Legislation+Gas+Course

=**WA10EL498 - Legislation Gas Course**= =Executive Summary= The aim of this project was to deliver the compulsory legislation component of the Alternative Fuel courses online. This module was developed with the approval of the Office of Energy Safety and provides links to source information, the latest online copyrighted Australian Standards and Regulations, links to the EnergySafety website and other reputable sites.

Students could access vital, up-to-date information on regulation changes and upcoming events via this module. Students were also able to complete the legislation component and be assessed online prior to attending the course. Delivering the legislation component online reduces the number of face-to-face contact hours and will therefore better meet the needs of industry, with the possibility of regional opportunities.

=Background= Industry is pushing for a mobile course that is flexible and efficient for their staff.

The target group was mainly automotive heavy mechanics and apprentices that did not have a background or experience with the use of LNG on a mobile engine or the required legislation requirements and mature age technicians and trades people wanting to upgrade their skills and become more marketable in the automotive and transport industry.

The online training format enables students to complete the compulsory legislation before participating in the gas training, hence meeting the needs of industry. Currently, legislation is localised to WA but is soon to be a national standard. In the past, the face-to-face legislation component took approx 10 hours in a 40 hour course and was self paced. The format of this module was therefore readily adaptable to an online format. The content involves complex information which was highly standardised via the online format and provides links to the latest Australian Standards and Regulations. The online format reduces the number of face-to-face contact hours. An important advantage of this online format is the possibility of gaining extra students from different gas permit classes who also need to complete this training.

The Gas Legislation Act is a legal document, using complex legal terminology that can be confusing given the main participants in this unit are mature age students that are not used to study and bookwork. The legislation delivery was improved by designing a format that simplified the document for clients, therefore increasing student understanding of the Act. EnergySafety requires an applicant of a Gas Permit to demonstrate a high level of understanding of the Act. The online format has been approved by EnergySafety and they are satisfied with the online format, meeting the strict criteria for assessment.

=What was done= The Legislation online course was designed to be completed before attending face-to-face delivery of the selected gas course at Polytechnic West. Four gas courses were scheduled in the period the project was running with the potential of 60 learners.

The program eXe was used to develop the learning modules. These modules were then uploaded onto the Polytechnic West Online website. Different assessment methods were used within the learning modules within the eXe platform. Final assessments were then to be completed on Moodle once the learning modules were completed.



In house trials were conducted by fellow lecturers with no experience within the Alternative Fuels area. The aim of these trials was to check that content and operation of the platform was suitable for this client group.

Two of courses were involved in the student trials with 12 learners. These included students from rural areas and interstate.

The first trial was conducted face to face to test the operation of Polytechnic protocols and ease of access to the site. A number of faults were corrected with the second trial then being successfully delivered with participants accessing the site from home or work.

=Benefits experienced by Polytechnic West= Learners: Lecturers:
 * The learners were able to participate in the course – breaks up a highly confusing legal document of 10 hours training.
 * The participants were able to do it in their own time in a controlled interactive standardised format
 * Added features were exposing them to online resources they would otherwise been not aware of.
 * Face-to-face delivery time shortened– decreased the amount the time in this mode of delivery (However, lecturer time in responding to queries etc have not been decreased in the overall administering of the course by lecturer.)
 * Less marking in regards to assessments, two out of the three assessments are self marking and self explanatory with feedback automatically given to participants.

=Lessons learnt= The online delivery still requires extensive lecturers support in these early developement stages. Further time is needed to iron out operating protocols and developing suitable guidelines for users.

There was limited knowledge within the organisation to draw on in the operation, use and management of eXe.

=The results= The project has proved to be very successful. Initial trials highlighted amendments that were required to be made to structure of both the course content and assessment methods.

=Project Outputs= The project developed a user friendly and facilitator friendly platform that can be adapted to suit other units in the gas courses.

Energy Safety requires an applicant of a Gas Permit to demonstrate a high level of understanding of the //Legislation Act//. Therefore, the online format once approved by Energy Safety will provide this evidence in a highly standardised format, meeting the strict criteria for assessment.

=Reflections and suggestions=
 * Initial setup of the menu system in eXe takes planning before creating course content. Time was taken moving pages, content to get a flowing menu.
 * YouTube was a great resource when learning the functions of eXe.
 * Due to the complexities of the information, participants suggested a workbook to supplement the online content so they could reference and take notes.

=Framework connection= The national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework funds and supports [|E-learning Innovations] projects which aim to embed e-learning into the national training system by supporting and enabling innovation in training design and delivery, at the state and territory level.

The three units are part of the compulsory requirements set by EnergySafety WA prior the delivery of a units of competency from a training package skill set //AUR303505 Certificate III in Automotive Specialist Gas//.

In engaging in this E-learning Innovations project, the following Framework products and resources were =Acknowledgement= This is a West Australian [|E-learning Innovations] project output, developed by Polytechnic West, with seed funding from the Framework.
 * Viewed example of projects
 * Standards



=For more information=

Simon Cruise Lecturer Polytechnic West Phone: (08) 9267 7455 Email: simon.cruise@polytechnic.wa.edu.au Phone: (07) 3307 4700 Email: enquiries@flexiblelearning.net.au
 * For more information on the Australian Flexible Learning Framework:**

Website:

flexiblelearning.net.au none SavePreviewText Editor