flexible learning in ACE

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Workplace Trainer and Assessor Online

This scenario illustrates how a centre has met the needs of its community by offering the Assessor and Workplace Trainer course in a range of flexible options, from face-to-face, to online and 1:1 support. In a region where distances are great but connectivity is still a problem, this seemed to be the best solution to ensure full participation.

BACE
East Gippsland

E: rferres@baceinc.org.au

BACE has been operating in East Gippsland for 26 years. East Gippsland is a very isolated community with most of the population in coastal centres. It is the second largest Shire in the State with approx 60% forest and parks.

Main industries historically have been, agriculture, timber, fishing, tourism and retail / service.
In recent years there has been a significant reduction in the timber and tradition farming sectors.
There has been major growth recently in Vegetable growing, food packaging, Aged Care, Tourism and service industries.

BACE offer a wide range of Vocational programs including, Workplace Training, Aged Care, IT, Retail, Hospitality, Road construction, Auslan, Horticulture and Language and Literacy.

There is a large program for personal growth/ development, hobby and leisure.

BACE also deliver a wide range of projects funded by both the Federal and State Governments including Work for the Dole, Community Jobs, Sustainable Regions, Language and Literacy, ESL,
Men’s Shed, Reframing the Future, VCAL, POEM, Community Hubs.

18 participants enrolled and attended an initial group session with the trainer. The delivery method was fully explained including an initial trial of the online resources to be used. The trainer ran a session to introduce the train the trainer modules and demonstrated strategies required to complete them.

The trainer was available to participants through the online resources facility, by email and phone. Participants were encouraged to send in drafts regularly to check if they were on track. Most did contact the trainer regularly.

The participants were grouped together, generally in 2’s and 3’s and the trainer travelled to them for workshops to provide further support. Each participant presented their training session to the local small group, using the other participants as the students.

This stage was very successful with all participants being assessed competent. The balance of the modules proved to be much harder to achieve. It required much greater personal discipline and commitment from participants.

Regular group sessions were held both in the full group and in the smaller regional groups.
It was found to be necessary for the trainer to have regular face to face contact both with the groups and individually with participants. Immediately after sessions with the trainer there was improved use of the online resources but it then gradually fell away. Several participants dropped out during this stage but 50% did complete the certificate with all completing Train Small Groups.

The Regional Office of ACFE identified that coordinators of small isolated providers lacked the skills to be able to support tutors in planning and delivering programs in their centres. BACE were contracted to deliver Certificate 4 in Workplace Training and Assessment in a flexible model to cater for the isolation and travel difficulties of participants.

• The greatest challenge was for the participants to commit the regular time necessary to complete the assignments when they were not coming together face to face regularly, which tends to keep people motivated.
• It certainly was efficient for the trainer to travel rather than all participants as some had 4 hour round trips to come to a central point.
• Poor internet connection was a barrier for effective use of the online resources in some cases. It regularly dropped out, was slow to download and very frustrating to lose information or connection after spending considerable time working through the resources.
• The quality of the resources is critical as they must be very easy to use as some participants had limited computer skills and in one case the participant had no computer at home and utilised the local centre equipment.
• It required a large commitment from the trainer to regularly visit and to keep up with the constant contact.

Even within a course that can be delivered completely online it is useful, even necessary, to have some face-to-face contact. This increases student motivation and establishes a relationship with the Centre and the course facilitators.

• Resources must be very easy to use.
• Regular face to face contact with trainer required, efficient for the trainer to travel rather than all participants.
• Participants working alone find it very difficult.
• The small groups helped to overcome the above as it provided peer support.
• Tight time lines help to keep people on track.
• Participants must be prepared to commit regular time each week or they won’t get the work completed.