$556,950 funding for e-learning innovation in victoria
National Monday Update Issue:
Victorian registered training organisations (RTOs) can apply for a share of $556,950 in funding and support to develop innovative e-learning solutions for businesses and individuals.
E-learning Innovations funding and support, provided by the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), will be awarded to RTOs based on their ability to:
- support business-training provider partnerships that can drive the integration of e-learning into business and training
- develop innovative e-learning practices that target the needs of a more diverse range of learners.
Victoria’s funding is part of the $2.65 million allocated for 2011 E-learning Innovations projects nationwide, provided to each state and territory on a pro-rata basis. This follows yesterday’s announcement that the Framework has received the go ahead for its activities until the end of June 2011*, opening up new opportunities for Australian RTOs, business and industry to embed e-learning as a key aspect of their business strategy and tailor training to meet learners’ needs.
Applicants are encouraged to build on existing Framework e-learning infrastructure when developing e-learning solutions, such as Flexible Learning Toolbox (Toolbox) learning objects, e-standards, resources, guidelines and professional networks.
Since 2008, the Framework has helped 102 Victorian projects embed innovative e-learning solutions. Two case examples are detailed below:
Virtual hospital simulates healthcare training
With E-learning Innovations funding and support, Box Hill Institute created an award-winning Virtual Learning Hospital to help meet professional development needs and improve service delivery levels in the healthcare industry. The blended learning delivery platform allows learners to learn at their own pace, in their own timeframe and with their preferred learning style. The project was inexpensive to implement and is scalable and customisable for use across the entire sector using simulated training scenarios.
E-learning joins the iPhone app race
As part of their training for a Certificate III in Cookery, new apprentices at hotel giant Rydges go through a skills recognition audit which includes a workplace assessment of practical skills and results in the development of a gap training plan.
With E-learning Innovations funding and support, William Angliss Institute worked with Rydges to develop and an iPhone application to replace the heavily paper-based assessment process. The iPhone application consisted of a database driven website which allowed the creation of assessment questions and the allocation of a learner to an assessor. It can be used across any industry to conduct assessments in the field and capture and submit evidence of competence.
Refer to the E-learning Innovations Team Profiles to access information on all past projects.
Applications open on Tuesday 24 August 2010.
Read the 2011 Victorian E-learning Innovations Guidelines for Applicants for more information on how to apply for funding in Victoria.
Applications close at 5pm on Monday 20 September 2010 and the successful applicants will be notified on Monday 14 October.
To assist you in applying for Victorian E-learning Innovations funding, free information sessions will be held on Monday 30 August, Thursday 2 September and Friday 3 September 2010. A Victorian-specific online session will also be held on 8 Monday 6 September 2:30pm-4:00pm AEST.
A national online information session will also be held:
Date: Thursday 9 September 2010
Time: 12:30pm-1:30pm AEST
Location: http://tinyurl.com/egems-2011innovations OR
https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=675&password=M.8831B0E4AD9F2C0338DBE968E80CB0
Registration is not required. Participants must have access to internet, headphones and a microphone and have installed and configured the Elluminate web conferencing software beforehand.
For more information contact the Framework’s Victorian Innovations Coordinator, Howard Errey, by phone: (03) 9661 8710 or howard [dot] errey [at] eworks [dot] edu [dot] au (email) or Victorian E-learning Coordinator, Debbie Soccio, by phone: (03) 9661 8712 or debbie [dot] soccio [at] eworks [dot] edu [dot] au (email)
*The six month allocation, to end of June 2011, will bring the Framework funding cycle in line with other funding arrangements under the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), which are based on a financial calendar year.