Pass the SoLT

The last few weeks have been particularly busy as I'm currently the Acting Director of the National Centre for Teaching and Learning on top of my normal role. Hence the lack of postings and musings as quality thinking time has been greatly reduced due to routine administration, budget and staffing issues, and current efforts to develop and implement a number of strategic and operational plans.

I've managed to keep up, nevertheless, with some professional reading over this time and I was particularly interested to come across the Australian National VET E-learning Strategy 2012 - 2015. In many respects this initiative is a real flash back to the past of the days when the Ministry of Education (NZ) was reasonably proactive in developing the policy architecture for e-learning in both the compulsory schooling and tertiary sectors. How times change!

It would seem from a recent conversation that the Ministry and Tertiary Education Commission currently have little appetite for a more proactive, strategic, sector wide approach to e-learning. There is certainly no agreed strategy in the area and institutions are largely doing their own thing. This assessment of the current situation is evidenced by the recent decision to abandon the current national e-learning categories which institutions have been required to report on as part of their standard data returns. With the exception of Ako Aotearoa's support for e-learning initiatives, such as the Taking the Lead project, a relatively hands off approached has been adopted by central agencies and government departments.

Notably, the National VET E-learning Strategy states that it aims to "...play a key role in enabling the Australian training sector to take advantage of the roll-out of the National Broadband Network (NBN) to make major advances in the achievement of government training objectives" (p.4). The Strategy goes on to argue "that coordinated action to develop sector-wide capability in using the new technological environment will, at the same time, stimulate innovative approaches to increasing participation in training and work, and improving the skill levels of the Australian workforce" (p.4). Put succinctly, the vision is to create::

"A globally competitive Australian training system underpinned by world class e-learning infrastructure and capability".

The Strategy is based around three main goals:

Goal 1: Develop and utilise e-learning strategies to maximise the benefits of the national investment in broadband.

Goal 2: Support workforce development in industry through innovative training solutions.

Goal 3: Expand participation and access for individuals through targeted e-learning approaches.

In comparison to previous strategies, greater emphasis will be placed on new generation technologies for learning, learner pathways and industry system change. Recognition of the need to rejig previous priorities is stark contrast to the current policy vacuum in New Zealand. At a time when Australia is attempting to expand participation and access to life-long learning for individuals, access is being restricted in New Zealand through a capped funding model, which has already resulted in the closure of some highly innovative online and distance delivered tertiary qualifications.

Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether a demand or supply driven approach will be more successful in helping to achieve the respective goals the Australian and New Zealand governments have set for the roll-out of their national broadband networks. That said, I often quote the adage "if you don't plan, then you plan to fail" and it seems entirely sensible to develop an e-learning strategy in such a nationally strategic area.