Australian Skills Quality Authority’s (ASQA’s) Strategic Review of Online Learning, released January 2023, has found that the rapid shift to online training brought on by Covid-19 has raised concerns about quality student outcomes. To address risks, it is crucial for providers to adopt a robust learning management system (LMS) and student management system (SMS) to manage online training effectively. ASQA also plans to support providers to stay in compliance with the required Standards for those delivering online training in the VET sector.
ASQA Action Plan for Quality Outcomes in Online Training:
- Action 1: Performance monitoring of selected providers focusing on provider responsibilities under the Standards. Results will be reported, and insights will be shared with the sector.
- Action 2: Strengthening existing education products and developing new guidance to support self-assurance and continuous improvement against the Standards in online delivery.
- Action 3: Developing guidance for quality assessors to support the consistent application of Standards and keep up with innovation in online delivery.
- Action 4: Considering the English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) Standards for fully online delivery of English language qualifications and a planned approach for return to compliance.
- Action 5: Assessing risks of online delivery and self-assurance systems for applicants and registered providers when determining overall risk level.
- All actions will involve collaboration with stakeholders to enhance quality online training in the VET sector.
Where ASQA’s Strategic Review finds a risk in online learning, eSkilled has a solution
At eSkilled, we are aware of the potential risks associated with transitioning to online learning. That’s why we’ve developed innovative solutions to ensure the online training journey will be smooth, foster student engagement and collaboration, and promote a dynamic learning environment. This way, you can take advantage of the opportunities that come with delivering online learning and have peace of mind that you are providing high-quality training to your learners. We found a solution for the key risks ASQA found in their Strategic Review.
Key Risks and eSkilled solutions related to online delivery
Strategic Review Risk:
“Risks of not taking into account the student’s learning style.”
eSkilled Solution:
eSkilled LMS caters to different learning styles by providing various instructional materials, such as texts, images, videos, audio, and interactive simulations, to reach different types of learners. Additionally, it provides tools for creating and organising content, assessments, and feedback, allowing instructors to customise their course to cater to students’ learning preferences. The system also provides insights into student progression. It will enable trainers to quickly identify struggling students, and in a couple of clicks, trainers can message students and give additional support to enhance student engagement and motivation.
Strategic Review Risk:
“Risks of not being equipped to meet the delivery mode’s technological requirements for participation.”
eSkilled Solution:
eSkilled’s LMS provides versatile accessibility through a variety of devices, including tablets and computers, ensuring that students can complete their coursework without any technological constraints.
Strategic Review Risk:
“Risks of a student not being informed of, or sufficiently understanding, the mode of delivery being offered.”
eSkilled Solution:
Students can be sufficiently informed of the mode of delivery offered through various means such as course outlines, syllabi, welcome videos, and online orientation sessions. Additionally, the LMS provides an accessible means of communication between students and instructors, allowing clarification and support when needed.
Key Risks and eSkilled solutions related to online training and assessment
Strategic Review Risk:
“Risks that training and assessment is not suitable and/or is not being delivered effectively online.”
eSkilled Solution:
Lucky for you, eSkilled provides a huge library of e-Learning materials, meticulously designed for online training delivered in your RTOs LMS and designed to meet the standards for RTOs. Another critical aspect of the LMS is that it allows the creation of synchronous and asynchronous video learning. Asynchronous video learning refers to prerecorded video sessions and allows your students the flexibility to access them at any time on their schedule. It also has interactive components, where you can ask students quiz questions to gauge their understanding. On the other hand, synchronous video learning, which refers to live, real-time video sessions, is critical for students. It allows them to contribute to ideas, jointly develop how they should approach real-life situations and ask questions.
Strategic Review Risk:
“Risks of insufficient checks and balances in place to assess a learner’s competency or verify the authenticity of the learner.”
eSkilled Solution:
Proctoring is a critical aspect in the VET sector as it ensures that students have completed their assigned assessments fairly and accurately. eSkilled’s award-winning webcam authentication tool in the LMS is one of the few systems that can effectively record students completing complex skill-based assessments. Utilising a webcam during the online assessment process not only provides tangible evidence of a student’s abilities, but it also gives peace of mind to both students and educators that the assessment has been completed with authenticity. This innovative approach to proctoring has made eSkilled’s webcam authentication tool a standout in the LMS market.
It is more important than ever to have a robust LMS that allows your RTO or TAFE to deliver high-quality online learning. It is arguably the single most important software system your organisation will ever use. Because of this eSkilled is committed to delivering high-quality software that addresses the key risks identified in ASQA’s Strategic Review of Online Learning. Our innovative solutions cater to different learning styles, offer flexible access, provide clear communication channels, and have comprehensive checks and balances to ensure the authenticity of student competency.
Check this link to find out more about the ASQA Strategic Review of Online Learning
