New focus - not if you use e-learning but how

I attended an excellent online conference today that looked at benchmarking and survey data of more than 700 Australian RTOs, 800 workplace and a large number of students.

The results showed a steady increase in e-learning for RTOS, business and students.

More than a third of Australian organisations use e-learning as part of the structured training they provide to their employees, and a quarter use e-learning as part of unstructured informal training activity.

What did employers say:

49% of all employers said that they expect their organisation’s use of e-learning in
provision of training to employees to increase in the next two years.

81% of employers said that they would encourage their employees to use e-learning if
it was available.

61% of employers said that they would influence their training provider to deliver more flexible training to their employees.

Visit http://e-learningindicators.flexiblelearning.net.au/docs/09results/2009EmployerBenchmarkingReport.pdf to read more


What did students say:

90% of VET students would like at least ‘a little’ e-learning in their course.
59% of students thought the e-learning in their course and the computer skills they acquired had increased their confidence, and would help them get a better job, a promotion or more responsibility in their job.
47% of students said e-learning was a factor in their choice of course and 42% said it was a factor in their choice of training provider.

What did VET teachers and trainers say:

87% of teachers and trainers said they used ICT, with a significant increase in the use of newer technologies.
Nearly 60% of teachers and trainers said that e-learning has made learning more interesting and engaging for their students, and more than half said that e-learning has improved their teaching.
VET teachers and trainers most commonly used multimedia interactive e-learning resources, either within the classroom (73%) or remotely (58%).

What did RTOs say:

56% of RTOs surveyed delivered some units involving e-learning.
75% of RTOs provide their clients with access to at least some e-business services.
The uptake of e-learning by smaller private and industry-based RTOs is slower than the larger RTOs, with 55% of very small RTOs currently not using e-learning.
45% of RTOs said e-learning was included in their overall organisational or team business strategy.

Visit http://e-learningindicators.flexiblelearning.net.au/survey_results_all.htm to read more

The survey found that 39% of enrolments involve e-learning nationally, and 38% in NSW VET.

Two thirds of employers survey said that they think e-learning is a flexible and efficient training method and that all people in the workforce need good computer skills and this is a good way to increase skill and learn at the same time.

Teachers are using e-learning to:

* Get students involved in targeted Internet research
* Online activities
* Communication
* Electronic submission of work
* Collaborative learning with other students

The results certainly make you think!