The E-learning Crystal Ball
A recent report predicts that online education will expand by 24% this financial year – more than twice as quickly as any other industry in Australia!
The report, from business information analysts IBISWorld, forecasts that online education will be one of Australia’s major growth industries over the next 12 months, as learners increasingly demand education and training that is flexible, engaging and up to the minute.
With learning rapidly evolving beyond text books and the traditional confines of the classroom, e-learning is enabling vocational education and training (VET) providers to keep pace with learner expectations for:
· greater choice and control over when and where learning occurs
· increased learning on-the-job
· an overall richer learning experience, including more engaging tools for learning, and a more collaborative approach to learning.
The shift towards e-learning is already well underway, with teachers and trainers adopting a wide range of technologies to enhance learning, including:
Digital games - Education Queensland recently declared that digital games are the ‘way of the future’ for learning, and is offering instruction for school teachers on how to use Wiis, Playstations and the Nintendo DS as classroom learning tools. Kangan Batman TAFE is also currently trialling the Nintendo Wii as a tool for VET learners in the trades to practice applying surface coatings to furniture.
Social networking tools – Interactive and user driven web 2.0 technologies are making it easier than ever for the VET system to share knowledge, experience and learning resources. Several Victorian training providers are currently trialling using the social networking sites YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to create collaborative online learning spaces which encourage peer support and interaction.
Virtual worlds – Virtual worlds are providing engaging and flexible hands-on learning. Last year, the Canberra Institute of Technology developed a trial virtual world to enable nursing students to experiment and explore activities, interact with their teachers, trainers and peers, and review their actions and experiences – all in a safe, online environment.
In light of these advancements, many VET practitioners are looking towards the future and wondering how emerging technologies will continue to shape the VET system. Two VET e-learning ‘champions’ have given their predictions, using the 3Ps (‘possible, probable, preferable’) model:
· ‘Possible’ – the most divergent and outlandish predictions
· ‘Probable’ – what’s most likely to occur
· ‘Preferable’ – an outline of the most favoured future.
Read their interviews:
Tony Ryan – Speaker, author, publisher and international education consultant
Dheeraj Chowdhury, Assistant Director – Learning Applications and Media, DET NSW - Centre for Learning Innovation
The report, from business information analysts IBISWorld, forecasts that online education will be one of Australia’s major growth industries over the next 12 months, as learners increasingly demand education and training that is flexible, engaging and up to the minute.
With learning rapidly evolving beyond text books and the traditional confines of the classroom, e-learning is enabling vocational education and training (VET) providers to keep pace with learner expectations for:
· greater choice and control over when and where learning occurs
· increased learning on-the-job
· an overall richer learning experience, including more engaging tools for learning, and a more collaborative approach to learning.
The shift towards e-learning is already well underway, with teachers and trainers adopting a wide range of technologies to enhance learning, including:
Digital games - Education Queensland recently declared that digital games are the ‘way of the future’ for learning, and is offering instruction for school teachers on how to use Wiis, Playstations and the Nintendo DS as classroom learning tools. Kangan Batman TAFE is also currently trialling the Nintendo Wii as a tool for VET learners in the trades to practice applying surface coatings to furniture.
Social networking tools – Interactive and user driven web 2.0 technologies are making it easier than ever for the VET system to share knowledge, experience and learning resources. Several Victorian training providers are currently trialling using the social networking sites YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to create collaborative online learning spaces which encourage peer support and interaction.
Virtual worlds – Virtual worlds are providing engaging and flexible hands-on learning. Last year, the Canberra Institute of Technology developed a trial virtual world to enable nursing students to experiment and explore activities, interact with their teachers, trainers and peers, and review their actions and experiences – all in a safe, online environment.
In light of these advancements, many VET practitioners are looking towards the future and wondering how emerging technologies will continue to shape the VET system. Two VET e-learning ‘champions’ have given their predictions, using the 3Ps (‘possible, probable, preferable’) model:
· ‘Possible’ – the most divergent and outlandish predictions
· ‘Probable’ – what’s most likely to occur
· ‘Preferable’ – an outline of the most favoured future.
Read their interviews:
Tony Ryan – Speaker, author, publisher and international education consultant
Dheeraj Chowdhury, Assistant Director – Learning Applications and Media, DET NSW - Centre for Learning Innovation
posted by Adult Learning Australia
at
9:36 AM
« Home