September 15 and 23 Induction sessions: ideas for possible projects

Jill starts: 

I really enjoyed meeting the new project participants today, and, of course, seeing a few who are continuing from last year.

In the short time available to brainstorm the vast realm of everything 'e', we mapped our different students and contexts, identifying immediate needs and a range of 'wish list' skills and possible projects.

Centres and course covered: vocational and pre-vocational certificates, VCAL, ESL Certificates and a range of short courses (too numerous to mention). Needs included:

• communication technology for web conferencing (online staff meetings, verification meetings, VCE holiday intensives, PD drop-in, skill-focused workshop)
• some sort of course management system (CMS) for secure e-lodgement of assessments (eg. Moodle, Wikispace with custom permissions,

Getting started

Consider your e-learning needs

First thing to do is take a look at your own teaching/learning or centre/course management practices and decide where and how you may want to improve them using e-learning strategies such as:

• networking with others in your field
• communicating in real time online
• storing and sharing resources
• creating or sourcing innovative learning resources
• exploring relevant web 2.0 tools for specific purposes
• getting help with an e-learning project
• setting up a learning management system

e-learning adventures in the North-West

So it's time to set off on some new journeys and adventures. Here in the North-West metro region of Melbourne, we're welcoming a huge nine new organisations and two continuing organisations on board for the 2011-12 e-learning mentor projects.


The organisations are:

• Australian Multicultural Community Services
• Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre (CNLC) *
• Carringbush Adult Education Inc
• Djerriwarrh Employment and Education Services
• Lalor Living & Learning Centre Inc.
• Laverton Community Integrated Services Inc.
• Living & Learning Nillumbik
• Meadow Heights Learning Shop Inc
• SPAN Community House *
• Wingate Avenue Community Centre
• Yarraville Community Centre

* Centres continuing from 2011.


We've decided to establish this blog as a platform for sharing resources and for e-leaders and e-travellers from each organisation to reflect on their progress in a truly collaborative environment.

E-projects in 2010: 'North West Cafe' opens for business

Just to give an idea of what happened last year, the following organisations participated:

ACE NING North west Cafe Group

• Olympic Adult Education (OAE)
• Australian Vietnamese Women's Association (AVWA)
• Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre (CNLC)
• Span Community House (in Thornbury)
• Yooralla (Flinders Lane, City of Melbourne)
• Thornbury Women's Neighbourhood House (TWNH)
• Diamond Valley Learning Centre (DVLC)

Participants explored a number of tools via the Victoria-wide web conferencing workshops that we conducted on: wiki for content management, Moodle course management, voice technologies and Flip video. We also arranged some site visits to come out and discuss projects and assist with specific tasks. We had a group in the ACE NING, a virtual meeting place like this, but with a Forum and a few other additional features.