their remote Indigenous learners during the
project, has been made “accessible publically, because other people outside the course were interested......one
woman has got herself a job and..... for her partner and a friend.”
The Centre for Adult Education’s Employabilit-E program for disengaged learners was “highly personalized and
learner-centred”, with the inclusion of accessible resources and self-paced tutorials, and support strategies to
increase attendance and participation.
Kangan Institute (2012) in its ‘E-learning opportunities for the Deaf’ project, identified a number of success
factors:





a blended e-learning approach
trial of a variety of inclusive technologies
understanding the learner’s backgrounds
provision of appropriate support workers, and
allowing adequate time for completion of tasks
In addition, they reported flexibility and customisation of the learning were “key ingredients......of effective
training for participants.”
A further significant strategy to support the learner experience and increase learning outcomes is gathering and
acting on feedback from the learner.
6
http://www.imsglobal.org/accessibility/
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Golding et al. (2012) discuss the value of involving learner voice and learner input and its “potential to empower
learners and transform their learning experience.”
A number of programs report the gathering of learner feedback throughout stages of the learning. For example,
in its program ‘E-learning opportunities for the Deaf’, TAFE SA Adelaide South Institute (2012) aimed to use an
online survey during and post course, to collect student feedback. APY Lands TAFE SA Regional (2012) describe
using a baseline and final survey, along with detailed interviews to inform “the analysis of project successes and
shortcomings”.
There is limited evidence however, from this review, that information collected has informed the design of
existing or future programs, while Golding et al. (2012) suggest that the extent to which the learner’s
participation is recognised affects the value placed on their input. “Learner voice also depends on the extent to
which the learner is recognised as an active participant in the teaching and learning process.”
This lack of evaluation and gathering of learner feedback is reinforced in the Horizon Report Technology Outlook
for Australian Tertiary Education 2012-2017 “Both the 2012 Horizon.au Advisory Board and the global higher
education advisory board noted that evaluation metrics are not keeping up. There is a consensus that there is not
enough consideration placed on quantifying and qualifying the learning outcomes of the technology that is being
adopted. This notion supports the 2012 Horizon.au Advisory Board’s emphasis on learning analytics as a
technology with potential impacts in Australia in the very near-term” (Johnson et al., 2012)
Having identified common elements and characteristics that positively impact the learner experience and
learning outcomes the report now aims to draw on these findings to inform good e-practice.
The second focus question asks:
What are the implications for good practice in the training of VET practitioners in e-learning that support the
delivery of training and assessment for disadvantaged learners in VET?
Many VET practitioners already know how to support tailored and responsive assessment in e-learning as
evidenced by the case studies. Significant numbers of these practitioners have ‘learnt on the job’ or through
project funding, supported by the National VET E-learning Strategy enabling them to experiment, create and be
innovative in their practice. Other sources of professional training include organisational professional
development (PD), national and state bodies supporting teachers to learn and competencies within the training
and assessment qualifications for VET practitioners.
It is not within the scope of this paper to identify and analyse all of the pre-service and on the job PD
opportunities for VET practitioners to develop online teaching skills, however further research into this area
would be valuable. This paper provides an overview of current and past practice in e-learning with VET
disadvantaged learners through the case studies and literature and attempts to highlight issues and lessons
learned to inform better practice.
The delivery of e-learning courses for learners has increased significantly during the past few years.
Unfortunately research of e-learning PD in the VET sector has not increased at the same pace.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
“Teachers, who are at the centre of this increasing demand and pressure to teach online, are being challenged to
rethink their underlying assumptions about teaching and learning, and the roles they take as educators”. (Maor
and Volet, 2007)
Just as there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to helping learners achieve outcomes in the e-learning
environment, the same applies to the training of VET practitioners in e-learning.
Researching the pedagogy for e-learning in VET revealed a variety of definitions for pedagogy, but interestingly
most emphasised the ‘teaching’ aspect, rather than the ‘learning’. Terms such as ‘the science of teaching’ and
‘the practice of teaching’ are constantly used in the literature.
The nature of the teacher and learner relationship is noted by Epic Performance Improvement Ltd (2011). This
white paper suggests that use of the word ‘pedagogy’ in itself is problematic in that it “makes teaching an
assumption in learning”. However, an opposing view is noted by Brabazon (2002), cited in Yelland and Tsembas
(2008). Brabazon states ‘Teachers, as the group responsible for curriculum, methodology and assessment, are
not only ‘not unimportant’, but absolutely critical to the reputation and success of students and universities’.
Tooley and Darby (1998) express “worrying tendencies” associated with past educational research suggesting
that equating teaching with science “in the accepted sense” is problematic, with a lack of rigor evident in leading
academic literature. The paper argues that there is little ‘evidence based empirical science’ in the science of
education. After studying 41 peer reviewed articles published in four leading academic education journals “.....
there are rather worrying tendencies in a majority of the articles surveyed and that these tendencies will be
found throughout this important stand of educational research.” Tooley and Darby (1998) also note that many
of the articles “are devoid of any sensible empirically based studies.”
The research methodologies, rigor and reporting styles also varied in the case studies, publications, reports and
papers reviewed for this project. It has been particularly difficult to source Australian peer reviewed
publications about VET pedagogy and e-learning that demonstrate rigorous research processes.
Of the publications sourced and reviewed, it is clear that technologies are impacting the way learning occurs and
new approaches to teaching and learning are emerging. It seems likely that the changing teacher and learner
relationship, changing role of the VET practitioner and increased learner autonomy will impact the pedagogy.
Epic Performance Improvement Ltd (2011), imagines a “sophisticated pedagogy .... A pedagogy that understands
the nuances of the learner, recognising the signs that something has not been understood, gently coaching and
moving forward, checking for understanding and building knowledge slowly” and suggests new technologies
place the power in “the hands of the learner, not the teacher”. These autonomous learners are becoming “in
charge” of their own learning, “choosing where and when to learn.”
This transformation of the power is noted in the change of language describing the learners in the case studies
and literature researched. Repeatedly, descriptions such as ‘learner-centred’, ‘empowered learners’,
‘autonomous learners’, ‘self-directed learning’, ‘learner voice’ are found.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Also noted is a connection between increased learner empowerment and the portability of technologies.
Learners are no longer restricted to a fixed location dictated by the technology they use (for example, a
computer connected to the wall), enabling more accessibility and flexibility.
Wallace (2010) noted that mobile technologies (M-learning) were found to “improve the connection between
Indigenous learners and their trainers”. She states that M-learning “.....has the potential to support pedagogy
that can improve Indigenous learners’ engagement and outcomes across a range of programs.” A further
observation is that the world-wide-web has led to “participatory and collaborative learning” enabling these selfdirected learners to share knowledge using technologies such as peer-to-peer networking.
”These new technologies take us to higher levels of learning in highly motivating environments with optimised
pedagogies that greatly accelerate learning.” (Epic Performance Improvement Ltd, 2011)
This shift to more active and continuous learning is transforming the pedagogic approaches for e-learning.
While “Pedagogically, the Web 2.0 approach to learning can be interpreted as socio-constructivist....” this shift is
now a “process of creating connections and building a network of personal understandings.” (Epic Performance
Improvement Ltd, 2011)
Wallace (2010) argues that any learning is “mediated by the learners’ informing networks and communities...”
She suggests that M-learning, as a pedagogical approach, has a “distinct role in developing strong learner
identity and in the re-engagement of regional learners in formal education.”
Drolet (2009) encourages a form of literacy being “adapted to a lifelong learning philosophy” concluding this
“collective and situated form of learning is well suited to deliver 21st century skills such as interconnectedness
and relevance and positions Indigenous learners as leaders in the implementation of educational innovation”.
While there was a lack of evaluation rigor applied to many of the case studies reviewed, the themes that
emerged from the review could be further tested as good practice and the ‘Equity in VET Good Practice
Principles’ provide a reference point this test:
Principle 1:
Supported learner pathways and transitions are built into the learning experience
The publications researched consistently demonstrated that supported learner pathways and / or transitions
included in the learning design contributed to successful teaching and learning experiences. Some examples
include:
‘Migrating into the Retail Workplace’ – confirmed that 3 of the 9 participants completed (3-8) units of
competence at certificate level 1; and four achieved Certificate II in a Retail qualification providing additional
skills and confidence to seek employment opportunities.
‘Certificate IV in Training and Assessment for People with Disability’, (Kangan Institute, 2012) noted 4 of 8
participants successfully complete the qualification.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Nechvoglod and Beddie (2010) outline a range of good practice case studies. In Case study 3: Strategies to
improve persistence (USA); the United Kingdom’s National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy
and the National Centre for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy suggest that strategies such as developing
“clear learning paths” and making ‘learning relevant to learners’ lives’ can “improve learner persistence.” Case
study 7, Get back to work (UK), identifies some best practice elements aimed at redundant workers, with poor
understanding of English. These included quick responses to the learner needs to initiate training which would
“support transition into sustained employment”, using translators and trainers who spoke the same language,
and providing resources, and a means of accessing work through a weekly club in which the community could
participate.
Further, Case 8: Surry Essential Skills Flagship Network (UK), aimed at low-skilled workers, in their workplace
noted employers supported training by providing basic skills training, either prior to, or while the learners were
completing a relevant qualification. The program benefited the workers who increased their confidence and
skill levels, while gaining a nationally recognised qualification and provided an important flow-on productivity
increase benefit to their employers.
Principle 2:
Strong partnerships and connections exist to support learners’ needs and their successful transitions to
further learning and/or work
The findings identify a number of support strategies that positively impacted the learners’ experiences. The
Equity in VET Principle 2 refers to “partnerships”, “complimentary service providers” and “collaborative
approaches between government agencies and Indigenous leaders and communities”.
The National VET E-learning Strategy Case studies provide excellent examples of involving partnerships – some
of these include:
YouthWorX NT (2012) - describes the collaboration between project and business partners, including lead
agency YouthWorX, the Living Skills Unit at Darwin Correction Centre, Department of Justice, B&J Gannon
(training consultants) and Top End Training (registered training organisation). This program provided “e-learning
foundations skills training with embedded linkages to community training and employment pathways” to assist
in the transition of male Indigenous probation prisoners back to their communities.
Kangan Institute (2012) in their program, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment for People with Disability
involved partnerships with Independence Australia, Vision Australia and a Disability Liaison Officer
Great Southern Institute of Technology Western Australia (2012), in its case study: Learning for the Future,
describes the lead organisation, Great Southern Institute of Technology working collaboratively with Community
Living Association, Great Southern Personnel and Albany Secondary Education Support Centre to provide
training to learners with disability to improve their foundation skills.
The Participation and Skills projects for 2012-13 all involved partnerships, however while some were reviewed
for this project, the majority are yet to report progress beyond 2012.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Principle 3:
Training has been integrated with work experience and/or is aligned with areas of labour market demand to
support sustainable employment outcomes.
A number of case studies emphasising learner support and transition strategies to employment or further VET
study were identified earlier, examples of projects that had successful outcomes from building work experience
into the learning design include:



APY Lands TAFE SA Regional (2012) in Get That Job! Anangu Speak Up, delivered work experience and
employment opportunities for their Indigenous learners through a partnership with Job Services
Australia (JSA) provider, Complete Personnel, and Ayes Rock Resort. Four learners now work as trainees
at the Resort who “have the potential to become role models for others”.
TAFE SA Adelaide South Institute (2012) reported that the project, E-learning opportunities for the Deaf,
involving delivery of a Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment, resulted in four of the eight participants
completing the full qualification, two of whom are now employed in the VET system as teachers, and
others are continuing study in translation or a Diploma of VET.
Nechvoglod and Beddie (2010) reported on an e-learning project at Surrey Essential Skills Flagship
Network (UK), that the success of the training was measured by increased productivity for the employer,
and the gaining of a national qualification by the workers, which also came with increased confidence.
Principle 4:
There is embedded support for foundation skills within vocational training
The National VET E-Learning Strategy ‘Partnerships for Participation 2012’ case studies reflected a strong focus
on embedding foundation skills into the learning. The Centre for Adult Education (2012), reported that
foundation skills and digital literacy skills were embedded in a Certificate of General Education program.
APY Lands TAFE SA Regional (2012) targeted training to potential employment while contextualising literacy,
numeracy and communication to strengthen their Indigenous learners’ foundation skills.
TAFE SA et al. (2012) used technologies aimed to “develop the e-literacy, foundation and pre-vocational skills”
for their learners from CALD backgrounds.
Principle 5:
A commitment to improving the capability of the VET workforce to address the needs of diverse learners
For the past decade, through immersive and collaborative activities, the National VET E-learning Strategy has
provided significant professional development for Australian VET practitioners, including industry and
community practitioners.
Most of the learning for the practitioner within the reviewed case studies appears to have similarities to
immersive learning models. This is not a reference to ‘immersive environments’ that usually include virtual
worlds, virtual reality programs, web-based games and multi-user virtual environments but refers to the
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
learning benefits that occur from immersive learning models such as task-orientated learning, collaborative
learning, and communal learning and “mirror much of what we know to be good models of learning, in that they
are collaborative and encourage active participatory roles for users”. (Maloney, 2007)
“Immersive environments can offer many of the same learning opportunities for teachers—development of
content knowledge, behavioural skills, creativity, higher-order thinking and persistence (all critical characteristics
of good teachers)—as they do for students”. (Burns, 2012)
The review found evidence of good practice matching five of the seven principles for Equity in VET: Good
Practice Principles identified by NVEAC. However, the gap described in the Findings relating to Principles 6 and 7
require further investigation.
Principle 6:
The voice of the learner is heard and acted upon, and;
Principle 7: The outcomes of the program / initiative have been measured and positive results are
being achieved;
Both of these Principles relate to analysis of the learning experience, impact the feedback loop and inform
strategies to improve overall learning experiences and outcomes.
The evidence suggests that quantitative data is limited in the research findings, and there appears to be an adhoc approach to obtaining and acting on learner feedback (also referred to as learner voice), as well as gathering
quantitative data on the actual program outcomes. The information provided varies in detail and the
identification of outcomes.
In research focussed on a critical analysis of the literature on the roles and competencies of online teachers
Baran et al. (2011) note that while research about online teacher roles and competencies guides the
development of teacher preparation and training programs, it lacks in terms of addressing the issues of
empowerment of online teachers, promoting critical reflection, and integrating technology into pedagogical
inquiry. They suggest an alternative perspective that considers teachers as adult learners who continuously
transform their meaning of structures related to online teaching through a continuous process of critical
reflection and action.
“The reflective practitioner engages in pedagogical problem solving and discovery”. (Baran et al., 2011)
Encouraging VET practitioners who are engaging in e-learning, to think about alternative viewpoints and frames
of reference, needs to be the focus of teacher preparation and professional development.
The Good E-Practice Guidelines for Disadvantaged Learners in VET attached to this report are designed to
provide broad guidance based on the good practice we have observed from the literature and case studies.
While it is suggested that further discussion and attention be given to learner analytics and measuring
outcomes, the research findings are found to align so closely to the Equity in VET: Good Practice Principles that
they have also informed these e-practice guidelines for VET practitioners.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
CONCLUSION
This review set out to discover what work has been undertaken in the e-learning environment to enhance
outcomes for disadvantaged VET learners and how the lessons learnt might inform good e-practice. We began
with the following assumptions:



Central to building the capability of the VET workforce is improved pedagogic approaches to effectively
teach and train disadvantaged learners in Australian VET context, particularly when contemplating the
use of e-learning.
Engaging disadvantaged learners through e-learning delivery and assessment is more than adding a new
gadget to their learning experiences. Through an emphasis on learner-centred approaches and teacher
training, e-learning technologies are improving the connection between learners and their trainers and
improving learner experience and outcomes.
E-learning technology in delivering training and assessment has the potential to support pedagogy that
can improve disadvantaged learners’ engagement and learning outcomes.
The literature review provided evidence from a range of contexts to support these assumptions. The focus of the
review has been at the personal level of the individual practitioner and the VET learner, rather than larger
systemic issues, however as Boyle and Wallace (2011) point out;
“E-learning can support systems that align better with and engage people across diverse ways of learning and
skills recognition to meet personal and community aspirations and workforce development needs. This is more
than understanding the technological or ICT resources but addressing organisational, systemic, pedagogic and
cultural issues that challenge policy, educational institutions and systems, educators and educational brokers”.
(Boyle and Wallace, 2011)
Technologies are constantly evolving, improving, being superseded by something better or disappearing
altogether. What we may identify as a great tool today may not be there tomorrow. There are also new
technologies that can assist learners such as gesture control which “lets you use the electrical activity in your
muscles to wirelessly control your computer, phone, and other favourite digital technologies”.7 The challenge for
organisations and practitioners is maintaining awareness of emerging technologies that support their learners.
The conflicting demands of administration versus teaching on VET practitioners are enormous and often taxing
and sometimes, particularly within the e-learning environment there is a tendency to focus on technology tools.
As Cashion and Palmieri (2002) noted “The importance of good teachers, facilitators and tutors cannot be
underestimated. The essence of good-quality online learning lies with the teacher”.
Whilst e-learning has great potential to engage learners in creative and innovative ways it is important to
remember that it cannot be assumed that simply providing access and the required infrastructure creates
‘engagement’. It can’t be seen as a single variable. “In fact if we focus too much on it we may ignore what we
already know about (non) participation in education and training and the broader barriers that impact on this
such as interest and motivation, financial constraints and other social complexities”. (Selwyn et al., 2004)
7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWu9TFJjHaM&feature=youtu.be Accessed 10/05/13
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
These broader barriers were also identified by the Workplace Research Centre (2011) in their report for FLAG
investigating how e-learning can help overcome barriers to workforce development. Three main challenges to
workforce development were found: how people access training; what motivates them to complete training;
and their past experiences of learning and training. The nature of these challenges varies at different levels of
economic activity: individual, workplace or industry.
“Whether learning online in the workplace, in college or at home, e-learning is still about learning and culture,
not just technology and infrastructure”. (Selwyn et al., 2004)
As Ruhe and Zumbo (2009) point out, little attention has been paid to values in the evaluation of e-learning
programs. They suggest that values form the basis for all evaluations and emphasise the importance of making
visible the underlying values and assumptions of different systems of inquiry in educational evaluation projects.
They further emphasis the need to evaluate relevance (alignment between the course and needs of society;
meaningfulness for learners, transferability of learning to authentic contexts) and ‘fit’ (between media and
subject matter, between learners and the course, between relevance and course activities and between
underlying theories and course activities).
The evidence has shown that quality teaching in the e-learning environment is in many ways no different from
quality teaching in other contexts; it’s the pedagogy that requires re-engineering to suit the learner, the context,
the culture. Broader guidelines and approaches to inclusive education such as the ‘Equity Blueprint and Equity
in VET: good practice case studies’ developed by NVEAC, ‘Inclusive Learning: A Way Forward” recently released
by the Queensland Government provide actions and principles for practitioners that can be transferred to elearning delivery in VET.
A system-wide approach to Principle 5: The learners voice is heard and acted upon would better support the
individual VET practitioner to build the capacity required for:

knowing the learner, their community, their culture

knowing what is required of their own skills and

knowing how the environment needs to support them
These are critical considerations for the VET practitioner. However, to know the learner one first has to 'hear the
learner' and systems and organisations need to find sustainable mechanisms to offer learners the opportunity to
'have a voice' in their own learning experience.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
RECOMMENDATIONS
The projects funded by the National VET E-learning Strategy demonstrate that inclusive e-learning approaches
are working and producing successful outcomes for learners. The outcomes of the case studies and research
have identified a range of issues, ideas and suggestions for good practice in e-learning with disadvantaged
learners that have been incorporated into the Good e-Practice Guidelines listed in Appendix A.
A range of suggested areas for further investigation to inform future policy and practice are listed below:
 Strengthen key messages for organisations and RTOs regarding the benefits of an inclusive learning
technology approach and clarify that it requires a whole of organisation approach.
 Explore how e-learning pedagogical approaches integrate with the current technical standards as outlined by
the National VET E-learning Strategy. How are they being used by teachers, by technology managers and
policy makers? How do they inform/support a VET e-learning pedagogy? There needs to be closer integration
and testing of the standards with practitioners’ e-practice through the provision of user friendly, streamlined
guidelines.
 Further evaluation of many of the case studies within a consistent framework that identifies positive
outcomes in e-learning for disadvantaged learners would be valuable in defining future strategies. Involving
the learner in ongoing evaluation is essential for improvement.
 An investigation into the inclusion of new digital literacy competencies as outlined by Lee (2013) in teacher
preparation and learner course content. These include:

Conceptual competencies (connectivist thinking, innovative thinking and problem solving, critical
thinking, reflective thinking and positive thinking skills)

Practical competencies (media and information literacy and learning skills) and

Human competencies: (social networking skills and virtual collaboration, self-management,
humanistic consciousness, digital citizenship and cross-cultural interaction skill)
 Identifying the type of e-practice professional development (PD) that teachers need would add value. Even
further value would be found in ways of sharing the messages learned with other practitioners. The messages
need to be based on how learning outcomes were achieved for disadvantaged learners. PD opportunities
identified within a consistent evaluation framework of case studies mentioned above would be of
considerable benefit to the promotion of better teaching for disadvantaged e-learners. FLAG is currently
undertaking another project looking to develop an e-learning quality model.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
APPENDIX A: GOOD E-PRACTICE GUIDELINES
These guidelines are designed to provide broad guidance based on the good practice we have observed from the
literature and case studies, and are informed by the four themes that emerged from the review. These themes
were identified as common facilitators for effective e-learning:




a learner-centred approach
support strategies
blended delivery models
accessibility
A needs analysis, with checklists, is incorporated into the guidelines so you can consider your approach before
you implement e-learning. The guidelines will need to be adapted and applied in particular ways, depending on
the setting and context in which you provide learning.
In the context of the Australian VET environment, organisational capability and systems impact a practitioner’s
ability to implement improvement processes, including these good e-practice guidelines. The Australian Skills
Quality Authority (ASQA), as the national regulator for VET, ensures that Registered Training Organisations
(RTOs) comply with the VET Quality Framework. The Standards for RTOs are used by ASQA as an instrument in
protecting the interests of all students undertaking vocational education and training in Australia. (Australian
Skills Quality Authority, 2013)
Implementation of the good e-practice guidelines will require co-operation, support and quality leadership to
ensure continual improvement of processes and successful implementation of e-learning strategies. It requires
managers, practitioners and support staff working collaboratively, and within their control, to achieve successful
learner outcomes, while ensuring the Standards are met. In other words, RTOs are responsible for ensuring a
strategic fit of capability, systems and processes which supports practitioners to provide the most effective
learner experience and successful learner outcomes, as determined by the learner and the practitioner. “The
most frequent cause of failure in any quality improvement effort is uninvolved or indifferent top and middle
administration. Quality can’t be delegated to others. Administrators must lead the transformation effort to
ensure long-lasting success.” (Scholtes, 1994)
As the Queensland VET Development Centre (2012) in their recently released document ‘Inclusive Learning – A
Way Forward’ state, ”being inclusive is about approaching, accepting and valuing people as individuals first. It is
at the individual level where a sense of inclusion is experienced”.
Lee’s (2013) paper, described the key competencies required for full participation in the knowledge society of
the 21st Century, and in addition to being noted in the recommendations for future teacher PD, they are also
included in the guidelines as current good practice. These competencies have been developed to support the
United Nation’s endorsed World Summit on the Information Society’s aim “To build a people-centred, inclusive
and development-oriented Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and share information
and knowledge”.
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Figure 2 below provides an overview of the Guidelines and suggestions for reflection.
FIGURE 2: INGREDIENTS FOR GOOD E-PRACTICE
The following Good E-Practice Guidelines are provided within a framework (Fig. 2) of three areas for reflective
practice, impacting on the relationship between learner and practitioner in an e-learning environment. The
three suggested areas for reflection are listed below and are expanded in the following pages with checklists:
Know the learner, their community, their culture
Suggested Actions:
 Conduct a Pre-program Learner Assessment
 Customise the learning
Know yourself
Suggested Actions:
 Technology and tool requirements
 Your approach / practice
Know your environment
Suggested Actions:


Technology
The Learning Space
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Know the Learner, their community, their culture:
1) Conduct a Pre-program e-Learning Assessment (to identify expectations and factors potentially impacting
the learning experience and outcomes)
A reminder to check:
Actions Required
Done√
a. LLN level on entry to the training
b.
Learner-centred
Support
Accessible
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
Type/s of language support to ensure clear
communication between the learner, the
practitioner and any support staff e.g.:
 language facilitator
 interpreter of the first language of the learner
 interpreter for people with disability
Requirement for an e-literacy specialist
Requirement for mentors or counsellors to assist
the learning process
Cultural sensitivities that should be considered in
the individual learning plan
Economic and social issues that could impact
participation
Medical or other issues that should be considered
for the individual learning plan
Range of inclusive technology and tools required to
support learning
Other accessibility issues such as broadband and
mobile coverage, access to the technologies
required for the learning, onsite and offsite
Learning tasks, participation, timelines, delivery
model (on-site/off-site/mix), resource
requirements such as technologies, learning
materials, are understood by the learner
The time required to complete the tasks is
assessed
NOTES: A pre-program assessment could include:
 a personal interview between practitioner and learner. In the e-learning context this interview could be
conducted in a range of ways such as face-to-face, using online technologies (Skype, chat, other), and/or by
telephone
 follow-up consultation by the practitioner, with learner and their carer, or a nominated community member
 applying relevant feedback provided by qualified counsellors or psychologists following the application of
specialised assessment tools, (if relevant)
 consultation with a range of VET professionals, including: e-literacy / digital literacy specialists, instructional
designers of e-learning materials, specialist Indigenous support staff, ELICOS and other Language specialists,
mental health specialists, disability consultants, and student counsellors and psychologists
 consulting specialist staff to advise on development of the individual’s learning plan. (Interpreters, language
facilitators, other support people may assist the process according to specific needs, cultural sensitivities, etc.)
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Learner-centred
Support
Accessible
2) Customise the learning (based on the information gathered in 1. above)
A reminder to check:
a. An individualised learning plan has been
developed.
b. Learning resources
 meet the E standards for Training Guidelines
(V1.0 2013) 8
 are informed by the VET Teacher E-learning
Toolkit9
 incorporate cross-cultural considerations
 are accessible by learners facing social,
economic and educational barriers.
c. Learning environment is
 accessible to the learner
 culturally sensitive
 informed by advice from specialist staff
consulted in the Pre-program assessment.
d. The mode of delivery is relevant for the learner
Done√
Actions Required
(For example: all on-line, on-line and face-to-face, on-site,
off-site etc.)
8
9
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/technical_standards/summary_list_of_vet_e-standards.php
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/implementation/vet_teacher_e-learning_toolkit/index.php
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Know yourself:
1) Technology and tool requirements (for successful delivery of the program)
A reminder to check if ...
Done √ Actions Required
Support
Accessible
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Relevant literacy and competencies required to participate
in the knowledge society of the 21st Century (Lee 2013) are
current:
i. Relevant conceptual competencies are current for the
program – these “ways of thinking” include:
 connectivist thinking
 innovative thinking
 problem solving
 critical thinking
 reflective thinking
 positive thinking
ii. Relevant practical competencies are current for the
program – these “ways of handling information in work and
life” include:
 Media & information literacy (including
ICT)
 Learning skills
iii. Relevant human competencies are current for the
program – these “ways of interacting with people” include:
 social networking skill and virtual
collaboration
 self-management
 humanistic consciousness
 digital citizenship
 cross-cultural interaction skill
i. The “fit” between your e-literacy skills and the
requirements for program are appropriate,
and/or
ii. An assessment with a specialist practitioner is
necessary
Professional development is undertaken to meet
any technical skill and knowledge gaps for the
program
The technology and support are in place before
commencement
The resource materials meet the E-standards for
Training Guidelines (V1.0 2013)
The resource materials are informed by the VET
Teacher E-learning Toolkit – refer to link in 2b.
Customise the learning
40
Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Done √
Actions Required
Learner-centred
Support
2) Your approach /reflective practice
To continually improve your practice, check if you
have....
a.
Arranged to participate in a community of
practice with other practitioners
b.
Established your professional (personal) goals
for the program
c.
Reviewed your learning goals on completion of
the program
d.
Identified ongoing professional development
requirements
e.
Identified opportunities to co-deliver, or have
your practice observed by a respected
professional to improve your practice
f.
Focused on the learner – taken a learnercentred approach – developed a collaborative
and participatory learning model
g.
Identified strategies to increase learner
engagement
h.
Identified strategies to improve participation,
retention or achievement of tasks
i.
Aligned the training and assessment program
with employer / industry or community needs
j.
Successfully accessed appropriate resources
k.
Successfully trialled navigation of the resources
l.
Prepared a learner evaluation process for the
program
m.
Analysed the learner feedback and
implemented changes for continuous
improvement
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Know your environment:
1) Technology and tools
Check if you have ...
a.
Learner-centred
Support
Accessible
b.
Done √
Actions Required
Done √
Actions required
The appropriate technical support on call for the
program
Ensured any technical compatibility issues
between and with the host systems and other
technological tools (on-site and off-site) have
been resolved. (For example: between the organisation’s
system and the portable technologies used / owned by the
learners.)
c.
d.
e.
Ensured learner User id and Passwords have been
made available, to access the system
Ensured that all on-line resources are uploaded
trialled and ready for commencement
Ensured that resources and software are
uploaded onto portable technologies used by the
learners and trialled ready for commencement
(For example: adaptive software, relevant apps, etc.)
f.
Ensured that all appropriate licenses are held for
the software
2) The Learning Space
Check if you have ...
Support
Accessible
a.
b.
c.
d.
Completed a workplace health and safety audit of
the learning space
Ensured any induction requirements are met
Completed an orientation program for the
learners, covering:
 access/links to resources and support staff)
 contact details and available times for
practitioner
Provided accessibility maps for the onsite
learning space (For example: This could include links to a
virtual tour of the locations, with accessibility maps)
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
APPENDIX B: RESOURCES
Resource description
Accessible e-learning: a guide for teachers
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/implementation/accessibility/accessibility_guide_for_teachers/index.php
Australian Flexible Learning Framework (website archive prior 2012 for supporting e-learning opportunities in VET)
http://pre2012.flexiblelearning.net.au/
Disability Discrimination Act Education Standards
http://www.ddaedustandards.info.
E-assessment Guidelines for the VET Sector
http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/shared/docs/e_assessment_guidelines_for_the_vet_sector.pdf#search=\"e-assessment""
E-learning resources
http://pre2012.flexiblelearning.net.au/content/learner-groups
E-portfolios for Learner Pathways
http://learnerpathways.flexiblelearning.net.au/
Embedded Use of Inclusive Technologies Web Resource
http://ndco.cds.org.au/index.php/it
Inclusive learning: A way forward
http://training.qld.gov.au/resources/training-organisations/pdf/inclusive-learning-framework-booklet.pdf
Love Apptually - Apps to support learning
http://www.vetpd.qld.gov.au/resources/pdf/love-apptually.pdf
National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) Program
http://ndco.cds.org.au/
National VET E-learning Strategy
http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/
The National VET Equity Advisory Council
http://www.nveac.natese.gov.au/home
New Generation Technologies for Learning
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/
VET e-learning content development guidelines
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/technical_standards/index.php
VET E-portfolio Privacy Draft Guidelines
http://flexiblelearning.net.au/content/our_work/docs/VET_Eportfolios_privacy_guidelines_FINAL.pdf
VET Standards on Accessibility
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/research/accessibility.php
VET Teacher E-Learning Toolkit
http://e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au/implementation/vet_teacher_e-learning_toolkit/index.php
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
APPENDIX C: KEY SEARCH TERMS
A.
Population
Disadvantaged Learners
accessibility / inclusive technology / assistive technology / Disadvantaged learners / Low SES learners /
Economically disadvantaged learners / Indigenous learners / Aboriginal learners / Torres Strait learners / women
learners / women returning to work / mums returning to work/ refugee learners / culturally and linguistically
diverse learners / culturally diverse learners / linguistically diverse learners / new arrivals to Australia learners
/learners from remote locations / learners from rural locations / rural and remote learners / learners from
disadvantaged communities /early school leavers / early school leaving / school dropouts / high school dropouts
/unemployed learners / long term unemployed learners / return to work learners / back to work learners /
returning to work learners /redundant workers / re-skilling learners / re-skilling workers /learners in prison /
active learning in criminal justice system / Socio-economically disadvantaged learners / student-centred learning
in criminal justice system/people not working or studying / young people not working or studying / mature aged
people not working or studying / homeless / rural / remote
VET practitioners
VET teachers / VET trainer / VET trainers / VET assessor / VET assessors / TAFE teacher / TAFE teachers / TAFE
trainer / TAFE trainers / TAFE trainers and assessors / Good practice TAFE trainers and assessors / Good practice
VET trainers and assessors / Good practice VET / Good practice guide / Technical and Vocational Education /
Technical and Vocational Education and Training / Vocational and Technical Education
B.
Intervention
E-learning
chat / collaborative / conferencing / connected / NBN connected / discussion / distance learning / e-learning
/flexible learning /forum / ICT /blended learning /blended delivery / mobile learning /accessible learning /epractice /e-portfolios / digital literacy / moderate / moderation / Moodle / connectivity / online learning /open
source / participation / thread / Web 2.0
C.
Outcomes
constructivism / e-learner progress / e-learner outcomes / e-learners and disadvantage / e-tools for
disadvantaged learners / e-learning for participation and skills / e-learning access / engagement / learning
disability – access e-learning / e-learning and disability / e-learning and accessibility / e-learning for people with
disability / e-learner experience for people with disability / e-learning experience for disadvantaged people /
digital inclusion for disadvantaged people / disadvantaged people and e-learning /e-learning pedagogy and VET /
e-learning pedagogy and practice / improved outcomes e-learning / e-learning practice and adults / andragogy
and e-learning practice / baseline surveys / pre-program assessments / VET e-learning course completion / VET
e-learning course completions / VET e-learning qualification completions / e-learning indicators / e-learning
participation / flexible learning participation / flexible learning completion rates / e-learning completion rates /
e-learning outcomes / e-learning outcomes / e-learning pedagogy / digital pedagogy / e-learning / e-learning
practice / pedagogy in e-learning
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
APPENDIX D: METHODOLOGY NOTES
The diagram below outlines the review process undertaken to define the terms for the literature review.
- e-learning
- VET pedagogy
- good practice
An initial scan of the
literature indicated there
was a significant amount
of material related to the
key terms in the questions
and other areas emerged.
New terms were added.
Define Terms
Terms were taken from
the original questions and
included:
Initial literature scan
Review questions
FIGURE 3: PROCESS FOR DEFINING THE TERMS
A final list was developed
in consultation with the
Project Reference Group
- disadvantaged learners
The following diagram outlines the stages in the methodology
FIGURE 4: PROCESS OF INVESTIGATION ADAPTED FROM (GOUGH ET AL., 2013)
Stage 1
Review
Stage 2
Search
strategy
Stage 3
•Form Project Reference Group
•Review questions and methodology
•Identify the population, interventions and outcomes
•Define terms for the context of the investigation
•Establish inclusion and exclusion criteria
•Develop coding materials
•Pilot coding
•Data collection
•Review included literature for details and subdescriptors (see Table 2)
•Apply quality appraisal criteria (see Table 3)
Evaluation
and analysis
Stage 4
Synthesis
Stage 5
Quality
check
•Merging the findings and analysis against theories
•Identifying common approaches across the learner cohort that contribute to successful learning
outcomes
•Check and edit by Project Reference Group and NVEAC/FLAG Action Group
•Communicatie findings with stakeholders
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
TABLE 1: INITIAL CRITERIA USED TO SELECT STUDIES FOR THE REVIEW
Item
Language & geographical limits
Date of research study
Scope
Criteria
English, from Australia and overseas
Approximately the last 10 years
For a study to be included it had to meet the research study, population
and intervention criteria, and at least one of the outcome criteria. Where
population was ‘disadvantaged learner ‘and ‘VET Practitioner’, intervention
was ‘e-learning’, and outcome was either ‘improved learner experience’ or
‘improved e-learning pedagogy’
TABLE 2: EVALUATION CRITERIA - ADAPTED FROM (ANLEZARK ET AL., 2005)
Item
Bibliographic details
Aims of the research
Study methodology
Geographic location
Time period
date range, by year
Population 1
Disadvantaged VET Learners
Population 2
VET Practitioner:
Australian
International
Discipline type
Intervention
E-Learning includes:
Types of technology
Inclusive technology devices
and tools/accessibility
Details and sub-descriptors
Title, author(s), publication date and other relevant bibliographic details
Brief description of study aims, including research questions and any
hypotheses
Brief textual description of the proposed methodologies for the study,
including details of the sample size, population and coverage. Any
differences between the actual and proposed methods used will be noted
Location the study covers
Time period the study covers
As per the Definition of Terms for disadvantaged learner
Research focussed on VET (as defined in the Definition of Terms)
Study must be focussed on Disadvantaged learners engaged with VET in
AQF levels 1 to 5
VET Practitioner means qualified teachers/trainers and, or assessors
working for a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) or its equivalent, in
the VET sector of Australia, or its international equivalent.
Qualified means practitioners with nationally recognised VET trainer and
assessor qualifications to deliver and assess nationally accredited training
(or its international equivalent).
Working in the VET sector (or its international equivalent) means delivery
of training and undertaking assessment of VET learners in on-the-job, offthe-job, in formal VET learning environments or any other learning
environment.
Identify discipline area.
Description of e-learning to include but not limited to media type,
accessibility devices, digital literacy of learner and practitioner
46
Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Outcomes
Improved learner experience
Barriers and Facilitators (for
learners)
Include descriptions of the changes identified and the interventions
Does the study identify inputs to improve the learner experience?
For example, skills, knowledge and attitude gained from:
 Type of vocational course studied,
 Improved digital literacy
 Impact of learner voice (engagement of the learner with the practitioner)
 Continue to further study
 Entry into paid work
 Entry into voluntary work
 Interventions for the learner to increase success
 Orientation
 Technical support supplied
 Mentoring,
 Effective student management system
 Assistance from other students,
Planned retention intervention strategies (electronic . non-electronic)
Identify sub-descriptors e.g.: Learner voice, training outcomes, digital
literacy improvement, support systems etc.
Entry into paid work, commencement in volunteer / non paid work, change
in work attitude, continued study, re-entry to labour market, change in
employment duration.
 Language, literacy, numeracy (foundation) skills on commencement
 Access to technologies (e.g.: broadband / mobile
 Personal attitude to learning new skills
 Access to suitable inclusive technologies
 Availability of alternative e-learning technologies Access to support
services
 Level of digital literacy skills on commencement
 Geographic location of student (remoteness) Educational background
upon commencement Opportunity to use new skills
 Work opportunities (paid or unpaid)
 Other
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
Improved (e-learning) pedagogy Good practices may include:
 Method of instruction (e.g.: such as blended, fully on-line, facilitated,
group work, one on one)
 Integration of support mechanisms
 Customisation for cultural and other contexts
 Professional development for practitioners
 Practitioner competencies which have improved the learner experience
(for example, learner-centred approach, engagement with the learner,
contextualisation of the learning for individual learner’s circumstances)
 Initial teacher training
 Type of learning
 Ongoing professional Development
 Organisational support
 Improved digital literacy
 Support systems and processes to increase the learner’s experience (for
example: introduction of mentors, assistance from other students, early
contact to support attendance or completion of work – such as through a
student management system).
Barriers and Facilitators (for
 Digital literacy of VET practitioner on commencement
Practitioners)
 Professional development of VET practitioner
 Improved e-literacy skills of practitioner
 Access to technologies (e.g.: broadband / mobile
 Engagement with students
 Partnerships with students
 Access / provision of support services to practitioner
 Access to suitable inclusive technologies
 Innovative teaching strategies for e-learning Availability of alternative elearning technologies
 Geographic location of learning (regional vs. remoteness)
 Learner-centred approach
 Embedded foundation skills
 Supported learner pathways
 Innovative team teaching
 Simulated learning
 Community based practice
 Other
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
TABLE 3: QUALITY APPRAISAL
A.
Relevance weighting
In this research study:
Rating
Population
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Intervention
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Outcome 1
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Outcome 2
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Overall Weight of Evidence A (Relevance)
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
B.
Quality weighting
In this research study:
Rating
Is the evidence valid?
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Is the evidence reliable?
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Is the evidence authentic?
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Is the evidence sufficient?
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Is the evidence current today?
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Overall Weight of Evidence B (Quality)
High
Medium+
Medium
Medium-
Low
Weight of evidence - Summary
Final Rating:
Weight of Evidence A – Reliability
Weight of Evidence B – Quality
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
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ABBREVIATED TERMS
List of abbreviations
ABS
Australian Bureau of Statistics
ACE
Adult and Community Education
CALD
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
CBT
Computer-based Training
COAG
Council of Australian Governments
CTE
Career and Technical Education
FLAG
Flexible Learning Advisory Group
IBT
Internet-based Training
ICT
Information Communication Technologies
MOOCs
Massive Open Online Courses
NSOC
National Senior Officials Committee
NVEAC
National VET Equity Advisory Council
RTO
Registered Training Organisation
SCOTESE Standing Council on Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
TVE
Technical and Vocational Education
TVET
Technical and Vocational Education and Training
VET
Vocational Education and Training
VTET
Vocational and Technical Education and Training
WBT
Web-based Training
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Good e-practice guidelines for disadvantaged learners in VET
56