Ruth Wallace, an educational researcher from Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) School of Education, is leading a research team to analyse the use of e-learning to recognise knowledge and competence with Indigenous enterprise owners in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
The research team includes members of Kimberley College of TAFE and the Cultural, Recreation and Tourism Training Advisory Council (CHARTTES).
The team will link with a number of projects also funded by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework, Indigenous Engagement Project and builds on the research team’s work in developing models and systems to support Indigenous economic sustainability and enterprise development.
The project will build on the work of Indigenous enterprise operators across northern Australia to develop effective strategies to ensure relevant quality training and qualifications are implemented that support economic independence and knowledge management at a local and national level.
Researchers will use a range e-learning tools and technologies to support Indigenous enterprise operators to recognise the knowledge that is developed and owned by that enterprise and establish opportunities for leading e-learning training for Indigenous people involved in enterprise training. Some of the tools include:
- Digital photographs, videos and stories
- Visual and written competency procedures using local languages
- e-portfolios
- Networking and planning through web based applications
- Industry based websites.
The links to the training system and planning will support the sustainability of local independence and develop our understanding of flexible learning with enterprise and inform our understanding of work based and flexible learning in diverse contexts.