Enhancing flexible business training: learners and enterprises

Focuses on flexible training and its implementation in the workplace; examines the barriers for those learners on vocational programmes involved in self-directed independent learning. Discusses ways to develop learners self-direction and to improve learners ability to use and access a wide range of learning media. Highlights the need to establish structures to support learning through flexible training. Puts forward a two-dimensional diagram describing business vocational learner preferences, and outlines three sets of strategies to develop effective enterprise support for flexible training.

Learners and their workplaces: towards a strategic model of flexible delivery of training in the workplace

Although the flexible delivery of training in the workplace has become a favoured policy position for training authorities in both Britain and Australia, this article reviews research that indicates neither learners nor their workplaces are well prepared. Drawing on the author's own research and that from the broader literature, the article develops a model for the preparation of learners and workplaces for flexible delivery of training. Deriving from the proposed model, the article suggests a wide range of strategies that may be used in preparing learners and workplaces for successful engagement with the flexible delivery of training.

Social presence online: networking learners at a distance

This paper draws on two studies which researched the use of online small group environments where collaborative learning is a central structure for learning. The establishment of social presence is facilitated through the socio-affective aspect of small group interaction which contributed to the effectiveness of learning online. Social presence, the ability of online learners to project themselves into a textual environment which has few visual or contextual cues, will be explored as an important element in facilitating effective online learning. The teacher's role in helping students project their online social presence and in establishing an environment for learning within the larger group computer conference will also be discussed.

Learners' perceptions about the relationship between music education and generic skills development : a case study within the Australian higher education sector

A major issue emerging from the research and debate concerning quality in higher education has been an emphasis on the value of the acquisition of generic skills by undergraduate students, as indicators of quality in education. Music educators have long recognised the contribution music makes to the general education of learners. Learning in and through music can present varied and complex means for the acquisition of generic life skills such as: problem solving, decision-making, critical thinking, oral and written communication and teamwork. This paper documents one particular course of action that was implemented within a university undergraduate primary teacher education program, to systematically gauge learner perceptions about generic skill development/enhancement before and after participation in the music component of the core arts education subject.

Adult learners in the workplace: online learning and communities of practice

Seven in-employment postgraduate Master's level students in an e-learning unit participated in this research, designed to identify tensions between participation in a community of learning that was part of their studies, and participation in the communities of practice that they were engaged in at their workplaces. It was hypothesised that participation in both these forms of community in their different contexts may enhance each other, or could potentially have a disrupting effect on each. The research employed an interviewing technique. The students' perceptions of the impact of participation in the one form of community on their participation in the other was mixed, with some suggesting that it was enhancing, and others suggesting the contrary, or that there was no impact. The findings indicate that the enhancing effect of participation in communities of learning relevant to a learner's workplace community of practice occur when the learning tasks are designed to enable negotiation of tasks and collaboration with learners who have similar workplace issues.

The effect of focus on form in the written work of adult learners of Arabic

One of the key debates within SLA research circles concerns grammar
- whether and hov to include it in second language (L2) instruction. 'Noninterventionist' approaches to language leaching, which centre on focus on meaning (FonM) , have been found to be neither economical nor expedient in terms of use of learners' classtime (Long & Robinson, 1998). This paper is a study of the effects oj direct grammatical instruction within a communicative context (Focus on Form - FonF) on the accuracy rate of the use of noun-adjective agreement in the written work of adult learners of Arabic. Learning the systems oj noun/adjective agreement in Arabic presents problems for beginners since. unlike languages such as English. Arabic needs to be modified for gender, number. definiteness and case. Through teaching material and methods, first-year university English speaking students of Arabic were directly exposed to morpho-syntactic inflections relevant to noun-adjective agreement. In post-tests over an extended period. instructed students showed a higher accuracy rate of some forms than their uninstructed colleagues. suggesting focusing on form is beneficial to the Arabic learner and does not need to interrupt the communicative flow in the classroom (Ellis et al. 2001).

Supportng Chinese distance learners through computer-mediated communication- revisting Salmon`s model

Salmon’s (2000) proposed model for the effective development of on-line communication and collaboration between student suggests that on-line socialisation forms an early and important component of establishing required levels of comfort and skill. In this paper we review research with Chinese learners that suggests that some adjustments to Salmon’s model may be advisable for these students. Specifically, the model is redeveloped to provide a more structured experience, and to use that structure to develop online skills, such that comfortable socialisation is seen as an end-point rather than as an early enabler.

Vocational learners: testing readiness for online learning

McVay's (2000) Readiness for Online Learning questionnaire is tested for its potential value as an instrument to assess the readiness for online learning of technical level and of university level vocational learners. The research indicates that the instrument yields a reliable factor structure that is replicable across the two learner groups, and is interpretable in a context of broader research and theory on flexible learning. Although the reliability of the instrument and its items is acceptable for the university level sample, reliability was less than acceptable for the technical level learners. The utility of the instrument is discussed for each of these samples of learners.

Creating and sustaining quality e-learning environments of enduring value for teachers and learners

Australian universities continue staking a claim on the future of e-learning, acquiring Learning Management Systems (LMS) as rapidly as universities overseas. Much is published on processes and criteria for selecting the best LMS for an organisation's needs and attempts to establish training and support mechanisms for deploying these systems. Beyond initial efforts to commission these technologies, particularly in the hands of teachers and students, what should happen to ensure these commitments yield real educational value in the long term? The search for and realisation of systemic and substantial new value requires a more profound reconceptualisation of what it means to design and work within contemporary learning environments, incorporating e-learning, in support of excellence in educational outcomes. This demands the foregrounding of the role of the academic teacher in the system in relation to other parties who can make important educational contributions in support of student learning. Central to new strategies is a transformation of the role of academic teacher, but on terms understood by them and supportive of their educational values. Six areas of value creation for teachers and learners are considered in relation to this transformation.

Comparative academic performance of lifelong learners in engineering and technology

The engineering-technologist degree is an important element of continuing engineering education for many members of the engineering workforce. This paper reports on the study of close to 9000 unit enrolments to gain an objective understanding of the withdrawal, persistence, and academic-performance characteristics of both engineering-technologist and professional-engineering students.

Flexible delivery in the Australian vocational education and training sector: Barrier to success identified in cases studies of four adult learners

Government policy in Australia is increasingly encouraging training organisations in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector to adopt flexible delivery approaches, but some researchers are sounding a note of caution. Evidence is emerging that Australian VET learners are not universally ready for flexible delivery, and this is reflected in high attrition rates and low pass rates. The literature on flexible delivery identifies a number of specific factors that can impact on the success of adult learners. However, there seems to be agreement that failure or dropout is not determined by a single factor, but by the interaction of a number of factors that build up over time. To understand these factors, we need to understand the learners - what their participation in education means to them, the context in which they are studying, and the numerous inter-connected factors that contribute to their failure to achieve a successful outcome. This paper discusses four case studies from a research project that followed up a small number of adult learners who enrolled in flexible delivery VET courses but did not achieve a successful outcome.

The creation of effective learners using an autarchic study method

The aim of this study is to assess whether universities are meeting the needs of marketing students and consequently the needs of the corporate marketing sector. A comparison is made between marketing classes using a specific technology of study called an autarchic system, and those classes not using this method. As part of this analysis the study investigates the application of self-determination theory and psychological needs  satisfaction. The basic needs scale, comprising two constructs; Control and Caring was adapted and used to evaluate students' perception of subjects using autarchic study system and those not utilising this methodology. The study used a multi-method approach consisting of a literature review, a qualitative phase involving in-depth interviews with marketing teaching staff and focus groups with marketing students and a survey of students. An adapted version of the basic psychological needs scale was included in a questionnaire that was administered to a convenience sample of 441 students. ANOVAlMANOVA and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. The pedagogy used in a conventional university setting is detailed and contrasted with the autarchic learning system. Findings strongly indicate students become far more able as learners when they have the knowledge of the types of learning barriers, they are coached to recognise the barrier when it occurs and apply the appropriate remedy as researched in this paper. These findings are of interest to educators, students, and industry as all sectors face significant social and financial losses because individuals are unable to duplicate instructions, maintain currency and plan tactically and strategically.