Youth projects

This page links to resources and case studies with young people in VET, predominantly aged 15 – 19.

Many young people have a strong facility for technology, although many of the projects found that by giving technology to students, it doesn’t mean they are going to use it.  Check out what works on the youth page and visit the online forum for further ideas and resources.

Using Gen Y social networking tools to engage apprentices in learning

North Melbourne Institute of TAFE, VIC
Project leader: Sue Kurt

In this project reminder SMS messages were sent to Building and Construction (BC) students about their block training requirements.  This proved so successful that the Manager has approved the use of this system for all BC departments in 2008.

Despite successes the project highlighted that young people "do not seem ready to use their social networking tools as learning tools", preferring to use their mobile phone and MySpace for personal use only.

Heutagogy - using technology to create new learning cultures

West Coast TAFE, WA
Project leader: Jackie Pedley

Gaining Access to Training and Education students were given a range of technologies to develop podcasts and personal learning environments.

It became apparent that not all young people are 'technologically savvy' or have access to, or wish to have access to, all of the Gen Y tools and e-tools, such as mobile phones and blogs.  Nor do young people necessarily have the digital literacy skills to be left to their own accord to decide what they want to learn, and how they would like to learn it (ie Heutagogy), even with the assistance of technology and e-tools.

Another important discovery by the teaching staff has been that the collaborative journey has seen "students becoming instructors and instructors becoming learners from the students. The line between teaching and learning has blurred and resulted in the most conducive, non-threatening inclusive environment for both staff and students."

South West Youth Pod Tours

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South West Institute of TAFE, VIC
Project leader: Julie Bertram

General Education for Adults Students developed confidence in using technology (computers, MP3 players/ recorders, Audacity), public speaking skills and what it takes to work as part of a team, whilst developing local 'pod-tours'.  They have also found a 'relevance' to their learning through project-based activities.

"The creation of a local youth focussed pod tour proved the perfect medium to engage young people back into an educational setting.  It was a fantastic tool for teaching them and getting them comfortable with using technology that they may not have been familiar with.  The confidence they gained through the use of this technology was exceptional and it gave them back some reassurance that they can be valuable community contributors."

Nursing Pathways for Rural and Remote Youth

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TAFE SA Regional Institute, SA
Project leader: Margaret Granger

This project showed that isolated Cert III in Aged Care VET in School students continue to show preferences towards traditional distance learning methods (ie written workbooks and one on one) and demonstrate a resistance to ‘risk learning’ in the online environments of Moodle and Centra, highlighting that we can "never assume that Gen Y would prefer to learn by using the new technologies". Discussions with the Project Leaders centred on the need to make the online environment the students’ one-stop shop by making Moodle and Centra the students main way of accessing their learning materials and support.


Case Studies and project reports

Resources

Last modified: 15/9/08