A 'down and dirty' assignment

OK! I admit it! I am a bad student! I haven't prepared my presentation for Assignment Two of the Flexible Learning course which is this afternoon. So here's a very, very quick summary (down and dirty) of what I am going to talk about in response to the feedback that was given to me in my original plan last week.

Concise explanation of flexible learning plan

Context

• Course for eMentors in aged care sector in Australia
• Offered by RTO: Aged Care Queensland Inc
• Certificate Level Four - I think this would be equivalent of certificate level in New Zealand
• For mentors before and after eMentoring experience
• Motivated students but time poor and geographically challenged
  
• Most are likely to be managers or similar position, but at the very least will have Certificate Level Three or Four aged care qualifications (requirements to be eMentor)
  
• Moderate computer skills - will be provided computer training and support to be eMentor
• Prepare people for their roles as eMentors.
  
• Provide a qualification for those who have already had the experience of being an eMentor - to support carer progression and evidence of their ability for future roles as eMentors.

How the course will be delivered

• Distance - blended delivery - online and paper/CD ROM
• Minimal face-to-face because of geographical and financial constraints but need to look at creative ways of dealing with this for people who prefer face-to-face interaction, maybe with local support.

Assessment

• Constructionist approach-making sense of their learning in their context of their work
• Aligning assessment with what they are doing in their every day eMentoring practice - needs analysis to match up their learning needs with what they need to 'deliver' in way of assessment.
  
• Portfolio - mix of personal reflection and evidence of eMentoring activities.
• Certificate level does not require in-depth reflection and critical thinking but role of eMentor does - have to find balance in assessment evaluation.
  

Examples or methods that inspired your plan

• My personal experience this week with Heather Day in the Otago Polytechnic EDC department and enrolling in the postgraduate Territory Teaching and Learning Certificate
  

How your plan fits within your educational organisation

• ACQI - strongly support flexible approach to learning and education and reaching students in rural and remote locations.
  

Access and equity

• Flexible modes of delivery to overcome constraints of time, location and learning skills/styles.
• Flexible times for assessment and taking course to suit eMentors time constraints, being mindful that with rolling enrollment, it is more difficult to bring people together.
• How can I facilitate social learning in context of rolled over enrollment - is rolled over enrollment appropriate or workable?
  

Cultural sensitivity

• Make provision for indigenous students and people from backgrounds of cultural diversity.
• How can I manage provide face-to-face support/education if that is their preference?
• These students may not have the need for face-to-face in the way I assume they will - individual assessment
• Material provided in way that meets their needs.
  

Sustainability

• Open access education resources.
• Encouraging ex-students to 'mentor' current students

I am not at all sure I have addressed any of the feedback on my original plan - at the moment I feel like I am going round and round in circles. This is why I have chosen to make a face-to-face presentation this afternoon. People can tease out the issues that I have been unable to articulate very well in my last few blog posts.

Wish me luck!!