2010 Survey Results

In 2010 the Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s Benchmarking and Research business activity conducted the sixth annual national survey of the uptake and use of e-learning by vocational education and training (VET) providers, VET teachers and trainers, and employers. The surveys conducted in July and August 2010 captured information on the use of e-learning in all TAFE institutes, private and enterprise training providers, community education providers and VET in Schools providers.

The 2010 survey results were launched at the 2010 AUSTAFE Conference in Sydney in October 2010 (listen to podcast).

The 2010 survey of RTOs shows that 43% of all VET activity now formally involves e-learning (on average across all states/territories and provider types). This continues an upward trend which has seen e-learning grow from around 8% of all VET unit enrolments in the first survey in 2005.

Employers are increasingly using e-learning in both formal and informal training for their employees, and are taking advantage of the flexibility it provides. Employers’ knowledge of e-learning has increased, as well as their expectations of RTOs (registered training organisations) to be flexible. E-learning is providing engaging training across industry sectors through a wide range of accessible online learning resources, research, assessment and tools.

While incremental growth in the uptake of e-learning in VET continues, the survey has identified three main challenges for VET:

• Building capacity in small RTOs – providing adequate resources to encourage the uptake of e-learning in small RTOs
• Strategic use of e-learning - encouraging the incorporation of e-learning into RTO business strategies
• Delivering flexibility and quality – recognising that e-learning enhances quality training and skills outcomes.

The 2010 E-learning Benchmarking survey includes responses from 800 employers, 784 RTOs and more than 2000 VET teachers and trainers. The survey highlights the latest e-learning trends and attitudes in VET, and allows participants to benchmark their own e-learning activities at a national, state, industry and provider level.

Download the 2010 E-learning Benchmarking Survey results flyer (PDF - 909 Kb)

Employers

• 50% of employers surveyed now use e-learning as part of training they provide to their employees.
• 60% of employers expect their use of e-learning in provision of training to employees to increase in the next two years.
• 85% of employers said that they would encourage their employees to use e-learning if it was available.

VET teachers and trainers

• 86% of VET teachers and trainers encourage students to access online learning resources and content.
• 73% of teachers and trainers use interactive learning resources in the classroom and 66% have students use these resources outside the classroom - in the workplace, at home, wherever a student is connected.
• 39% of teachers and trainers use mobile technologies in learning, assessment or communication and 18% use podcasting.
• Around 60% of teachers and trainers said that e-learning has made learning more interesting and engaging for their students, and more than half said that e-learning has improved their teaching.

RTOs

• 51% of RTOs surveyed delivered some units involving e-learning.
• More than two-thirds of RTOs use learning management systems, online student management systems, online professional development and/or online compliance training as part of their business processes.
• 55% of RTOs still do not address e-learning in their business strategy
• The uptake of e-learning by smaller private and industry-based RTOs is slower than the larger RTOs, with 63% of very small RTOs currently not using e-learning.

Access the 2010 report and the full results for each survey through the links in the left hand navigation bar. The results for each of the 2010 teacher/trainer, RTO and employer surveys have also been published.

Analysis of the survey results by State and Territory shows some variation in the levels of uptake. Access the State and Territory results and comparisons with the national figures through the link in the left hand navigation bar. Analysis of the results for different types of training organisations (for example, TAFE institutes, schools, community-based providers, and industry and government providers) is also accessible.

Additional analysis benchmarks teacher results by age and gender, and employer results by industry sector.