Issue Analysis and Solutions
GippsTAFE uses the Wimba Voice Tools to enhance their text-based learning environment and address the range of staff, student and business issues presented by text based learning environments. Courses include a range of uses of voice from recordings to explain complex concepts, facilitation of asynchronous discussions involving students from all over the world, and private voice blogs for reflective learning involving a single student and their teacher.
Educational Impact
Teachers at Gipps TAFE find it easier to teach with voice tools at their disposal and the quality of the learning experience for students is higher:
"The new Voice Tools actually allow you to expand pedagogical repertoire of teachers and therefore being able to cover a much greater range of online programmes." (BB)
The impact for teachers and the flow on result for students is immense. A tool set which can both enhance the quality of education whilst reducing time and effort for teachers means happier and more productive staff and more satisfied students. There are benefits all around.
Business Impact - % of courses that couldn't be offered without using voice online
From a business point of view, using the Wimba Voice Tools for their online courses has allowed Gipps TAFE to expand the number of courses that they're able to offer.
"It's a difficult figure to really pin down but I would suggest that it's probably up to 50% of the courses that we now offer online were either not practical to offer online before, or if we did there wasn't a good case to do so." (BB)
As well as a huge benefit for students from regional and remote locations in terms of accessibility to education, for many institutions, the ability to expand the number of courses offered online translates directly to higher capacity for enrolment and higher levels of revenues.
