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Mediasphere Partners with Sunshine Coast TAFE to build an interactive Industry Toolbox

Mediasphere is pleased to announce that our consortium has been appointed by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework to develop a new Flexible Learning Toolbox for the refrigeration industry. Mediasphere's team of instructional designers, animators and web designers are collaborating with the academic and industry teams from Sunshine Coast TAFE to develop the toolbox. The final online and CD-based digital content will assist the refrigeration industry with a flexible course of study to support apprenticeships and trainees. 

 The selected competency units are key elective units from the UEE07 Training Package. The units are included in a large number of UEE07 qualifications including; electrical, refrigeration and air conditioning and renewable energy. The selected competency units are embedded in qualifications from Certificate I up to Advanced Diploma and are usually delivered following completion of the core units. As a group of units the proposed toolbox provides learners access to online material that brings related units together in a simulated workplace environment and enables units with a strong theory base to be presented in ways that engage the learner and extend employability and work ready skills.

The units selected combine refrigeration and air-conditioning technical units with the conceptual thinking of renewable energy units. This industry is at the forefront of recognising the need for its employees to be aware of and understand technical requirements but also recognise the increasing importance and user preference to understand how domestic and or commercial appliances use energy. It is becoming important that from entry level into this industry employees are equipped with an understanding of power saving strategies to reduce energy consumption that can save money and protect the environment.

The units are suitable for online delivery that uses of a range of media rich examples to embed the theoretical application of these units into structured learning activities. Development will acknowledge that the qualification core units have been completed as this is the industry requirement.  These units are theory rich and this toolbox will provide learners and educators with a resource that enables them to demonstrate understanding of theory through demonstrated application.

Learning objects, especially those related to the renewable energy units will be developed using generic principles to enable them to be used in a variety of other trade and non-trade related qualifications. For example the unit Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices has application in all work areas. The underlying theory principles upon which the refrigeration and air-conditioning units are built including mathematical, plan reading and material identification can also be used to support learning in other areas.

The Skills Council together with Skills Tech Australia (the lead institute for this training package in Queensland) will support development through ongoing discussion, review and prototyping. Sunshine Coast TAFE staff have excellent relationships with both state and national Skills Council representatives and will use both our formal and informal networks to work with the Skills Council throughout all development stages.

Flexible Learning Toolboxes (Toolboxes) are high quality, cost effective interactive e-learning and assessment resources featuring scenarios, images and activities. They are designed for use by training providers, industry and business and support online delivery of recognised training packages for the vocational education and training sector.