2011 Survey Results

In 2011 the Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s Benchmarking and Research business activity conducted the seventh annual national survey of the uptake and use of e-learning in vocational education and training (VET).

The 2011 survey, conducted in March/April 2011, captured information from VET students on the use of e-learning in all TAFE institutes, private and enterprise training providers, community education providers and VET in Schools providers. More than 6,000 students from 250 different training organisations participated in the survey.

The student survey highlights the latest e-learning trends and attitudes in VET since the last student survey in 2009. It allows training organisations to benchmark their own e-learning activities at a national, state, industry and provider level.

• 82% of VET students had some e-learning in their course, down from 87% in 2009. 30% had a lot of e-learning in their course, up from 26% in 2009.
  
• 90% of VET students would like at least a little e-learning in their course, with 26% wanting a lot of e-learning.
  
• Two-thirds of VET students used interactive learning resources on-site (at their training provider) as well as off-site (at home, at work, away from training provider's premises).
  
• Over 40% of VET students have experienced e-learning through the use of web-based seminars/presentations (eg Elluminate), virtual classroom environments (eg Moodle) or web 2.0 technologies (eg blogs, wikis).
  
• Use of other technologies is less common, with a third to a quarter of students using voice (eg podcasting, recording) or mobile (mobile phones, smart phones) technologies, e-portfolios (eg Mahara) or social networking (eg Facebook, Twitter).
  
• 60% of VET students report that their e-learning experience has increased their skills and confidence in using technology.
  
• The impact of e-learning on employment outcomes is at its highest recorded level. 55% of VET students said e-learning helps them to do their current job better, 42% said it helped them to get a better job, and 66% said that they expected improved employment outcomes in the future as a result of the e-learning in their course.
  
• 66% of VET students said e-learning activities and e-learning resources were effective in helping them to learn.
  
• 66% of VET students would recommend e-learning to their peers.

The 2011 E-learning Benchmarking Survey asked VET students to describe any barriers or concerns they had about e-learning. The feedback stressed the importance of internet connectivity in a sequence of conditions which articulate challenges for the VET sector to enhance the accessibility and quality of e-learning. Success in e-learning relies on:

1. Universal, convenient and affordable access to the internet.
   
2. Reliable high-speed internet connection.
   
3. Access to training providers’ online learning activities and resources.
   
4. Timely access to and support of teachers/trainers.

Access the 2011 report and the full survey results through the links in the left hand navigation bar.

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 Vet students from different types of training organisations (for example, TAFE institutes, schools, community-based providers, and industry and government providers) is also accessible.

Additional analysis benchmarks VET student results by age, gender and regional location.