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This web page contains many interviews, comments, ideas and links to great resources. Enjoy a browse through. We add to this page every 3 months. If you have any items you believe we could add, please contact us on info@aspinonlineconsulting.com.au Training Teleworkers and Virtual Teams What is E-Business? Victorian Government's Teleworking Project The ins and outs of Teleworking – for you, for your workforce, for Australia The ins and outs of Virtual Teams – geographically dispersed but working well Interview with Hanne Clermont Why use mobile technology in health? Training Flexible Workers Mobile Working Papers Training Teleworkers and Virtual Teams Margaret says: This year we have been managing a national network titled: ‘Training and Assessing Remote and Virtual Workers'. The network came about because we and others in training wanted to look at the training needs of workers and managers about to embark on, or currently working in remote locations, Teleworking or virtual teaming. The gap we can see is that there is another layer of training needed. This layer deals with the specific skills of Teleworking and working virtually. These newer skills include IT, human resource management, networking, time management, and collaboration when apart. The levels we can see are:
Are we competent to work virtually? To answer this question, we need to focus on what the competencies are for virtual work. So we've done that. We found various units of competency available in the Australian vocational training and education system that are suitable to use when preparing and managing virtual work. Being competency based training, these are most suitable when building virtual work readiness and continued growth in both understandings and competence. There are also workshop style non accredited courses provided by a few training companies, but most do not bring the participant to a level of competency, rather they are designed more as awareness raising. How do you manage the performance of a virtual worker? This is a key question. Managing on the outcomes is seen as the best way to manage a virtual worker. You cannot sit with the person in their home, car or wherever else they may be, but you can manage their work by their ability to get the job done. Communication with the worker is critical for performance management, and managers who successfully manage the virtual worker changes their management style to accommodate this requirement. Transactional managers will have difficulty with managing remote workers, and lassie faire managers are unlikely to support the remote worker enough to get the best out of them. Transformational management style is undoubtedly the best in not only managing but leading remote and virtual workers. The network will present on ‘Are we competent to work virtually?' at the Going Virtual- The Future of Work conference in Melbourne 25-26 October 2006. Visit www.goingvirtual.com.au to find out more. What is E-Business? No it is not buying and selling on e-bay or running a web based business. It is the Electronic management and use of data, knowledge and people. Knowledge and data management is taking a larger and larger slice of management’s time. Aspin has expanded its E-business courses to incorporate more e-knowledge and e-data units that will allow Managers and Operators to be more strategic and efficient with their use of information technology systems such as the Care Manager (management software for community services) or the Government’s Healthconnect (links information from over 6700 GP’s, Health Services and pharmacies.) Go to http://www.aspinonlineconsulting.com.au/traincourses.html Victorian Government's Teleworking Project The Victorian Government has committed to developing a teleworking strategy for Victoria and are currently in the 'consultation' phase of that process. On 11 August 2006 they released a discussion paper: “Technologyworkplace: Policy Implications of the Development of Teleworking in Victoria”, calling for local councils, regional communities, business and industry groups and any other interested parties, to provide comments on a range of issues relating to teleworking. Submissions close Friday 20 October 2006. Copies of the paper are available from the Broadband Access Office website: www.mmv.vic.gov.au/broadband/Victorianteleworkingstrategy The ins and outs of Teleworking – for you, for your workforce, for Australia http://www.sustel.org/documents/deliverable_3-conceptual_paper_v2.doc This paper was prepared as the first output of the European Union-financed SUSTEL project. The project is focused on the relationship between teleworking and sustainable development. It is widely believed that teleworking can make a substantial contribution to sustainable growth by: Assisting economic development, for example, through increasing staff productivity and enabling better utilisation of office space. Assisting the social objectives of sustainable development by, for example, reducing the stress often associated with travel and balancing work with family life, or by providing work opportunities to those who might otherwise be excluded, such as the disabled or people looking after children or elderly relatives. Reducing ecological impacts, for example, by avoiding the need for travel to work locations or meetings. The Future Law Office: Going Virtual http://www.prismlegal.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=53 Lawyers usually think that all the trappings of traditional firm office space are essential to practicing law and serving clients. This certainly seemed true in the past, and maybe it is still true. But maybe not. Think of all the tools and resources for going virtual that are at our disposal today. We know how they enable us to do our work when we are on the road. What about when we are off the road? Case studies of flexible work http://www.flexibility.co.uk/cases/index.htm A set of case studies from the British Flexibility web site including: Case study - flexible barristers' chambers Case Study: Telework at Nortel Networks Case studies in "sustainable telework" Thurso Contact Centre Teleworking in the sun: the Crete telework Network Teleworking for MPs The benefits of a homeworker http://www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk/idk/aio/286791 This initiative allows Housing and Council Tax benefit staff to work from their own home by linking to a high-profile service that assesses and calculates 30,000 Housing and Council Tax benefit forms. This project has positive outcomes for both the organisation and the member of staff. TELEWORK WORKS: A Compendium of Success Stories http://www.opm.gov/studies/FINAL-TELEWRK.htm Since its inception in 1990 as a US Federal pilot project, telework, also known as telecommuting and flexiplace, has become an important tool in the array of work/life programs. Its original goals were to save energy, improve air quality, reduce congestion and stress on our roads and bridges, and enhance the quality of family-friendly and other initiatives for Federal workers. The experience with having employees work in locations other than the office, namely, in their homes or a telecenter, has been successful in many agencies, encompassing a wide variety of jobs and work situations. Canadian Case Studies in Teleworking http://www.ivc.ca/casestudies_Canada.html Case studies and information about Telework by the Canadian Telework Association. Making Your Case for Telecommuting: http://www.quintcareers.com/telecommuting_options.html Article on the Quintessential Career's web site Euro-Telework http://www.telework-mirti.org/background/background.htm Resources and case studies A Guide to Creating and Managing a Flexible Workplace http://www.isd.toshiba.com.au/sig/sigguide.html Australian guide for HR managers Australian Telework Advisory Committee (ATAC) Australian Telework Advisory Committee (ATAC) –
Background & details of that (including the full ATAC report) can be found at – http://www.dcita.gov.au/ie/broadband/australian_telework_advisory_committee In brief, ATAC's fundamental recommendation was that Government should encourage the growth of telework, in order to further enable associated benefits to business, government and the community. ATAC developed six proposed actions designed to realise these objectives – 1. Management Training: Evidence suggests that successful telework adoption is being impeded by the inability of many managers to design, implement and supervise ICT-enabled remote working arrangements effectively. ATAC recommended that Government support the development and promotion of telework training programs for managers in the private and public sectors who supervise teleworking employees. 2. Building Technological Capacity: During recent years ICT has driven economic growth and streamlined business efficiencies. Clearly, ICT is also a critical enabler of flexible working, and ATAC recommended that Government support the capacity of ICT-enabled workers in all areas of Australia to reap the economic and social benefits of telework, through continued investment in the availability and effective use of teleworking ICT resources. 3. Telework Online Resource Centre: Currently there is no centralised repository of available information and resources. ATAC recommended that Government support the development and maintenance of a telework web portal, to enable better access to telework information and better practice strategies by businesses and workers. 4. Promote and Support Telework In the Australian Public Service (APS): ATAC recommended that Government promote and support telework in the APS as part of its commitment to a more flexible and ‘family-friendly' APS workforce, and as a potential ‘teleworking role-model'. 5. Research and Modelling: Appropriate data and improved economic modelling on the use and impact of telework will equip Government to assess the need for further action. ATAC recommended that Government fund surveys of businesses and employees to establish longitudinal telework data, and support economic modelling to clarify the ways in which telework can support improved business productivity and cost savings. 6. Promoting Benefits of Telework and Telework Better Practice: Evidence suggests that a lack of awareness within the workforce and business community relating to the benefits of telework and to telework better practice is limiting its effective use and further uptake. To assist this situation ATAC recommended that Government support an awareness raising and education campaign to promote the benefits of telework. Telework for Australian Employees and Business http://www.dcita.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/37022/ATAC_REPORT.pdf Report by the Australian Teleworking Taskforce The ins and outs of Virtual Teams – geographically dispersed but working well The value of collaboration http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/7A/0C043E7A.asp?Type=6 Article in Human Resource Magazine by Dr John Gundry Hands across the seas http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/76/0C03BB76.asp?Type=60&Category=872 Monika Altmaier is Project Leader, Internationalisation at Siemens Business Services, Germany . This article is adapted from her keynote address to the Going Virtual conference in Brisbane in September 2005. What binds together virtual teams http://www.relier.org/docs/Lisbonne.pdf Using virtual teams to manage complex projects Virtual Teams: Surviving or Thriving Education focus Virtual Teams resources at the Association for Information Systems http://www.is.cityu.edu.hk/research/resources/isworld/virtualteams/index.htm Virtual Work Spaces Ease Collaboration, Debate Among Scattered Employees http://www.workforce.com/section/10/feature/24/38/31/index.html Article in Workforce Management magazine Resources for virtual teams http://www.skyrme.com/resource/virtres.htm David Skyrme and Associates Human Resources and Virtual Teams Human Resource Management – Virtual Teams http://www.themanager.org/Knowledgebase/HR/Virtual_Teams.htm
Interview with Hanne Clermont Managing Director English Gateways International about new e-learning resources
Margaret: Hanne, I believe you have a large number of online resources. Tell us about how education and training providers can get access to them. Hanne: Margaret, Gateways now offers Resource Licences to institutions. A Gateways Licence gives an institution access to all our interactive training materials (about 500 hours total), which includes 11 EAP courses, video-recorded lectures with listening activities, a placement test and a library. Margaret: What Learning Management System are you using for these resources? Hanne: We chose WebCT as our technological platform, as it allows for delivery of materials in a number of ways: Stand-alone, blended learning, and daily live classroom with full teacher/student interaction. Margaret: Tell me more about why education and training providers might need these materials and what value they are to the way we educate and train in Australia. Hanne: All materials are specifically designed to meet the needs of local and international students commencing tertiary level studies. We think that with the increasing internationalisation of the education sector, and students in general entering the system from a diverse range of educational and cultural backgrounds, it is essential to make available induction programs to familiarise them with the basic skills and expectations of the particular system they are entering into. Not to do so leaves a great burden upon that system and its staff in trying to cope with the volume and diversity students. Margaret: Sounds like a very valuable set of resources Hanne. Do you have more information? Hanne: Yes indeed. We have four Fact Sheets with general information about our courses, Cert IV in EAP, technologies, and financial benefits. These sheets are for general use and can of course be adapted to suit the particular institute or industry. We've loaded Hanne's Fact Sheets here for you to download. Contact Hanne direct at: English Gateways Intl. Pty. Ltd. Why use mobile technology in health? Margaret says: Mobile technologies include an ever growing number of small handheld tools like smart phones, PDAs , tablet PCs and media players including iPODs . So why use these in health? Well, ever tried dragging a computer around with you or having to constantly return to a desk top computer to add information, look up information, send information? The answer is so simple. Use something that is small, dependable and includes most of the things you could need. Imagine saving time, plus increasing accuracy with clinical facts. Imagine looking up clinical information immediately on the hospital floor, in the car, in a pharmacy, visiting clients. Imagine sending information to colleagues and easily recording voice, handwriting on a screen, looking at video and catching up on some just-in-time learning as well. Yes it is all now technology, and I must say inexpensive technology to boot. Doctors travel a lot on foot in a hospital. So do a lot of other hospital workers and mobile health workers. Mobile technologies are suited to clinical practice and learning in health as they are small, affordable and very very easy to use! There are an enormous number of software programs already unavailable for PDAs in health. Most are for Palm OS but quite a lot for Pocket PC as well. Therapeutic Guidelines is now available as a full version on PDA. The mini TG as it is called is designed for both and is designed to get the critical information to the point of care. Do a search on Google for pharmacy software for PDAs and just see how many items come up. Now try clinical software for PDAs . This is a growing market. My attitude is, if we use these devices for work then how about we use them for learning as well? How hard is it to view a video and do some exercises, do some thinking, and communicate with others who are learning the same things as us. Combining work and learning makes good sense for people on the move. Many of us need small chunks of learning and we like to view it or hear it over again. Health professionals have something at their fingertips now that works with their working life. So it makes very good sense to use mobile technology in health. Oh and one last word. Toshiba have a prototype I saw at the Going Virtual conference in Brisbane last week. This is a tablet PC that rolls up. Yes folks a flexible screen that rolls up and you put it in your pocket. Now that's what I call a cool tool! Margaret says: eLearning makes a lot of sense for industry especially if the industry has a flexible workforce. Flexible working consists of more than part timers, shift workers, RDOs and flexi-time. Now we have mobile workers who drive around using their hand held computers and mobile phones to connect back to the office, back into networks and databases. We have people working from home more and logging back into work, and we send people to work overseas yet expect them to manage timezones via electronic communications. Getting people together for all training is not as easy as it used to be, and with modern eLearning tools certain training can be conducted outside the training room. Nowadays the national training system has developed an enormous amount of eLearning materials for use by industry. Training organisations such as TAFEs and private registered training providers are able to tap into the resources and use them for just about every industry setting. The main thing is finding the right training partner to help you train your flexible workforce. In other words you need to find a flexible training provider to meet the needs of a flexible workforce don't you? Some providers say they deliver using eLearning, but do they really? What if this means putting word documents up and no support for your staff? Like all things, it pays to do your homework. Don't go on price first, go on what they do for your staff and how they support you. Tools and people are available for industry to work out what they need and help them ask the right questions of the providers. Yes we do just that and you can easily give us a ring. We'll come out and help you work it out. Also here are a few more contacts of you in 2005! Mobile WorkingMargaret says: “PDA's and Bluetooth Phones. For many industries, it's all about learning in a mobile world. Staff may work together in an office, or from a home office, or in a car. In fact workers now work in many places and need new ways to access information, communicate with each other and learn. So what do you need to have and know to be part of the mobile learning (mLearning) world? You would normally think small…small devices like mobile phones, PDAs, Tablet PCs and small laptops. Also you would start using mobile printers and wireless keyboards. You would not want to put up with carrying a bag of wires around so you'd look for ways to connect your devices without wires, and also connect to other people's devices without wires. This is where Bluetooth comes in very handy. Bluetooth is a radio frequency standard that allows you to send files, photos and even business cards over a short distance. Many phones and PDAs have Bluetooth. You can purchases printers and other devices with Bluetooth or buy a Bluetooth adapter for a device. To learn, you need to be able to get email, web sites, transfer files and communicate with others. Many web sites now make a web site for PDAs that fits neatly on the smaller screen, and there is an ever increasing number of software programs suitable for PDAs. Software often is designed for both PALM and Pocket PC PDAs. You also need to know how to use the devices for learning purposes. This means understanding how to communicate with others online, how to use the software, and how to study in virtual teams with other learners. Many training organisations are starting to teach using the mobile devices, and the way to tell if the organisation is good at it or not is by the level of support they are going to give you. Will they induct you into learning online? How much communication will you have with the trainers? How much facilitated communication will you have with other learners? What happens if you have technical difficulties? Like all things, time spent in reconnaissance is not wasted.” You will find more interesting information about mLearning and flexible working here on our website. Email us if you'd like to know more at info@aspinonlineconsulting.com.au
I take short videos with my phone and send them to my PDA where I can view them on the approx 5x10cm screen. This is good for many things from introducing people to convincing my family that certain decor would be good in our home after the renovations are complete! Margaret wrote the Victorian State report and a critique for the Flexible Learning Leaders Allumni journal 'Wollemi Ringleaders'. Critique of 2002 RTO case studies can be found at Margaret Aspin Social Research Papers Affordable Housing and the Place of the Church Article in BriefCACE Public Morality Monthly Number 15 November 2004 December 2005 Brisbane on 'Can Good Legislation be Over Regulation for Public Private Partnerships'. Aspin, R., "Public-Private Partnerships and Effective Risk Management for Local Government", presented to the 19th EAROPH World Planning and Housing Congress and Australian National Housing Conference, 2004 2001 Also visit our services page to get a full listing of Ron's papers. Please contact Ron at ron@aspinonlineconsulting.com.au to obtain copies. AUDIO presentationsPerformance Zone Audio Presentation (MP3, 669KB) December 2004.This presentation is about flexible learning and industry. Recorded in Sydney at AITD.
ExamplesFlextrek: A guide to Leadership Characteristics in the Flexible Learning Environment A Beginners Guide for Content DevelopersAuthor : John Casey - Link to Author details This guide aims to provide a user-friendly introduction to IPR issues for e-learning content developers and managers. It is intended to act as a point of entry to the field of IPR in e-learning that will provide a good foundation for building expertise in the e-learning developer community. It deals with the basic aspects of IPR, especially copyright, in e-learning content development, with an emphasis on reusing third party materials to create new resources. The guide has been written by an e-learning content developer who has had to deal with these issues in practice. The style of the guide is practical and approachable with many useful tips and observations but it also provides a sketch of the wider issues. It also provides flow diagrams, templates, case studies and further sources of information and guidance. http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/publications/johncasey_1.htm Flextrek: A guide to Leadership Characteristics in the Flexible Learning EnvironmentThe flextrek resource is aimed at Vocational Education and Training (VET) managers and leaders responsible for developing and managing customer-focused, flexible learning approaches. The resource provides:
To find out more about using flextrek, click on the following links: http://www.tafefrontiers.com.au/pd/flextrek/index.htm
Free Information Technology training for teachers.In 2002 teachers across TAFEs and other RTOs in Victoria received laptops and training in IT. The course materials are still available. Visit http://www.tafevc.com.au/ict/Default.htm to obtain the resources.
Good tools to useModels and Methods http://www.tafefrontiers.com.au/pd/modelsmethods/TAFEfrontiers.htm The following two resources were developed by the NMIT Online Team when Margaret Aspin was the manager. How to succeed as a flexible trainer How to succeed as a flexible learner
Competencies for working virtually Working online or virtually is found in the Business Services Training Package. We have mapped our Virtual Edge workshops (see seminars page) to these e-Business units and competencies at levels 3-5. There are also some units suitable for working virtually at level 6: BSBEBUS310A Work effectively as an off site eworkerBSBEBUS302A Use and maintain electronic mail system BSBEBUS303A Participate in a virtual community BSBEBUS402A Implement ecorrespondence policies BSBEBUS403A Communicate electronically BSBEBUS406A Monitor and maintain records in an online environment BSBEBUS409A Lead and facilitate estaff BSBEBUS508A Build a virtual community BSBEBUS512A Implement electronic communication policy BSBEBUS523A Investigate and plan ework business solutions BSBEBUS524A Implement and manage eworking arrangements
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I used the phone and the PDA to look after the police tour (Diversion of Pseudoephedrine into Ecstasy and other narcotics) around Victoria while travelling around Australia conducting the evaluation of the Australian Flexible Learning Framework. I asked the detectives if they ever felt shortchanged by my being remote during this period and they felt all had run without a hitch. Naturally you have someone who can sort a problem that needs immediate face to face action, but other than that there really is no problem whether in WA or NT or Vic etc. 