2010 e-learning benchmarking survey final report · 2016. 10. 3. · 2010 e-learning benchmarking...

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2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey – Final Report

Report

I & J Management Services

October 2010


Australian Flexible Learning Framework ii

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Australian Flexible Learning Framework iii

Table of contents

Key messages..........................................................................................................................1 Summary ..................................................................................................................................2 Measuring the uptake, use and impact of e-learning ...............................................................5 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey....................................................................................8 Uptake of e-learning ...............................................................................................................10 Use of e-learning in teaching and training..............................................................................14 Impact of e-learning on teachers, trainers and RTOs ............................................................17 Impact of e-learning in the VET system .................................................................................21 Vocational training and the impact of e-learning on business and industry ...........................22 Additional analysis..................................................................................................................23 Appendix 1: Indicators of e-learning uptake, use and impact.................................................24 Appendix 2: E-learning Benchmarking Survey methodology .................................................25 Appendix 3: RTOs ..................................................................................................................28 Appendix 4: VET teachers and trainers..................................................................................31 Appendix 5: Employers ..........................................................................................................37 Contact details........................................................................................................................42


Australian Flexible Learning Framework 1

Key messages

About the 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey

Responses received from 784 RTOs, 2,411 VET teachers/trainers and 800 employers.

2010 surveys had increased emphasis on how e-learning is used.

This responded to key finding from the 2009 survey that for many students and employers it is no longer a question of ‘if’ their training involves e-learning, but ‘how’ it uses e-learning that matters.

The E-learning Benchmarking survey addresses the uptake, use and impact of e-learning.

Major findings – Uptake of e-learning

The message that e-learning is now recognised as an integral part of training delivery was strongly reinforced (not ‘if’ but ‘how’). The wave of significant growth in e-learning uptake has passed, and the system is now in a phase of steady incremental growth.

RTOs and VET teachers/trainers report increased uptake of e-learning. They expect uptake to grow as part of a flexible training system, until it is a consideration in design and delivery of every VET unit for every VET student.

Employers are increasingly using e-learning in their own provision of structured and unstructured training to employees. They are more knowledgeable about e-learning and expect RTOs to be responsive and flexible.

Uptake of e-learning varies – across public, private and community training providers, across states and territories, and by industry sector and field of teaching.

63% of small RTOs (representing an estimated 2-3% of total VET delivery) do not use e-learning. Some say it is not relevant to the way they deliver training. Some want to know more, but need help to build their capability and learn how to use e-learning.

Major findings – Use of e-learning

There has been increased demand from employers to deliver training in the workplace and for blended delivery. RTOs and teachers/trainers have been able to meet this demand.

55% of RTOs do not address e-learning in their business strategy.

Again, use and support for e-learning varies across the VET system, within individual RTOs and across different training activities. There are pockets of excellence, matched by areas where the e-learning materials and use of technology could be improved.

62% of teachers/trainers say e-learning is a priority for their training organisation. Teachers and trainers are generally well supported (with access to computers, e-learning resources and management encouragement) and are gaining confidence in developing and customising online resources and materials.

Major finding – Impact of e-learning

The survey has identified excellent examples of e-learning delivering more flexible, more engaging and better quality training. The challenge for the training system is to ensure that the quality of training is enhanced by e-learning, and not compromised by a narrow focus on e-learning solely as a means of delivering more flexible training.



Summary

The story so far When the Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s (Framework1) E-learning Benchmarking Survey2 was first conducted in 2005 it estimated that 8% of vocational education and training (VET) unit enrolments formally involved e-learning. The use of e-learning in VET was growing, but highly scattered with pockets of activity led by early adopters.

When the 2009 E-learning Benchmarking Survey results were released it concluded that with:

the formal level of e-learning up to 39%

more than 50% of RTOs using e-learning

40% of employers using e-learning as part of their employee training

90% of VET students saying they wanted at least ‘a little’ e-learning in their course and nearly half making enrolment decisions with access to e-learning a factor, and

most VET teachers and trainers using some form of electronic media in teaching and training activities

…e-learning had become mainstream.

It was no longer a question of ‘if’ there was a role for e-learning in VET, but ‘how’ e-learning could be best incorporated into and support a flexible training system that meets the skills needs of Australian industry.

The 2009 survey report showed that “students and employers valued a flexible learning experience, where the use of information and communication technology (ICT) gave them control over where and when training took place. It highlighted the use of e-learning as a teaching tool that enabled students to have an engaging and personalised learning experience that they and their teacher/trainer could tailor to suit their learning and skills needs.”

2010 sees continued growth in uptake of e-learning With this in mind, the 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey had an increased emphasis on the ‘how’ of e-learning, with extra RTO and VET teacher/trainer questions included in the surveys and no VET student survey3. The 2009 employer survey was repeated in 2010.

And a year on, the 2010 surveys reinforce the ‘not if, but how’ finding. Survey responses from 784 registered training organisations (RTOs) representing around two thirds of total VET delivery, 800 employers across Australia, and more than 2,000 VET teachers and trainers indicates that the wave of exponential growth in uptake of e-learning has passed and the system is now in a phase of steady incremental growth.

It is now estimated that 43% of VET activity formally involves e-learning. The proportion of training activity delivered by large, mid-size and some small RTOs grows each year. Fifty

1 The Australian Flexible Learning Framework is collaboratively funded by the Australian Government and all states and territories and provides the VET system with the essential e-learning infrastructure and expertise needed to respond to the challenges of a modern economy and the training needs of Australian businesses and workers: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au 2 The 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey is conducted by the Framework’s Benchmarking and Research business activity: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/research

3 The 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey did not include a survey of VET students. The next student survey is proposed for 2011.



percent of employers now use e-learning as part of training they provide to their employees, and 60% expect their organisation’s use of e-learning in employee training to increase in the next two years (up from 49% in 2009).

The proportion of VET teachers and trainers delivering units that use e-learning is inching forward, with 86% encouraging students to access online learning resources and content, 82% engaging students in online course activities and targeted internet research, 40% using web 2.0 technologies (eg blogs, wikis) for learning and 18% using podcasting for learning. Across a range of different technologies, including emerging applications of ICTs, in different aspects of learning, assessment and communication, with resources they have developed or customised, or resources accessed from other parts of the RTO or external resource repositories, more VET teachers and trainers are using more e-learning.

There is variability in the uptake and use of e-learning. Some RTOs use e-learning in 100% of training delivery, some use none at all. Uptake varies across public, private and community training providers, and across states and territories. It varies by industry sector and field of teaching, with uptake higher in education and ICT than it is in building and construction, metals, automotive and engineering. But here it is not a case of all or nothing. It is a distinction between e-learning being used by 80% of teachers, or 70% or 60%. Of 50% of employers in the education sector using e-learning in their training compared with 40% in retail or 30% in building and construction. And in all of these areas the e-learning uptake is, on average, increasing over time.

The future challenges Yet while the 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey shows incremental growth in the uptake of e-learning, with employers’ knowledge of and expectation of e-learning increasing, and VET teachers and trainers still reporting that e-learning delivers interesting engaging and flexible training for students, three potential challenges for the VET system are highlighted by the survey results.

Building capability in small RTOs

The first challenge is an uptake question, in that on average 50% of RTOs report that they do not use e-learning. While the proportion of large (95%), mid-size (62%) and small (52%) RTOs using e-learning is increasing, the proportion of very small RTOs using e-learning is under 40%, as it was in 2008. There are several thousand RTOs with less than 100 unit enrolments per year, and 63% do not use e-learning. Many argue that their training is practical and hands on and there is no need for or value to them in incorporating electronic media into their training delivery. Interestingly, the surveys show that there are usually other very small RTOs operating in the same field who do use e-learning and value the breadth in learning and flexibility it provides for students and employers.

A question for the VET system is should time and resources be invested in supporting the 50% of RTOs who do not use e-learning (who collectively represent approximately 2-3% of total VET delivery) to examine its potential application for their training profile and benefits for their students? Sixty-nine percent of RTO survey respondents who do not use e-learning said that they would like to know more about e-learning. Or should the system’s energies be directed to supporting those RTOs who have already taken the step to adopt e-learning and enhance the quality and flexibility of their training?



Strategic use of e-learning

The second challenge is a use question. Sixty-two percent of teachers say e-learning is a priority for their RTO, and at least two thirds say that they are generally well supported by their RTO with access to computers, e-learning resources and management encouragement. The 2010 survey shows that teachers and trainers are gaining confidence in developing and customising online resources and materials, accessing materials from external sources and using e-learning across a range of teaching and training activities.

Still, the use and support for e-learning varies across the VET system, within individual RTOs and across different training activities. There are pockets of excellence, matched by areas where the e-learning materials and use of technology could be improved. Notably, 55% of RTOs do not address e-learning in their business strategy.

Delivering flexibility and quality

The third challenge raised by the 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey is an impact question. While VET teachers and trainers’ attitudes to e-learning are consistent with those from previous years, there is one area where teachers have become less confident about the impact of e-learning. In 2010, 46% of VET teachers/trainers said ‘the use of e-learning has improved learning outcomes for my students’. In 2006 this figure was 59%, and it has been in a steady decline over the past four surveys.

As noted in the discussion in this report, this may not mean that e-learning does not deliver good training outcomes for students. Forty-six percent of teachers and trainers believe that e-learning does support improved learning outcomes, and only 14% do not (40% are neutral on this issue). And there is no indication from past surveys that students are dissatisfied with the quality of training they are receiving. It may be that the normalisation of e-learning makes it more difficult to attribute incremental benefit from e-learning to ‘improved learning outcomes’ as it becomes a standard part of teaching and training activities. However, this is an issue that requires further exploration to confirm that the way in which e-learning is being used in VET enhances, or at least does not diminish, the quality of the training and skills outcomes.

A rich source of information The Framework’s 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey has captured an enormous amount of quantitative and qualitative information on the uptake, use and impact of e-learning in VET – in different states/territories, in different provider types (eg TAFE, community providers, schools, private and enterprise providers) and for different types of teachers/trainers and employers in different industry sectors.

More detailed analysis of the information gathered through the 2010 survey will be published on the E-learning Indicators website4 by the Framework over the next two months.

4 http://flexiblelearning.net.au/e-learningindicators



Measuring the uptake, use and impact of e-learning

The 2008-2011 Framework Strategy The 2008–2011 Framework Strategy5 aims to make e-learning an integral part of the national training system. In this way, the Framework will contribute to a VET system that is best equipped to respond to the challenges of a modern economy and the training needs of Australian businesses and workers.

The 2008–2011 Framework Strategy outlines a vision for a future in which:

“learning is tailored to learners” – not restricted by place and time, personalised to suit individual learning needs and an engaging collaborative and ‘networked’ experience

“learners are more in control” – able to choose their training provider using pathways to advantage and acquiring ICT learning skills with mechanisms for recognising and recording the skills they acquire in ways that make sense to employers

“teachers are effective ‘managers of learning’ ” – skilled at using ICT to enhance the learning experience, freely accessing up-to-date quality learning resources, facilitating and managing learning and more engaged with their clients

“businesses invest in workforce development” – and recognise that flexible learning can fit around other business priorities

“there is a sustainable e-learning infrastructure” – through a pool of national resources, a system of national technical standards, and evolving and innovative approaches to the use of new technologies.

E-learning indicators The Framework measures the adoption of e-learning in VET through its:

uptake and use - the uptake of e-learning and the volume and sophistication of use by clients (individual learners and industries/businesses), by RTOs and by the VET system

impact - the degree to which the application of ICT to VET learning has changed behaviours and outcomes for clients.

The primary data source for assessing uptake, use and impact is the annual E-learning Benchmarking Survey of e-learning in VET. The survey of RTOs, VET students, VET teachers and trainers, and employers with employees undertaking accredited training is based on a set of 12 indicators, originally developed by the Flexible Learning Advisory Group (FLAG6) in 2004 to measure the uptake and use of e-learning and e-business in the national VET system, and the impact of e-learning on VET clients and VET providers (see Appendix 1).

These indicators were refined and supplemented in 2008 to incorporate additional indicators included in the 2008-2011 Framework Strategy. Collectively, these 15 indicators examine e-learning in terms of its uptake, use and impact on:

5 The 2008-2011 Framework Strategy: http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/flx/webdav/site/flxsite/shared/Secretariat/2008_2011_Framework_Strategy.pdf 6 The Flexible Learning Advisory Group (FLAG) is an advisory group of the National Senior Officials Committee (NSOC) and provides advice on strategic directions in flexible delivery, with particular reference to e-learning. FLAG is also responsible for leading and managing the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, as well as providing advice on VET sector perspectives to both the Australian Information and Communication Technology in Education Committee (AICTEC): http://www.flag.edu.au/



individuals (VET students)

business and industry (as clients of the VET system and providers of training to employees)

RTOs (public, private, industry, enterprise and community)

the VET system (teachers and trainers).

The E-learning Benchmarking Survey is not intended to and could not capture information about all 15 indicators in the 2008-2011 Framework Strategy7. However, it is a valuable source of information on the extent to which e-learning is becoming integrated into and embedded in the national VET system.

E-learning indicators

Individuals

E-learning indicator E-learning Benchmarking Survey finding

Importance of availability of e-learning, as compared to other factors, in individuals’ decisions about courses and training providers.

47% of VET students said that e-learning was a factor in their choice of course (2009)

42% of VET students said that e-learning was a factor in their choice of training provider (2009)

% of students whose learning outcomes were improved because of e-learning and ways in which they benefited (a mixture of measurement of learning outcomes and perceptions of learning outcomes).

56% of VET students said that the e-learning in their course had increased their confidence in using computers and technology (2009)

56% of VET students said that e-learning had increased their ability to use computers and technology (2009)

34% of VET students thought the e-learning in their course helped them to get a better job, get a future promotion, or get more responsibility in their job (2009)

59% of VET students thought the e-learning in their course will in the future help them to get a better job, a promotion or more responsibility in their job (2009)

50% of VET students thought that e-learning enhanced their ability to do their job (2009)

46% of VET teachers/trainers said the use of e-learning improved learning outcomes for their students (2010)

Number of students gaining recognition of work-based and self-directed learning through e-tools.

10% of VET students said that they had been able to gain recognition of workplace-based and self-directed learning through online tools (2009)

22% of VET teachers/trainers used e-learning for recognition of workplace based and self-directed learning (2010)

7 Other Framework activities also capture and report information related to these indicators.



Business and industry


% of businesses offering e-learning opportunities to employees.

50% of businesses use e-learning as part of structured or unstructured training (2010)

E-learning as a % of all structured training provided by employers.

28% of structured training provided by employers uses e-learning (2010)

Number of industries investing in e-learning for long-term workforce development.

Data not captured in E-learning Benchmarking Survey

Providers


Extent to which public, private and community providers are accessing VET e-learning resources.

59% of VET teachers/trainers use self-developed online resources and materials. 64% use online resources developed by others with the organisation, 39% access state/territory funded resources and 61% access other externally developed online resources (2010)

36% of RTOs and 46% of VET teachers/trainers use Flexible Learning Toolboxes (2010)

% of VET providers offering online enrolment, information and student support services and assessment.

33% of RTOs offer online enrolment. 69% of RTOs provide online information on courses and relevant policies, regulations and strategies. 44% of RTOs offer online student support services (2009)

46% of RTOs use e-learning in assessment. 61% of VET teachers/trainers use e-learning in formative assessment and 57% use it in summative assessment (2010)

% of courses offered by providers off-campus.

21% of enrolments involving e-learning were completely delivered off campus, and 32% involved a mix of on campus and off campus/workplace learning (2010)

52% of RTOS and 66% of VET teachers/trainers use interactive learning resources not in the classroom (2010)

% of providers with an organisation-wide e-learning strategy.

6% of RTOs have a stand alone e-learning strategy, and 34% incorporate e-learning into their overall business strategy (2010)

% of practitioners who are using e-learning tools to facilitate a personalised approach to learning.

45% of VET teachers/trainers agreed that the use of e-learning had enabled them to facilitate a more personalised approach to learning for their students (2010)

The VET system


Range and affordability of VET learning materials available for electronic download.


Progress towards agreement on national standards for e-portfolios.


Use of common technology standards within VET.


Number of training providers accessing and contributing to national VET learning object repositories.

38% of RTOs and 50% of VET teachers/trainers accessed national VET learning object repositories (2010)

10% of RTOs and 8% of VET teachers/trainers contributed to national VET learning object repositories (2010)



2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey The Framework’s E-learning Benchmarking Survey was first conducted in 2005. The methodology has been refined from year to year to increase the sample size of responding organisations and individuals, and to improve the value of the information captured for the Framework, the VET system and individual training organisations. Additional information on the survey methodology can be found in Appendix 2 and at the Framework’s E-learning Indicators website8.

The number of responses used in analysis of the 2010 surveys is shown in the table below, along with the figures from previous years.

Number of responses used in analysis Survey

2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

RTOs 784 705 579 536 487 403

VET students - 1,685 1,500 1,121 875 443

VET teachers and trainers 2,058 1,500 1,400 1,017 733 478

Employers 800 801 - 400 - 400

Due to the way in which VET providers, and TAFE institutes in particular, have been encouraged to participate in the surveys from 2007, some providers have generated many more VET student and VET teacher/trainer responses than others (eg in 2010 five TAFE institutes generated more than 100 teacher/trainer responses each).

In order to avoid biasing the sampling toward those VET providers that are more active in their recruitment of respondents, random sampling of responses from some providers has been undertaken to maintain as far as possible the relative weight of different states and territories, and the integrity of the overall survey response pool. In 2010 this has meant that only 85% of 2,411 responses from VET teachers and trainers have been used in the final survey dataset for analysis. The full response sets will be used where requested and statistically valid for state and territory and individual VET provider analysis.

Definition of e-learning The surveys used the following definition of e-learning.

E-learning uses electronic media to deliver flexible vocational education and training.

It includes:

access to, downloading and use of web, CD ROM or computer-based learning resources in the classroom, workplace or home

online access to and participation in course activities (eg online simulations, online discussions)

directed use of the internet, mobile and voice technologies for learning and research purposes

structured learning-based email communication

online assessment activities.

It does not include:

email dissemination of course information

email communication between a teacher/trainer and learner on a single learning issue

online administration of learning activities.

8 http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/e-learningindicators



When asking VET teachers and trainers in 2010 about their use of e-learning, the following uses were identified:

use of interactive learning resources, both in and not in the classroom

use of Flexible Learning Toolboxes (Toolboxes9)

structured learning-based email communication and collaboration between learners and other learners or between learners and teachers/trainers

use of web 2.0 technologies (eg blogs, wikis) for learning

use of social networking technologies (eg Facebook, MySpace, Twitter)

use of mobile technologies for learning, assessment or communication

use of voice technologies for learning

use of podcasting for learning

online recognition of workplace based and self-directed learning

virtual learning environments and virtual worlds

e-portfolios.

They were also asked about the extent to which they used e-learning in the following teaching and training activities.

accessing online resources and content

undertaking targeted internet research

undertaking learning activities

collaborative learning with other students

communicating with teachers/trainers

formative and summative assessment

recognition of prior learning.

Analysis and report The 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey captured information on the e-learning experience and views of VET teachers and trainers, employers and RTOs. This report presents the feedback from these three stakeholder groups.

This report presents high-level analysis of the results of the three surveys. It includes an overall analysis of findings and in Appendices 3 to 5 presents the aggregate responses for each of the questions in the three surveys. More detailed analysis of the final responses, including analysis against demographic factors such as state, RTO type, and age and gender of survey respondent (for the teacher/trainer surveys), is published separately on the Framework’s E-learning Indicators website.

All results must be interpreted in light of the statistical variations that exist in any survey process of this type. The nature of most of the questions in the survey means that with sample sizes of 2,411 VET teachers/trainers a difference of less than +/- 3% between years on an overall result is not statistically significant. With 784 RTO responses and 800 employer responses, a difference of less than +/- 4% between years on an overall result is not statistically significant. The estimate of the overall uptake of e-learning in VET activity is calculated using different methods and changes of this magnitude would be considered significant.

9 Toolboxes are high quality, cost effective interactive e-learning and assessment resources: http://flexiblearning.net.au/toolboxes



Uptake of e-learning The uptake of e-learning in VET continues to increase. Information captured from RTOs and VET teachers and trainers through the Framework’s 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey shows that the use of e-learning in VET is greater than ever before.

VET unit enrolments that use e-learning The Framework’s primary indicator of the uptake of e-learning shows that the proportion of all VET unit enrolments that use e-learning has grown from 3-4% in 2003-2004 to around 43% in 2010.

3%4%

8%

17%

29%

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43%

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2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

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Uptake of e-learning in the VET sector

This estimate is based on information provided by RTOs in response to a direct question about the proportion of their VET enrolments that involved e-learning (as defined in the previous section of this report). This is a difficult question to answer as whether or the extent to which technology is used in VET delivery is not something that tends to be ‘formally’ captured in RTOs’ business or learning management systems10. This is especially true in large RTOs which deliver a wide range of courses over multiple locations, and where there is no single person who is familiar with all that takes place in different vocational areas. In some cases the information provided through the E-learning Benchmarking Survey is known to represent only that delivery which is explicitly ‘tagged’ as entirely online and off-campus. This ignores the e-learning that occurs on campus, in the workplace and in blended delivery modes.

Therefore, the estimate of 43% of VET unit enrolments involving e-learning is acknowledged as understating the actual level of use of electronic media to deliver flexible VET.

10 A new question in the RTO survey in 2010 asked respondents to identify the basis for their estimate of the proportion of VET unit enrolments that involved e-learning. Overall, 34% of persons completing the RTO survey said that the information was from their organisation’s learning management system, 32% said it came from tracking student enrolments, 21% said it was an estimate based on other had data, and 13% indicated that the estimate was not based on hard data.



The uptake of e-learning as measured by this indicator varies between provider types and between states and territories. Uptake of e-learning has been greatest in Tasmania and Victoria, and is now higher in New South Wales, with Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia all now having similar uptake rates in the 35% to 38% range. TAFE providers estimate higher levels of these ‘formal’ e-learning enrolments than schools (42%), private and other training providers (23%), and community-based education and RTOs (14%). Over the past three years New South Wales has shown steady growth in the uptake of e-learning, with Queensland and South Australia fairly stable.

31%

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Uptake of e-learning in the VET sector by State/Territory and Provider Type

2008 2009 2010 2010 Average (43%)

* ‘Private+’ includes all private, enterprise, industry and government training providers. ** Due to sampling restraints, estimates were not published for the Northern Territory in 2008.

The E-learning Benchmarking Survey has previously reported on the differential levels of uptake of e-learning among RTOs of different size. The 2010 data shows a slow but steady increase in the uptake of e-learning across most RTOs (see chart overleaf).

Most very large RTOs use e-learning to varying degrees, and nearly 60% now report that more than 25% of their unit enrolments involve e-learning. Since 2007 this group, which includes TAFE institutes and some large private and enterprise providers, has seen a few more RTOs every year pushing up from low to moderate levels of e-learning uptake, and from moderate to higher levels of use of e-learning.

Similarly for mid-size RTOs with between 1,001 and 10,000 annual unit enrolments, there has been steady growth in their use of e-learning, although 38% report no use of e-learning.

However, the level of uptake among small RTOs is much lower. There are around 5,000 RTOs in Australia, and the overwhelming majority of these have fewer than 1,000 unit enrolments in a year. The 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey shows that around 50% of these small RTOs, and 60% of the very small RTOs, report that none of these enrolments involve e-learning. The proportion of small RTOs (101 to 1,000 unit enrolments per year) using e-learning has been increasing very slowly over recent years, but there are still many who have yet to explore the potential of e-learning for their clients.

The polarisation in terms of the uptake of e-learning among the very small RTOs which was noted in the 2009 E-learning Benchmarking Report still exists. While 63% report that they use no e-learning in their training delivery, 17% report that more than 50% of their training delivery involves e-learning. Anecdotal feedback from small new RTOs who are just beginning to deliver training indicates that they are either planning to and equipped to use e-learning, or have no intention of incorporating e-learning into their training profile.



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E-learning activity by 'size' of RTO

No e-learning 1% to 10% 11% to 25% 26% to 50% More than 50%

A different view of e-learning uptake The ‘formal’ information on enrolments involving e-learning is only one view of the uptake of e-learning in VET. Another comes from through the E-learning Benchmarking Survey’s questions of RTOs and VET teachers and trainers on their use of different e-learning approaches. A series of benchmarking questions asked over the past four years suggest that the true level of uptake of e-learning in at least some form is much higher than 43%.

Forty-nine percent of RTOs responding to the RTO survey reported that they delivered VET units involving e-learning. However, when asked if they used any of the e-learning approaches listed in the following chart, 75% of RTOs answered ‘Yes’ to one or more of these options (vs 73% in 2009). The most common forms of e-learning used involved students accessing online learning resources and content or undertaking targeted internet research.

Remarkably, the 2010 aggregate results from RTOs for these questions were almost identical to the 2009 results, even at the finest level of detail, despite there being changes in the respondent cohort from year to year and the total number of RTO responses having increased by 11% from 2009. The similarity in results, which also occurred in the two other RTO questions for which 2010 and 2009 results can be compared (see Appendix 3), is so close as to be statistically unusual. In fact, apart from the increase in the formal uptake of e-learning from 39% to 43% of VET unit enrolments, and an 8% shift in the delivery of those e-learning units from on premises/on campus (55% in 2009 down to 47% in 2010) to a mix of on campus/onsite and off campus/workplace learning (24% in 2009 up to 32% in 2010), the 2010 RTO survey showed no change from the 2009 RTO results. This is in contrast to the results from previous surveys which have shown increasing proportions of RTOs over time using different e-learning approaches.

At an RTO level, the profile of the use of e-learning would appear to be fixed, and nothing has changed in the last 12 months.



0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

2009

2010

Ass

essm

ent

Com

mun

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ing

with

teac

hers

/tr

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Col

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Und

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Und

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Onl

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Inte

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% RTOs using e-learning

A lot Some A little None

Similarly, when VET teachers and trainers were asked in the 2010 survey if they delivered units that use e-learning, 67% said ‘Yes’ (compared with 65% to 71% in the previous four years). Yet, 93% of teachers and trainers said that they used one or more of the e-learning approaches listed in the survey (marginally higher than the proportion in previous years). This included 86% of VET teachers and trainers who encouraged students to access online learning resources and content, 82% who engaged students in online course activities and targeted internet research, 40% who used web 2.0 technologies (eg blogs, wikis) for learning, 39% who used mobile technologies for learning assessment or communication, and 18% who used podcasting for learning.



Use of e-learning in teaching and training The 2009 E-learning Benchmarking Survey reported on the change in attitudes to and experience of e-learning in terms of ‘Not if, but how’. That is, the 2009 survey established that for most RTOs, VET students, VET teachers and trainers and employers, it was no longer a question of ‘if’ e-learning should be used as part of flexible training delivery – this had become accepted – but ‘how’ e-learning might be incorporated in VET to support the development of skills to meet workforce needs and learners’ education goals.

What e-learning is being used in VET? Compared with the results from the 2009 and previous surveys, in 2010 VET teachers and trainers reported increased use of e-learning. In fact, across nearly all of the listed e-learning options, including technologies which have emerged over recent years, there have been consistent increases in uptake over time. This has not, other than from 2008 to 2009, been statistically significant from year to year, however the combination of the annual increases clearly points to an upward trend in use of e-learning.

6%

18%

21%

22%

25%

29%

30%

39%

40%

46%

60%

61%

66%

73%

82%

82%

86%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Virtual worlds

Use of podcasting in learning

E-portfolios

Online recognition of prior learning

Use of social networking technologies

Use of voice technologies

Virtual learning environment

Use of mobile technologies

Use of web 2.0 technologies

Use of Flexible Learning Toolboxes

Structured learning-basedemail communication

Online assessment activities

Use of interactive learning resourcesnot in the classroom

Use of interactive learning resourcesin the classroom

Undertaking targeted internet research

Undertaking learning activities

Access online learning resourcesand content

% VET teachers/trainers delivering units using e-learning

2007 2008 2009 2010



A common form of e-learning used by VET teachers and trainers is the use of interactive learning resources either within the classroom (73%) or remotely (66%). Toolboxes are being used by 46% of VET teachers and trainers. The use of newer technologies (including web 2.0, mobile, voice, social networking and podcasting) is less widespread but increasing, with 40% of teachers and trainers now using web 2.0 and/or mobile technologies in learning, assessment or communication.

Twenty-three percent of RTOs and 22% of VET teachers and trainers said that they had used online tools to enable students to gain recognition for workplace based and/or self-directed learning, in line with the 2009 results.

Teaching and training activities One of the few areas where there was a significant increase in uptake of e-learning from 2009 to 2010 was in teachers’ use of interactive learning resources not in the classroom. Coupled with the feedback from RTOs about a shift from wholly classroom delivered training to a mix of onsite and offsite or workplace delivery, the survey is further pointing to a change in the way training has been traditionally delivered to learners by RTOs.

E-learning is being used across the range of pedagogical elements, from directed learning activities to independent research, communication and collaboration, and assessment. While the most common uses relate to accessing online learning resources and content, more than 50% of VET teachers and trainers report that they use a fair degree of e-learning throughout their teaching. The changes from 2009 to 2010 are relatively small, as was the case with the use of different types of technology. However, it is interesting to note that the slight drop off in the proportion of VET teachers and trainers who are not using e-learning in different aspects of their training has been almost exactly offset by an increased proportion of those who use these approaches ‘a lot’. This does not indicate a small cohort of teachers and trainers going from no use to high use of e-learning in one year, but the slow push through practice as teachers become more confident with e-learning and gradually adopt more and more e-learning approaches, moving from low to medium to high use.

18%

14%

21%

18%

22%

18%

26%

23%

38%

43%

46%

40%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010

Accessing onlinelearning resources

and content

Undertakingtargeted internet

research

Undertakingonline learning

activities

Communicatingwith teachers and

trainers

Assessment Collaborativelearning with other

students

E-learning in VET teaching and training activities




The use of technology in training varies across different training areas. Teachers and trainers whose main field of teaching is computing and information services understandably have a greater use of technology, with 80% to 90% using it in accessing resources, online learning activities, assessment and students collaboration. While usage levels are lower in areas such as health and community services, and hospitality and tourism, there is still a solid use of technology in training activities. Teachers and trainers in traditional trade areas, such as building, metals, automotive and engineering, where ‘hands on’ ‘practical’ training is seen as the norm are also using e-learning, albeit at lower levels than other teachers and trainers. Still, more than 60% are using e-learning across multiple aspects of their teaching and training activities.

96% 90% 93% 84% 83% 91% 86% 85% 57% 62% 87% 85% 84% 69% 66% 78% 64% 68% 52% 41%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E A B C D E

Computing andInformation Services

. Health and CommunityServices

. Hospitality and Tourism . Building and Construction

E-learning in teaching and training activities in selected training areas

Use Don't use

A = Accessing online resources and content B = Undertaking targeted internet research C = Undertaking learning activities

D = Formative assessment E = Collaborative learning with other students

Tailoring training to individual training needs The 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey shows that VET teachers and trainers are choosing when and how they use e-learning to best meet the teaching and training needs of their students, just as they differentiate between other pedagogical techniques. Around 45% of VET teachers and trainers agree that the use of e-learning has:

enabled them to facilitate a more personalised approach to learning for their students (45% vs 44% in 2009)

allowed them to better cater for their students’ different learning styles (50% vs 48% in 2009)

enabled their students to tailor learning to suit their training needs (48% vs 46% in 2009).

Fifty percent of VET teachers and trainers also reported that they encouraged greater interaction between their students through the use of technology (vs 52% in 2009).



Impact of e-learning on teachers, trainers and RTOs The 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey captured a range of information on the provision of and use of e-learning by VET teachers and trainers and training providers.

Access to online resources and materials In 2010, for the first time the E-learning Benchmarking Survey asked VET teachers and trainers about the source of any online resources and materials they used in their teaching and training activities. Three main sources stood out, each being a source of online resources and materials for around 60% of teachers and trainers.

The first was self-development or self-customisation of resources. That is, teachers and trainers are doing it for themselves, or adapting resources for their own use. This suggests a degree of self-confidence among teachers and trainers in using technology to produce materials tailored to the needs of their students. The level of response was fairly consistent across teachers and trainers from different provider types.

The second main source of resources was other areas within the organisation. This was a source of online resources for 66% of TAFE teachers and trainers, 56% of teachers and trainers in private, enterprise, industry and government providers, 42% in schools and 37% at community training providers.

The third main source of online resources, after teachers and trainers had been asked about state and territory funded/developed e-learning resources and EdNA Online, was other sources external to the organisation.

10%

12%

39%

55%

59%

61%

64%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

EdNA Online

Student developed/published resources

State/territory funded/developed e-learning resources

Self-customised online resources andmaterials

Self-developed online resources andmaterials

Other sources external to your trainingorganisation

Online resources and materialsdeveloped by others within the training

organisation

% VET teachers/trainers using resources from the following sources



Teacher/trainer attitudes to e-learning VET teaching and training practices show a generally wide-spread use of e-learning and positive attitudes to its use in a blended learning format.

62% of VET teachers/trainers said that ‘the use of e-learning has made learning more interesting for my students’ (vs 59% in 2009).

57% of VET teachers/trainers said that ‘the use of e-learning has made learning more engaging for my students’ (vs 54% in 2009).

70% of VET teachers/trainers said that ‘the use of e-learning has increased my students’ access to learning resources’ (vs 66% in 2009).

54% of VET teachers/trainers said that ‘the use of e-learning has improved my teaching practices’ (vs 51% in 2009).

While VET teachers and trainers’ attitudes to e-learning are broadly consistent with those from previous years, there is one area where teachers and trainers have over time become less confident about the impact of e-learning on training practices and outcomes. In 2010, 46% of VET teachers and trainers said that ‘the use of e-learning has improved learning outcomes for my students’. From a level of 59% in 2006, there has been a steady decline in the proportion of VET teachers and trainers who are connecting improved learning outcomes to e-learning.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

The use of e-learning has improved learning outcomes for my students

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

This may not mean that e-learning does not deliver good training outcomes for students. There is no indication from past surveys that students are dissatisfied with the quality of training they are receiving. And it may be that the normalisation of e-learning makes it more difficult to attribute incremental benefit from e-learning to ‘improved learning outcomes’ as it becomes a standard part of teaching and training activities. However, this is an issue that will be of great interest as there is more detailed analysis of teachers’ and trainers’ written survey feedback on the success of their integration of e-learning into teaching, training and assessment.



Fifty-four percent of teachers and trainers said that they were confident in using e-learning as part of their teaching/training (consistent across all provider types and states and territories except the Northern Territory – 26%), and 48% said that the use of e-learning had increased their job satisfaction (most strongly among teachers and trainers in community based training providers – 64%).

Support for e-learning Sixty-two percent of VET teachers/trainers said that ‘the use of e-learning was a priority for their training organisation’, with 46% saying that they were well supported by their RTO in using e-learning (24% were not well supported and 30% were neutral).

When asked about their access to computers and the internet for teaching and learning purposes, professional development and e-learning resources to support their use of e-learning, around 60-80% of teachers and trainers said that they had adequate levels of support. The 2010 responses showed small increases in teachers’ and trainers’ assessment of e-learning support from their RTO across most categories, with little change in perceptions of RTOs’ provision of access to professional development to support e-learning. Despite this, there are still around 15% of VET teachers and trainers who report that the support they receive for e-learning from their RTO is poor.

19%

15%

10%

9%

12%

13%

11%

20%

17%

15%

31%

26%

23%

20%

18%

17%

17%

17%

18%

19%

18%

18%

20%

20%

21%

22%

32%

34%

35%

34%

35%

35%

33%

31%

33%

31%

30%

32%

29%

16%

19%

22%

20%

21%

20%

20%

16%

17%

17%

10%

11%

12%

13%

14%

16%

20%

15%

14%

17%

15%

15%

18%

9%

10%

14%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2010

2010

2009

2008

2010

2009

2008

2010

2009

2008

2010

2009

2008

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Teachers and trainers access to …

Excellent Adequate Poor

In 2010 VET teachers in schools had more satisfactory levels of access to computers and the internet, professional development and management encouragement than their peers in TAFE, private and community training providers. Whilst the proportion of ‘positive’ responses from TAFE teachers and trainers might have been similar to their counterparts in private and community based training providers, TAFE teachers and trainers had much higher ‘negative’



response rates for access to the internet for teaching and training and encouragement from management (ie more likely to say they are receiving poor support from their RTO for e-learning).

The 2010 survey also captured information from teachers and trainers about their personal use of technology away from teaching. Mobile phones, MP3 players/iPods and Facebook were the most commonly used technologies (see Appendix 4).

E-learning strategies Forty-five percent of RTOs participating in the 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey indicated that their organisation had a business strategy that incorporated e-learning in some way. Six percent had a stand alone e-learning strategy, primarily large public training providers, but also including some very small training providers for whom e-learning is critical to their training delivery.

Thirty-four percent of RTOs incorporated e-learning into their business strategy and 5% allowed business units to develop their own e-learning strategies, both of which were more prevalent among larger providers. Small and medium sized RTOs were much more likely to say that they had no e-learning strategy, or that they did not need an e-learning strategy (often because they did not use e-learning).

These findings are almost identical to the results from the 2009 and 2008 surveys.

Stand alone e-learning strategy, 6% (8%)

E-learning is incorporated into our overall business

strategy, 34% (32%)

Business units develop own e-learning strategies,

5% (5%)

No e-learning strategy, 39% (39%)

No need for an e-learning strategy, 16% (16%)

RTOs' e-learning strategies

Note: The 2009 results are shown in (parentheses).

Technology to support business processes Online technologies are a common part of business practice for most RTOs. The 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey found that 64% of RTOs have a learning management system to support their business processes (100% of TAFEs, 50% of community based providers). Fifty-six percent of RTOs use online student management systems, 41% provide staff with access to professional development online, and 28% provide compliance training for staff online (78% of TAFEs, 14% of community based providers).

Overall, 32% of RTOs, or one in three, use web 2.0 technologies for internal communications.



Impact of e-learning in the VET system

Accessing e-learning resources From 2008, the E-learning Benchmarking Surveys have included questions on the level of access of, and contribution to, national VET learning object repositories. In 2010 these show that 50% of VET teachers/trainers have accessed materials in VET learning object repositories outside their organisation, up from 42% in 2009.

Allowing for multiple responses from teachers/trainers in a single RTO, this is roughly aligned with the 38% of RTOs that report their teachers/trainers having accessed material from national VET learning object repositories. The response to this question was higher among those RTOs with a relatively greater level of e-learning activity than those with little or no e-learning activity.

Forty-four percent of teachers/trainers have downloaded materials from national VET learning object repositories.

8%

9%

6%

10%

8%

7%

44%

50%

42%

44%

38%

38%

48%

92%

91%

94%

62%

66%

66%

56%

50%

58%

56%

32%

33%

30%

28%

26%

27%

30%

29%

22%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2010

2009

2008

2010

2009

2008

2010

2010

2009

2008

2010

2009

2008

Tea

cher

s/tr

aine

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each

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mat

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ls

National VET e-learning repositories

Yes No Don't know

Ten percent of RTOs report that teachers/trainers in their organisation have contributed to national VET learning object repositories, matched by the 8% of individual teachers/trainers who report having done this.



Vocational training and the impact of e-learning on business and industry The 2008-2011 Framework Strategy sets the platform for a greater level of engagement between training providers and employer clients through the use of e-learning. The results of the Framework’s 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey of employers are presented in a separate report available from the Framework’s E-learning Indicators website11.

The survey found that e-learning is now an integral component of training for Australian businesses. Employers are taking advantage of the flexibility of e-learning to provide timely and efficient access for employees to acquire and develop a wide range of skills and work related knowledge.

The survey of 800 employers from all states and territories, from all industry sectors and of all sizes shows that the use of e-learning in workplace continues to increase.

50% of Australian businesses use e-learning as part of structured or unstructured training they provide to their employees (up from 40% in 2009).

42% of all employers’ rated their knowledge of e-learning as 4 or 5 out of 5 (vs 41% in 2009), with an average score of 3.2 out of 5 (vs 3.0 in 2009). Ratings are even higher for employers who have had employees undertake VET through a RTO) in the past 12 months.

60% of 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 (vs 49% in 2009). Again, the response was higher among organisations which currently have employees undertaking accredited training.

85% of employers said that they would encourage their employees to use e-learning if it was available (vs 81% in 2009).

Employers who are engaged with the training system are also now more aware of and more satisfied with the e-learning services being offered by training providers.

Employers’ attitudes to e-learning are broadly consistent with findings from previous years, with a majority believing that e-learning increases people’s access to training (88%), provides flexible training for employees (85%), and is an efficient way for people to undertake training (75%). Many employers gave practical examples of the benefits of e-learning to their organisation and employees.

“Most of our employees are in remote Queensland, so it’s very difficult to get training organisations to go there. [With e-learning] a variety of different training can be undertaken and it’s a lot cheaper.”

“It’s flexible. Rather than having employees sitting in one room, they can arrange their own time and do it when it’s convenient. It’s cost effective, more flexible, and they can review it over and over again.”

“Because of the industry that I’m in [hospitality] it’s impossible to attend training without e-learning. Most of my workers have a second job during the day, so this is convenient and I can help them. Being able to sit down at a computer is very important to us.”

The 2010 survey asked employers for the first time about their attitudes to the Australian training system. Around two-thirds of employers believe that the training system provides flexible training for employees, that it is responsive to employer demand for skills, and is meeting their industry’s and their organisation’s skill needs. Feedback from the health care and education sectors was more positive than that from manufacturers.




The 2010 survey also found that employers are satisfied that their employees’ current skill levels meet existing skill requirements. Training demand is driven by the need to develop and acquire skills for future operations and business growth. The challenge for the VET system is to respond to this emerging demand pressure and to continue to flexibly support skills development in the Australian workforce.

Additional analysis This report presents the national responses to the 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey. As in past years, a series of presentations will be published on the Framework’s E-learning Indicators website that show the benchmarking data from a range of different perspectives. These will include analysis of:

survey responses by state and territory

survey responses by different provider types (eg TAFE, community, school, private and other)

VET teacher/trainer responses by age and gender

employer responses by industry sector.

There is also scope for more detailed analysis of trends in the uptake, use and impact of e-learning. With more than 2,400 VET teachers and trainers and 750 RTOs asked how they have integrated e-learning into their teaching, training and assessment, whether they have been successful in this and what are the main barriers to e-learning, there is a rich pool of information for further analysis.

Of special interest will be whether there continues to be identifiable differences in the responses of VET teachers and trainers from different VET learning areas, such as construction and automotive trades, business, health and community services, education, hospitality and tourism.



Appendix 1: Indicators of e-learning uptake, use and impact In 2004, the Framework identified 12 indicators that could be used to measure the uptake and use of e-learning and e-business in the national VET system, and measure the impact of e-learning on VET clients and VET providers. The indicators can be grouped under three broad headings.

Indicator group E-learning indicator

Uptake of e-learning

Six primary indicators of e-learning demonstrate the uptake and impact of e-learning in the VET system

1. % of VET unit enrolments that use e-learning.

2. % of VET providers offering units that use e-learning.

3. % of VET learners who, through e-learning, have increased skills and confidence in using ICT.

4. % of VET learners who, through e-learning, have or expect to have improved employment outcomes.

5. % of VET clients who believe e-learning and e-business gave them flexibility in when, where and how they engaged with VET.

6. Client satisfaction with e-learning experiences in VET.

Uptake of e-business

Three indicators relate to the uptake and impact of e-business

7. % of VET providers offering e-business client, support and administrative services.

8. % of VET clients using e-business client, support and administrative services offered by providers.

9. Client satisfaction with e-business experiences in VET.

Teaching and training practices

Three indicators address the uptake, use and impact of e-learning on VET teachers and trainers

10. % of VET teachers/trainers delivering units that use e-learning.

11. % of VET teachers/trainers who through e-learning have changed teaching practices in the design, development and delivery of units.

12. % of VET teachers/trainers who believe increased access to e-learning resources has improved teaching and learning outcomes.



Appendix 2: E-learning Benchmarking Survey methodology The methodology used in the Framework’s E-learning Benchmarking Survey has evolved over the years to increase the sample size, improve the value of the information captured, and respond to learnings about survey uptake and dissemination (as well as changing preferences for survey completion).

2005 baseline data collection In 2005 the Framework’s E-learning Benchmarking Project measured for the first time the national uptake, use and impact of e-learning in the VET system. It conducted four baseline surveys targeted at RTOs, VET students, employers with employees undertaking VET training, and VET teachers and trainers. The employer survey was conducted via computer assisted telephone interviews. The other three provider-based surveys gave respondents four different response options, with each survey able to be completed online, as an electronic form for return email, or in a print form that could be returned via mail or fax.

The surveys were approved through the Australian Government Statistical Clearing House to ensure that they did not capture information that already existed, did not represent an unnecessary or undue burden on respondents, and were methodologically sound.

The results of the 2005 baseline surveys were published on the Framework’s E-learning Indicators website12. This included breakdowns by state and territory, provider type and demographic characteristics of VET students, teachers and trainers. The results were promoted to raise awareness of the uptake of e-learning and encourage establishment of state and territory-based data collections on e-learning for long-term measurement of uptake and impact.

It was also intended that the 12 e-learning indicators could be adapted and used by individual VET providers to establish organisational goals and benchmarks for e-learning, and to assist them to establish and maintain good data systems. As a result, the 2005 E-learning Benchmarking Project developed resources and tools to enable VET providers to undertake their own e-learning benchmarking activities through surveys of their students, teachers and trainers, and employer clients.

Benchmarking from 2006 - 2009 Building on the 2005 baseline, and with some minor modifications to the survey questions, the surveys of VET providers, VET students and VET teachers and trainers were repeated in 2006. The 2006 surveys were supplemented to capture specific data on the uptake and impact of e-learning in traditional trades training.

In 2007 there were further additions to the survey questions to capture information on the factors which influence the uptake and impact of e-learning and the potential role of the Framework in supporting VET providers to implement e-learning. Changes in 2008 reflected some of the new indicators in the 2008-2011 Framework Strategy, and amendment or removal of some questions to minimise the response burden on participants. For example, questions on RTOs’ provision of e-business services to students and employers were combined; questions on students’ general attitudes to computer use, workplace skills and e-business services were removed; and some questions on teachers’ and trainers’ attitudes to use of resources and technology were revised.




In 2009 added questions in the VET student and VET teacher/trainer surveys aimed at capturing more information about the various uses of technology in different aspects of the teaching and learning process (eg learning activities, research, assessment, communication and collaboration). The surveys also included some additional response options to capture information about emerging technologies. The employer survey captured information about general provision of workplace training, not just training using e-learning.

The surveys were run during July/August each year, with response timeframes in each state and territory scheduled to avoid term breaks.

The employer survey was not repeated in 2006 as it was thought a two-year survey cycle would be more appropriate. The employer survey was repeated in 2007 and in 2009.

Each year the results of the E-learning Benchmarking Surveys have been published on the Framework’s E-learning Indicators website.

Benchmarking in 2010 The Framework’s 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey has continued the methodology adopted in previous years. Based on the findings from the 2009 survey, which found that across much of the training system it was no longer a question of if e-learning would be used, but how it would be used to deliver flexible training and improved computer skills, additional questions in the VET teacher/trainer survey explored the origin of e-learning resources, personal use of technologies and an open ended question about the way in which e-learning is being used in teaching, training and assessment. The RTO survey captured new information about the use of technology in supporting business processes, and the employer survey incorporated questions about employers’ attitudes to the training system.

Questions about the provision of e-business services by RTOs and their use by employers were dropped, the results having reached a fairly steady state in previous surveys

The employer survey was brought forward from its two year cycle in an endeavour to capitalise on what appeared from the 2009 survey to be an emerging appreciation among employers of the role of e-learning and its potential to support flexible VET. The VET student survey was not conducted in 2010, with many of the attitudinal indicators having established set levels, and the trends in uptake of e-learning being fairly well established.

Survey Monkey survey software was used with the RTO and VET teacher/trainer surveys.

As in previous years the employer survey was administered as a computer assisted telephone interview.

More information on the 2010 survey methods, the sampling frame and methodology, survey questions and response rates are included in Appendices 3 to 5, which also summarise the results of each of the surveys.

Survey responses The 2005 E-learning Benchmarking Surveys each had more than 400 responses. Increased sampling expectations in 2006 saw significant increases in the number of responses from VET students and VET teachers/trainers.

From 2007 the survey methodology encouraged TAFE institutes, to reach or exceed a minimum response threshold. This substantially increased the number of responses for the VET student and VET teacher/trainer surveys. The responses are also considered to be more representative of the broader VET sector with student and teacher/trainer surveys received from more and different VET providers than in earlier years. The number of responses received for each of the surveys is shown in the table below.

Survey Number of responses used in analysis

(number of responses received)



2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

RTOs 784 705 579 536 487 403

VET students No survey 1,685

(3,640)

1,500

(2,738)

1,121

(2,625)

875 443

VET teachers and trainers 2,058

(2,411)

1,500

(1,844)

1,400

(1,745)

1,017

(1,575)

733 478

Employers 800 801 No survey 400 No survey 400

In order to avoid biasing the sampling toward those VET providers that are more active in their recruitment of VET students and VET teachers/trainers to the surveys, random sampling of responses from some providers has been undertaken to maintain as far as possible the relative weights of different states and territories and the integrity of the overall survey response pool.

In 2010 this meant that only 85% of survey responses from VET teachers/trainers were used in the final survey analysis. The full response sets will be used, where requested and statistically valid, for state and territory and individual VET provider analysis.



Appendix 3: RTOs The RTO survey captured information from training organisations on the uptake of e-learning and the provision of e-business services.

Sampling frame and methodology The short RTO survey could be completed online, as an electronic form, or as a print survey to be returned via mail or fax. Most respondents completed the survey online.

The invitation to participate in the survey was made through an email to the Chief Executive Officer (or equivalent) of each RTO. Prizes of a Framework Toolbox, book vouchers or memory sticks were offered to encourage RTOs to complete the survey. CEOs and Directors of TAFE institutes received personalised emails as the sampling requirements for completion of the teacher/trainer survey was unique to TAFEs in each state and territory.

The population for the survey included all current RTOs. A full list of just under 5,000 RTOs was obtained from the National Training Information Service (NTIS13). In providing this list, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) advised that there may be some inaccuracies in the data contained, in particular the data related to provider classification and contact details.

The following table shows the number of responses from RTOs by provider type in each state and territory. The classification of provider type in the table below is that provided by each RTO in their survey response, and not the classification provided by NTIS (which is not consistently interpreted or recorded by different states and territories).

State/Territory TAFE Community School Private+ Total % of RTOs

NSW 10 16 3 134 163 15%

VIC 12 28 11 127 178 15%

QLD 10 8 39 174 231 16%

WA 8 1 2 72 83 15%

SA 3 4 2 45 54 17%

TAS 1 1 2 18 22 19%

NT 2 1 2 16 21 30%

ACT 1 1 2 28 32 23%

Total 47 60 63 614 784 16%

* ‘Private+’ includes private, enterprise, industry and government providers.

Survey questions The survey’s initial question asked about the number of VET unit enrolments, the proportion of these estimated to involve e-learning, the basis of this estimate, and whether they were delivered on campus, offsite and/or in the workplace. RTOs were also asked to what extent and in what way they used different types of e-learning in teaching and training activities. There were also questions about the use of national VET learning object repositories, organisational e-learning strategies, information sources, business use of technology, and the benefits of and barriers to delivering training using e-learning. RTOs were asked in which training areas they provided training.

13 National Training Information Service, http://www.ntis.gov.au



Summary results There were 784 responses received from RTOs. The results of these surveys are shown below, inserted into a copy of the survey form. Where there is a statistically significant difference from 2009 to 2010, the question is marked # (for ‘significant increase’) or ~ (for ‘significant decrease’).

Q1 How many VET unit enrolments were there at your organisation in the past 12 months?

2010 2009

What proportion of these unit enrolments do you estimate were enrolments in units that involved e-learning?

43% 39%

On what basis did you report/estimate this enrolment information?

a. Our learning management system 34% -

b. Tracking student enrolments 32% -

c. Estimate (based on other hard data) 21% -

d. Estimate (not based on hard data). 13% -

What proportion of the enrolments involving e-learning do you estimate were:

~ a. Completely delivered on campus 47% 55%

b. Completely delivered off campus 21% 21%

# c. A mix of on campus and off campus/workplace learning. 32% 24%

Q2 To what extent does your organisation use e-learning in the following ways?


11% 23% 19% 47%

a. Use of interactive learning resources in the classroom (eg web based or CD learning resources, Flexible Learning Toolboxes).

12% 23% 20% 45%

11% 22% 19% 48%

b. Use of interactive learning resources not in the classroom (eg web based or CD learning resources, Flexible Learning Toolboxes).

9% 19% 21% 51%

4% 13% 19% 64%

c. Use of Flexible Learning Toolboxes. 3% 13% 19% 65%

4% 10% 17% 69%

d. Use of mobile, voice and/or web 2.0 technologies (eg blogs, wikis). 3% 10% 16% 71%

3% 7% 13% 77%

e. Online RPL (ie online tools to gain recognition of workplace based and self-directed learning). 2% 7% 14% 77%

Q3 To what extent does your organisation use e-learning in the following training activities?


a. Accessing online learning resources. 22% 20% 19% 39% 18% 24% 17% 41%

b. Undertaking targeted internet research. 16% 24% 19% 41% 14% 26% 18% 42%

c. Undertaking learning activities. 16% 24% 18% 42% 16% 21% 20% 43%

d. Collaborative learning with other students. 6% 15% 20% 59% 7% 15% 20% 58%

e. Communicating with teachers/trainers. 16% 19% 21% 44% 14% 22% 20% 44%

f. Assessment. 11% 19% 16% 54% 10% 18% 18% 54%



Q4 In the last 12 months have teachers/trainers in your organisation:

a. Accessed materials in national VET learning object repositories? 38% 38%

b. Contributed materials to national VET learning object repositories? 10% 8%

Q5 Does your organisation have an organisation-wide e-learning strategy?

a. Stand alone e-learning strategy 6% 8%

b. E-learning is incorporated into our overall business strategy 34% 32%

c. Business units develop own e-learning strategies 5% 5%

d. No e-learning strategy 39% 39%

e. No need for an e-learning strategy 16% 16%

Q6 a. How has your organisation integrated e-learning into its delivery of training?

b. Has your organisation been successful in integrating e-learning into its delivery of training?

c. How, if at all, has e-learning contributed to improved training outcomes for your students (eg access, completions, employment)?

d. What (if any) do you believe are the three main barriers to your organisation of delivering training using e-learning?

Q7 What technology do you use to support your business processes?

a. Learning management system 64% -

b. E-portfolios 19% -

c. Online student management system 56% -

d. Online professional development for staff 41% -

e. Online compliance training for staff 28% -

f. Web 2.0 technologies for internal communication 32% -



Appendix 4: VET teachers and trainers The survey of VET teachers and trainers delivering VET units captured information on their e-learning experience, access to e-learning resources and the impact of technology on teaching practices.

Sampling frame and methodology The VET teacher and trainer survey could be completed online, as an electronic form, or as a print form to be mailed or faxed.

The population for the survey included all VET teachers and trainers, including teachers in TAFE institutes as well as trainers in private, enterprise and community-based RTOs. Although the survey targeted issues of e-learning, all VET teachers and trainers were in scope.

As there is no central list of teachers and trainers, participants were recruited through RTOs. An email was sent to the Chief Executive Officer (or equivalent) of each RTO asking them to forward information on the survey and its various response options to teachers and trainers. These were to be selected randomly, so as not to bias the sample toward those teachers and trainers known to be delivering units involving a high degree of e-learning. Prizes to the value of $150 were offered to encourage teachers and trainers to complete the survey.

All non-TAFE RTOs were asked to forward the survey and/or survey link to four VET teachers or trainers. Some smaller RTOs anticipated minimal response as they did not deliver VET units involving e-learning. While most non-TAFE RTOs chose not to participate in the surveys, some schools, community and private providers did forward the survey and teacher/trainer responses were received from more than 250 different non-TAFE RTOs (compared with a little over 150 in 2009).

TAFE institutes in New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory were asked to forward the URL to a random selection of teachers and trainers with the aim of generating at least 40 responses from each TAFE. Target numbers were lower in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory (20 each), and Tasmania (30 each). The targets were based on population distribution and the number of large public training providers in each state/territory.

TAFEs were also advised that if they were able to generate at least 30 VET teacher/trainer responses the Framework, through the 2010 Benchmarking and Research business activity, would be in a position to produce a comparative analysis of their results benchmarked against the national figures. This was intended to motivate TAFE participation in the benchmarking surveys. Twenty-six TAFEs exceeded this threshold with another 13 having 20 or more teacher/trainer responses.

Response rates RTOs adopted different dissemination strategies, with some targeting teachers/trainers across different faculties while others chose to put the link on their website and direct all teachers and trainers to the survey. As a result response numbers varied, with a maximum of 149 responses being received from one TAFE institute.

On receipt of all teacher and trainer responses, via different methods and from different RTOs, a core dataset was selected to form the basis of the analysis for the national benchmarking results. This dataset was first produced by random sampling from VET providers, where an individual provider produced more responses than were needed. [All responses from a provider may be used in producing individual RTO benchmarking summaries.] There was then further random sampling of the remaining responses where there were more responses received in a state or territory than were required to best reflect



the national VET training profile. [All responses from a state or territory may be used in producing jurisdictional benchmarking summaries.]

The overall number of VET teacher/trainer responses included in the core dataset was maximised to the extent possible, given that some states and territories were relatively underrepresented in the response rates and would have been significantly underweight if all available surveys had been used. The total number of survey responses received from VET teachers and trainers by state and territory and provider type is shown in the following tables, along with the actual number of responses used in the core dataset.

State/Territory NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS NT ACT Total

Responses received 796 559 384 268 215 65 52 72 2,411

33% 23% 16% 11% 9% 2.7% 2.2% 3.0% 100%

Responses used 669 500 382 224 151 53 34 45 1,500

33% 24% 19% 11% 7% 2.6% 1.7% 2.2% 100%

Australian population 32% 25% 20% 10% 7% 2.3% 1.0% 1.6% 100%

Provider type TAFE Community School Private+ Total

Responses received 2,057 50 72 232 2,441

85% 2% 3% 10% 100%

Responses used 1,730 46 59 223 2,058

84% 2% 3% 11% 100%

* ‘Private+’ includes private, enterprise, industry and government providers.

Survey questions As the survey was targeted at all VET teachers and trainers, communication did not overly emphasise the e-learning nature of the survey. RTOs were encouraged to seek responses from different vocational areas and classes.

The survey contained an introductory question on the delivery of e-learning. VET teachers and trainers were also asked to what extent and in what way they used different types of e-learning in teaching and training activities, and whether they accessed and used e-learning resources. There were scaled questions on access to computers, e-learning resources and professional development, and the impact of technology on teaching practices. The survey included one open-ended question on the integration of e-learning, the success of this and the barriers to use of e-learning in teaching and training. For the first time the 2010 survey asked VET teachers and trainers about their personal use of technology away from their teaching/training.

The survey captured the following demographic information on the teacher/trainer: name of training organisation, main field of teaching, teaching status, length of VET teaching experience, state/territory, gender and age.

Summary results Of the 2,411 teacher/trainer responses, 2,058 were selected for analysis of the overall teacher/trainer response to the survey. The results of these surveys are shown in the following pages, inserted in a copy of the survey form. Where a question repeated one asked in 2009, the 2009 figures are shown in smaller font and italics beside/below the 2010 responses. Where there is a statistically significant difference from 2009 to 2010, the question is marked # (for ‘significant increase’) or ~ (for ‘significant decrease’).



2010 2009

Q1. In the last 12 months have you delivered units that use e-learning? 67% 65%

Q2. In the last 12 months, to what extent have you used e-learning in the following ways?


20% 29% 24% 27%

a. Use of interactive learning resources in the classroom (eg web based or CD learning resources, Flexible Learning Toolboxes).

19% 31% 23% 27%

# 17% 27% 22% 34%

b. Use of interactive learning resources not in the classroom (eg web based or CD learning resources, Flexible Learning Toolboxes).

13% 24% 21% 42%

6% 17% 23% 54%

c. Use of Flexible Learning Toolboxes. 7% 18% 21% 54%

# 16% 21% 23% 40%

d. Structured learning-based email communication between learners and other learners or between learners and teachers/trainers.

13% 17% 21% 49%

8% 14% 18% 60%

e. Use of web 2.0 technologies (eg blogs, wikis) for learning. 9% 12% 15% 64%

5% 7% 13% 75%

f. Use of social networking technologies (eg Facebook, MySpace, Twitter). 4% 8% 12% 76%

6% 12% 20% 62%

g. Use of mobile technologies for learning, assessment or communication. 4% 10% 20% 66%

5% 9% 15% 71%

h. Use of voice technologies for learning. 5% 8% 14% 73%

2% 6% 10% 82%

i. Use of podcasting for learning. 2% 5% 11% 82%

3% 7% 12% 78%

j. Online RPL (for recognition of workplace based and self-directed learning). 2% 5% 13% 80%

k. Virtual learning environments (eg LMS). 12% 8% 10% 70%

l. Virtual worlds (eg Second Life). 1% 2% 3% 94%

m. E-portfolios. 3% 6% 12% 79%

Q3. In the last 12 months, to what extent have you used e-learning in the following teaching and training activities?


# 41% 26% 19% 14%

a. Accessing online learning resources and content. 33% 30% 19% 18%

36% 29% 17% 18%

b. Undertaking targeted internet research. 33% 29% 17% 21%

# 29% 32% 21% 18%

c. Undertaking learning activities. 24% 30% 24% 22%

# 15% 22% 23% 40%

d. Collaborative learning with other students. 11% 20% 23% 46%

27% 25% 25% 23%

e. Communicating with teachers/trainers. 24% 24% 26% 26%

f. Formative assessment. 19% 22% 20% 39%

17% 20% 20% 43%

g. Summative assessment. 19% 22% 21% 38%

h. Recognition of prior learning. 6% 11% 16% 67%



Q4. In the last 12 months have you used resources from any of the following sources?

a. Self-developed online resources and materials. 59% -

b. Self-customised online resources and materials. 55% -

# c. Online resources and materials developed by others within the training organisation.

64% 56%

d. State/territory funded/developed e-learning resources. 39% 37%

e. EdNA Online. 10% 14%

# f. Other sources external to your training organisation. 61% 45%

g. Student developed/published resources. 12% -

Q5. In the last 12 months have you …?

a. Accessed materials in national VET learning object repositories. 50% 42%

b. Downloaded materials from national VET learning object repositories. 44% -

c. Contributed materials to national VET learning object repositories. 8% 9%

Q6. Please rate your access to the following in terms of supporting your use of e-learning.

Excellent Adequate Poor

31% 20% 30% 10% 9%

a. Computers and the internet (for teaching). 26% 21% 32% 11% 10%

20% 18% 31% 16% 15%

b. Computers and the internet (for students). 17% 18% 33% 17% 15%

12% 17% 35% 21% 15%

c. E-learning resources. 10% 17% 35% 22% 16%

15% 18% 34% 19% 14%

d. Professional development. 13% 18% 35% 20% 14%

e. Encouragement from management. 19% 20% 32% 16% 13%

Briefly explain your responses.

Q7. a. How have you integrated e-learning into your teaching, training and assessment?

b. Have you been successful in integrating e-learning into your teaching, training and assessment?

c. What (if any) do you believe are the main barriers to use of e-learning ... ?

For you as a teacher/trainer

For your students

For your training organisation



Please rate your level of agreement with the statements in this question using the following scale:

SA – Strongly Agree A – Agree N – Neutral D – Disagree SD – Strongly Disagree

NA – Not Applicable

Q8. Please rate the following aspects of your e-learning experience.

SA A N D SD

19% 43% 25% 9% 4%

a. The use of e-learning is a priority for my training organisation. 20% 42% 25% 9% 4%

11% 35% 30% 17% 7%

b. I am well supported by my training organisation in using e-learning. 13% 35% 29% 15% 8%

17% 37% 24% 16% 6%

c. I am confident in using e-learning as part of my teaching/training. 18% 36% 23% 17% 6%

13% 32% 32% 17% 6%

d. The use of e-learning has enabled me to facilitate a more personalised approach to learning for my students.

14% 30% 32% 16% 8%

13% 37% 31% 14% 5%

e. The use of e-learning has allowed me to better cater for my students’ different learning styles. 14% 34% 31% 14% 7%

15% 35% 32% 14% 4%

f. I encourage greater interaction between students through the use of technology 15% 37% 31% 12% 5%

15% 39% 32% 10% 4%

g. The use of e-learning resources has improved my teaching practices. 14% 37% 32% 11% 6%

22% 48% 20% 7% 3%

h. The use of e-learning has increased my students’ access to learning resources. 20% 46% 22% 7% 5%

18% 44% 28% 7% 3%

i. The use of e-learning has made learning more interesting for my students. 18% 41% 30% 7% 4%

17% 40% 31% 9% 3%

j. The use of e-learning has made learning more engaging for my students. 17% 37% 33% 8% 5%

12% 36% 36% 13% 3%

k. The use of e-learning has enabled my students to tailor learning to suit their training needs. 14% 32% 38% 11% 5%

11% 35% 40% 10% 4%

l. The use of e-learning resources has improved learning outcomes for my students. 12% 33% 38% 11% 6%

17% 31% 34% 12% 6%

m. The use of e-learning has increased my job satisfaction. 16% 29% 34% 13% 8%

Q9.

How much e-learning do you think students want in their course?

A lot

18% 18%

Some

61% 58%

A little

17% 20%

None

4% 4%



Please rate your use of technologies in the following question with 4 = Use all the time down to 0 = Don’t use.

Q11. Please rate how much you use technologies at a personal level (away from your teaching/training).

4 3 2 1 0

a. MP3 player / iPod 19% 17% 16% 14% 34%

b. Mobile phone 56% 20% 12% 8% 4%

c. Twitter 2% 3% 4% 6% 85%

d. Facebook 13% 10% 15% 18% 44%

e. MySpace 1% 1% 2% 4% 92%

f. Write blogs 3% 3% 7% 11% 76%

g. Read other blogs 6% 8% 15% 20% 51%

h. Virtual worlds 2% 2% 3% 7% 86%



Appendix 5: Employers The survey of employers captures information about their provision of training to employees, the use of e-learning in this training, their knowledge of e-learning and e-business and their attitudes to e-learning.

Sampling frame and methodology The original survey of employers’ attitudes to and experiences of e-learning in VET was conducted in 2005. The computer-assisted telephone survey, conducted on behalf of the Framework by I & J Management Services using the market research capabilities of Chant Link & Associates, randomly contacted employers by telephone based on information available through telephone and business directories. Screening questions were used to select only employers with employees who had undertaken accredited training in the preceding 12 months. Quotas were set to capture information from businesses in line with the state and territory distribution of the Australian population, with minimum quotas set in Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory to allow for publication of results in all states and territories.

The survey of employers was repeated in 2007 with some refinements to the survey questions to capture additional quantitative and qualitative information on employers’ attitudes toward flexibility in training and the value of ICT skills in the workplace.

To reflect the changed emphasis of the 2008-2011 Framework Strategy, the 2009 and 2010 employer surveys were restructured to capture information on training approaches and attitudes to e-learning from all employers, not just those who are formally engaged with the VET system through a RTO.

The 2009 employer survey included additional questions related to the provision of structured and unstructured training by employers and their own use of e-learning. It doubled the sample of employers, to include 400 who had employees undertaking VET through RTOs, and 400 who did not have employees undertaking training with a RTO.

The 2010 employer survey adopted the same sampling methodology as in 2009. It included additional questions on the performance of the Australian training system in meeting industries’ skills needs and employers’ access to e-learning resources, and removed questions related to awareness, access and use of e-business services provided by RTOs. The 2010 survey had seven key elements (as shown in the following table).

Screening questions

1. Identification of a person responsible for employee VET (including in-house training and accredited training delivered through a TAFE or other RTO).

2. Agreement to participate in an 8 to 12 minute telephone survey.

3. Determination of whether the business had recently had an employee undertaking VET through an RTO as part of their employment.

Part A Questions related to the types of structured and unstructured training used by the organisation and its employees’ skill levels (Q1 to Q3).

Part B Questions related to the use of e-learning and e-learning training resources in provision of structured and unstructured training by employers (Q4 to Q9).

Part C Questions related to attitudes to the Australian training system and acquisition of skills (Q10).

Part D Questions related to attitudes to e-learning (Q11 to Q12).

Part E Questions related to knowledge of and satisfaction with e-learning provided by their RTO (Q13 to Q17).

Part F Questions related to the size, location and industry of the organisation (Q18 to Q22).



The third screening question was used to filter questions each respondent received. Where a business had recently had an employee undertaking accredited training through a RTO the respondent was asked all questions in Parts A to F. Where the business had not recently had an employee undertake accredited training the respondent was only asked the questions in Parts A to D and Part F (ie not Part E).

By using this approach the survey was able to capture standard information from all businesses that agreed to participate in the survey. Additional information on e-learning provided by RTOs was then captured (in Part E) from those businesses that had recent experience with the VET system.

Response rates Sample sizes were set at a total of 800 respondents, of which 400 had recent experience with the VET system. This compared with the samples in the early years of the survey which only went to 400 businesses with recent experience with the VET system.

Sample size State/Territory

2005 (VET)

2007 (VET)

2009* (VET)

2009* (full)

2010 (VET)

2010 (full)

2010 (full)

NSW 109 107 158 282 113 210 26%

VIC 80 74 101 189 75 150 19%

QLD 60 60 70 147 60 120 15%

WA 40 39 29 74 38 80 10%

SA 27 31 25 67 29 60 7.5%

TAS 28 30 9 (23) 20 (50) 32 60 7.5%

NT 29 30 2 (25) 7 (50) 26 60 7.5%

ACT 27 29 6 (25) 15 (50) 27 60 7.5%

Total 400 400 400 801 400 800 800

* In 2009, the interviewers initially surveyed employers to fill sampling quotas based on the proportion of the Australian population in each state and territory. Additional sampling beyond the 800 threshold was undertaken to ensure that were sufficient results for analysis and publication of both ‘VET’ and ‘full’ results for every state and territory, including TAS, NT and ACT. These additional responses were not included in the ‘national’ results shown in the 2009 Employer E-learning Benchmarking Survey report.

Summary results The survey captured standard information about each employer’s:

industry sector

number of employees

number of employees who would have undertaken VET through a RTO in the past 12 months

state or territory of main business location.

The results of the employer survey are shown in the following pages, inserted in a copy of the survey script. Where relevant, results from the 2009 survey are shown in italicised small font.



Instr. I would like to ask you some questions about the structured and unstructured training provided by your organisation to your employees.

Q1 What types of training are used by your organisation?

1. Vocational qualifications. [Note: Certificate III, Diploma etc] Yes 60% 51%

2. Apprenticeship or traineeship. Yes 48% 37%

3. Nationally recognised training. [Note: training that leads to a nationally recognised qualification, can include whole courses or components of a course]

Yes 63% 51%

4. Unaccredited formal training. [Note: Training that does not lead to a nationally recognised qualification. It is structured training and can include short courses, product training, and industry specific or technical training]

Yes 74% 59%

5. Unaccredited informal training. [Note: Unstructured ad hoc training that does not lead to a nationally recognised qualification]

Yes 86% 68%

Q2 Above what is required 35% 41%

Adequate 58% 52%

Below what is required 5% 5%

Overall, how would you rate the current skill level of your employees relative to the current needs of the organisation? Is the current skill level.

Can’t say 2% 2%

Q3 Above what is required 25% -

Adequate 60% -

Below what is required 12% -

Overall, how would you rate the current skill level of your employees relative to the future needs of the organisation? Is the current skill level.

Can’t say 3% -

Instr. I would now like to ask you some questions about e-learning. E-learning uses electronic media such as the internet, computer-based, mobile and voice technologies to deliver flexible vocational education and training.

Q4 Using a 1-5 scale where 5 is “very knowledgeable” and 1 is “very little knowledge”, overall how knowledgeable would you say you are about e-learning?

3.2

3.0

Q5 Does the structured training (ie short courses, product training, technical training etc) provided by your organisation involve e-learning?

Yes

40%

No

57%

NA

3%

35% 60% 5%

If ‘Yes’, approximately what percentage of structured training provided by your organisation involves e-learning?

28%

36%

Q6 Does the unstructured training (ie ad hoc onsite training) provided by your organisation involve e-learning?

Yes

30%

No

67%

NA

3%

24% 71% 5%

If ‘Yes’, approximately what percentage of structured training provided by your organisation involves e-learning?

29%

35%

Instr. Skip Q7-8 for those who said ‘no’ at Q5 and Q6

Q7 What training does your organisation deliver via e-learning?

Q8a Have the e-learning resources used by your organisation been developed within your organisation?

Yes

49%

No

50%

Don’t know

1%

Q8b Have the e-learning resources used by your organisation been developed by a RTO?

Yes

54%

No

37%

Don’t know

9%

Q8c Have the e-learning resources used by your organisation been developed by an external organisation that is not an RTO?

Yes

35%

No

52%

Don’t know

13%

Q9 Do you think that there will be increased use of e-learning in training provided by your organisation in the next two years?

Yes

60%

No

32%

Don’t know

8%

49% 43% 8%



Instr. For each of the following statements please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each using the following scale: SA – Strongly Agree, A – Agree, N – Neutral, D – Disagree, SD – Strongly Disagree, (DK – Don’t know / refused / NA).

Q10 Thinking about the Australian training system generally, to what extent do you agree or disagree that:

%s given as % of defined responses (excl. DK) SA A N D SD DK

10a The training system provides flexible training for employees.

13% 59% 21% 7% 0% (6%)

10b The training system is responsive to employer demand for skills.

8% 58% 19% 13% 2% (6%)

10c The training system is meeting my industry’s skill needs.

8% 55% 15% 19% 3% (5%)

10d The training system is meeting my organisation’s skill needs.

7% 57% 17% 17% 2% (5%)

Thinking about your organisation’s education and training experience, to what extent do you agree or disagree that:

10e 50% 48% 1% 1% 0% (0%)

Employees should be able to do some of their training in the workplace. 41% 54% 2% 2% 1% (1%)

10f 30% 41% 9% 19% 1% (0%)

All people in the workforce need good computer skills. 23% 42% 12% 20% 3% (1%)

10g 25% 40% 24% 11% 0% (2%)

Employees learn better face-to-face than when using computers. 28% 40% 22% 8% 2% (4%)

Q11 Thinking about e-learning and your organisation’s education and training experience, to what extent do

you agree or disagree that:

%s given as % of defined responses (excl. DK) SA A N D SD DK

11a 20% 65% 9% 5% 1% (4%)

E-learning is more flexible training for employees.

22% 42% 23% 10% 3% (7%)

11b E-learning improves employees’ computer skills. 13% 62% 14% 10% 1% (5%)

23% 49% 14% 12% 2% (7%)

11c E-learning improves employees’ general skill levels. 6% 64% 21% 8% 1% (5%)

12% 54% 18% 14% 2% (8%)

11d 6% 44% 34% 15% 1% (7%)

E-learning improves employees’ work performance and productivity. 8% 44% 28% 17% 3% (9%)

11e 15% 60% 16% 8% 1% (4%)

E-learning is an efficient way for people to undertake training. 15% 53% 19% 10% 3% (5%)

11f E-learning increases people’s access to training. 20% 68% 8% 4% 0% (4%)

11g 9% 50% 24% 16% 1% (10%)

E-learning reduces the time it takes people to get qualifications.

11h 12% 56% 23% 9% 0% (7%)

I would recommend e-learning to other employees and employers. 15% 49% 21% 13% 2% (9%)

11i 5% 30% 20% 41% 4% (5%)

In the future all training programs will involve e-learning. 8% 30% 22% 35% 5% (7%)

Q12 Would you encourage your employees to use e-learning if it was available? Yes 85%

Why? OR Why not? 81%

For employers who have currently, or have had in the past, 12 months an employee undertaking VET through an RTO as part of their employment.

Q13 What is the name of your training provider (if more than one, think of main provider)?



Q14 Using a 1-5 scale where 5 is “very knowledgeable” and 1 is “very little knowledge”, overall how knowledgeable would you say you are about e-learning offered by your training provider?

2.9

2.6

Q15 Using a 1-5 scale where 5 is “very satisfied” and 1 is “very dissatisfied”, overall how satisfied would you say you are with e-learning offered by your training provider?

3.1

3.0

Q16 Would you prefer your training provider to deliver more training using e-learning? Yes 42%

43%

Q17 Yes 66%

Would you try to influence your training provider to deliver more flexible training to your employees? 61%



Contact details

For more information on the Benchmarking and Research business activity:

Annie Fergusson

Phone: (08) 8226 0803

Fax: (08) 8226 2366

Email: [email protected]

Website: flexiblelearning.net.au/e-learningindicators

For more information on the Australian Flexible Learning Framework:

Phone: (07) 3307 4700

Email: [email protected]

Website: flexiblelearning.net.au

2010 e-learning benchmarking survey final report · 2016. 10. 3. · 2010 e-learning benchmarking...

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