April+2014

Welcome to the April e-newsletter from the NSW National VET E-Learning Strategy team.


 * What’s news? **

The official launch date for eCoP is June 2014. Details of the venue, time and guest speakers are currently being finalised. eCoP will be launched by Vicki Marchant, NSW FLAG member. Attendees will also get the opportunity to hear from some passionate guest speakers on the day. This event is open to all eCoP members. Although the launch will be held in Sydney there will also be a range of regional locations coming in via Adobe Connect. Please visit our [|website]  on a regular basis as information about his event will be made available once details are confirmed.
 * E-learning Community of Practice update **
 * Save the date: ****Official Launch Date announced 20 June 2014 10:30 AM **

eCoP Membership is free and growing daily; we currently have 170 registered members nationally.

If you have a desire to learn, share and build the e-capability of eCoP members then this community might just be for you. [|Registrations]  are open now. Once your registration is received, you will receive a confirmation email with more information about how you can be involved in our future activities.

An informal meet up has been scheduled for 7 May 2014. eCoP members in the Sydney region will be invited to meet in Hyde Park (BYO picnic and picnic rug). Our topic for discussion is E-Assessment. eCoP members should register for this event via the [|trybooking]  website.
 * Save the date: ****Meet up in Hyde Park, Sydney 7 May 2014 12:30 PM **


 * Recent Media Releases **


 * <span style="color: #064882; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Accessible modern video for all **

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">An accessible modern video player, with alternatives for older browsers is now available, thanks to the expansion of a National VET E-learning Strategy ( <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|Strategy] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">) <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|emerging technology trial] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Over two years, Victoria’s Kangan Institute undertook a two-stage trial that resulted in the creation of an HTML5 video player that warranted further development towards WCAG 2 AA (accessibility) compliance.

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|first stage] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> of the trial produced a manual aimed at web developers, with instructions for attaching closed captions (subtitles that provide a text version of audible information) to web-based video, for improved accessibility.

The [|second stage] investigated how to insert audio description (voiced narration for the visually impaired) into videos, to provide a more accurate and complete rendition of the video content. This stage resulted in the development of a video player using standard HTML 5 with all JavaScript hidden in the background. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Late last year Kangan Institute and the Strategy’s <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|E-standards Experts Group] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> collaborated to further develop the <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|video player] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> to be keyboard and screen reader accessible, and enabling the viewer to change colour contrast and typeface for closed captions. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I'm really excited about this”, says E-standards Expert Group member, Bronwyn Lapham. “Not only is the video player accessible, it is relatively easy for teachers and trainers to implement and looks great”, says Bronwyn. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“It is either the most accessible player I have used or very close to it”, says Andrew Downie, from the NSW Department of Education and Communities, who previewed the player recently.

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For more information about the player and trials undertaken in previous years please visit the <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|website] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> and follow us on <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|Twitter.]


 * <span style="color: #064882; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">E-standards for training published **

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">An updated set of technical standards for creating accessible and reusable e-learning content has been published for the vocational education and training (VET) sector.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|2014 VET E-standards] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> for Training <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> have been released, following ratification by the <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|E-standards Expert Group] <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">, which comprises representatives from all states and territories, the Department of Industry, and other key cross-sectoral stakeholders.

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Data was gathered from national and state-based VET specific sites, and more than 1.3 million visits were analysed so that the E-standards truly reflect technology in use in the sector. Key updates for 2014 include the partial support of HTML5, addition of the SVG image format and – optionally - WAI-ARIA to support enhanced accessibility. Linux was removed, as was Internet Explorer 7.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“E-standards are essential for planning, developing and managing e-learning resources for vocational education and training”, says E-standards Senior Technical Consultant, Bronwyn Lapham.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“E-standards make creation and delivery of e-learning easier by helping to ensure that resources operate consistently and are accessible to the widest possible audience”, says Bronwyn.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The annual e-standards review was undertaken by the <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|New Generation Technologies business activity] <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> on behalf of the <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|National VET E-learning Strategy] <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">.

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This business activity researches potential technologies, standards and specifications in order to recommend and support implementation of those applicable to the VET sector.

For more information please visit the [|website] and follow us on [|Twitter].


 * NSW Update **

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Vacancies still exist in some of our May programs. Upcoming programs include: <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Visit the <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">NSW Calendar <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> for more information. Please note: all NSW sessions require registration.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Using Social Media in my teaching 7 week program
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Orientation 1 May 10:00 AM AEST
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Developing online material 8 May 2014 10:30 AM AEST
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">How can you make you content suitable for Augmented Reality 12 May 2014 12:00 PM AEST
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What’s all the fuss about e-learning strategy 26 May 2014 2:00 PM AEST


 * National Events **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">There are a large number of webinars offered nationally. Please check out our <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|National Calendar] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> regularly for more information about what is on offer and how you can register.


 * Upcoming National Events and Conferences **


 * <span style="color: #064882; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">ElNet Workplace Sydney Congress 2014 **

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Friday, 16 May 2014 <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For more information please visit the <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|ElNet website]
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Cliftons Level 13, 60 Margaret Street Sydney NSW 2000 **

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Presented by: Velg Training <span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">, <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">11-12 September 2014 <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For more information please visit the [|Velg Training Website]
 * <span style="color: #064882; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">2014 National VET Conference **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre **

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">NSW CSH ITAB is seeking to hire someone for immediate one-off work to help with general maintenance of our Moodle at www.workplaceskills.com.au. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The work entails updating Moodle from version 1.9.11 to current version. Additionally we would like a CAPTCHA generator installed for account creation. If interested, please contact Kathy, office hours Mon-Wed, 02 98162869 or itab@csh-itab.com.au <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Everyone seems to be talking about flipped classrooms lately. Of course, flipped classrooms are not a new thing they have been around for a while. In fact, you might already be flipping your classroom without even realising it. <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">If you want to find out more about flipped learning, you might find it helpful to watch the following YouTube videos:
 * Position Vacant **
 * <span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Can you help? ****<span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">The NSW CSH ITAB needs help with their Moodle update! **
 * In the spotlight **

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|Why I flipped my classroom] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|Teaching for Tomorrow: Flipped Learning] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|I Flip, You Flip, We all Flip: Setting up a flipped classroom]

<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">T <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">here is a really useful website called <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|Flipped Learning Network] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> with lots of information and downloadable resources <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In a recent webinar, I talked about using <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|social media as a tool to enrich learning,] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> motivate learners and enhance your learning content so you are not just relying on video lectures and text readings. I hope you find it useful.


 * Have you subscribed to Flex e-news? **

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Flex e news provides you with the latest information about Strategy events, funding opportunities and advances in e-learning.If you missed the latest version of <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|Flex e news] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> you can still view it online.

<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Visit our <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">[|website] <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> to see who the E-learning Advisors and Contact Services Advisor are for your state.
 * Contact us **