Oops apologies for the previous posts. I had a number of blog drafts that I had not yet published here, so there is a slight disorganisation and timing on these entries to this point. However I will endeavour to be neat from here on.
One of the agonies is that I am actually running two blogs at this time so that I can use the LMS blog feature available through TAFE Qld for our Project team members Project PALM Fronds. However..... this is a passworded organisational system so these blog entries cannot be accessed externally or be linked to websites etc unless you are an employee of TAFE Queensland Regional .
I am using this blogger .com site so that I can share my reflections and links as part of an evaluation process and have it open to public scrutiny and share with relevant colleagues where appropriate. So... three months in, here are some of my reflections and what I have learnt as the project manager of this staff professional development program - Project PALM.
Connecting:
The current TQR professional development project we are conducting is pushing boundaries at many levels. We are operating within a TAFE Qld, TQR and Institute and campus structure prior to the status of TQR being ratified. At this time there are approximately 20 subcommittees working across the TQR regions looking at policy, structure and alignment of processes to enable us to achieve Regional Statutory authority status. This means that we are having to liaise, negotiate and work through a number of stakeholders with varied attitudes and priorities who are still developing the processes and policies to support this cross Institute model of PD . Challenging to say the least! Anyone for chess?
What has been obvious is that whilst teachers and some management see the value of providing varied models of PD to staff, there are still some who have are unable for a number of reasons to vested adjust their current Institute practices so that this PD model can be trialled, no one's fault just the reality of 6 Institutes who have operated independently for many years, now having to think about adjustments and what that means to current practice and procedures. There are still economic imperatives and systemic issues at the Institute level that do not align with a project that focuses on regional collaboration and creation of reinvigorated teaching practice, plus don't get me started on the varied IT systemic issues! The rhetoric is being developed yes, but the reality is not there yet!. We as a project team are using our best negotiation, communication and networking skills to get things happening and taking virtual doses of these teacher vitamins to keep our energy up! So who and how have we connected?
We have connected with a variety of teachers, managers and support personnel across TAFE Qld and used a variety of strategies to do this. These are outlined below.
Designed a series of webpages and used iconnect webconferencing recordings of information sessions and videostreams and voice threads and put them into the TQR my.tafe site so that all TQR staff have access to information about this project
Set up a my.tafe group for the Project Team team (aka The fronds) site where all our team planning meetings minutes and documentation can be shared and used for evaluation processes.
Conducted and presented face to face information sessions at Institutes and Campuses for small groups at team and faculty level and individual phone calls and discussions with prospective participants and managers
Developed relevant information brochures and recordings of webconferencing sessions so that we provide maximum accessibility to information using multiple methods to get our project message out there.
Branded our project with a name and some images - consistent headers and templates - Project PALM
Scheduled and met as a project team fortnightly using webconferencing to keep connected and focused.
Set up the iConnect moderator community of practice
Presented at VC sessions with the TAFE Qld my.tafe trainers network, the Ve-mentoring network, the Hairdressing TAFE Qld teaching and learning network and relevant institute forums.
Set up and supported institutes VET Futures staff across TQR in the the development of the VET Futures web pages
Scheduled and moderated three VET Futures iConnect webconferencing sessions
Conducted upwards of ten information sessions on iConnect web conferencing to this point and scheduled 6 further sessions in May 2010
Promoted and supported web conferencing moderator training through the Ed Qld pilot program via their current institute PD processes.
Not bad for what amounts to three months of work. It is worth viewing the learning power graphic below and seeing just what has been achieved by us as a project team in terms of learning and building TQR learning power. What are we demonstrating, modelling, orchestrating and explaining.
We are also very proud of the fact that we have designed action plans with participants that encourage them to connect with their managers, colleagues across TQR and the wider TAFE Qld network through their teaching and learning networks. With a view to connecting and finding out what others are doing in their vocational teaching area and promoting communication, collaboration and creation of enhanced products and services to our clients.
We requested and have now obtained an excel spreadsheet that lists all teachers across the TQR network aligned with their VTA areas so that they at least know who teaches in their area for possible connections, collaboration and sharing. We have connected with external organisations who can support us in this project with external training and identified some options aligned with our core training priorities of e-learning assessment and instructional design. We have connected with possible TQR colleagues so that we can develop, design and deliver learning and development sessions using our own staff rather than the standard practice of outsourcing our training to external entities at sometimes at considerable cost in terms of facilitator payments, travel and accommodation. So what we are in fact doing is really demonstrating that it is possible to develop this community of practice across TQR using this type of model below.
To be continued.........
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