My+Profiling+meets+Hairdressing+Case+Study

=**My Profiling meets Hairdressing** = = = =Executive Summary = = = This project will provide a programme that will enable apprentice hairdressers to record on-the-job tasks they perform in their routine employment in an innovative, auditable and fun way. 'My Profiling' is a customised, electronic, web based profiling system that manages an efficient and cost effective way of gathering workplace evidence to monitor and assess an apprentice's competency development. It is visually based, easy to use and provides accountability and consistency in interpreting work place evidence. To view a visual brief of this project open/download the slide show below:



=Background = = = This project came about by a desire to collaborate with ELearning Australia to provide the impetus needed to embed 'My Profiling' technology and innovation into workplace training and assessment for the Skills Institute. My Profiling is a product developed by Graham Rodgers owner/operators of [|ELearning Australia] an online education company, creating e-Learning resources for the trades and corporations. ELearning Australia has proven expertise in developing resources for trade areas. 'My Profiling' is innovative and urbane and the Skills Institute does not have the capability to produce a resource of this calibre in house. The 'My Profiling' product has been customised to align with the skills required to achieve units of competency from the WRH06 Hairdressing Training Package. Implementation of 'My Profiling' with hairdressing apprentices will facilitate assessment of units of study by providing a validated record of skills achieved in the normal course of work combined with the facility to upload further evidence for the recognition process.

A team of three Hair and Beauty Skills Institute trainer/assessors currently associated with Hair and Beautysalons in Launceston, contributed to providing custom images for use in the project and were involved in providing feedback on the prototype and in trialling the product.
 * Leanne Colgrave (Duos Hair and Beauty Salon)
 * Temira Bunton (Stephen Roney Hairdressing)
 * Ilke Drury (Kameleon Hair and Beauty Salon)

Apprentice hairdressing students currently experience little or no innovative technologies in their training and assessment. Recording of daily activities is currently nonexistent or at best is written in an exercise book...if they remember to bring it to work that is. This inconsistent, old school approach does not contribute effectively to the assessment process to achieve Training Plan outcomes. The evaluation of work place evidence is necessary in determining competency, highlighting responsibility, autonomy and scope of work. Collecting, validating and interpreting the evidence with 'My Profiling' provides an innovative, reliable and cost effective means of doing this.

The original brief for this project was to use a tablet PC to trial My Profiling in salons. At the time the project application was submitted research on the Android 10" tablet provided convincing evidence of its suitability for what was required. This included 3G mobile network connection as some salons did not have an internet connection, a large screen for ease of use and a facility to directly upload files for workplace evidence. Unfortunately when trials began the Android 3.0 Honeycomb which is an operating system developed specifically for larger screen tablets rather than phones, had not been released in Australia. To purchase the tablet overseas may have added the complication of access to the 3G network and weighing up the risks of delaying the trials because of this, resulted in a decision to perform the trials using the iPad.

The iPad was used very successfully in the trials however as Android Tablets are released in the future it is proposed that this product may also be utilised in accessing 'My Profiling' mobile assessment.

=What was done = = = media type="youtube" key="o6My27uZ7q4?hl=en" height="344" width="425"

=Benefits experienced =

This project has created significant interest amongst other Industry Skills Groups within the Skills Institute. My Profiling has been demonstrated throughout the organisation, and is currently being implemented in Electro Technology, Autobody, Brick & Plaster as well as Hair & Beauty with interest from other trade areas such as Mining. Project team members now provide a mentoring role for Skills Institute assessors in the uptake of this product. All Skills Institute trainer/assessors, admin staff and industry supervisors are able to receive professional development in the implementation of this mobile assessment technology as an integral part of their pedagogical skills.  <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">Use of the iPad has provided awareness in the possibility for use of tablet PC's in volatile trade environments in both assessment and with a view to delivering training also. Tablet PC's are already available in extremely robust casings for this very purpose. By improving training and assessment outcomes in the workplace this project will contribute to raising the skill level of existing workers. The acquisition of training qualifications in the industry could lead to improved productivity. This contextualised solution with on-the-job assessments, based around enterprise defined tasks, will contribute towards producing tangible business outcomes in the form of improved processes and procedures. 'My Profiling' will be developed with input from industry partners to have traction and achieve the desired effects; those being the skills needed to participate effectively in the workplace.
 * Additional benefits include: **
 * Ensuring qualifications awarded by Skills Institute are of a consistent and high standard
 * Fostering the supply of good formal evidence for reporting against business quality assurance measures, improving bottom line profitability and productivity
 * Providing Skills Institute assessors with the critical workplace information needed to make good decisions
 * Providing employers and workplace supervisors with good information about an apprentice's overall performance and competency development
 * Ensuring apprentices are more engaged in on-the-job training through the introduction of technology

=<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lessons learnt =

<span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 2pt;">The original project brief planned to use an Android Tablet which was at that stage not released in Australia. Waiting for the release of this technology caused significant delays in trialling the product. In retrospect relying on the release of certain technology would not be recommended. Falling back on using the iPad was always an option but it was disappointing that Android technology could not be utilised in the trials. From the perspective of apprentices, supervisors and staff who took part in the trial, the iPad performed well in providing access to 'My Profiling.

<span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 2pt;">'My Profiling' uses a series of pictures that depict regular work place activities apprentices would expect to encounter during the course of their work. To develop this tool the apprentices themselves were involved in taking pictures that matched their daily activities. This was invaluable as students were involved in the creation of the product which gave them a sense of ownership and therefore motivation to use it.

=<span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 2pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">The results =

<span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">'My Profiling' has provided a tailored and responsive assessment outcome with the implementation of this innovative technology, strengthening industry partnerships, ultimately resulting in a quality outcome for the apprentice. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">Implementation of 'My Profiling' will provide apprentices and their employers with a support model in innovative, robust recording of workplace evidence. Specific workplace information is systematically gathered and collated into informative reports, developing a visual, accessible web based profile of workplace experience/exposure for each student. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">Several apprentices trialled the 'My Profiling ' product. Feedback collated through Survey Monkey proved to be very positive. The apprentices overwhelmingly preferred to us a tablet PC to record workplace tasks over a written record in a Log Book. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">The use of technologies in Skills Institute assessment strategies demonstrates the organisations commitment to innovation as an integral part of developing the skills of students. This in turn increases capability to respond to a variety of assessment needs and provides a model for further development of this kind in other trade areas. <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">Team members were encouraged to review and publish comments on the record of this project as it evolved by providing feedback on the PowerPoint slide show by viewing through Acrobat Reader. A PDF document is created from the PowerPoint which is hosted by Adobe. Team members received a web link to the document by email and were able to review and insert comments on the slides. This option is available from MS PowerPoint 2007. =<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Project Outputs = <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">The 'My Profiling' product created for this project will now be implemented state-wide in the Health & Beauty Industry Skills Group improving the quality and efficiency of workplace assessment. ELearning Australia are offering free trial access to 'My Profiling' for a period of three months. 'My Profiling' can be tailored to any training package.

Download brochure <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">For further information contact Graham Rodgers:M: 0413316373 E : __ graham@elearningaustralia.net.au __ W: __ [|http://elearningaustralia.net.au] __ W: __ [|http://grahamrodgers.com.au] __

=<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Framework connection = <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">The national training system's e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework funds and supports projects which aim to embed e-learning into the national training system by supporting and enabling innovation in training design and delivery, at the state and territory level. The 'My Profiling' user guides which are a deliverable for this project will provide assistance to anyone who chooses to take up the offer to trial "M Profiling" and beyond.

<span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">In engaging in this E-learning Innovations project, the following Framework products and resources were used:
 * The tasinnovations wiki provided an accessible repository of all the information we might need from copyright information to workshop dates. It was also interesting to observe the progress and challenges of other project's through the discussion posts. The compulsory monthly discussion posts ensured frequent access to the wiki bringing an awareness of latest events
 * Brains Trust Guidelines
 * VET Reload Tool

=<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Acknowledgement = <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">This is a Tasmanian E-learning Innovations project output, developed by Skills Institute and ELearning Australia, with seed funding from the Framework. Case Study image: []

<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> =<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For more information = <span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">Contact Janet Fearns Mobile: 0437 226 775 Janet.Fearns@skillsinstitute.tas.edu.au For more information on the Australian Flexible Learning Framework: Phone: 07 3307 4700

<span style="color: #404040; display: block; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">Email: enquiries@flexiblelearning.net.au Website: flexiblelearning.net.au