Teacher guide
The World of Work
30/04/2012: Version 2
INSERT AN IMAGE OF THE LAUNCH
PAGE OF THE TOOLBOX HERE
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Teacher guide The World of Work
The views expressed in the copyright work do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Broadband Content Services, National VET E-learning Strategy, © Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Industry Innovation,
Science, Research and Tertiary Education) 2012.
With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the Department’s logo, any material protected by a trade mark and where
otherwise noted, all material presented in this document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Australia
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction............................................................................................................................... 5
Getting started delivering e-learning....................................................................................... 5
Getting you started .................................................................................................................. 5
How to install the Toolbox ....................................................................................................... 5
Preparing to use the Toolbox .................................................................................................. 6
Computer and technical requirements .................................................................................... 7
Hardware ................................................................................................................................ 7
Software .................................................................................................................................. 7
Customisation ......................................................................................................................... 7
Online teaching strategies ....................................................................................................... 9
Social networking .................................................................................................................... 9
Preparing the learners to use the materials ........................................................................... 10
Implementing successful Toolbox delivery ............................................................................ 10
Providing support .................................................................................................................. 10
Tasks and discussion board activities ................................................................................... 11
Literacy and numeracy .......................................................................................................... 11
Qualification and competencies ............................................................................................ 12
Employability Skills ................................................................................................................ 13
Target audiences .................................................................................................................... 14
Learners ................................................................................................................................ 14
Relevance to other programs ................................................................................................ 14
Teachers/trainers/facilitators ................................................................................................. 15
Toolbox structure and design ................................................................................................ 16
Site map ................................................................................................................................ 16
Structure and navigation ........................................................................................................ 17
Interface ................................................................................................................................ 17
Home page ........................................................................................................................... 17
Chapter selection screen ....................................................................................................... 17
Activities and Games Rooms ................................................................................................ 18
Sam ...................................................................................................................................... 19
Key features ............................................................................................................................ 19
Language, Literacy and Numeracy requirements ................................................................ 20
Appropriateness of resource ................................................................................................. 21
Learning objects ..................................................................................................................... 22
Teaching and learning design ............................................................................................... 22
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Tasks and activities ................................................................................................................ 23
Let’s Talk!.............................................................................................................................. 23
Communicating at Work ........................................................................................................ 24
Team Work ........................................................................................................................... 26
Career planning..................................................................................................................... 27
Keeping the job ..................................................................................................................... 28
Assessment strategies ........................................................................................................... 29
Access, equity and Indigenous Toolboxes ........................................................................... 30
Getting help............................................................................................................................. 31
Resources ............................................................................................................................... 32
Contact Information ................................................................................................................ 33
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Introduction
Welcome to The World of Work Toolbox Teacher guide.
This Teacher guide will assist trainers and teachers wishing to use the Toolbox either in its complete
form, or as a source of learning components, in the development of their own teaching programs.
The purpose of the Teacher guide is to show how the Toolbox resources can be effectively used to
assist in the delivery of a program. It is written in a non-prescriptive way, assuming that the trainers
will want to select aspects of the Toolbox, substitute others and customise aspects for their own
audience including learners with language, literacy and numeracy needs.
These strategies will provide opportunities to maximize the learning experience through the use of
the Toolbox and take advantage of the collaborative learning environment that can be achieved
through facilitated discussion and information sharing amongst a group of learners.
Series 4 Flexible Learning Toolbox
Online products for equity groups: Flexible Learning Toolbox
Supporting resources for Victorian Certificate I in Work Education (CWE).
Getting started delivering e-learning
Getting you started
If you are new to e-learning, we suggest you visit http://designing.flexiblelearning.net.au/.
This site provides some answers to two big questions: What is e-learning? and How do you do it?
There are a number of resources that provide learning designs, learning materials, strategies that
come with downloadable guides. Some of the areas covered are:

Get started in e-learning

Explore e-technologies

Plan an e-learning initiative

Design an e-learning course

Develop an e-learning plan.
How to install the Toolbox
To start using this CD-ROM:
Insert the Toolbox CD in your CD-ROM drive. In most cases the CD will automatically run, if it
doesn't then do one of the following:

Using Windows Explorer (or your equivalent) double click on the CD-ROM icon to view the
files contained on the CD-ROM. Then double-click on the file called ‘index.htm’ at the root
directory level.
Or
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
Using your web browser, go to the ‘File’ menu and select ‘Open file’, browse to the
location of the CD-ROM and open the file 'index.htm' at the root directory level.
Preparing to use the Toolbox
As a workplace trainer or supervisor, it is important to set aside adequate time to familiarise yourself
with the Toolbox and its resources so you can properly support your learners. Teachers have
reported the greatest successes when they first familiarised themselves with the Toolbox,
integrating it with their course, developing student activities and additional material and thus guiding
the learners through using the Toolbox.
It is important to prepare to use the Toolbox. The following tips for trainers highlight important
information you should consider when introducing Toolboxes into your training.

Set aside adequate time to familiarise yourself with the Toolbox so you can properly
support your learners.

Internet sites change over time so make sure you check for broken links prior to using the
Toolbox.

Set realistic time frames for implementation.

Integrate the Toolbox into your teaching delivery, just as you would any new teaching
resource.

Using a Toolbox is not about leaving learners alone to learn for themselves, but about
using a new medium as a part of an overall teaching delivery strategy.

If you choose to conduct group activities via discussion boards or wikis, you will need to
set up discussion threads/wiki headings prior to commencing the activity.

You may need to provide instructions to the learners on how to use communication tools
such as email, WIKI, virtual conferencing or chat.
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Computer and technical requirements
Nothing spoils a computer-based learning experience more than technical problems and difficulties.
On the opening screen of the Toolbox there is a link to system requirements. Some users do not
check this prior to using the Toolbox and discover they don’t have the required software installed on
their computer, or that their computer doesn’t meet the minimum requirements. It is worth checking
with your Systems or IT Coordinator.
However, Toolboxes are designed for a standard specification computer and Internet connection
eliminating many problems. You can help by making sure your learners have checked their
computer against the minimum specifications listed, and where necessary help them to download
required plugins. For your reference, below is a copy of the information presented within that link
from the home page.
Incorrect versions of these applications could result in information being shown in an unreadable
form or not shown at all.
Hardware
The following hardware and software information is reproduced from the information provided in the
Toolbox Technical guide. It is representative of the hardware and software requirements at the date
of release of the toolbox.
To use the learning material in this unit, you will need a computer with at least the minimum
following features:
 IBM compatible computer with 600 MHz or faster processor or,

The Macintosh equivalent.

128 MB of RAM

800 x 600 display

4 GB hard disk

1.44 MB floppy disk

CD ROM drive

28.8kbps or faster modem
Software
You need the following software installed in your computer:
 Either Internet Explorer 5® or higher OR Netscape Navigator 6.2® or higher.

A word processing program that can view and print Microsoft® Word documents.
You will also require the following plug-ins to run the multimedia interactions and animations in this
toolbox:
 Macromedia Flash Player®

Adobe® Acrobat® Reader TM
Customisation
Toolboxes are designed to be customised. This is an important feature. Teachers are invited to
use parts of a Toolbox that compliment their training sessions and/or incorporate their own materials
into a Toolbox.
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There are a series of mini tutorials available on the Toolbox website that may assist you in
customising a Toolbox. These can be found at: http://tle.tafevc.com.au/toolbox/access/search.do.
If you require assistance with your customisation, please contact the Content Services Advisor in
your state. You will find a list of Content Services Advisorsat
http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/support.
To customise resources in this Toolbox you will need software such as:

An HTML text editor such as Homesite®, BBEdit® or Adobe® Dreamweaver to edit web
pages. Alternatively, for a free downloadable text editor, try Kompozer http://www.kompozer.net/download.php.

A word processor such as Microsoft® Word to edit documents.

If customisation of multimedia interactions is required, then the following applications may
be necessary:
o
Flash CS3
o
XML SPY or equivalent XML editing tool
o
Photoshop/Fireworks (or equivalent) for editing still images
o
SoundEdit16 (or equivalent) for editing sound content
o
Premiere (or equivalent) for editing video content.
Detailed instructions for customising the Toolbox is provided in the Technical Guide, which can be
accessed from the linkon the ‘Enter ‘The World of Work’ page of the Toolbox.
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Online teaching strategies
Teaching in an online environment focuses on facilitating and guiding the learner’s
progress.Learners have significant learning resources available to them in the Toolbox, in
theworkplace, and on the Internet. Helping learners to navigate this information and pinpoint
therelevant materials to meet performance criteria is the central role. It requires a clear statement of
learning objectives and regular feedback on learner progress.
Toolboxes are designed to encourage this learner collaboration and the activities are customisable
depending on requirements. It is the trainer’s decision how this collaboration occurs. For example:

A trainer might set up a discussion board or online discussion forum around how to save
energy in the home. A start and finish date might be set for the discussion, and a
proportion of final assessment weighted to participation. Learners may be notified of these
requirements by email, as well as through an initial posting on the bulletin board. The
bulletin board (along with other tools) is a useful record of learner contributions for
assessment purposes.
Online discussions will only work if there is a sense of team collaboration, so it is important that you
consider how to develop this team environment. Throughout the tasks in this Toolbox, there are
many opportunities for learners to communicate with their colleagues. Below are some tips that
could help you to set up and facilitate communication activities with the learners.

You can use an online icebreaker in a computer training room or with learners who are at
different locations.

If you intend for your learners to collaborate online (using email, a learning management
system, or a web discussion board) it’s important to give them a chance to get familiar with
each other by using the medium, before they get down to the serious part.

Set group projects based on the worksheets and journals.
Social networking
Every day, your learners communicate with each other in new and different ways, and emails and
bulletin boards are not always the preferred options. Mobile phones, text messaging, and creating
and sharing media files (videos, graphics, podcasts) are other common forms of communication that
people currently use.
Social networking tools allow you to assist learners to network with other learners as they complete
Toolbox activities. For example, you can ask learners to create networks by:

Reviewing Your Guide to Social e-learning for additional information and ideas.
http://socialelearning.flexiblelearning.net.au/social_elearning/index.htm

sharing their work in weblogs, for example writing in their own blog or sharing mobile
phone photos in moblogs (mobile weblogs)

collaborating with others to develop documents, for example, using wikis to put together a
response to a problem

creating and sharing photos of their work using photo sharing software, for example, Flickr
www.flickr.com

creating and sharing bookmarks of sites they have found useful in research, for
example,www.delicious.com

creating and sharing media files capturing their work, for example MP3s or video files
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
sharing their evidence for assessment in social networking spaces on the internet

sharing ideas and information via a virtual conference.
Preparing the learners to use the materials
It is recommended that you provide an orientation to the Toolbox in a practical, face-to-face session
with learners actually using the Toolbox.
Using a Toolbox is not about leaving learners alone to learn for themselves, but about using a
medium as part of an overall teaching delivery strategy.
Beside the resources that are located in the Toolbox, it is highly recommended that you refer your
learners to a range of other resources including textbooks, websites, video etc.
Implementing successful Toolbox delivery
The following tips for learners highlight important information you should consider when introducing
the use of Toolboxes into your delivery strategy.

Flexible delivery is not about leaving learners alone to learn for themselves, but about
using a new medium as a part of an overall teaching delivery structure that is well defined.

In an evaluation of Toolboxes, the overall message from teachers was that ‘structure
means success’ and reflects their recognition that effort is required to integrate the
Toolbox into their teaching delivery – just like building any new teaching resource.

Feedback from the same evaluation of Toolboxes suggested that orientation sessions
appeared to be a feature of the more successful trials. Providing orientation to the Toolbox
in a practical, face-to-face session with learners actually using the Toolbox is clearly a key
to a successful use. It provides a mixture of technical and pedagogical assistance that
aligns the Toolbox with the qualification and the course.

It is highly recommended that learners be referred to a range of other resources outside
the Toolbox, including textbooks, websites, video etc.
Providing support

It is important to plan ahead and obtain management support, set realistic timeframes for
implementation and gain support from the learner’s employer before introducing the
Toolbox.

Make sure that you are aware of legislation and regulations which may impact on flexible
delivery of the Toolbox. For example, learners working at home, traineeship agreements,
apprenticeship agreements and enterprise-based arrangements.

Establish whether your learners have completed any previous units online. This way you
can gauge how much support you will need to provide to coach learners in development of
online learning skills, as well as the content in the units. You will probably find learners
require different levels of support. In the first few weeks get a clear picture of how each
learner is coping to enable early intervention.

If you manage a very large group of learners, create a sense of community online by
setting up study groups of four to eight students, all of whom begin the Unit at more or less
the same time. This makes it easier for learners to gain the benefits of social learning and
to form networks and provide support to each other as they study.

Once you have set up the study group, facilitate an online ‘icebreaker’ activity when
learners start the Unit. You could include ideas for facilitating this activity within the
Teacher guide.
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
Plan ahead and be clear to your learners about which group work activities you expect
them to complete.
Tasks and discussion board activities

If you choose to include discussion board exercises, you will need to set up discussion
threads prior to commencing the activity. You will also need to advise learners of these
requirements if you have not included instructions in the Toolbox content.

You should also encourage learners to use the discussion board to ask for assistance if
they are unsure of where to find a resource. You may need to provide instructions to the
learners on how to use communication tools such as e-mail, discussion board, or chat.
TIP: Calendar – tip make use of the LMS delivery tools.

If you are delivering the program online, email will be the primary method of
communication with your learners, so ensure that you have a clear system of email folders
for managing the traffic.

Send emails to all learners with reminders of the tasks that should be completed, the tasks
in progress with reminders for times of chats or forums during that week. Alerting learners
to activities for which they should be undertaking individual learning (e.g. in learning tasks
and learning packs) prior to a group activity in the week to come can also be helpful. You
might comment on the quality of work in the preceding week and provide tips and
encouragement for the task at hand.

Be clear about timeframes by setting targets for learning. These can help you with your
‘online lesson’ planning. You will need to set frameworks so that learners know what to do,
and when to do it.

When learners are about to start an online group activity, send them an email with
instructions on what teams they will be in or whose job it is to start a round robin activity.
Do not presume learners will work it out.
Literacy and numeracy

Find out whether the learner will need literacy support to read the online material or
complete the exercises. Workplace supervisors are often aware of the literacy difficulties
of their employees, and often already have support mechanisms in place, such as pairing
the worker up with another person with better literacy skills.
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Qualification and competencies
The World of Work Toolbox supports the Victorian Certificate I in Work Education (CWE). The
resource is comprised of five learning units. The content and structure of the learning units closely
reflects that of the now superseded 21671 VIC – Victorian Certificate I in Work Education (CWE)
modules.
The relationship between learning units and the superseded modules is indicated in the table below,
as is the equivalent current modules from 22128 VIC – Victorian Certificate I in Work Education
(CWE).
The World of
Work units
21671 VIC – Victorian Certificate I
in Work Education (CWE)
modules
22128 VIC – Victorian Certificate I in
Work Education (CWE) modules
Let’s talk!
VBK 158 Interpersonal
Communication Skills
VU20442 Develop interpersonal
communication skills for the
workplace
Communicatin
g at work
VBK 159 Workplace
Communication Skills
TLIE307C Participate in basic
workplace communication
Team work
VBK 160 Team Work
TLIG107C Work effectively with
others
Career
planning
VBK 163 Career Planning
VU20009 Participate in job seeking
activities ANDVU20007 Prepare for
employment
Keeping the
job
Based on selected content drawn
from VBK 163
VU20009 Participate in job seeking
activities ANDVU20007 Prepare for
employment
Career Planning focusing on
workplace ethics
This Teacher guide has been developed to help you to use The World of Work Toolbox to deliver
the Victorian Certificate I in Work Education (CWE). It explains the types of activities and resources
contained in the Toolbox and offers suggested delivery strategies and opportunities for
customisation to help you to maximise the learning experience for your learners.
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Employability Skills
Employability Skills are sometimes referred to as generic skills, core skills, essential skills,
capabilities, or key competencies. The Commonwealth of Australia defines them as, “skills required
not only to gain employment, but also to progress within an enterprise so as to achieve one’s
potential and contribute successfully to enterprise strategic directions”. (Employability Skills
Summary, http://employabilityskills.training.com.au/index.php, accessed 14 January 2010).
Employability Skills are included in a number of the activities in The World of Work Toolbox. These
Employability Skills are:
Communication skills to:

seek and respond to and clarify information about work activities and responsibilities

participate in discussion and information to clarify vocational goals

collect information about own vocational goals and needs

discuss and share information/ideas/opinions with other class/group members

read and interpret employment and workplace information

compile skills portfolios and resumes.
Teamwork skills to:

participate in workplace meetings and consultative activities

work collaboratively with other class/group members

work with support persons to develop and review a vocational plan

give and receive feedback from group members.
Problem solving skills to:

identify strategies to increase personal independence and self confidence

match own learning needs to vocational and community interests

identify and access support resources

clarify and confirm vocational goals with the teacher/supervisor to develop a vocational
plan.

Initiative and enterprise skills to:

investigate vocational and community options.
Planning and organising skills to:

plan and develop a personal skills profile.
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Target audiences
Learners
The World of Work is an online learning resource specifically designed for young people whoare
seeking work or making the transition from school to work. These learners may havelimited literacy
and social skills needed for the workplace and limited knowledge of work/jobrequirements.
Like the national Toolbox series, it provides a collection of learning materials for flexibledelivery
within the workplace, the classroom and the community.
The World of Work was specifically designed to support the delivery of four modules of the21671
VIC – The Victorian Certificate I in Work Education (CWE).
NOTE: The course is now superseded by 22128 VIC – The Victorian Certificate I in Work Education
(CWE).
The CWE is a post secondary qualification for students who have specific learning needs.
Itsmodules prepare learners to:
gain mainstream employment involving routine, predictable, repetitiveproceduralised tasks under
supervision
undertake further vocational training.
Relevance to other programs
The World of Work may be used by teachers delivering similar accredited work educationcourses or
other non accredited programs.
Teachers who may find the resource useful include:

workplace trainers working in a one-to-one or group training situation

on campus TAFE teachers

trainers working for a private training provider

teachers working in a community education or special school setting.
It is difficult to isolate one specific group of learners who will access The World of Workresources.
Broadly, the group of learners will include:

individuals who have special learning needs

individuals who have a difficult educational history

individuals who do not like to participate with others and need to work in a moreisolated
manner

individuals who have difficulties (emotionally or psychologically) managing group workover
a long period.
The World of Work focuses on the knowledge, skills, behaviours and attitudes needed by thetarget
audience to gain and retain employment. It is intended that The World of Work be used as a part of
a teacher-led learning strategy and not as a stand-alone program.
The materials are not intended to:

restrict training providers to using the materials in their entirety

replace the role of the teacher in the learning process
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
be used in isolation without practical or workplace based activities

stipulate assessment approaches.
Teachers/trainers/facilitators
For the teacher/trainer or facilitator using the Toolbox - the Toolbox is designed so that the online
teacher or training organisation can use it to meet different delivery needs. These needs may be
determined by the influence of the industry sector, training setting and individual learning styles.
The teacher also can assist learners who have weaker skills. For example, where there are learners
with weak reading skills, the teacher could organise for texts to be read in groups or as a class, or
alternatively, could break longer texts into paragraph(s) with learners each reading a section out
loud, or silently, then reporting back to the group on the content of ‘their section’. All learners could
then attempt to re-read the full text independently.
The Toolbox will suit a range of delivery and assessment contexts, including:
workplace trainers working in a one-to-one or group training situation
vocational trainers and/or assessors in an educational or workplace setting who deliver training,
conduct assessments and issue qualifications
team leaders/supervisors and/or line managers who are involved in implementing learning in the
workplace and assessing its effectiveness
new practitioners, part-time or full-time, casual or sessional facilitators of online learning programs.
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Toolbox structure and design
Site map
Below is a full site map which provides an overview of the Toolbox structure. It shows each of the
five learning units that can be accessed via the Home page. Each learning unit has chapters that
learners can select at will and progress through in any order they choose, though a suggested order
is implied.
Let’s talk:
Home:
Communicating at work
→
Team work:
Career planning:
Keeping the job:
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Structure and navigation
All units in The World of Work follow the same layout and structure, as detailed below. The units can
be accessed in any order.
Interface
The interface has been designed to be both practical and engaging for the target audience.The
navigational structure of the Toolbox remains constant throughout all the learning units topromote
clarity and familiarity to the learner.
Home page
The first level of navigation provides the learner with access to the five learning units. Byrolling the
mouse cursor over each learning unit button, teachers and learners can access ashort description of
the topics covered. Selecting a button will allow access to the chapterselection screen for that
learning unit (see below).
The home page also introduces Sam, who acts as a guide and mentor throughout theresource.
Chapter selection screen
At the second level each learning unit is broken down into a series of chapters that reflect
thelearning outcomes of the related module. Detail of the chapters and the learning outcomesthey
address is covered in the section ‘About the learning units’.
Each learning unit can be accessed as an integrated story (a series of chapters) or
individualchapters may be accessed independently by teachers preferring to focus on a
particularlearning outcome.
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Such an approach provides teachers with the freedom to choose sections deemed mostrelevant for
individual learners. It also has the advantage of allowing repetition of concepts –a preferred learning
strategy for the target group.
Activities and Games Rooms
Within the structure of individual chapters, content is presented using a range of methods,including
text, graphics, audio and animation. Activities are embedded within each chapterthat reinforce the
underpinning skills and knowledge of the related learning outcome. Theseinclude decision-making
activities, exploratory tasks and a range of interactive features.
Each chapter concludes with a 'Games Room', which contains a selection of interactivefeatures that
reinforce and expand on the concepts presented in the main storyline. Thestructure of the games is
quite different to other features in the resource and it is hoped thatthey will offer teachers alternate
methods of presenting content to learners.
Games have a wide variety of structures, including quizzes, group activities, decisionmakingexercises and paper-based activities.
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Sam
The character of Sam fulfils several roles within the resource. At a basic level, he
providesnavigational tips and guidance to the learner, prompting them to proceed to each
newsection. Sam also provides access to additional content areas (such as the Games Roomand
popup screens) and poses questions to the learner about the issues raised through eachchapter.
Key features
The content within the World of Work is presented in a range of styles, providing teacherswith
several options for delivery to a broad learner group. The following points outline somepotential
strategies.
Independent learners may be directed to work through a section of the resource attheir own pace,
following the overriding 'story' aspect of each chapter via both textand graphics.
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Learners with low literacy levels may be guided through the graphic story by theteacher, who could
indicate to students that the pictures illustrate the text. A dataprocess unit may prove helpful for
using this approach with the whole class.
For learners who may not respond to the storyline context, teachers may wish tofocus on the
content within the popup advisory sections, which address a broad rangeof topics independently of
the story. An alternate approach may be for teachers topresent the content within these sections
first, and then use the context of thestoryline to demonstrate principles in action.
(NB: This approach may require teachers to research the resource prior to delivery inclass, in order
to locate appropriate sections.)
The Games Rooms in each chapter present content in a more concise, interactivefashion than the
main storyline. These may be a more appropriate method for demonstrating principles to some
learners.
Several of the popup advisory sections contain links to Tip Sheets. These summarisethe related
content within printable documents that teachers may wish to use asclassroom handouts.
Language, Literacy and Numeracy requirements
The assessment environment should not disadvantage the participant. The design of assessment
tools must reflect the language, literacy and numeracy competence required for the performance of
a task in the workplace and not exceed these expectations..
Assessors must ensure that assessment processes do not place inappropriate emphasis on
language, literacy, or numeracy and do not disadvantage candidates on inappropriate grounds such
as gender or cultural background.
Addressing literacy issues
Although the World of Work relies heavily on text, features have been incorporated to assistdelivery
of the resource to learners with low literacy levels. Although teachers may have theirown strategies
in place, the following tips may also prove helpful for using this resource.
The construction of the HTML documents in the World of Work is simple enough toallow for easy
replacement if necessary. The page layout consists mainly of a seriesof tables which should not
need to be modified. Within these tables, the maindialogue text is situated below the graphics. To
edit, simply select the paragraph andretype the text. The page’s inbuilt style sheet will handle the
font size, colour and styleissues.
The resource has been designed for operation with screen reader software packages,such as
JAWS for Windows™. However due to design features, certain sections arenot compliant with such
technology, including the learning unit 'Keeping the Job' andmost Games Rooms (text-based games
such as classroom activities should bereadable).
Screen reader software is a viable technological solution for learners with low literacylevels or mild
visual impairments. However, the lack of pronunciation characteristicsinherent with such software
(inflexion, intonation, expression, etc) may reduce theinstructional value of such a delivery strategy.
Teachers may therefore prefer toemploy the alternate delivery options outlined above.
Most computer operating systems (eg: Windows 98, Mac OS 9) have built-inaccessibility features.
However, the specific features vary between different software,and teachers should familiarise
themselves with the individual operating system inuse. More information on computer accessibility
issues can be found on the internet:

http://support.microsoft.com/

http://apple.com
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Appropriateness of resource
Given the broad range of literacy and comprehension skills found within the target learnergroup,
teachers may find that some scenarios and activities are inappropriate for somestudents.The
previous tips are provided to help teachers use the resource with lower level students.However,
some students may find the resource too basic. Teachers faced with such asituation may wish to
use the resource as an introduction to key topics (eg: workplacebehaviour) and then lead into an
appropriate extension activity, such as a role play or classdiscussion.
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Learning objects
An alternative way to access this Toolbox content is via discrete learning objects, which can be
downloaded from http://tle.tafevc.com.au/toolbox/access/home.do.
Learning objects are smaller components of content forming a self-contained sequence of learning.
A ‘learning object’ is defined as:
o
A digital entity designed to support a particular learning experience, that can be
repurposed for use in another setting, and which forms or is part of an IMS content
package. Essential characteristics of learning objects are that they incorporate a selfcontained sequence of learning and be discoverable, interoperable, editable and
reusable. (Source: Australian Flexible Learning Framework Trials of Learning Objects
(Series 7) - http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/documents/reports.htm#r17.
A learning object does not imply that it is an entire competency or one of the key performance
criteria from a unit of competency. A learning object is an output that can be used by others as a
stand alone product. The best way to identify a learning object is as a segment of content that can
stand alone and be used independently from the rest of the competency.
This Toolbox supports five learning objects which are:

Let’s talk

Keeping the job

Communicating at work

Career planning

Communicate effectively in a customer contact setting.
These learning objects can be accessed from http://lorn.flexiblelearning.net.au/repositories.
Teaching and learning design
The teaching and learning strategies employed in The World of Work are:

action-based

reflection/evaluation

self-paced

interactive.
This section provides information about the activities for each of the units covered in the Toolbox.
This includes:
 units covered

chapters in each unit

Summary of area covered and underpinning skills and knowledge addressed

teacher tips for each unit.
Note that each unit in this resource originally mapped to learning outcomes from the previous
course. Since modules are not always equivalent to the original, each unit in the resource now
details the areas covered, though they originally mapped directly to learning outcomes.
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Tasks and activities
Let’s Talk!
This learning unit contains eight chapters which address VU20442 Develop interpersonal
communications skills for the workplace.
Chapter Title
Summary of areas covered
Underpinning
skills & knowledge
Communication clues
Meeting Leo
Discuss the elements of
Verbal and non verbal
communication
Communication
Initiate a conversation
Introductions, welcoming
gestures, conversation
starters, body and space
awareness
Nice talking
Maintain a conversation by
Maintaining a conversation
giving feedback and
making contributions
Butt in or join in?
Demonstrate ways of
Interrupting and joining a
interrupting and joining
Conversation
conversations
Saying goodbye
What to say when…
Demonstrate ways to end
Ending conversations, use of
conversations in formaland
informal contexts
gestures and observation of
Demonstrate interpersonal
Interpersonal skills and
skills and behaviours
Behaviours
others
appropriate to given situations
Staying safe
Identify the characteristics
Protective behaviours
of protective behaviours
appropriate to different
situations
Jo takes control
Identify strategies to meet
Relationship
emotional needs
making/maintenance skills
Teachers' tips
This section provides advice for specific pages, activities and games within the learning unitthat may
require clarification or adaptation in some circumstances.
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Chapter 6, Popup 1a: Listening Tips
This screen provides various tips for demonstrating attentive listening, such as concentration,body
language and maintaining eye contact.In some cultures, sustaining eye contact may be considered
disrespectful. If you areconcerned that this section may subsequently confuse some your learners, it
isrecommended that you edit or substitute the content.
Chapter 7, Screen 3: Safety Network
The 'Helping Hand' Activity Sheet is PDF document that can be downloaded and printed bystudents
and used to remember the people who they can trust in a bad situation.The PDF is A4 size, which
may be too small for some students. It may be more appropriatefor teachers to print off one copy
and enlarge to A3.
Communicating at Work
This learning unit contains six chapters which address TLIE307C Participate in basic workplace
communication.
Chapter Title
Summary of areas covered
Underpinning
skills & knowledge
Finding your place
Outline the communication
Communication and social
and social skills appropriate
tointeracting with workplace
skills appropriate to the
workplace
personnel
Following
instructions
Discuss the need to follow
Accepting and understanding
and accept instructions
Instructions
Solving problems
Discuss ways of explaining a
Workplace problems, asking
problem to a supervisor,
for help, appropriate
asking for assistance and
communication and response
accepting feedback
Give and take
Provide and
receiveconstructive criticism
Praise and criticism. Personal
strategies when
listening and responding.
Working together
Discuss methods of
Teamwork, cooperation and
cooperating with supervisors
sharing the workload.
and colleagues in a work
setting
Dealing with
conflict
List possible problems that
Harassment and conflict,
can occur at work and
discussstrategies and supports
fordealing with these
making a complaint, finding
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Teacher guide The World of Work
Teachers' tips
This section provides advice for specific pages, activities and games within the learning unitthat may
require clarification or adaptation in some circumstances.
Chapter 1, Game 1: When Saying Thank You
This game involves the learner selecting the appropriate action or gesture to say thank you
indifferent situations, including some responses involving physical contact (slapping on theback,
etc). Such responses may be inappropriate for some students, and teachers shouldexercise
discretion accordingly.
Chapter 2, Game 1: Find the Tearoom
This game requires students to listen to the audio instructions and move the figure aroundthe map
accordingly in order to locate the tearoom. If students have difficulties with theaudio, the transcript
below may be useful.

'Walk straight ahead until you reach the second path on your left.

Turn left, then walk straight ahead until the path ends at the big oak tree.

Turn right and walk straight ahead until you come to the path on your right.

Turn right and walk straight ahead until the path ends.

The tearoom in on the left hand side.'
Chapter 2, Game 2: Watch & Do
For ease of printing, the downloadable 'waterbomb plan' is A4 size, which may be too smallfor some
students. It may be more appropriate for teachers to print off one copy and enlargeto A3.
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Team Work
This learning unit contains six chapters which address TLIG107C Work effectively with others.
Chapter Title
Summary of areas covered
Underpinning
skills & knowledge
Joining the team
Discuss the conventions of
group behaviour
Team talk
Observe social conventions
indifferent situations
Group behaviour
conventions,appropriate
dress andpresentation, rules
governingattitude and
behaviour
Behaviours to suit formal and
informal, familiar and
unfamiliar and personal and
professional situations
Receiving feedback
Team feedback
Respond appropriately to
Verbal and non verbal cues
feedback on interpersonal
and behaviour, strategies for
behaviour in the group
responding appropriately
Give feedback to other group
Initiating
feedback,acknowledging and
respondingbehaviours,
criticising others
appropriately
members in a group situation
Participate in team building
Acceptance, compatibility,
trustand understanding,
sharing,respect for privacy,
handlingdisagreements and
respectingothers’ views
What makes a good
team?
activities.
T.E.A.M
Demonstrate the ability to
Group effort, personal roles
function effectively as a
and contributions, giving and
member of a team
receiving feedback
Teachers' tips
This section provides advice for specific pages, activities and games within the learning unitthat may
require clarification or adaptation in some circumstances.
Chapter 4, Game 2: Communication Breakdown
This game involves learners working in a group and playing a variation of the classic game'Chinese
Whispers'. One learner listens to the message and passes it 'down the line' of otherlearners.
Teachers should position themselves at the end of the line to verify the message.For clarification,
the message is transcribed below.
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'It is important to wear your uniform at work, so that customers know that you are part of theteam. If
your uniform is dirty, you must clean it.'
Career planning
This learning unit contains five chapters which sddress VU20009 Participate in job seeking activities
ANDVU20007 Prepare for employment.
Chapter Title
Summary of areas covered
Underpinning
skills & knowledge
Learning about work
The right kind of job
Rights and
responsibilities
Develop an understanding of
The role of work in society,
the World of Work in our
needs met through work, job
society
categories, types and modes
Select and plan occupational
Evaluation of interests, skills,
choice
aptitudes and physical
andpsychological
requirements
Identify rights
andresponsibilities of a worker
Attitude and behaviour, fair
at work
Setting your goals
treatment, health and safety
and seeking help
withworkplace problems
Set and implement strategies
Identifying goals, sources of
of career goals
career information and
support, getting organised
The search begins
Demonstrate job seekingskills
Resumes and job seeking
tools, where to look for jobs,
making enquiries and
interviewskills
Teachers' tips
This section provides advice for specific pages, activities and games within the learning unitthat may
require clarification or adaptation in some circumstances.
Chapter 1, Game 3: Work Hours
This game (and some of the associated content within the chapter) focuses on the variousmodes of
employment: full-time, part-time, shift work and casual. These concepts may bedifficult for some
learners to grasp and may require assistance from teachers.
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Teacher guide The World of Work
Keeping the job
This learning unit consists of a series of interactive role-plays focusing on a range of ethicaland
interpersonal aspects of the work environment not addressed in the curriculum, such asthe
following:

punctuality

responsibility

personal presentation

reliability

respect/Manners

limitations & Acceptable Behaviour

enthusiasm and Interest

employer and co-worker expectations.
The choices made at each step of the role-play will determine how the story progresses.Learners
are provided with feedback about the decisions they make, as well as anopportunity to 'back-up' and
try again.
Teachers' tips
You may like to extend the storyline of each role-play in a class discussion to reinforce
theconsequences of actions to your learners. Alternately, you could develop a hypothetical
roleplayfeaturing your learners as the main characters!
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Assessment strategies
The World of Work Toolbox does not specifically support assessment of the competencies, as
assessment methodologies and practices can vary greatly for RTOs nationally. Toolboxes, in
general, do not provide summative assessment(s). However, some of the activities contained in a
Toolbox may lend themselves to be used in the context of formative assessment(s).
The Toolbox supports the summative assessment process as learners will be working on tasks that
directly align with the competencies and will be producing evidence of their skills and knowledge
through the work they complete in the Toolbox. As part of an evidence portfolio, an assessor may
choose to use completed worksheets and journals presented by a learner online or face-to-face, as
well as meaningful contributions to online discussions or the project work recommended in the
Toolbox.
However, you will in most cases be using additional assessment methods to ensure learners fully
demonstrate their competency, eg:

observation of workplace performance – will need a well planned observation guide; will
need to be combined with other methods to assess underpinning knowledge

simulation – role plays to assess negotiation or consultation skills; useful for overcoming
ethical issues when direct observation in the workplace is not appropriate

demonstration through videos of performance

interview/dialogue – present case scenarios and ask learners how they would respond;
include questions to assess underpinning knowledge; improves access and equity; when
integrated with observation of performance can assess understanding in context; may be
conducted online with voice tools or face-to-face.
Further assessment requirements to supplement the Toolbox content are the RTOs responsibility, in
accordance with AQTF standards and requirements for competency-based assessment.
As a guideline, teachers should incorporate the use of holistic and work centredassessment. This
may mean that:

learners may need to complete a number of learning units before they are ready to
beassessed

the assessment task/s may include a practical demonstration of skills and knowledge

evidence of competence is to be built up through participating in a number of learningunits

learners negotiate an assessment task that reflects their particular work situation.
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Access, equity and Indigenous Toolboxes
Nationally the goals of all VET policies on equity are the same: to improve access to study and
related outcomes within VET for all clients and potential clients.
Improving access might involve strategies such as including accessibility features, ensuring that
selection criteria and course materials do not discriminate against learners, and adapting activities
to encourage all learners.
Strategies to improve access contribute to equity of outcomes from training regardless of individual
circumstances, background, and identity.
Examples of equity strategies include providing a supportive learning environment; adjusting
assessments and the means of accessing information to meet individual circumstances; and
developing and using inclusive training materials.
Essentially, in the context of VET equity refers to the capacity for all learners to achieve results in
training and to receive training in an inclusive environment with inclusive materials. Inclusive
environments and materials acknowledge and value the differences between people and cultures;
they include rather than exclude.
In meeting the principles of access and equity, it is important to accommodate the different needs of
all learners in an active and inclusive way. Considerations include:

Is the learning environment (virtual or other) familiar to the learners?

How does the cultural background of these learners influence their use and view of time?

What cognitive styles characterise the target learners?

What previous educational levels may the target learners achieved?

How do learners conceive the role of the teacher/trainer/facilitator?

Do the target learners have an increased likelihood of particular forms of disability?

What kind of relationship do learners expect/want with their teacher/trainer/facilitator?

What kinds of assessment tasks are fair and unbiased for the target learners?
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Getting help
If there are any technical issues, users should refer to the specifications in the Technical guide. If
assistance is still required:

Discuss the issue with your Content Services Advisor.

Call the Help Desk on 1300 736 710

Email your issue to toolboxhelp@flexiblelearning.net.au
What is a Content Services Advisor?
There is a Content Services Advisor in each State and Territory. The Content Services Advisor
service is provided to assist Private RTOs, Industry bodies, TAFE, ACE and Schools in VET in the
successful implementation of Flexible Learning Toolboxes. Funded under the National VET Elearning Strategy, the Content Services Advisors are the "face" of Toolboxes in their state or
territory. To locate your Content Services Advisor, please visit http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/support/.
What can the Content Services Advisors do for you?

Organise and conduct professional development activities.

Mentor teams wishing to implement Toolboxes.

Provide advice about using the Toolboxes.

Disseminate information and broker other types of support (e.g. customisation).
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Resources
Search for Employability Skills
http://employabilityskills.training.com.au/index.php
To search for what Employability Skills are included in a qualification, access the website above. Go
to the Employability Skills Summary section and enter the qualification code into the search box and
select the Find button. You will be provided with a list that contains the Employability Skills that this
qualification covers.
Toolbox Implementation Guide
http://Toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/documents/index.htm
This guide has been designed to help you get started with using your Toolbox as a teaching
resource.
Toolboxes by series/code
http://Toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/preview/byseries.htm
This website provides you with access to all Toolboxes. You may want to review the previous series
of Teacher guides for guidance or clarification.
Toolbox learning object repository network
http://tle.tafevc.com.au/Toolbox/access/home.do
This repository has learning resources, mini tutorial, e-learning innovations objects, industry
integration of e-learning objects and Learning Federation objects.
Designing e-learning
http://designing.flexiblelearning.net.au/
This site provides some answers to two big questions
What is e-learning?
The Gallery of strategies has over 100 click-and-view samples plus teaching guides
How do you do it?
The Learning design and Learning materials sections offers detailed sample designs and course
maps
To help you find what you’re looking for, there are a range of different e-tours through the resources
on this site.
Your guide to social e-learning
http://socialelearning.flexiblelearning.net.au/social_elearning/index.htm
In this resource you can explore the opportunities and challenges that you might discover with social
e-learning in practice, and get practical guidance and tips from e-learning practitioners. Listen to the
keynote from Anne Bartlett-Bragg to find out more about the practice behind the case studies,
strategies, tools and activities presented in this resource.
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Contact Information
For further information on Flexible Learning Toolboxes, please contact:
Flexible Learning Toolbox Help Desk
Phone:
1300 736 710
Email:
Toolboxhelp@flexiblelearning.net.au
Website: flexiblelearning.net.au/Toolbox
For further information on the National VET E-learning Strategy, please contact the FLAG
Secretariat:
Phone:
03 9954 2700
Email:
flag_enquiries@natese.gov.au
Website: flexiblelearning.net.au
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