Social learning and collaborative learning: Enhancing learner’s prime skills

There is an increasing expectation on the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector to produce graduates with the necessary skills, knowledge and attributes so they are ‘work ready’. Potential employers are seeking employees not only with the required technical skills but also with the desired non-technical (or soft) skills. Equally, learners are seeking to develop a skills portfolio that will make them attractive as an employee and provide them with career options. At the same time, the learning landscape is shifting fundamentally and learners are seeking to undertake formal learning that will fit around their lifestyle, and utilises the same tools and technologies used in everyday life. Accordingly, the increasing prominence and popularity of social and collaborative learning as core methods are a response to learners’ expectations and how they want to engage in learning experiences.Broadly, the aims and objectives of this Fellowship focus on establishing a best practice model that will place high quality learning and continuous improvement at the heart of VET programs. This can be achieved by utilising a combination of technology, tools and practices, ensuring that they are incorporated into learning experiences in a manner that accommodates the styles and expectations of the various learning cohorts. In addition, the implementation of these learning tools should provide an intellectually stimulating and engaging environment for both the learners and educators.,