Preparing for flexible delivery: Learners and their workplaces

Purpose

While the flexible delivery of training in workplaces is widely acknowledged as a powerful tool to aid the development of skills and knowledge, there is evidence both from research and practice that some barriers to its successful implementation exist. These barriers can be identified in two major areas.

First, the research literature and anecdotal evidence clearly identifies that learners in workplaces may not always be ready for the self-directed forms of learning that underpin successful flexible delivery. There is evidence that learner preferences are predominantly for instructor-led programs of instruction engaged with in social environments. There is also evidence that the detailed strategies of self-directed learning may not be well developed in these learners.

Second, there is also research and anecdotal evidence that enterprises are not necessarily clear about the sorts of processes and policies they need to have in place to support effective flexible delivery. There are issues associated with the value placed on flexible learning within enterprises - its competition with production imperatives and the accessibility of human, physical and learning resources needed to support flexible learning. There are also issues relating to the new skills that trainers and supervisors may need to acquire to develop and support flexible learners.

This research was designed to identify strategies that may be available to support learner development and workplace development, and that are feasible for implementation in operating workplaces faced with different sets of competing priorities. In addition, the research was designed to provide a basis for making suggestions for the implementation of feasible strategies. The report provides a number of suggestions of strategies and their implementation.

Method

The research was conducted in 12 different enterprises within Victoria. The 12 enterprises represented a range of size and industry sector, with some enterprises located in the metropolitan area of Melbourne, and others located in regional cities. Geographic spread of the enterprise was also a variable in the research, with some being contained entirely on one site, and others distributed across wide geographic areas within Victoria and across Australia.

Our research was based on the experience with flexible delivery of enterprises and their personnel. For that reason, all enterprises contributing to the research were already well-disposed towards flexible delivery, and had implemented it in one way or another. That is an acknowledged limitation in this research.

In each enterprise our method was to interview the manager who had overall responsibility for training. In some enterprises the training manager's role was dedicated only to training. In other enterprises training responsibility was a part of a wider set of responsibilities, normally associated with human resources. In smaller enterprises the training responsibility was part of an even broader set of responsibilities. The interviews were designed to elicit information on strategies that training managers saw as being feasible for implementation in their enterprise; those they saw as feasible but their view was qualified; and strategies they identified as difficult for implementation, and probably not feasible within the context of their enterprise.

We also conducted focus groups with supervisors of staff and trainers in enterprises. Those focus group sessions were designed to elicit information on the feasibility of strategies for implementation at the workplace level, and to learn from those supervisors the strategies that they used to support learners in flexible delivery environments.

Results

Flexible delivery was largely implemented by enterprises through the provision of a range of learning opportunities that included on-the-job observation, practice and mentoring, access to learning resources, and access to external training provision where that was seen as necessary.

Results of the study indicate a number of broad strategies considered feasible by enterprises. These strategies relate to the development of new knowledge in a framework of existing knowledge and workplace practice; and the provision of access to other people in the organisation to assist learners in knowledge and skill development. Provision of structured observation and demonstration was considered feasible, but assistance to learners in the development of the skills of self-directed enquiry were not considered feasible. It was generally assumed that learners have those skills already.

The provision of a range of learning opportunities and learning resources was common among enterprises, with these features being more developed among larger enterprises or those with geographically distributed workforces. There was acknowledgement of individual differences in learning styles and instructional preferences. Enterprises catering to these differences normally did so by making a range of possibilities available from which learners could make limited selections. Communities of practice were engaged by all enterprises, and some had developed intentional communities of practice designed to support particular individuals, or the development of particular skill and knowledge sets.

The involvement of learners in identifying their own learning goals and learning activities was considered more feasible at higher levels of enterprises than at lower levels. More liberal, rather than vertically organised learning networks were apparent at higher levels, associated with greater learner autonomy at those higher levels. The tension between production time and learning time was clear, particularly at lower levels of organisations. That tension was acknowledged and managed where an enterprise agreement (EA) specified training or time-out for training.

Feasible strategies for workplace development of flexible delivery support were identified in the area of training policy that included statements of the value of training to the enterprise, the forms of training and assessment available, the provision of learning resources and 'expert others' to assist, and the availability of external training. Strategies relating to time-out for training were more qualified in terms of level of staff to be trained, and the arrangements within enterprise agreements and production schedules.

Factors that were shown to be related to the feasibility of given strategies in enterprises concerned the availability of time, perceived skills of supervisors, and the forms of learning network acknowledged as present and encouraged. Variations were also related to size, geographic distribution, and the level of formality in the enterprise structure, procedures, and expected training outcomes.

Conclusions and suggested directions

The literature review indicated that those workplaces which have developed an effective training environment are characterised by the following:

• development of articulated training policy that indicates the valuing of learning and learners
•  implementation of training structures that provide access to identified trainers and other personnel, and space in the production schedule to enable learning to occur
• skilling training staff to support:
  • development and management of self-directed learning
  • acquisition of needed skills and knowledge
  • engagement in the community of practice at the workplace to support authentic learning
  • availability of learning resources-human, physical, courseware

The research showed that a majority of the strategies identified are feasible for implementation in enterprises; others are supported only in a qualified way; and a small number were perceived as largely infeasible. Clearly, a sufficient number of the strategies for learner preparation and workplace preparation were considered feasible for enterprises to select from a wide range of strategies that will enhance their experiences with flexible delivery. These strategies and suggestions for implementation are shown in detail in the final chapter of this report.

Apart from the detail of those strategies and their implementation, several broad suggestions can also be made.

Further research

It is important to recognise that this research which addresses strategies for the development of learners and their workplaces to enable them to participate more effectively in flexible delivery is one of a very small number of research projects. We recommend that the research be extended in its scope with further enterprises, and that the issues of support be investigated at greater depth than we have been able in one project.

There are limitations in the present research due to the selection of only a limited number of enterprises that were already experienced with flexible delivery. There are also limitations in our methods such that research employing different methodologies could be effectively carried out to provide further data.

Development of self-directed learning skills

In the development of policy at vocational education and training (VET) authority level, and of funding arrangements to support policy, ongoing attention should be paid to the development of processes that will enhance the readiness of workplace learners for flexible delivery. Specifically, there is a need for the development of programs that will assist learners and their trainers with the development of self-directed learning skills.

We acknowledge that VET authorities at both Commonwealth and State levels are aware of these issues, and have already taken steps to investigate them and to develop appropriate measures. The same is true of VET research organisations such as the National Research and Evaluations Committee. However, the increasing interest in the provision of online programs of training necessitates a vigorous pursuit of the development of programs to facilitate self-directed learning, to ensure that the expenditure in these new developments provides for good returns to investment in terms of training participation and outcomes.

Developing systems within enterprises

Vigorous attention should also be paid to developing systems within enterprises to assist in the successful support of flexible delivery through adequate policy, process, resources and training management and delivery. There is a need for more to be done with and for enterprises to provide adequate support for the development of effective strategies. Such work needs to be undertaken at VET authority level and at enterprise levels.

Again, it is acknowledged that there is already interest and support provided in this area through a number of different projects. At the enterprise level, however, there is need for very practical support in the development of these support strategies. There also appears to be a need for enterprises to consider the importance of the training efficiency and lifelong learning that can result from processes that supplement vertically driven training systems with more liberal learner-controlled systems that develop a greater sense of ownership.

Workplace training programs

Attention should be directed to the programs available to trainers and supervisors which facilitate the development of skills in workplace training. Increasing the attention paid to self-directed learning, enquiry, needs identification and self-directed learning activities in programs such as the Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment would be a useful and practical step towards the development of required trainer skills.

It is acknowledged that, to some degree, the current certificate IV already addresses these issues through a number of modules, but a strengthening of this emphasis in a context of an expectation of greater commitment to flexible delivery through new technology-mediated delivery processes is advisable.

Business opportunities for registered training organisations

Registered training providers, both public and private, should investigate the business opportunities that may exist for them in the development of consultancy skills and programs to assist learners and workplaces in their attempts to become better prepared for flexible delivery.

Currently, considerable business opportunities exist for registered training organisations (RTOs) and similar training institutions to assist enterprises with the development of flexible learning materials and resources, and technology-mediated systems of delivery. Considerable opportunities also exist for the development of resources to underpin training packages and other enterprise training outside the scope of training packages. Consulting firms, private RTOs, and public providers, such as technical and further education (TAFE) institutes and universities have responded to calls from the marketplace. Many of these organisations also possess the skills to assist enterprises to develop policies, processes and skills to support flexible learning, and may find commercial value in doing so.