March reflections

In this March update I will share what we have done across the project team under the core headings below.
But before I do this... I need to review the proposed Phase 1 activities that were developed as part of my application for the project PALM management role.
These were:

• Draft a project management plan for the project - ( still in draft and a work in progress!)
• Develop project team, sponsor facilitators and stakeholders ( completed and visualised in the bubbl.us mindmap here) (done)
• Finalise TQR staff Capability Project Plan and publicise Project information sessions (see point 1 above)

So if I now look at the project methodology of the 5C's here is what we actually achieved in phase 1. A point to note is that the MOU's submitted to VET Futures for funding were developed around a delivery strategy of workshops but the actual implementation of these against the problem based learning strategy had not been determined, hence the reason the Project PALM model was developed and our actions against the project Methodology of the 5C's below came about.

Clarify:

• consolidated from the initial MOU's three core priority areas so instead of the MOU model of workshops aligned against the following: instructional design, delivery through e-learning, distance learning, holding videoconferences, assessment foundations, RPL processes and methods and designing RPL tools (for 105 staff) we combined these into the three core areas of e-learning, assessment and instructional design and determined that current workbased learning research and methodologies with teachers advises that exploration of action learning models and targeted support with a just in time focus might be more successful considering the timelines available. So this is what we designed....

Connect: through the facilitation teams and the identified networks and stakeholders we have developed:

• a Project PALM identity through a header template for all correspondence, email signature and web page template (thanks to John Burns for this development) that is used as part of all our communication activities. This branding has been useful to get the message out there as there are a number of other PD options available to staff this semester as part of VET Futures funding

Communicate:

• we developed project PALM website and a PALM communication strategy.  This means that the project Team have a my.tafe space where all things project can be located, shared and records of meetings and recordings can be located. when these pages are deemed ready to be shared with the wider TQR network they can be easily linked to the TAFE Queensland Regional website for everyone to view.

Collaborate/co-operate/create:

• created a communication strategy to involve and energise people in being involved in Project PALM and conducted information sessions in multiple modes, face to face and using iConnect webconferencing processes as well as presenting to some making content and sharing information flyers with all relevant T&L networks and other identified stakeholders.
• Created an action plan for all prospective project PALM participants and managers to sign that clearly articulated the project outcomes and learning against one or a combination of the three core priority areas.
• Collaboratively designed Project PALM team activities to ensure collaboration and networking across the TQR region could occur
• Set up an iConnect moderator CoP so that this technology could be used as part of the communication strategy for this project and created monthly information sessions on this technology so that people could explore its use in their work context and be part of any future PD sessions using this medium.

Capability: