Making Industry Grade
Technologies Available for
Training
V1.0 June 2014
flexiblelearning.net.au
Applied Research Project - Making Industry Grade Technologies Available for Training
Acknowledgements
Acuto would like to acknowledge the input and contribution to the research project of
the following:
Mr Simon Benney, Group CIO, Head of Global IS&T, Rio Tinto;
Professor Neil Bose, Principal, Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania;
Ms Caroline Brock, Managing Director, Circulus Education;
Dr. Chris Burke, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning, Australian Maritime
College, UTAS;
Mr. Ross Digby, Associate Director, Holmesglen Institute;
Mr. Greg Findlay, Eastern APAC Manager, Immersive Technologies
Dr. Brendan Goodger, Policy and Research Manager, Community Services and
Health Industry Skills Council;
Mr Michael Lehman, Westrac Institute;
Mr Dale Linegar, CEO, OzTron Media;
Mr Alan Macguire, Senior Adviser Education and Training, Australian Industry Group;
Ms Patricia Neden, CEO, Innovation and Business Skills Australia;
Ms Penny Neuendorf, Head of Education Design, Canberra Institute of Technology;
Mr Chris Nolan, Account Manager (Aus.), Simformotion LLC, Licensee for CAT
Simulators;
Mr Peter Schreiner, Associate Director, Industry Skills Centre, Federation University;
Mr Matthew Trounce, Executive General Manager, Spectra training.
List of Tables and Figures
Table 1:
VET Stakeholders Contacted
Table 2:
Project Methodology
Table 3:
Summary of Stakeholders and Facilities
Disclaimer
The Australian Government, through the Department of Industry, does not accept any liability to any
person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) which is provided in this
material or incorporated into it by reference. The information is provided on the basis that all persons
accessing this material undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content.
No liability is accepted for any information or services which may appear in any other format. No
responsibility is taken for any information or services which may appear on any linked websites.
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 3.0 Australia (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/) licence.
New Generation Technologies
incorporating E-standards for Training
Prepared by Acuto Pty Ltd
National VET E-learning Strategy
Applied Research Project - Making Industry Grade Technologies Available for Training
Table of Contents
1 Project Overview ................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Purpose of the Research Project ................................................................................ 1
1.3 Significance of Issue ................................................................................................... 1
1.4 Assumptions ............................................................................................................... 2
1.5 Limitations ................................................................................................................... 2
1.6 Definition of Terms ...................................................................................................... 3
2 Review of Related Material/Literature ................................................................ 3
2.1 Summary of Background information provided by sources ........................................ 3
3 Design of Study ................................................................................................... 4
3.1 Description of Project Design and Procedures Used ................................................. 4
3.2 Sources of information ................................................................................................ 4
3.3 Research Methodology ............................................................................................... 5
3.4 Statistical Treatment ................................................................................................... 6
4 Summary of project responses .......................................................................... 6
4.1 Caterpillar Simulators .................................................................................................. 7
4.2 Australian Maritime College (AMC) ............................................................................ 7
4.3 Federation University – Robotics and Mechatronics .................................................. 8
4.4 Canberra Institute of Technology – “Nurse Sim” ........................................................ 8
4.5 Sandvik Coromant – Metal Cutting Technology ......................................................... 9
4.6 Challenger Institute – ACEPT ..................................................................................... 9
4.7 Rio Tinto Remote Operations facility ........................................................................ 10
4.8 Holmesglen & Box Hill TAFE – Laboratory Operations ............................................ 11
4.9 Victoria University – Sustainable Demolitions Game ............................................... 11
4.10 Qantas Flight Training Centre ................................................................................. 11
4.11 Other Resources / Technologies ............................................................................ 12
5 Case Studies...................................................................................................... 13
5.1 Case study 1 – Caterpillar Simulators ...................................................................... 13
5.2 Case study 2 – Australian Maritime College ............................................................. 16
5.3 Case Study 3- Federation University ........................................................................ 19
5.4 Case Study 4 – Canberra Institute of Technology .................................................... 21
5.5 Case study 5 – Australian Maritime College. ............................................................ 23
6 Summary and Conclusions .............................................................................. 25
6.1 Major Findings .......................................................................................................... 25
6.2 Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 27
6.3 Recommendations for Further Investigation ............................................................. 28
7 References ......................................................................................................... 29
New Generation Technologies
incorporating E-standards for Training
Prepared by Acuto Pty Ltd
National VET E-learning Strategy
Applied Research Project - Making Industry Grade Technologies Available for Training
7.1 Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 29
7.2 Appendices ............................................................................................................... 29
8 More Information ............................................................................................... 30
New Generation Technologies
incorporating E-standards for Training
Prepared by Acuto Pty Ltd
National VET E-learning Strategy
Applied Research Project - Making Industry Grade Technologies Available for Training
1 Project Overview
1.1 Introduction
Acuto Pty Ltd has been commissioned to undertake a research project, funded by the
Australian Government’s Flexible Learning Advisory Group, into strategies to make
existing high technology, industry grade facilities, programs and/or technologies more
generally available for training.
Due to funding constraints, this project was restricted to a minimum of four case
studies of existing specialised facilities/resources which, in the context of the rollout
of high speed broadband and emerging digital technologies, could offer remote or
broader access to interactive “virtual campuses” in vocational training.
This report provides a qualitative analysis of the nature and type of these specialist
facilities, their applicability to wider user access and inferences regarding strategies
to facilitate access and overcome any barriers to their wider utilisation.
1.2 Purpose of the Research Project
The purpose of the study is to identify:

What specialised industry technologies/e-learning resources are currently in
use in the training sector and how broad is the access to those resources?

Whether there are specialised industry technologies that are currently only
available to industry and if so, how they might be of use for training.

What potential is there to facilitate access to those specialised industry
resources and facilities for the widest possible user base?

What possibilities are created in terms of virtual environments and video
technologies in the context of increased availability of broadband
connectivity?

Whether there are specific software or hardware requirements to access the
resources and facilities and if so, what might be the associated costs?

What barriers are there to accessing the resources and facilities from both a
technical and non-technical perspective?

Any suggestions for overcoming the barriers to accessing the resources and
facilities.
1.3 Significance of Issue
Specialised training in industry uses high end technologies that are not readily
available in most registered training organisations. Many of these facilities and
resources have been developed from private sector investment for a specific
enterprise or industry sector for a specialised operational need. Broader access to
specialised training resources (for example, simulations of complex processes,
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laboratories, virtual environments and data handling) has been limited due to a
variety of reasons such as intellectual property ownership, security, prohibitive costs
associated with expansion or remote access, or disincentives to offer access to a
wider range of participants than the original identifies target group.
It is in the interests of the productivity and efficiency of the training sector, in
producing learners who are ready and equipped to work in industry, to identify and
access existing high end training facilities rather than consider costly development of
similar technologies to reach a wider audience. Strategies need to be developed
with industry and owners of the technologies being used to maximise access to as
many learners as possible, particularly in skills needs areas.
With the increasing availability of high speed broadband, universal internet
connectivity and the lowering of costs for hardware and software components, there
is potential to remove some of the barriers to access to facilities which are currently
only accessible to a limited audience.
1.4 Assumptions
The following assumptions have been made in selecting appropriate facilities for
investigation and preparing this report:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The facilities must be fully operational;
Training must be current and delivered domestically;
The training must be relevant to the VET Sector;
The facilities must be industry grade and target Australian skills shortages or
emerging technologies.
1.5 Limitations
Due to time limitations, the facilities identified and researched have been primarily
sourced through referral by stakeholders in the VET sector and the availability of
relevant subject matter experts.
Acuto is confident that the facilities investigated provide valuable insights into the
opportunities and barriers to providing learner access to high end, industry grade
technologies. However time and resource limitations have precluded a detailed
inventory of the full range of existing facilities in operation in Australia and an
exhaustive investigation and analysis of:

Educational theory and pedagogy surrounding the facility;

Range and extent of support mechanisms for successful outcomes.
Simulation and virtual environments are used extensively in the military with annual
conventions and expos demonstrating new generation technologies and advanced elearning platforms. These facilities were not pursued for the study due to their
specialist nature and the extensive security and confidentiality issues which would
need to be addressed to conduct the research.
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A significant number of simulation and high technology e-Learning facilities that were
investigated were developed for and delivered by the higher education sector. Whilst
a number of these, (such as Pharmatopia, delivered by Monash University) were
targeted specifically to degree qualifications or units, the technologies and delivery
platforms would be applicable to VET sector training.
1.6 Definition of Terms
Architecture – is the structural design of shared information technology
environments focused on integration of software, hardware and data elements to the
digital landscape. Typically, it involves a model or concept of information which is
used and applied to activities involving of complex information systems.
Facility – is used generically to refer to software applications, electronic learning
resources, and/or related equipment or technologies used to deliver the outcomes of
the program being researched.
Industry Skills Councils – Independent industry based, not for profit companies
funded by the Australian Government covering eleven industry sectors and focusing
on skills and workforce development in the national Training system.
Registered Training Organisation (RTO) - is a vocational education Organisation
that provides students with training that results in qualifications and statements of
attainment that are recognised and accepted by industry and other educational
institutions throughout Australia.
2 Review of Related Material/Literature
2.1 Summary of Background information provided by sources
Limited literature and background material on specific industry grade facilities is
publicly available for desktop research. Each facility is highly technical and uniquely
developed and targeted to specialised occupations or skill sets. Consequently, the
background material was primarily used to:
a) Select potential organisations to contact with a view to identifying appropriate
facilities;
b) Conduct preliminary investigations into these facilities regarding suitability for
inclusion in the research project.
At the commencement of the study, all Industry Skills Centres (ISCs) were contacted
with a view to fast tracking the identification of possible industry grade facilities which
may have come to their attention as part of their annual environmental scans and
applications made under the National Workforce Development Fund. Whilst the
industry environment scans from each ISC gave comprehensive projections
regarding the need for enhanced digital learning and wider access by participants
using broadband and technology, they did not provide sufficiently detailed information
on individual Registered Training Organisations, enterprise specific training facilities
or other specialist training resources relevant to this study.
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Once a relevant facility was identified via desktop research, the system architecture
and method of delivery was rarely explained in detail on the organisation’s website,
consequently the researcher must survey the organisation and interview the subject
matter experts in order to understand the nature of the technologies behind the
training and the relevance of the facility for enhanced access by VET learners.
Those facilities operated by public or private RTOs primarily focused on the units of
study that comprised the program and the learning outcomes or certification that
resulted from the training.
By contrast, those technological facilities developed and operated by individual
private companies often provided highly informative video snapshots of the
technology and how it was used in skills development.
3 Design of Study
3.1 Description of Project Design and Procedures Used
The research project involved networking with Australian VET stakeholders plus
desktop research to discover and analyse major publicly and privately facilitated
specialised training centres, which deliver high cost/high level skills training for
industry sectors of major national significance and those experiencing skills
shortages. Examples include the resources, energy, maritime, transport and logistics,
manufacturing, health and aviation sectors.
Key elements of the project design included:
1. The selection of a minimum of four high technology e-learning and/or
simulation facilities from at least ten existing programs;
2. Surveying the selected facilities via an on-line survey with a view to:
a. Examining the technical and physical capacity of the facility to offer
expanded user access given the availability of high speed broadband;
b. Examining the potential to facilitate wider access to these facilities;
c. Identifying options and approaches to gaining remote e-learning
access, including suggestions for overcoming barriers to accessing
these facilities for learners in the national training system;
d. Where possible Identifying potential funding and/or financing models
which would support the development costs associated with
overcoming barriers to expanded access;
3.
Reporting key findings to the Flexible Learning Advisory group.
3.2 Sources of information
3.2.1 Desktop Research
This involved the scanning of technology journals, VET industry environmental
scans, simulation industry event participant lists, corporate and RTO websites, and
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Australian Government online resources related to digital innovation and skills
development with a view to identifying potential facilities for further investigation.
3.2.2 Stakeholder consultations
Table 1 below provides a list of organisations and key stakeholders contacted with a
view to identifying potential facilities which fit the specifications of the brief Given the
limited funding and short timeframe of the project the purpose of this approach is to
minimise lengthy preliminary desktop research by obtaining direct referrals and
introductions to appropriate companies, RTOs and/or other organisations which may
operate existing facilities in their industry/Sector.
Table 1 – VET stakeholders Contacted:
Organisation
Organisation Type
Contact
Agrifood Skills Australia
Industry Skills Council
Arthur Blewitt
Skills DMC
Industry Skills Council
Steve McDonald
IBSA
Industry Skills Council
Patricia Neden
Transport & Logistics
Industry Skills Council
Robert Adams
Ee-Oz
Industry Skills Council
Bob Taylor
Forestworks
Industry Skills Council
Michael Hartman
Manufacturing Skills Australia
Industry Skills Council
Bob Paton
CS&HISC
Industry Skills Council
Rod Cooke
Service Skills Australia
Industry Skills Council
Jeanette Allen
Government Skills Australia
Industry Skills Council
Karen Taylor
CPSISC
Industry Skills Council
Alan Ross
Australian Industry Group
Industry Peak Body
Alan Maguire
Business Council of Australia
Industry Peak Body
Maria Tarrant
Circulus Education
Digital Education Consultants
Caroline Brock
ACMA
Communications Regulator
Robert Johnston
3.3 Research Methodology
Table 2 below lists the steps taken to identify appropriate facilities, analyse suitable
programs and shortlist facilities for inclusion in case studies.
Project Methodology
Purpose

Stakeholder
Consultation
To identify potential facilities and appropriate contacts.

Desktop review
To conduct a preliminary analysis of recommended
facilities and prepare a shortlist for further follow-up.
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Project Methodology
Purpose

Introductory email
To introduce Acuto and outline the research project
objectives with a view to setting up preliminary
interviews with facility owners/operators.

Preliminary
telephone
interview
To discuss the identified facilities, assess their
suitability for inclusion in the research project and
ascertain the organisation’s willingness to participate in
the study.

Invitation to
complete survey
To gather detailed information from selected facilities
regarding:





Nature and objectives of the facility
Training capability and methodology
Capacity for increased user access
Barriers to increasing access
Suggestions for overcoming barriers

Analysis of
surveys
To select four responses as case studies for inclusion in
the project report.

Conclusions
To document major findings identifying:



Specialised industry resources, tools and
facilities applicable to training sector use;
The means of facilitating access to these
resources, tools and facilities; and
Any barriers to their access and utilisation
3.4 Statistical Treatment
Due to the small number of facilities investigated this research project has
concentrated on a qualitative analysis of each individual facility and its suitability to
improve the capacity of the VET system through the use of broadband and emerging
technologies.
Table 3 – Summary of Stakeholders and Facilities:
Total Contacts
Conducted
Total
Facilities
Shortlisted
Facilities
Surveys
Issued
Case
Studies
26
10
8
8
4
4 Summary of project responses
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Following the initial stakeholder consultations and a preliminary desktop review, ten
specialised resources, technologies and/or facilities were identified as warranting for
further analysis. Each of the facilities listed in the table below was contacted by
telephone to explore the nature of the facility and whether or not there was potential
for increased access given the availability of fast broadband or emerging
technologies. Those facilities which met the criteria for the research project were then
issued with a survey with a view to selecting four of the best examples for this report.
4.1 Caterpillar Simulators
Facility description
“Cat Simulators” have been developed for mining and quarry trucks, excavators,
loaders and graders to provide a safe environment where students can learn or
improve skills in the operation of earthmoving equipment similar to which they would
experience in the real environment.
Reason for preliminary investigation
Cat Simulators can be accessed at dedicated classroom sites or purchased and
deployed to selected mines or training sites. Sample videos of the simulators on the
developer’s website indicate that students can undertake training on equipment that
simulates the actual loading, transportation and dumping of material in a “virtual”
mine site.
Outcome
Cat Simulators was shortlisted for survey and included in the research project as
Case Study 1.
4.2 Australian Maritime College (AMC)
Facility description
The University of Tasmania has developed a state-of-the art suite of facilities offering
real-time maritime simulation technology that includes a full-mission ship’s bridge, a
tug simulator and six ship operations bridges. The AMC facility, located in
Launceston in Tasmania, is used for training, research and investigation into port
development, ship manoeuvring, and improving ship and port safety and efficiency.
Reason for Preliminary Investigation
The AMC facility bridges the gap between practical and theory as an effective aid for
training and competency assessment of ship masters and deck officers. They learn
about ship-handling, passage planning and the use of radio, electronic charts,
automatic identification systems and automatic radar plotting aids. If necessary all
eight bridges can be made interactive.
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Currently students must physically attend the facility to undertake the ship masters’
simulation training, which could be accessed remotely given sufficient broadband
speed and bandwidth.
Outcome
The AMC was issued a survey in regard to the Centre for Maritime Simulations and
the facility has been included in the research project as Case Study 2.
However the AMC also supplied a survey response related to a Marine VHF
Simulator which warranted inclusion for the following reasons:
1. It is an existing facility which fits the requirements of the study;
2. The facility was developed in house and has genuine national and
international application;
3. It is appears fully scalable but is limited by the IT security policies of
university/college.
Consequently, this has been included in the project report as and additional case
study (Case Study 5).
4.3 Federation University – Robotics and Mechatronics
Description of Facility
The facility, located at Federation University’s SMB campus at Ballarat, provides
training for students in control systems and robotic applications and programming.
The robots have their own IP address and can be accessed remotely.
Reason for Preliminary Investigation
The e-scan from the Manufacturing Industry Skills Council indicates that skills
development in high-end manufacturing technology is an Australian priority. In
addition Federation University is currently conducting the training in situ at their SMB
Ballarat Campus. The associate Director, Manufacturing, Engineering and
automotive has advised that the equipment can be accessed, operated and
programmed remotely which lends itself to a virtual environment and remote student
access.
Outcome:
Federation University was shortlisted for survey and included in the research report
as Case Study 3.
4.4 Canberra Institute of Technology – “Nurse Sim”
Description of Facility
Developed by OZTron Media for Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) and the
University of Canberra (UC), the Nurse Sim is an interactive simulation of a Nursing
Unit which guides student “avatars” through the process of administering an
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Intravenous fluid drip in a virtual environment. The simulation uses “first person”
game technology and high quality graphics to take the student through the detailed
process and appropriate tests in a completely safe environment.
Reason for Preliminary Investigation
The Nurse Sim directly maps to VET competencies and higher education units in the
nursing sector. Discussions with Penny Neuendorf, Head of Education Design at CIT
indicated that simulation technologies and e-learning pedagogy would be highly
applicable to VET training in the health sector provided this is complemented by
strong practical components.
Outcome
Nurse Sim is a good example of technology which is VET specific and deliverable to
remote students in a virtual environment. The Health sector is an important industry
with significant skills shortages and significant enhancement of student access is
possible. CIT was shortlisted for survey and included in the research report as Case
Study 4.
4.5 Sandvik Coromant – Metal Cutting Technology
Facility description
The Sandvik Metal Cutting Technology (MCT) E-learning program covers the content
of a 360 page MCT training handbook, through online content and interactive video.
Training activities at Sandvik Coromant are located at 25 Productivity Centres
worldwide.
Reason for Preliminary Investigation
All E-learning of MCT is hosted and conducted from a Sandvik Productivity Centre.
In this case it is completely virtual however Productivity Centres also have
demonstration machinery available for hands on practice. Sandvik’s head Office in
Melbourne was contacted to identify the nature and extent of the virtual training
activity in Australia.
Outcome
Sandvik was shortlisted for survey and possible inclusion as a case study in the
research project, however sufficient information and follow up interviews could not be
arranged
4.6 Challenger Institute – ACEPT
Facility description
Australian Centre for Energy and Process Training (ACEPT)
The Australian Centre for Energy and Process Training (ACEPT) is a $23 million
facility which provides a range of process operator training methodologies in a
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simulated plant designed for the oil and gas, mineral and chemical processing
industries. The facility offers full scale simulation of process train activities, virtual
environments, hands on practical application and theoretical classroom instruction.
Maritime and Marine Simulation
Challenger’s Fremantle (Maritime) campus provides e-learning and simulation
training in maritime and marine operations. Courses are offered in Engine Room and
Cargo Handling Simulation in addition to Ship Bridge simulators similar to those
provided by the AMC.
Reason for Preliminary investigation
Although ACEPT is more targeted to immersing students in a physical environment
rather than a virtual environment, Challenger was contacted to identify whether
elements of the ACEPT and marine/maritime programs offered by the Fremantle
campus could be made available to a wider range of students through remote access
to simulation technologies.
Outcome
Challenger was shortlisted for survey, however as the facility requires the learner to
be physically located at the facility to undertake training, it was not included as a
case study in Research Project.
4.7 Rio Tinto Remote Operations facility
Facility description
Rio Tinto has pioneered a remote operations centre near Perth which operates robot
mining trucks and driverless trains 1000 km away in the Pilbara Region of Western
Australia.
Reason for preliminary investigation
The Operations Centre is not a training facility, however Rio Tinto was contacted to
identify its technical capability, how Rio Tinto provided the training for the operators,
and whether or not the facility had the potential for assisting in the training of Rio’s
employees in the operation for remotely controlled robot trucks and rolling stock.
Discussions were held with Mr Simon Benney, Group CIO, Head of Global IS&T,
regarding the potential use of the facility, associated training in the context of the
project brief and whether or not Rio Tinto would entertain wider access to such
training.
Outcome
The Rio facility was shortlisted for survey and possible inclusion as a case study in
the research project; however as learners had to be physically located at the facility
to undertake training, it was not included as a case study in the research report.
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4.8 Holmesglen & Box Hill TAFE – Laboratory Operations
Description of Facility
Both Holmesglen Institute and Box Hill Institute deliver Certificate IV and Diploma
Qualifications in Laboratory Operations, via e-learning, in Medical and Water
Treatment technologies respectively.
Reason for Preliminary Investigation
These facilities were referred by the Senior Adviser – Education and Training
(Australian Industry Group) as potential case studies for the research project as they
utilised high quality video and e-learning technologies for the delivery of training.
Outcome:
Following a desktop review of the Institute websites and discussions with Holmesglen
Institute, the basis for the training technology is the Flexible Learning Toolboxes
already developed via the National VET e-learning strategy. It was felt further
investigation of this facility would add limited value to the Project given the prior
investment.
4.9 Victoria University – Sustainable Demolitions Game
Description of facility
The Sustainable Demolitions computer game delivers sustainability and demolition
training to pre-apprentices studying a VET in Schools-based Certificate II in
Construction. Coinciding with the rollout of a new 2013 Victorian curriculum the
games-based learning tool engages learners and presents an alternative to
traditional pedagogy.
Reason for Preliminary Investigation
The game is entirely PC based and enhances learning and teaching outcomes by
aligning gameplay and specific learning outcomes with VET learning styles and
engages students by making them active agents in the learning experience. The
game includes a tutorial within the game to familiarise users with the
gameplay and provide an overview of the game goals
Outcome
The game was developed by OzTron Media for Victoria University and uses similar
technology to the Nurse Sim mentioned in Section 4.7 above. Consequently it was
not considered for inclusion in the Research Project.
4.10 Qantas Flight Training Centre
Description of Facility
Pilot training
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Qantas operates thirteen full flight simulators for pilot and flight deck crew training at
their Melbourne and Sydney Flight Training Centres. The simulators are equipped
with state of the art visual fidelity, motion and sound enabling training in all aspects of
normal and non-normal operations; including instrument approaches and landings in
all weather conditions.
Aviation Safety Training
Qantas trains pilots and cabin crew to handle safety and emergency situations in
both wide and narrow-bodied aircraft. Full-scale mock-ups are used for emergency
exits and passenger evacuation, including an indoor pool to host realistic training for
ditching emergencies
Reason for Preliminary Investigation
Flight simulation inherently lends itself to “virtual campus” delivery and Qantas was
approached to discuss any potential for wider access to the facilities.
Outcome
Qantas did not respond to the initial introductory contact. Given that there is no
apparent skills shortage for qualified pilots, the facility was not pursued any further.
4.11 Other Resources / Technologies
The following facilities were also the subject of a desktop review but not pursued:




Pharmatopia – A virtual environment hosted by Monash University offering
interactive web-based modules in pharmacy education – primarily aimed at
higher education pharmacy units.
Crown College – online gaming training: Crown delivers this training solely
for their own employees and have no intention making the training available
for wider access
Advance TAFE Seamec and Forestec - specialist facilities for maritime and
forestry skills training: Advance TAFE was not in a position to participate in
the research due to priorities associated with the rationalisation and merger
with Federation University
Skils2Learn – UK based simulation and virtual reality software developer
which specialises in construction, electrical, plumbing, compliance, renewable
energy, automotive, and nursing e-learning materials. These resources are
currently being mapped and aligned to the Australian VET competencies and
are not yet being delivered in Australia
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5 Case Studies
5.1 Case study 1 – Caterpillar Simulators
5.1.1 Overview of Facility
Caterpillar has developed highly sophisticated simulator systems for the majority of
its products. The simulators provide a safe environment where students can learn to
improve skills in the operation of a specific Caterpillar machine which behaves
identically to the actual equipment in the real environment.
Each Simulator system is equipped with a PC based operating system displaying 3D
imagery on screens in front of a simulated cabin platform with the option for motion.
Sample introductory and training exercise videos can be viewed on the Cat
Simulators website at www.catsimulators.com/simulators/ .
Fully programmed virtual environments are provided for the following products:
Caterpillar Track Machines
Caterpillar Wheeled Machines

FM Log Loader

Articulated Truck

Electric Rope Shovel

Mining Truck

Hydraulic Excavator

Small wheel Loader

Large Track type Tractor

M-Series Motor Grader

Standard Track Type Tractor

Medium Off-Highway truck

Large Wheel Loader

Wheel Tractor Scraper
Virtual Environment:
A student undertaking a typical simulation of a Dump Truck in a virtual open cut mine
would be taken through the following activities:
 External vehicle safety check;
 Driving to a mine area where a loader fills the dump truck with ore;
 Driving around a steep, circuitous, unmade road to a depot;
 Reversing and dumping its load onto a conveyor;
 Returning to the mine for another load.
Motion sensors and 3D video reliably recreate the environment and sensations of
loading the truck, bumps and potholes and accidental collisions with other vehicles or
objects. After approximately 20 hours on the simulator a student would be able to
successfully check and operate a real vehicle and potentially pass a formal licence
test at the first attempt.
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The simulator also has sophisticated metrics on fuel usage and other data based on
real equipment usage, which can identify the efficiency of the driver with respect to
vehicle safety, emissions and fuel economy. 70% of the development costs were
contributed directly by Caterpillar America with the remaining 30% funded by RTO
and other private sector investment
The key stakeholders involved in the delivery of Cat Simulators are:
Intellectual property owner:
Simformotion LLC;
System designer/developer: Simformotion LLC;
End Users:
Mining Companies, Construction industry and
RTOs;
5.1.2 Applicability to Training Sector Use
The simulators are specifically designed as a training aid in the acquisition of a VET
competency and can be purchased by RTOs or companies in the mining industry or
building and construction sectors for the following student groups:




Employees of a specific company or corporation;
Employees of a group of companies in the industry sector;
Access by interested participants wishing to work in the industry sector;
Pre-employment training for the industry sector.
Cat Simulators has successfully sold simulators to private RTOs providing oncampus delivery in Queensland. Caterpillar distributers, based in major Australian
cities, are sales agents for the simulators.
Cat Simulators can be set up in fixed classrooms or deployed to remote mining and
construction sites in transportable, air-conditioned containers. Approximately 30
simulators have been sold and distributed primarily to mining companies in Western
Australia and Queensland. Demand exists for this training in the resources and civil
construction industries, with approximately 100 – 200 students using the simulators
in Australia annually. Cat Simulators are prepared to hire their products out to
training organisations however this option has not yet been taken up in Australia.
Untapped demand could also exist in the farming and residential building industry for
simulation training in small wheel loaders, excavators and tractors.
5.1.3 Capacity for Facilitating Increased Access to Facilities
The Caterpillar product and e-learning software is readily available for any training
facility or company to purchase.
Simformation LLC (the U.S. based Intellectual property owner and sole licensee for
Cat Simulators) already has the technical knowhow and capability to develop the
product to meet current and future customer needs. With increased availability of
high speed broadband the simulators could become more cost effective to purchase
or hire due to reduced trainer costs associated with:

Remote access to the system for software and firmware upgrades;
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
Remote observation, evaluation and assessment;
Real time interfacing with “Simu Campus” Learning Management system.
5.1.4 Barriers to Access and Enhanced Utilisation
There are no technical barriers for increased access. The primary barrier in the
Australian environment is lack of investment or funding availability. From a global
perspective the Australian market is relatively small and it is difficult to generate
economies of scale in sales. At a cost of approximately $35,000 USD for the basic
simulator plus an additional $45,000 USD for the motion sensor, the systems are still
seen as expensive, particularly in the non-mining states.
5.1.5 Suggestions for Overcoming Barriers
Government support and assistance in identifying and assisting in the development
of external training facilities, potentially through strategically located Simulation
centres via the TAFE sector, could open untapped training opportunities in the
agriculture and domestic or residential building industries.
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5.2 Case study 2 – Australian Maritime College
5.2.1 Overview of Facility – Centre for Maritime Simulations
The Australian Maritime College’s Centre for Maritime Simulations (CMS) consists
of a state-of the-art suite of facilities that offer real-time maritime simulation
technology which include a full-mission ship’s bridge (FMB), a tug simulator and six
ship operations bridges. It is used for research and investigation into port
development, ship maneuvering, and improving ship and port safety and efficiency.
It also bridges the gap between practical and theory as an effective aid for training
and competency assessment of ship masters and deck officers. They learn about
ship-handling, passage planning and the use of radar, electronic charts, automatic
identification systems and automatic radar plotting aids. If necessary all eight
bridges can be made interactive.
The simulator database includes most Australian and New Zealand ports, as well as
areas of Europe, Malaysia, and Indonesia. AMC also provides regular pilot
simulation training to maritime organisations such as TasPorts, Newcastle Ports
Corporation, Rio Tinto, Port Kembla, Southport (NZ), TT Line, Woodside Energy and
Port Nelson
The system utilises Kongsberg Maritime's Polaris Simulation software. Polaris runs
on 64 bit COTS (Commercial of the shelf) hardware and Utilises Windows 7 OS. In
total the CMS runs 120 PCs which includes 60 IG (Image generator) Pcs.
The facility is 100% publicly funded by the University of Tasmania (UT) and the
UT TAFE Division. The key stakeholders involved in the creation and
implementation of the facility are:
Intellectual Property Owner:
Australian Maritime College (AMC) and
Kongsberg Maritime (KM);
System Designer / Developer:
Kongsberg Maritime;
Training Provider / RTO:
Australian Maritime College;
End User(s):
Maritime professionals and students.
5.2.2 Applicability to Training Sector Use
The facility offers full qualifications at VET and higher education levels:




Bachelor of Applied Science – Marine Engineering;
Bachelor of Applied Science – Nautical Science;
Certificate III & IV in Maritime Operations - Marine Engine Driver 1 – 3;
Certificate III in Maritime Operations - Master Class 4 -5.
Enrolment is available for employees of companies or a group of companies in the
Maritime industry; general access by student wishing to work in the maritime
industry; pre-employment training; and international students.
5.2.3 Capacity for Facilitating Increased Access to Facilities
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The AMC Centre for Maritime Simulations has a maximum capacity for 15-20
students per course, equating to up to 200 students per annum. The facility is
running at maximum capacity and is unable to meet demand for these skills.
The facility is currently only accessible by students enrolled at the AMC and
physically attending the Launceston campus, however there are significant
opportunities for expanding access utilising remote access to the simulation capacity
for interstate and overseas users.
With high speed broadband, web-based Maritime Simulation that is simple and
protects IP will enable AMC to deliver highly sought after courses throughout the
world and as such create a learning environment that is not diminished because of
distance.
Examples of the technologies/digital resources which could be introduced include:





On-line simulation;
Virtual classroom facilitation;
Real-time online tutorials and moderation;
Remote observation, evaluation and assessment;
Remote access and/or control of specialised equipment.
All computational load would be kept on campus and all display data, including Visual (at
least 25 frames a second), ECDIS, Radar, Coning and Controls would be streamed in
real-time to the remote user.
5.2.4 Barriers to Access and Enhanced Utilisation
Current broadband technology does not provide the bandwidth to accomplish the
simultaneous streaming of channels.
Capacity for web based simulation is limited by the need for the student’s computer
to be loaded with the KM Polaris Software and any Area and Ship databases that
may be required. As such intellectual property (IP) is a major problem. Furthermore
the Students Hardware needs to be of a very high specification to run the Software
at an acceptable speed.
Participants or users who are “technology averse” are also a potential barrier to
expanded access.
5.2.5 Suggestions for Overcoming Barriers
By utilising High Speed broadband, computing resources and IP can remain on
campus and content can be streamed in real time to the end user. This will result in
the end user being able to utilise any web enabled PC connected to high speed
Broadband. It will also mean no software download and subsequent configuration is
necessary.
A student would therefore be able to complete a simulation course remote from the
College entirely by distance education, reducing travel and accommodation costs,
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and increasing participation, particularly among communities where there are limited
resources for travel.
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5.3 Case Study 3- Federation University
5.3.1 Overview of Facility – Robotics and Mechatronics
The Robotics and Mechatronics facility is located at the Federation University
SMB Campus at Ballarat in Regional Victoria. The facility provides training for
students in electronic control systems and robotic applications and programming.
The system architecture provides students with the ability to interface with
programmable logic controllers and program robot motion and functions.
The facility is 100% publicly funded, shared between the Commonwealth (40%),
State Government (40%) and Federation University (20%). The key stakeholders
involved in the creation, implementation and delivery of the technologies include:




FESTO Didactic/Fanuc Robotics (IP owner and system developer)
Federation University Australia (Training Provider/RTO)
Industry (stakeholders)
Students (End Users)
5.3.2 Applicability to Training Sector Use
The facility is used to train students in VET accredited skill sets associated with the
Certificate IV in Manufacturing and Diploma of engineering offer by Federation
University’s TAFE Division.
It is targeted to existing workers in industry and general access by students and
interested participants interested in working in the automated manufacturing,
engineering or robotics industry sectors.
Currently students have access to on-line learning materials however the practical
skills in robotics and mechatronics are delivered in a classroom environment at the
university campus. The facility has a capacity of up to 50 students per annum
however it has an actual enrolment of less than 20 students per annum.
5.3.3 Capacity for Facilitating Increased Access to Facilities
Federation University believes that significant local demand exists for robotics skills
and is working with the local manufacturing industry to create a cross-industry
community of practice to develop control systems across a range of industries. A key
objective of this collaboration is to identify enhanced access to the technology
through “virtualisation” of the facility and expansion into undergraduate programs.
Given sufficient broadband speeds, Federation University would be able to upgrade
their facility to include online simulation, live virtual classes, and remote access for
programming and control of the specialised equipment.
The development of virtual classrooms and online learning and assessment in
robotics programming and control would significantly expand the catchment area for
students. This would have the twofold benefit of attracting skilled workers to the
Ballarat manufacturing sector and providing skills to students irrespective of their
proximity to Ballarat. .
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5.3.4 Barriers to Access and Enhanced Utilisation
Technical Barriers:
Current system architecture limits scalability for wider deployment. This includes
limitations such as cameras and related audio-visual hardware and software
necessary to conduct live classes. Broadband speed and bandwidth limitations at the
University also inhibits off campus access by employers and students.
Non-technical barriers
The requirement for physical access to a regional facility for a high technology
training program is perceived as a major barrier. Lack of student awareness of
employment potential in the robotics and mechatronics fields, together with a need to
develop students’ underpinning skills in mathematics and mechanical concepts are
also deemed major impediments to increased access to the facility.
Estimated costs associated with upgrading the facility to a virtual classroom are as
follows:





Hardware costs:
Software costs:
Broadband costs:
Other technical costs:
Intellectual property costs:
$50,000 - $100,000
$10,000 - $20,000
N/A
$10,000 - $20,000
$10,000 - $20,000
5.3.5 Suggestions for Overcoming Barriers
Further investment in the development of the facility would only be justified if the
enhancement of the technologies would significantly improve student enrolments. For
this purpose, the collaboration with local manufacturing industry aims to develop a
projection of future student coverage. Federation University and its partners have
both the capability and the capacity to develop the enhancement, however with
hardware costs being more than 60% of the cost of upgrading the facility, the issue is
more financial rather than technical.
Federation University is willing to consider potential financial and or partnership
models which may facilitate the wider usage of the facility.
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5.4 Case Study 4 – Canberra Institute of Technology
5.4.1 Overview of Facility – Nurse Sim (IV Fluids)
OzTron Media, an Australian game software developer, has developed for the
Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) and the University of Canberra (UC) an
interactive simulation of a Nursing Unit which guides students through the process of
administering an intravenous fluid drip in a virtual environment.
Virtual worlds have been used to help solve educational conundrums, in this case
providing students a safe place to practice a potentially dangerous process. Students
in the IV Medication course are required to get 100% for both practical and theory
exams. Students often find the pressure of these exams overwhelming and the Nurse
Sim assists students in thoroughly understanding and visualizing the procedures
prior to the exams as they can only progress if they get it right. .
The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) and The University of Canberra (UC),
with funding from Health Workforce Australia – an Australian Government Initiative,
developed an asynchronous process driven decision tree scenario to facilitate
students learning about setting up intravenous therapy for a client.
CIT working with UC with funding from the Health Workforce Australia – An
Australian Government Initiative, collaborated to develop a scenario that was process
driven rather than communication driven.
Rather than using the Second Life Virtual environment, which can be “gate crashed”
or hacked, CIT decided to use Unity 3D as this environment allowed a virtual world
open for one person only and teachers could monitor how many times people were in
the environment and for how long.
Feedback from employees with students on placements was that students had
different process for IV therapy which sometimes differed from hospital practices.
This process driven decision tree interaction, allows the students to practice
consistent processes multiple times in a safe environment.
The Sim does not replace practical components but students undertaking the Sim
prior to doing practical training perform at a higher level and successfully complete
training in a shorter period.
The development of the Nurse Sim was funded by the Commonwealth Department of
Health with OzTron Media retaining IP ownership of the software platform. A
demonstration video of Nurse Sim can be viewed via the OzTron website at
www.oztron.com.au.
5.4.2 Applicability to Training Sector Use
The Nurse Sim is a central element to the NURS124 Administer and Monitor
Medication Unit of the Diploma of nursing at CIT and which is accessed by
approximately 40 students per annum.
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The unit is currently only delivered as part of the Nursing qualification however
negotiations are taking place with local hospitals to enable access in the workplace
enabling immediate follow up with practical application under supervision. This has
the potential to significantly decrease teacher contact hours and accelerate
successful completion of the unit.
5.4.3 Capacity for Facilitating Increased Access to Facilities
There is great potential for tapping into overseas and national market places. To this
end CIT has set up a separate server, independent of the University environment to
enable public access to the simulation without being an enrolled student at CIT/CU.
This will enable access by hospitals and other institutes in partnership with CIT for
students from other campuses once IP issues and logistics of deployment are
resolved.
5.4.4 Barriers to Access and Enhanced Utilisation
Lack of high speed broadband has an adverse impact on the speed of the system
and movements of the avatar in the virtual environment. It also inhibits the rollout into
open courses. At present the system architecture also has limited scalability for wider
deployment to a large number of concurrent users. This could be easily overcome by
further development which would require additional investment and funding.
CIT does not have the current funding to develop the Nurse Sim further. However it is
willing to investigate innovative options for securing investment.
5.4.5 Suggestions for Overcoming Barriers
An opportunity to collaborate and share costs of deployment with government, health
sector organisations or other training institutes would significantly enhance the
development and rollout of open courses for wider access to the facility.
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5.5 Case study 5 – Australian Maritime College.
5.5.1 Overview of Facility – Marine VHF Simulator
E-learning training and assessment package for use by those who wish to obtain
Marine Radio Operators VHF Certificate of Competency (MROVCP) through selfpaced study. The package includes a computer-based simulation of a popular
marine VHF transceiver, instructional videos, animations, study notes, progress
tests, practical assessment and a final exam.
The package delivers competency-based training through self-study (similar to a
computer-based typing tutor) and reduces the cost and duration of maritime training
programs.
The system is designed to work both off-line for individual learning and practice and
on-line for group activities simulating real-world radio traffic including simulated
distress, urgency, safety, routine communications and simulated search and rescue
activities in real-time.
The simulator software was developed by a University of Tasmania software expert at
no cost to the AMC using several development tools and will run natively on Windows,
Mac OS X and iOS. Android platform will be addressed through a web browser based
implementation of the software at a later stage.
5.5.2 Applicability to Training Sector Use
The facility is designed for general access by participants interested in operating both
professional and recreational marine vessels – particularly with respect to meeting
their compliance obligations with respect to VHF radio qualifications and marine
safety. The facility is accessible by students from all states and territories of Australia
as well as international students and offers the following courses:



Marine Radio Operator VHF Certificate of Proficiency (MROVCP);
Australian Water Qualification (AWQ);
VET training competencies MAR019 and MAR021 form the Maritime Training
Package for both Professional and Recreational Mariners.
5.5.3 Capacity for Facilitating Increased Access to Facilities
Specific student data was unavailable however the AMC advises that the facility is
underutilised the demand generated by the ACMA decision to make the AWQ a
mandatory qualification for all recreational boaters operating in Australian waters.
Technically there is no limit to the numbers of students as each student can use the
package off-line to study for the knowledge and practice for the skills. The system
will track a student's progress and suggest final exam/assessment when student
reaches a pre-defined level of knowledge/skill.
Enhanced broadband speeds and bandwidth will enable significant
improvements in interactive video technologies, online simulation and remote
observation.
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The actual exam/assessment is currently supervised in person however it is
preferable that this is conducted on-line. This requires adequate band-width.
Broadband access is also paramount to increase the fidelity of the simulation to real
live action and immersive involvement of students in interactive, on-line, multi-user
group activities.
5.5.4 Barriers to access and enhanced utilisation
System enhancements are still under development for wider access outside the AMC.
On completion, it would be available to anyone who is required by law to obtain marine
radio operators licenses under International Telecommunications Union Conventions and
The Australian Radio Communications Act 1992.
In addition to dependency on broadband speed and bandwidth the rollout of the
facility to a wider range of students is restricted by capacity and security constraints
for hosting and downloading the software.
Due to security considerations only staff and registered students of UTAS/AMC can
access its IT resources. Access to the general public is denied. The number of
mariners in recreational boating (approximately 1 million) who must obtain radio
operator qualification under the law far exceeds the number of VET students who
must also obtain these qualifications. There is much need for a hosting service
accessible by general public.
The architectural design of the platform allows for substantial scalability. This is by far
the most cost effective way of delivering training and the platform can be used for many
skill-based subjects that can benefit from simulators. In this case the developer is a
tenured academic of UTAS/AMC who has agreed to share privately developed
intellectual property (simulators), while retaining their ownership, the current system has
been developed with only $10,000 of funding for software tools and hardware platforms.
An injection of say $100,000 will enable a many-fold scale up of the system.
5.5.5 Suggestions for Overcoming Barriers
The federal government could consider options for providing a free, secure, fast
hosting service for educational content and allow all educational institutions from preschool to post-doctoral research entities to host their content free of charge. This is
actually less expensive than each institution duplicating resources with limited access
and patchy performance. This is not possible without a reliable broadband
infrastructure and appropriate mechanisms for the management and protection of
intellectual property.
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6 Summary and Conclusions
6.1 Major Findings
6.1.1 Specialised industry resources, tools and facilities applicable to training
sector use
Based on the sample of facilities investigated as part of this research project, there
are at least four separate categories of specialised industry technologies and
facilities applicable to training sector use:

Standalone digital facilities or simulations which can be fully undertaken
“virtually” and successfully completed without recourse to any physical
environment. This category is represented by Case Study 5, the AMC Marine
VHF simulator.

Standalone digital facilities or simulations which can be fully undertaken from
beginning to end, but for successful completion against licensing or
competency assessment, the student must always undertake practical
application of the theory under supervision. This category is best represented
by Case Study 4, the Nurse Sim.

Sophisticated, industry grade technologies which always require physical or
specialised equipment in order to achieve the necessary realism in the virtual
environment to generate an effective learning outcome. This equipment may
be transportable to enable access form different locations. This category is
represented by Case Study 1, the Cat Simulator.

High technology, niche industry facilities which are currently classroom based
but, with increased broadband speeds and bandwidth, could be enhanced to
enable significant expansion in user through the creation of a virtual campus.
This category is represented by Case Studies 2 and 3, the AMC Centre for
Marine Simulation and Federation University respectively.
All of the facilities investigated, including those which were not the subject of a case
study, possessed the following common attributes:

They are generally aligned with nationally accredited qualifications or units of
competency are therefore applicable across Australia irrespective of the
location of the facility

They are bespoke technologies/facilities developed specifically to meet the
learning outcomes required by company or training provider which
commissioned the development.

Significant planning has gone into the educational pedagogy, system design
and architecture from an internal perspective rather than planning from the
outset for wider accessibility..

The high cost of development together with Intellectual property ownership
discourages widespread deployment and sharing of the technologies
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because the stakeholders are looking for a return on their investment and
regard their facilities as providing a competitive edge to achieve this.

All facilities indicated that there was unmet demand for the type of training
offered irrespective of whether or not they were operating at full capacity.
6.1.2 Facilitating access to specialised resources, tools and facilities.
High speed broadband
Access to high speed broadband has the potential to facilitate extensive increases in
productivity and effectiveness both in terms of training delivery and competency
assessment. Key benefits include:

The development of virtual reality and immersive technologies for existing
facilities which realistically simulate the actual operating environment, greatly
enhancing the users’ experience and retention of the skills being applied;

Real time mentoring and coaching between irrespective of the physical
location of student and trainer enables economies of scale in the use of
teacher resources through cutting down travel time and increasing timeliness
of interaction;

Capacity for interactive group classes using high definition audio and video
together where individual learners are geographically dispersed;

Remote video and desktop access to individual learner systems provides the
capacity to remotely assess competence and observe the practical
application without the trainer being physically present;

Remote access, programming or control of specialised equipment which will
enable the customisation training sessions and targeting of the learning
experience to the needs of each individual user of the equipment;
Dealing with Intellectual Property
The commonwealth could set up authorised intermediaries to purchase IP licenses
for specific public or privately owned facilities and facilitating partnerships amongst
training providers to maximise access to the facility from multiple institutes and
campuses. The licence costs could be covered by an off the top fee per enrolment
which would be compensated for by the overall increase in participant numbers.
This model would remove the inherent disincentive to share training resources where
the purchaser of the license to use the Intellectual Property is the deliverer of the
training and does not want their competitors to gain access to the same product.
Public access to learning materials hosted by individual providers
In order to protect the security of their IT systems all training providers apply strict
policies prohibiting non-enrolled users form accessing materials form their server.
The Commonwealth could set up a cloud based hosting environment which is
independent of individual providers and enable general public access to the learning
materials and virtual facilities stored in that hosted environment.
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This would immediately facilitate wider access to products such as the Nurse Sim
and the AMC Marine VHF simulator.
Finances and funding
Software development is expensive requiring an up-front capital investment which is
recouped over time through service and licence fees. Investment in enhanced
technologies will only occur if there is sufficient market demand. In the current
economic climate training providers and software developers may need to form
commercial relationships with investors in order to enhance their product. The costs
associated with these commercial relationships would need to be recouped via
increased enrolment fees generated.
6.1.3 Barriers to access to specialised resources, tools and facilities.

Both the user and the supplier of the training will require high speed
broadband to access or deliver the technologies in a virtual environment.
Potential users located in remote or regional communities may not have
sufficient broadband to access the training, even if the facility itself has
access to thigh speed broadband.

Private companies (predominately in the resources sector) which operate
facilities specifically for their own employees have little or no incentive to
invest in the opening of those facilities for wider access unless there is a
commercial return.

Many training providers will be unwilling to share their IP licenses or
technologies with other providers in the training sector as this could impact on
their market share.

Whilst significant grant funds exist to support Australian innovation and
technology, it is often difficult to meet the specific eligibility criteria for a given
fund.

Many professional teachers, trainers and assessors are tech nology averse
particularly with respect to measuring and signing off on an individual’s
competency level. There is a perception that e-learning and remote video
training is inferior to face to face delivery. This creates a “chicken and egg”
dilemma where the training professionals need to understand and embrace
the technologies in order to deliver it.
6.2 Conclusions
The availability of high speed broadband is not the sole factor to facilitate wider
access to training technologies. For existing facilities to expand to provide access to
a broader cohort of learners each facility will need to review the end to end capability
of their resources and platforms with respect to:


Relevant educational pedagogy
Technology and VET quality standards
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



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System architecture
Scalability
User and trainer support mechanisms
Implementation requirements
Maintenance and administration
Once all of the above have been addressed a business case will need to be
developed, based on a quantitative analysis of projected enrolments against
development costs, regarding the viability of proceeding.
Solutions exist to address both technical and non-technical barriers, however
financing and intellectual property issues will be unique to each individual facility.
6.3 Recommendations for Further Investigation
Based on the Case Studies and the desktop research of other facilities, the AMC
Centre for Marine Simulation offers the best opportunity to trial wider student access
to an industry grade technology. If users could access this Tasmanian based facility
remotely, with similar results to the current delivery method, there would be
significant opportunities for national and international expansion.
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7 References
7.1 Bibliography
Kemp, Ian (Ed.), Military Simulation and Training Annual Handbook; Issue 9
November 2013; Shepherd Media USA;
Erwin, Sandra I. (Ed.), Training and Simulation Trends and Technology Review 2013.
Interservice / Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, National
Defence Industry Association USA;
Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA), Environment Scan 2013 –
Information and Communications Technology Industry, Department of Industry,
Australian government;
Chambers, Matt, Pioneers of Remote Control, The Australian, 26 November, 2012;
Australian centre for Energy and Process Training (ACEPT), ACEPT magazine,
Issues 1 & 2, 2013, Challenger Institute of Technology, 2013;
SKillsDMC Industry Skills Council, 2014 Environmental Scan, Department of
Industry, Australian Government;
www.catsimulators.com/simulators/products; (accessed May 2014), Cat Simulators,
Products and Simulator systems;
www.amc.edu.au, (accessed May 2014), Centre for Maritime Simulations;
www.federation.edu.au, (accessed May 2014), Federation College, Certificate III in
Engineering;
Festo-Didactic (2013), Presentation on Core technologies for Robotics (provided by
Federation University);
www.cit.edu.au, (accessed May 2014), Diploma of Nursing, Nurse Simulator;
www.oztron.com.au, (accessed May 2014), Nurse Simulator Video;
National VET e-learning Strategy 2012, Flexible Learning Toolboxes, Department of
Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, Australian
Government.
7.2 Appendices
Appendix 1:
Survey instrument – Making Industry Grade Technologies available for
Industry (PDF)
National VET E-learning Strategy
New Generation Technologies
incorporating E-standards for Training
Page 29
Applied Research Project - Making Industry Grade Technologies Available for Training
8 More Information
National VET E-learning Strategy
Email:
flag_enquiries@natese.gov.au
Website:
flexiblelearning.net.au
New Generation Technologies
incorporating E-standards for Training
Email:
e-standards@flexiblelearning.net.au
Websites:
New Generation Technologies: ngt.flexiblelearning.net.au
E-standards for Training: e-standards.flexiblelearning.net.au
National VET E-learning Strategy
New Generation Technologies
incorporating E-standards for Training
Page 30