Learning without borders

PRACTICE OF WORKPLACE LEARNING 2
Minutes: 30 August 2006
  All present :   Cecilia, Kathy C, Kathy G, Beth, Tonette, Ian, Artemio, Arlyn, Bianca, Gary, Laraine, Louise
 Agenda
·                  Roles and responsibilities of group
·                  Actions on minutes from last week
·                  Review and discuss results of survey –
·                  Do we need to do more ‘needs analysis’?
·                  Discuss content of Workshop
·                  Aims and objectives for Workshop
·                  List of ‘actions’ for next week
 ·                  Roles and responsibilities of group·                  Actions on minutes from last week·                  Review and discuss results of survey –·                  Do we need to do more ‘needs analysis’?·                  Discuss content of Workshop·                  Aims and objectives for Workshop·                  List of ‘actions’ for next week Discussion re- roles and responsibilities of group for running weekly meetings
- facilitator
- minute-taker
- reflection/observation of group process and dynamic
 

·                  Roles and responsibilities of group·                  Actions on minutes from last week·                  Review and discuss results of survey –·                  Do we need to do more ‘needs analysis’?·                  Discuss content of Workshop·                  Aims and objectives for Workshop·                  List of ‘actions’ for next week Discussion re- for running weekly meetings- facilitator- minute-taker- reflection/observation of group process and dynamic ·                  The group agreed to be flexible about roles, and to decide at each meeting.
·                  Also decided facilitation will be by the group and will usually occur spontaneously.
·                  Minutes must be typed and circulated to the group via email by the following Friday evening. Louise will take minutes this week.
·                  Reflector/observers (two people each week) will submit a copy to the group the following week. Bianca and Kathy C will be reflector/observers this week.
·                  Laraine will establish a group folder for all relevant paperwork (minutes, reflections, etc.)
 

Review of survey that was typed by Tonette and circulated to Fri/Sat Cert IV elective group by Bianca and Ian -
 

·                  Ian recapped on survey
·                  23 responses
·                  Laraine provided a summary of the responses to the survey
·                  Bianca provided an analysis of the responses, ‘Needs Analysis Sheet’, that showed we are on-track with our Workshop proposal
·                  Kathy G and Beth also did survey at their workplace and received 4 responses that specified interest in learning about CDRoms, Virtual Simulations and Pod-casting.
·                  Ian observed some informal responses from people who wouldn’t complete the survey because they “hate technology and want nothing to do with it”.
·                  This comment relates to the statement “how do I know what I want, if I don’t know what I can have”, raising the questions – Is it more important to focus on the skills that we need to adapt to and use technology? Or is it more important to focus on the different types of technology available?
·                  Beth raised use of podcasting and e-learning and how people want to transfer what they do already and slot it into their use of technology. How do we breach this gap in learning?
·                  How have things (expectations/technology?) changed in the workplace?
·                  What are the skills required to make the necessary conceptual and technical shift in order to adapt to new technology?
·                  Laraine suggested we need to envisage the future but at the same time look at the critical issues of how you get from where you are now?
·                  What skills do we need to develop as educators to use the technology available to us?
·                  The changing technologies are commerce-driven; e-learning, on-line courses raise questions of accessibility and discrimination and other social equity issues.
 

Do we need to do more ‘needs analysis’?
 We decided that the results of the survey and following discussions have provided us with enough information to begin to model our objectives for the Workshop.
  We decided that the results of the survey and following discussions have provided us with enough information to begin to model our objectives for the Workshop. Discuss content of workshop, lots of questions raised -
 ·                  Kathy C suggested it was time to narrow-down and focus – what do we propose to do, and how we propose to do it?
·                  Ian asked – where is technology heading? He proposed 3 areas that could be investigated – types, skills and ethics.
·                  1. What’s happening at the cutting-edge of technology? What’s on the horizon, what’s going on, what types of useful technology are ‘out there’?
·                  2. What skills do we need to adapt to and use this new technology?
·                  3. What are the social and ethical issues associated with changing technologies? Are we marginalizing parts of society even more? What are the policies, procedures and social and ethical responsibilities for educators and trainers?
·                  Beth suggested IML, Interactive Mediated Technologies, in use at her workplace at O10 in Strathfield. Trainers and training rooms already in use for training with new technologies; Beth also raised a current issue of addiction to new technologies like the ‘palm pilot’ (also mobile phones), there is now a service available for addicts of new technology!
·                  How to manage change and balance in use of new technologies?
·                  How do we demystify the new technologies?
·                  Consciousness changing/ language(jargon)/ context
·                  Different technologies are useful in different contexts
·                  What technologies work best in what contexts?
·                  Looking to the future – What are the limitations with some of the new technologies? How might those limitations be addressed? As soon as specific limitations are identified, the technology has often been replaced with something new.
·                  Participants will want to feel less inadequate and more empowered by using technology. How do we do this when technology changes so quickly?
·                  Laraine suggested that higher skills are needed in order to grow with new and changing technologies – What are the “super skills” that we could provide/learn so that we may be able to think about/explore/adapt to further our technological possibilities and understanding?
·                  Kathy G raised issue of communication and jargon with regard to IT Services – How does one develop a positive relationship with the IT ‘Help’ Desk?
·                  Troubleshooting
 ·                  Kathy C suggested it was time to narrow-down and focus – what do we propose to do, and how we propose to do it?·                  Ian asked – where is technology heading? He proposed 3 areas that could be investigated – types, skills and ethics.·                  1. What’s happening at the cutting-edge of technology? What’s on the horizon, what’s going on, what types of useful technology are ‘out there’?·                  2. What skills do we need to adapt to and use this new technology?·                  3. What are the social and ethical issues associated with changing technologies? Are we marginalizing parts of society even more? What are the policies, procedures and social and ethical responsibilities for educators and trainers?·                  Beth suggested IML, Interactive Mediated Technologies, in use at her workplace at O10 in Strathfield. Trainers and training rooms already in use for training with new technologies; Beth also raised a current issue of addiction to new technologies like the ‘palm pilot’ (also mobile phones), there is now a service available for addicts of new technology!·                  How to manage change and balance in use of new technologies?·                  How do we demystify the new technologies?·                  Consciousness changing/ language(jargon)/ context·                  Different technologies are useful in different contexts·                  What technologies work best in what contexts?·                  Looking to the future – What are the limitations with some of the new technologies? How might those limitations be addressed? As soon as specific limitations are identified, the technology has often been replaced with something new.·                  Participants will want to feel less inadequate and more empowered by using technology. How do we do this when technology changes so quickly?·                  Laraine suggested that higher skills are needed in order to grow with new and changing technologies – What are the that we could provide/learn so that we may be able to think about/explore/adapt to further our technological possibilities and understanding?·                  Kathy G raised issue of communication and jargon with regard to IT Services – How does one develop a positive relationship with the IT ‘Help’ Desk?·                  Troubleshooting The surveys, ‘needs analysis’ and ensuing discussions have confirmed that our concept for ‘Learning Without Borders’ Workshop, addressing changes in technology and the work/life balance, is a good idea. We decided we now need to establish our aims and objectives.
1.      Adapting what we do now to the delivery of technology.
2.      Increasing awareness of future trends – case studies.
 

·                  Kathy C suggested it was time to narrow-down and focus – what do we propose to do, and how we propose to do it?·                  Ian asked – where is technology heading? He proposed 3 areas that could be investigated – types, skills and ethics.·                  1. What’s happening at the cutting-edge of technology? What’s on the horizon, what’s going on, what types of useful technology are ‘out there’?·                  2. What skills do we need to adapt to and use this new technology?·                  3. What are the social and ethical issues associated with changing technologies? Are we marginalizing parts of society even more? What are the policies, procedures and social and ethical responsibilities for educators and trainers?·                  Beth suggested IML, Interactive Mediated Technologies, in use at her workplace at O10 in Strathfield. Trainers and training rooms already in use for training with new technologies; Beth also raised a current issue of addiction to new technologies like the ‘palm pilot’ (also mobile phones), there is now a service available for addicts of new technology!·                  How to manage change and balance in use of new technologies?·                  How do we demystify the new technologies?·                  Consciousness changing/ language(jargon)/ context·                  Different technologies are useful in different contexts·                  What technologies work best in what contexts?·                  Looking to the future – What are the limitations with some of the new technologies? How might those limitations be addressed? As soon as specific limitations are identified, the technology has often been replaced with something new.·                  Participants will want to feel less inadequate and more empowered by using technology. How do we do this when technology changes so quickly?·                  Laraine suggested that higher skills are needed in order to grow with new and changing technologies – What are the that we could provide/learn so that we may be able to think about/explore/adapt to further our technological possibilities and understanding?·                  Kathy G raised issue of communication and jargon with regard to IT Services – How does one develop a positive relationship with the IT ‘Help’ Desk?·                  Troubleshooting The surveys, ‘needs analysis’ and ensuing discussions have confirmed that our concept for ‘Learning Without Borders’ Workshop, addressing changes in technology and the work/life balance, is a good idea. We decided we now need to establish our aims and objectives.1.      Adapting what we do now to the delivery of technology.2.      Increasing awareness of future trends – case studies. Aims and objectives for Workshop were listed on the whiteboard by Beth
AIMS
·                  Increase awareness of future trends
·                  Balancing work and life – Where is our office now? How to survive changing expectations and demands of flexible workplace? Maintaining balance.
 

OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES
·                  1. Increase awareness of how technology impacts on our learning
·                  2. Being aware of future trends
·                  3. Behaviour and skills – recognising new technology requires a change in behaviour
·                  4. Identify ethical issues and appropriate ways of dealing with them
·                  5. Increase/develop practical time-management skills
·                  6. Identify balance (life/work) issues and how to manage them
·                  7. Increase skills for adapting to and incorporating new technologies in learning (life/work?)
 

We now need to identify topics -
·                  ways and means
·                  types of technology and skills
·                  ethics
 

Beth suggested ‘balancing life/work’ doesn’t have many objectives and outcomes – is it relevant? Maybe we need to think more laterally.
Artemio reminded us that we need to recognize that we can only ‘manage’ time with respect to the fixed nature of time. We are all victims of this organized mechanistic culture.
 

Some suggestions for managing the life/work balance –
·                  Assertiveness training
·                  Audits that people can do
·                  Some strategies for empowering people to manage and take control
·                  Learning how to let things fall over
·                  Delegating
·                  Sharing resources within departments and across institutes
·                  Networking team-building
 

Actions for next week –
·                  Bring any interesting or exciting ideas to share with the group
·                  Come back with some visions and ideas to make the topics more specific.
 –·                  Bring any interesting or exciting ideas to share with the group·                  Come back with some visions and ideas to make the topics more specific.  

–·                  Bring any interesting or exciting ideas to share with the group·                  Come back with some visions and ideas to make the topics more specific.