‘Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs only to the people who prepare for it today.’Malcolm X1
Online learning has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is one of the most convenient, flexible and effective ways to study. Setting aside dedicated hours for study each week and creating a study plan, with set goals of completion for each module will help you to set yourself up for success.
As online learning may be a new experience for you, it is strongly recommended that you take your time to explore and familiarise yourself with the learning platform and course requirements. It might feel a little overwhelming at first, but please remember, though you are enrolled in an online course, it doesn’t mean you are alone. The staff here at Swinburne Open Education are more than happy to support you through your learning journey. It is our goal as much as it is yours, to see you graduate!
We understand studying needs to fit around your life, and that sometimes things don’t go to plan. Our learning platform is designed with this in mind – flexible study for busy lives.
Here is what to expect in your learning platform...
You will be provided with sequential learning modules that will build on your knowledge and skill as you progress through your course. Each module will contain useful information on the unit of competency that will be later assessed. The learning modules include:
- topics that are filled with informative content, web links, and engaging videos.
- interactive activities that can be found throughout each of the topics that will assist you in retaining important information that will be needed in assessments
- additional resources to enrich your learning experience and provide you with useful links to sample documents, factsheets and templates that will be of good use in this course. Additional resources often include content that will prepare you for assessment tasks.
Too much knowledge is never enough. Your trainers have a wealth of experience in business and education and are always enthusiastic to share what they know with you. Check the forum in each module for details of the weekly Live Q&A Sessions. These sessions are a useful forum for asking questions about the course material and assessments and just getting to know your trainers and other students doing the same module.
Do participate in these sessions where possible. It will add to your learning experience and help you stay motivated, grow and progress in your course.
There will be times during your studies when you will have a query or two and may need to reach out for help, or perhaps you simply want to speak with others to maintain your engagement in your learning. Regardless of the need for interacting with others, it is important you know the correct person to contact for your type of query. These are the different people that you can turn to and the best way to reach them:
Trainers
There is no such thing as a silly question, so take advantage of the messaging system within your learning platform to contact your trainers for any type of learning and assessment assistance. They can help clarify any uncertainties and give you confidence in understanding the learning and assessments.
Students
Some students like to ‘buddy-up’. Getting yourself a study buddy can help in with progression and motivation. You can meet study buddies in the online forums, and by attending the live sessions. Just like the trainers, you can contact your peers by using the messaging system on the online platform. Although you are responsible for your own learning, having a study buddy can keep you accountable and help you move forward toward the completion of your course. It is important to note that while Swinburne Open Education encourages you to have a study buddy if you wish to do so, you must abide by student codes of conduct relating to communications and assessment submission.
- Please note: From time to time, you may be required to also contact a trainer and students as a part of your assessment requirements.
Student Support
Contact our friendly Student Support team for any queries relating to your course enrolment. These may include queries relating to course extensions, course completion, payment, login access, unique student identifier etc. Our Student Support, unlike your trainer, has no industry knowledge and experience and cannot answer any questions relating to your learning and assessments. Please redirect those messages to your trainer.
Here you can find some frequently asked questions (FAQs), the answers to which you may find useful.
Once you work your way through each module’s learning content, you will need to complete a series of theory and practical assessments. This is how you will demonstrate your knowledge and skills for each unit of competency. Assessments are carried out in a variety of ways, including:
- Auto-marked online quizzes
- Short answer questions
- Written assessments
- Case studies
- Projects
- Video and/or audio role plays and demonstrations
- Workplace Assessment evidence gathered as a Portfolio including a collection of work samples of annotated and validated pieces of evidence, compiled over time.
- Assessor-guided interview processes
