final_report

=Teaching and Learning in a networked world "Final Report", December 2006=

What our project was about
image by [|sridgway]

This project sought to engage key management stakeholders in exploring the potential of web2.0 services in the VTE environment to improve work practices and enhance the flexibility and quality of educational delivery.

We sought to engage management and educational decision makers in the debate around web2.0 and the networked learning model. Web2.0 tools are being used by teachers and students on the fringes and there was a need for dialog between net-gen learners and their teachers.

Our Project aims included
 * To engage key management stakeholders in exploring the potential of web2.0 Foster a culture of collaboration, networking and sharing.
 * Explore the challenges that web2.0 and net-gen learners present to existing VTE institutions
 * Overcome some of the barriers or perceived barriers to the uptake of web2.0
 * Provide systems and technology to facilitate communication, idea sharing and networking
 * Reduce f2f meetings by institute management through the use of social software and synchronous communications tool such as Breeze.

How we went about it?
One of the first challenges we faced early on in the project was the limited time busy managers had to attend workshops. The ½ day workshops we traditionally run for teachers in LeanScope projects were simply not an option, so we opted for lunch time 1 1/2 hour sessions.

We invited participants to engage in a combination of attending presentations by experts discussing how they used Web 2.0 technologies to enhance teaching and learning and in industry and hands-on skills development workshops. In these workshops participants had the opportunity to develop skills in Breeze, Wiki and Blog development; digital stories; and mobile learning.

What worked?
Workshops in Digital story telling, Breeze, Mleanring, Blogs & Wikis for teaching & managers were our highlights - podcasting recording the sessions by extending the reach. 35 people attended the workshops in total and many used the distributed content to engage.

The workshop design:
 * structure to enable 50% hands-on to promote skills development
 * time- targeting lunch time over 11/2 hours for busy managers
 * high quality presenters with interesting programs
 * relevancy - Programs that related to the work of teachers & managers

What didn’t?

 * Limited participation in team wikis & blogs - Time restrictions and need to participate in a larger network. e.g. Connected Learning Community.
 * Breeze was so new to many people that we decided we needed to run more workshops with more hands-on to develop confidence and trial Breeze for management meeting. e.g. SI Senior Managers Meeting or Board of Management meeting.

Sharing and networking

 * Show team wikis & blogs/ F2f workshops/
 * Networking and linking up with other projects. e.g. NSW LearnScope sharing via tags Flicker stream photos and wiki; RTF Recognition Project & LearnScope E Disabilities project, SWSI Assessors Breeze network (ENACS), Illawarra, TeacherConnect project
 * Some interesting findings
 * Enthusiasm, commitment and willingness to try something new by participants especially managers in our team
 * Confidence and empowerment gained from skills developed in the digital story telling workshop & moblogging

Where we like to go next?
Whilst beginning skills were developed in web 2.0 technologies we need further consolidation and integration within teaching and industry practice

We also plan to trial the wireless lounge for teaching and learning and staff training; trialling staff meeting and meetings.

Get a wiki and blog platform hosted on a DET sever for use by the entire NSW VTE sector so we can form a connected learning community.

http://nswlearnscope.podomatic.com/enclosure/2006-11-08T16_21_22-08_00.mp3
 * LearnScope Showcase podcast 216#053**

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 * Digital story via Blip.tv, prepared for LearnScope showcase**