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The growth of information, communications technology and advanced technology increases access to education and training for people in non-metropolitan Australia. However, access in non-metropolitan Australia brings with it its own barriers, including cost, physical provision of reliable equipment and infrastructure, long download times, and the difficulties of accessing technical support. There is limited knowledge about the extent of participation in online learning. This National Research Evaluation Committee (NREC) funded study is undertaken in two stages. The first stage, reported on in this paper, investigates the extent of uptake of online delivery in regional areas compared to metropolitan areas using quantitative data from providers in four States. Stage two will investigate the benefits and barriers of online delivery and learning for those living in regional areas and the benefits to regional communities that online learning may deliver by interviewing students, teachers and community members.

Published abstract. The two volume report of this research project, 'Learning online: benefits and barriers in regional Australia' by Sue Kilpatrick and Helen Bound, is indexed at TD/TNC 73.17 and TD/TNC 73.18.

The collection of papers is indexed at TD/TNC 73.601. Individual papers are indexed from TD/TNC 73.602 to TD/TNC 73.621. Show less

Community partnerships add value to educational programs through an emphasis on consultation and collaboration. This article is an illustration of such a collaborative educational program which takes place at Port Macquarie Community College (PMCC) and is a network of community agencies centred around an adult education college which contributed to the success of a regional youth program. Other local services were able to participate in providing a support and safety network which is important for the program’s continued success.

This article is one of a number of articles presented in the section entitled ‘Teaching in partnership with the community’. These articles are indexed from TD/NSW 73.01 to TD/NSW 73.06 and at TD/NSW 73.08 and TD/NSW 73.11. Show less

‘Shaping our future: Australia’s national strategy for vocational education and training 2004-2010’ (indexed at TD/LMR 85.685) is the Australian government and industry’s collective strategy to ensure: ‘industry will have a highly skilled workforce to support strong performance in the global economy; employers and individuals will be at the centre of VET; communities and regions will be strengthened economically and socially through learning and employment; and that Indigenous Australians will have skills for viable jobs and their learning culture will be shared’. As part of the process in developing this strategy, the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) commissioned the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) to undertake a series of meta-analyses of research on 12 different vocational education and training (VET) topics. This report is the meta-analysis concerned with developing the role of VET in regard to social capital in communities and regions. Social capital refers to social attributes of a community that provide it with a ‘wealth’ beyond that of human capital, physical or financial assets, or natural resources. There is a strong focus on TAFE throughout the report, with a look at the role it plays in building social capital, and key challenges and future directions for: communities; policy makers; management; TAFE and other providers.

The 12 meta-analyses from this strategy are indexed from TD/ANTA 80.06 to TD/ANTA 80.17 Show less

The paper provides the outcomes of a small scale comparative research project, carried out in the Netherlands and in England. The research focuses on the current remit of colleges to change and improve practice and become much more flexible in their engagement with employers, to provide programmes and training needed by them and the economy. Some of the assumptions are challenged in the light of responses by college principals, senior staff and governors in England and in the Netherlands. This initial research will form the basis for a more in-depth comparative study of the role of colleges in local and regional economic development through engagement with employers. Colleges in England have been urged to engage in numerous agendas in the past and the paper examines whether Colleges intend to change practice and if so, how. The number of colleges in the Netherlands was drastically reduced through the creation of regionally based Centres. The paper provides findings on how a number of such regional colleges engage with the workforce development agenda and how this might be different from the English approach.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This LSRN Regional Project takes as its starting point the current literature available on the experiences of learners on Modern Apprenticeships. The findings of a recent Learning and Skills Council (LSC)-commissioned audit of Modern Apprenticeships in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region are considered, and the paper describes how the research group went on to select the specific focus for a piece of qualitative research to investigate learner perspectives. One-to-one semi-structured interviews by practitioner-researchers were used to gather views from more than 35 learners in the region, in colleges, workplaces and through the Connexions service. The interview data was analysed centrally using Atlas ti software and a team-based interpretative approach. This paper describes the findings from these interviews, and the recommendations for regional practitioners and policy makers, and how these are to be taken forward. Finally, the wider implications of the study in national terms will be offered for discussion.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This chapter is part of a collection that seeks to provide insight into the ‘new economy’ in which value is based on knowledge and human capital. The theme is that knowledge networks and learning are crucial to the global economy. The chapter examines regional economic development, learning networks, and systems of innovation in Europe. Insights from government-directed regional policies aimed at fostering innovation and economic development through collective learning and institutional innovation rather than basic infrastructure provision are discussed. An initiative of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the regional innovation strategy (RIS), is explained as a tool to ‘translate knowledge into regional GDP [gross domestic product]’ and a means of helping regions to help themselves. The impact of RIS projects is highlighted and a case study illustrates how the theoretical concepts of social capital, the learning region, and external economies of scale have been used and enriched by the development and implementation of a RIS in the West Midlands of England.

The volume from which this chapter is taken is indexed at TD/TNC 77.632. Selected individual chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 77.633 to TD/TNC 77.637. Show less

This chapter is part of a collection that seeks to provide insight into the 'new economy' in which value is based on knowledge and human capital. The theme is that knowledge networks and learning are crucial to the global economy. The chapter emphasises the role of knowledge in development processes. The importance of knowledge generation and access for regional transformation towards the information economy is highlighted. Also influential in this regional transformation are mutually beneficial relationships between companies, educational institutions, local governments, labour markets, communities, entrepreneurs, infrastructure, and financial resources. The increasing integration of regional and global networks is noted. The authors argue that strategies based on high technology are not appropriate for all regions and that there are other ways to increase innovation in regionally based organisations. Two crucial conditions for the generation of knowledge and innovation are proposed: imagination and creativity; and analytical ability.

The volume from which this chapter is taken is indexed at TD/TNC 77.632. Selected individual chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 77.633 to TD/TNC 77.637. Show less

The Local Learning and Employment Partnership (LLEP) was a community based project supported by the Western Australian Department of Education and Training. The LLEP aimed to provide a forum that brought together the resources of key stakeholders, including education and training providers, government agencies, local government authorities, community groups and individuals to address the needs of 15-19-year-olds. Four pilot programs in four regions were funded to achieve the best possible learning and employment outcomes for young people: the Midwest, Peel, Joondalup and Great Southern.

This environmental scan was commissioned by the Midwest Local Learning Employment Partnership in July 2003. The scan uses existing data sources to map employment education and training in the Midwest Gascoyne regions. A series of consultations were also undertaken with stakeholders in centres across the Midwest and Gascoyne Regions. Overall the Scan is designed to provide baseline data to assist the Midwest LLEP, and with its stakeholders with its program planning, development and implementation.

The report is presented in five sections: section one has a summary and the introduction; section two provides and overview of the region and its people including statewide trends and patterns relevant to the Midwest LLEP; section three provides an overview of education, training and employment provision across the region; section four summarises information from a number of regional and local studies that shed light on the concerns, aspirations and needs of young people and describes the findings of a series of consultations undertaken with community services providers across the region; and section five discusses the major findings and their implications and highlights major strategic actions for the Midwest LLEP.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

This study sought to examine the factors that influence the uptake, effectiveness, benefits and barriers of online learning in regional Australia. The research aims were to determine: whether there were different drivers of choice in rural and regional Australia from those affecting providers and learners in metropolitan Australia; whether the generic problems identified in other research into online program provision and learning were exacerbated by being at a distance from metropolitan centres; how online alternatives had been exploited by vocational education and training (VET) providers and learners in regional areas; and the extent to which flexible learning options with an online component are viable options for providers and users in regional areas. Barriers that were identified include inadequate or inappropriate infrastructure, lack of appropriate materials, ineffective/inappropriate delivery platforms, access to skilled staff and lack of coordination in the development of policy and platforms between state and national authorities. Learners expected to benefit from convenience, flexibility and choice but were concerned about lack of contact with other learners, time of response to queries, difficulties with the technology or technology failure and lack of time management skills. Show less

This paper was the keynote address presented at the SEAMEO VOCTECH's Expert's Meeting held in Brunei Darussalam between April 7-9, 2003. It states the SEAMEO VOCTECH Centre's position as the second five-year development plan nears completion and highlights the issues, problems and challenges in the region as well as the global challenges in the vocational and technical education and training (VTET) arena. The paper concludes with considerations for the third five-year development plan, proposing that the plan must be 'SMART: Specific-Measurable-Achievable-Realistic-Time-bound'.

The collection of keynote and inspirational papers is indexed at TD/TNC 74.370; selected papers are indexed at TD/TNC 74.371 and TD/TNC 74.372. Show less