09-40

=**Cultural Points of View**= toc

**RTO**
NSW State Emergency Service

**Contact**
Kathryn Couttoupes (ACE Unit) - Project Manager kathryn.couttoupes-at-det.nsw.edu.au

David Owen (SES) - Project Manager david.owen-at-ses.nsw.gov.au

Ann Brady - Project Coordinator ann.brady2008-at-gmail.com

**Category**
Empowering learners/RTO-Business Partnership

**Business Partner**
Adult and Community Education (ACE) Unit

Executive summary
Local ACE Providers (community colleges) together with the Adult and Community Education (ACE) Unit and the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) will collaborate to develop and pilot blended delivery of accredited cultural awareness training for SES local unit and regional staff and volunteers in 4 rural/remote locations. The project will provide opportunities for participants from both organisations to explore and trial a range of emerging technology and social networking tools that integrate e-learning into work practices and learning in the ACE sector and the SES.

The project pilots the expansion of:

- learning styles - attitudes to learning and - skill in accessing and using online tools

that can meet needs of learners otherwise be excluded from training because of limited time or of geographic isolation. The purpose of the cultural awareness training is to enable SES staff and volunteers to work effectively with and provide services for local indigenous communities and to recruit and retain indigenous volunteers and thus maximise community safety during disasters and emergencies.

The project team will develop a framework for cultural awareness training that will integrate e-Learning strategies with face-to-face delivery and promote collaborative and self-directed e-learning within the SES. These can be adapted for use in delivery of a range of relevant units of competency and can be customised to suit differing local needs. Local indigenous communities will have the opportunity for input into customisation of the course for local delivery. This will include opportunities to represent local culture in ways that community members see as relevant and appropriate eg. through production of ‘point of view’ learning objects.

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**Final report**
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=Case study Cultural Points of View NSW 2009= Adult and Community Education (ACE) Unit and the NSW State Emergency Service (SES)

=Background= The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) and Adult and Community Education (ACE) Unit (Department of Education and Training – DET) have partnered since early 2008 to enhance the participation of those population groups under represented in SES membership. Community Colleges (independent not-for-profit, community based and community managed adult education providers) are funded to collaborate with local SES services to deliver SES Volunteer Induction Training (5 x nationally accredited units of competency Cert II in Public Safety) plus First Aid Certificate for Indigenous communities (in rural and regional areas) and CALD groups (rural and metropolitan). A substantial proportion of participants have successfully completed training and some have joined in local SES activities or become SES members. NSW SES is an emergency service whose core role is storm, flood and tsunami operations including a support role in rescue operations. Its members number over 200 paid staff and 10,000 volunteers. It has a large learning and development component (within its Human Services section) and is a Registered Training Organisation. The NSW ACE sector includes 50 Registered Training organisations that deliver adult eduction, including vocational training, to their local and regional communities. To develop SES culture so that services work effectively with indigenous volunteers and communities and provide a welcoming atmosphere for the new indigenous recruits, the ACE Unit and SES Human Services resource community colleges to deliver Cultural Awareness courses. Delivery strategies and tools must meet the training needs of volunteers and staff in remote locations and/or with limited time to commit to training and volunteer activities. A blended delivery solution has been designed and piloted in this project to meet these needs.

The project will provide opportunities for participants from both organisations to explore and trial a range of emerging technology and social networking tools that integrate e-learning into work practices and learning in the ACE sector and the SES. The project pilots the expansion of: The purpose of the cultural awareness training is to enable SES staff and volunteers to work effectively with and provide services for local indigenous communities and to recruit and retain indigenous volunteers and thus maximise community safety during disaster.
 * learning styles
 * attitudes to learning and
 * skill in accessing and using online tools that can meet needs of learners otherwise be excluded from training because of limited time or of geographic isolation.

Kathryn Couttoupes, Project Manager, tells us about the background to the project.



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= = =Project Implementation and Sustainability= To manage the project the following stages were implemented: = Embedding in the national training framework = = = =The solution= The project team implemented Moodle as our learning/course management system – we incorporated activities into our Moodle course that included a variety of web technologies such as social networking tools, learning objects from the toolboxes; virtual conferencing.
 * Stage 1: Consultation with stakeholders and team communication strategy established
 * Stage 2: Development phase
 * Stage 3: Engagement of participants
 * Stage 4: Deliver and assess training
 * Stage 5: Reporting and end of project activities
 * Identified need for e-learning to address geographically dispersed learners who are often in remote areas and/or limited time to attend training courses
 * Strategies that will engage and sustain trainer use of this course and promote interest and skills to adapt other delivery as appropriate:
 * Senior management within the SES and ACE have endorsed CPOV as the delivery program for cross cultural training for both organisations and are advocating for blended delivery to be part of their core training activity in their respective sectors
 * CPOV to be delivered for up to 13 centres in 2010 and ongoing.
 * Demonstrate adaptability of the model and resources for delivery in state wide projects in near future in:[[image:George_Johnston_Corindi_SES_and_Carl_Ralph.jpg width="206" height="174" align="right"]]
 * ACE delivery for Aboriginal trainee/Apprenticeship mentoring program (confirmed)
 * ACE Rural Fire Service diversity in volunteering partnership (in negotiation)
 * cross cultural training, focussing on the NSW Aboriginal Education Strategy, for the ACE Unit and Community Colleges state wide (confirmed)
 * develop a pool of Community College cross cultural trainers who can adapt and deliver CPOV for a range of organisations (being costed for approval) 
 * establish and maintain a CMS to support Community College trainers using CPOV, using range of relevant tools as required (as above)
 * discuss national application with newly formed Community Colleges Australia (national peak body) whose NSW organiser was a champion for this Innovations project (being costed for approval)

Course planning and design took into consideration input from participants and a pre-training survey (phone and email). The project also consulted with local indigenous communities and monitored attitude change and achievement during the training.

In engaging in this E-learning Innovations project, the following Framework products and resources were used:


 * Some of the activities in the online delivery component were developed based on the software product __ Interactive Ochre __ (AFLF Toolbox 2006)
 * [|Champions Report] informed the strategy we used to embed e-learning within the colleges and the SES
 * [|ACE Explorers], 2006 Learnscope project which employed the Champions strategy to embed e-learning within the ACE sector

=Sustainability=

Sustainability will be supported in the following strategies: = = =What was done=
 * Champions Strategy/peer mentoring network was used throughout the CPOV project and will be continued – a strategy first used as part of the ACE VET network Learnscope project in 2006 and remains an effective communication method for the ACE sector.
 * Using the VET Network to connect project team members from both organisations, and to facilitate networking and collaboration among the pool of CPOV trainers in the ACE sector
 * S taff from both organisations who were on the project team have requested maintaining contact for support to implement the program and expand its use into other areas of their work; and to be involved in future activities involving blended and elearning:
 * SES
 * The Community Liaison Officer (Indigenous Communities) and the Learning and Development Officer for North West Region were the two engaged SES project team members. Two North West Region Indigenous volunteers were also regular attenders and provided valuable feedback. This level of engagement indicates a commitment to blended delivery at the local level in the SES and we believe project which we believe will enable the SES to continue blended delivery and elearning.
 * Pilot delivery included Regional and State Learning and Development Officers who gave very favourable feedback on the program and will be valuable and informed supporters of further development and implementation.
 * Senior Management has been involved in development and delivery of the project and remains supportive. Human Services Director was a project champion and has nominated CPOV as the required delivery program for all further cultural awareness training for the SES. Sites for delivery in early 2010 have been nominated.
 * ACE
 * Trainers and senior management at the participating Community Colleges have plans to continue use of the program and to look at further ways it can be used to diversify delivery and support staff to introduce or expand use of elearning in their delivery
 * The NSW ACE Unit (policy, support and funding for ACE sector) are including in 2010 budget considerations the development of a pool of CPOV trainers within community colleges who would be available throughout the state to deliver cultural awareness training to a range of organisations regarding a range of diversity population groups including indigenous and CALD communities.
 * the Unit is in discussion with another state wide emergency service regarding their inclusion in the Diversity in Volunteering program, including possible delivery of cultural awareness training.

>> 1. For the whole team- intro to the team, the project, the task, roles and expectations. >> 2. For the project development team: Online environments, development process, tasks, expectations and commitment > >> Cultural Awareness trainers discussed resources, current delivery and use of resources, how to adapt the new resources eg. Interactive Ochre, what was appropriate for adapting online (URC); SES ILO provided an indigenous and SES perspective; SES perspective by Learning and Development Officer; arrangements for profile set up (Moodle) and the wiki provided by Technical Advisor. >> >> Introduced the Moodle as our collaborative working space. The group did not engage in this space so it remained a repository for meeting notes, PowerPoint presentations, etc. A more effective strategy might have been to reduce the online meetings. The more far reaching result of this issue is that fewer team members engaged with Moodle than we had hoped and that engagement came much later in the project. >> Most between-meeting communication was by email or phone and some face to face. > >> Content development and adapting material for face-to-face component of program. > >> Project Co-ordinator, Technical Advisor and trainers to: >> - Identify blending strategies and online activities; Platforms; Media; Context (Indigenous and SES) >> - The trainers had not engaged in Moodle at this stage and it became clear that they were not going to do so. The two e-learning advisors began the process of developing content for the online environment. > >> Storyboard developed; productive session; ACE trainers and the SES gave considerable feedback which led to the development of the site as it is today. From here minor tweaking was all that was involved. Colleges were asked to Negotiation on training commenced and the development of the supporting documentation was planned. > >> Content review, resources list and links, Assessment Tasks, site review. > >> Finalisation of site and first drafts of online delivery guides for facilitators and learners and the Assessment Task; run through for management approval; program (site and delivery guides) tested by ACE and SES staff.
 * Partnership meetings – to identify communication strategy, roles, responsibilities, start up process and recruitment of project team; shared project management between SES and ACE Unit
 * Recruitment of staff – Project Co-ordinator worked to the ACE Project Manager; technical Advisor and Coach also engaged
 * Putting a team together
 * Face to face Project team meeting – despite lengthy and determined efforts to get all the team together. this did not occur. Hindsight indicates that we should not have given up but held the meeting regardless of absences. Project would have benefited from a more thorough team building and familiarity with each others skills and capacity and with the cultures of the 2 partnering organisations
 * [[image:Discovere.jpg width="174" height="54" align="left"]]Series of 8 virtual meetings on Discovere - key platform for project development (content, activities, blend of learning modes, delivery resources)
 * **Session 1**
 * **Session 2**
 * **Session 3**
 * **Session 4**
 * **Session 5**
 * **Session 6**
 * **Sessions 7-8**
 * Piloted in 3 sites for SES volunteers from 4 locations – Wollongong, Nowra, Orange, Bathurst for a total of 38 participants. Face to face sessions delivered in early November 2009. Online work to conclude 30th November, followed by assessment and final evaluation.

Ann introduces the development of the site in a nutshell.



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Jenny describes the site in brief.

media type="file" key="Jenny.mp3" width="240" height="20" Carl explains the indigeneous perspective.



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Watch the presentation to see and hear about the site.

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= = =Benefits experienced=

Benefits to learners included:
 * the development and increase in skills, knowledge and attitudes for culturally sensitive practice
 * opportunities for contact with local indigenous community members to further expand their networks
 * practical ideas on how to plan for working with indigenous communities

Benefits to SES included:
 * e-learning networks established that can be used in subsequent volunteer training; learner and trainer readiness to embrace emerging technologies in future training programs and learning
 * enhanced skills in, create positive attitudes to applying existing SES online networks and ICT skills to formal learning and assessment
 * broadened options for use of virtual classrooms and virtual conferencing for training and updating skills to overcome challenges of geographic distance
 * introduced and integrated new technologies that engaged learners in learning and in creating new ways of learning skills necessary for rescue and evacuation work
 * increased opportunity for trainers to investigate the use of e-learning technologies for learner assessment as well improving their own work skills.
 * opportunities for individuals volunteering in SES & to deliver further CA training to SES

Benefits to ACE included:
 * enhanced capacity to integrate e-learning into ACE delivery practices
 * new and emerging technology/tools and social networking, to facilitate inclusion of rural, remote and regional learners in training.

Benefits to the Indigenous Community included
 * positive experience with elearning, online social networking and blended delivery for local volunteer graduates
 * enhanced capacity to collaborate with SES in responding to disasters and emergencies in their area and minimising damaging effects of such events.

= = =Lessons learnt=

Team building, orientation to the project and development team roles are more likely to have been more rapid and effective if the ½ day face to face start up meeting with all the project team had been held.

At the beginning of the project it was our intention to conduct a face to face ‘getting to know each other’ and ‘introduction to the online environments’ session. However given:
 * 1) the nature of SES work - project start up came just after the Richmond Tweed floods and some of the SES project members had just worked 2 weeks straight and very much needed a break - plus
 * 2) the geographic spread of the project team

it seemed impossible to arrange so the orientation was conducted online.

In hindsight a more cohesive and committed team, and trainers with more ownership of the project, may have been formed earlier had we conducted the face to face meeting with those people who were available. Factors relating to the need for the blended solution were also barriers to project start up.

This delay in cohesion of the team precluded time to more effectively engage local Aboriginal communities and SES units in program development.

Other challenges and possible solutions included:


 * Elders to cover a consistent range of issues. Project to provide guidelines e.g. reactions to uniforms/authority, gender, sacred sites, language
 * Recruit trainers earlier - trainers need more time to become familiar with the online environment
 * Recruit team of trainers
 * Each college designates a project coordinator early in the project
 * People only read the first half of emails
 * Log participants into the online environment during the face to face training
 * Create a back up CD for people with connectivity problems
 * Number and location of sites, and the high number of participants was too ambitious for a pilot
 * KIS!

= = =The results=

This project was championed by a small group of innovative educators with the aim of:
 * demonstrating collaborative blended (including e-learning) strategies
 * delivering effective cultural awareness training that would engage SES members and provide them with skills and knowledge to:
 *  work effectively with their local indigenous communities
 *  provide services for local indigenous communities
 *  recruit and retain indigenous volunteers and thus
 *  maximise community safety during disaster.
 *  Embedding blended and elearning strategies in SES training and ACE sector practice

End of project responses from the project team, senior SES and ACE staff and participants in the pilot training indicate that there is enthusiasm to learn more about this kind of delivery and to promote its use in training practice and learning.

The project has certainly recruited a small network of committed blended learning enthusiasts in the 2 organisations; has promoted within SES participants a more thoughtful approach to working with indigenous communities; provided management with experience and inclination to consider blended delivery as a matter of course in project and program development.

Hear what Kathryn has to say about the sustainability of the project:

media type="file" key="KathrynSustainability.mp3" width="240" height="20" = = =What worked well=
 * Online meetings
 * Face to face meeting between cultural awareness trainers and e-learning people
 * Gained and understanding/sensitivity of the differences between community college and SES cultures
 * Moodle was a suitable platform - enabled password access, a topic by topic approach, multimedia, both independent and collaborative learning opportunities
 * The blended approach was essential - it enabled participants to see the online environment before they were expected to engage online

Our cultural awareness trainers talk about their experience of the project.

Chris:



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Rebecca:

media type="file" key="Rebecca.mp3" width="240" height="20" =Project outputs= The outputs for this project are:


 * The Moodle course - The moodle course is to large to upload here. Please contact the Framework to access a copy.
 * Facilitator guide [[file:Cultural Points of View Facilitator Guide 041209.doc]]
 * Learner guide[[file:Cultural Points of View Learner Guide Final.doc]]
 * Assessment task - learner [[file:Cultural Points of View Assessment Task Learner Copy FINAL V1-3.doc]]
 * Assessment task - assessor [[file:Cultural Points of View Assessment Tool Facilitator Copy Final (V2).doc]]

= = =Framework connection= The national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework [1] ) funds and supports [|E-learning Innovations] projects which aim to embed e-learning into the national training system by supporting and enabling innovation in training design and delivery, at the state and territory level.

=Acknowledgement= This is a NSW [|E-learning Innovations] project output, developed by Adult and Community Education (ACE) Unit and the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) with seed funding from the Framework.

=For more information= Kathryn Couttoupes (ACE Unit) (02) 9289 9227 Carl Ralph (SES) (02) 0428634033 Phone: (07) 3307 4700 Email: enquiries@flexiblelearning.net.au Website: __ flexiblelearning.net.au __
 * For more information on the Australian Flexible Learning Framework:**

[1] [|http://flexiblelearning.net.au]

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