TEACHERS AS FACILITATORS

What does it mean for you?

Teachers, trainers or lecturers in a Virtual Enterprise (VE) move from the traditional 'chalk and talk' role to a 'facilitating' one; this is a workplace assessment and training role that provides the teacher or trainer with a set of very portable skills!

Training programs are organised for teachers and trainers new to the VE program. This introduces them to VE operations and how these might support their required learning and assessment outcomes. Teachers and trainers are also encouraged to visit an operating VE and to join their state network for further training, discussions and other forms of support.

In the VE, the learning is managed by students with support and guidance from the teacher/trainer. So, the CEO or manager of the VE is not the teacher - that role belongs to one or more of the participants.

The participants learn to take an active role in planning and conducting their business; this means they start to identify what they need to know and when they need it! They gain insights into how they like to learn (by themselves, with their peers, through trial and error, or by demonstration). This is a great learning environment for both participants, the facilitating teacher or trainer and the business mentor. Yes, of course there will be mistakes but what a wonderful learning opportunity!

The program will be a mix of theory and practical work, using practical experiences to demonstrate key theory principles. The training role is primarily that of advising, consulting and facilitating - it is very much supporting the action learning approach!