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This is contents of the paper 'Information Technology Directions
Committee: Training & Educational Environment Working Party'
Item 1 Introduction
Item 2 The Current Environment
- Diversity of Knowledge and Technology
- Problems of a Complex and Devolved Structure
Item 3 The Current Environment (cont.)
- Problems of a Complex and Devolved Structure (cont.)
- Perceptions of Current Training Options
Item 4 The Current Environment (cont.)
- The Role of the 'Local Expert'
- Use of Administrative Systems
Item 5 The Need for Training
- The Desire for Personalised, In-house Training
- Product-based Training
- Training on Administrative Systems
- Coping with Dramatic Changes in Work Practice
Item 6 Strategy for the Future
Item 7 Recommendations
- Workplace Automation
Item 8 Recommendations (cont.)
- Commitment to Training
- Comprehensive Needs Analysis
- Involvement of Upper Management
- Localised Delivery of Training
- Central IT Division
Item 9 Recommendations (cont.)
- Train the Trainer
- Training Program
- Training for New Staff
Item 10 Recommendations (cont.)
- IT Kit
- Training Curricula
- Refresher Courses
- Peer Group Support
- Site-Wide Licences
- Preferred Software, Self Directed Learning
- Documentation - How To... Guides
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTIONS COMMITTEE
TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT WORKING PARTY
INTRODUCTION
Information Technology (IT) has more to do with people than with
technology. That might sound paradoxical, but unless the University
takes the point seriously, it will miss the opportunity to make the
most of the possibilities which the technology offers, and will fail
in its management of personnel into the bargain. The changes IT
brings about have as great an impact on how people work as on the
processes for manipulating information.
Any intelligent definition of IT must encompass not only the hardware
and software by means of which information can be manipulated, but it
must also encompass the relations of people to those processes.
Machines can only do what they are used to do. The most significant
changes are not in what the machines can do, but in what people will
do using the machines. So, despite all appearances that the
University's consideration of IT is being driven by technological
advances, the game is at the people end, not at the technology end,
of the relationship of people to the machines.
It is with this understanding of IT that the Training and Educational
Environment Working Party has framed this report. It has not,
however, widened its scope to consider the larger issues of the use
of IT as a general training tool.
THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT
In an attempt to understand better the present and future needs of
the university community for IT training, members of the Working
Party undertook a series of visits to various departments, schools,
and centres across the campus. Areas for study were selected on the
bases that they should include:
- units within both the Faculties and the Research Schools;
- areas which were thought to be well equipped with IT as well as
those which were thought to be moving more tentatively;
- large and small units;
- students and staff - academic, technical and clerical.
The areas selected were:
- The Department of Archaeology and Anthropology;
- Biochemistry and Microbiology;
- The Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies;
- The University Library;
- A group of undergraduate and post-graduate students
from all but one faculty;
- A single member of Academic Staff with specific
demands for IT use.
The Working Party considered reports of the teams undertaking these
individual case studies and in addition, the report of a visit paid
to the Commonwealth Department of Social Security to observe the
impact on staff there of the introduction of new forms of IT.
It is clear that IT has made some people more efficient workers and
that it has already led to significant changes in the patterns of
work in many areas. Nevertheless, in general, optimal use is not
being made of the technology. There are several prominent themes
which have emerged in our investigations. Together, these themes
provide a portrait of the current IT training and educational
environment.
Diversity of Knowledge and Technology
There is wide variation among departments, schools and centres in
terms of the availability and use of IT. Some areas are well equipped
and have integrated IT into their various arenas of activity,
although even in these areas there is significant variation; while a
few staff have limited access or limited need for these technologies,
many others are sophisticated users of some of the University's most
complex IT systems. Where this has happened, it has become usual for
academic staff to produce the final drafts of written material
themselves. The changes in work practices resulting from this has
brought about increased opportunities for secretarial support staff
to undertake tasks other than key boarding.
Amongst these, there are those who relish their autonomy and are
happy with their current situations. But while some staff display a
high degree of knowledge of and facility with IT, others are
intimidated by or resentful of the emerging technologies. In almost
every quarter there is concern about the costs of these technologies
and questions regarding who should bear the burden of paying for both
the systems and the required training. There is also recognition
that, if responsibility for the cost of training and/or support is
devolved to individual areas, then it will continue to be ignored or
overlooked.
In terms of equipment, people in many areas are still attempting to
obtain suitable hardware and connect that to existing services or
resources, with many staff feeling frustrated by what they see as the
layers of bureaucracy, and consequent delay, in procurement of basic
equipment. As a result, little of the existing potential of IT has
been explored. It is clear that staff in some areas feel isolated
from the decision making processes that determine the type and scope
of equipment provided.
Problems of a Complex and Devolved Structure
It helps to see where IT services 'fit' functionally within the
University as a working system. Supporting the three main groups
which comprise the University - students, academics and
administration - there are three types of service:
Information services - including the Library, Campus Information
Services, and through the post, telephone, fax and e-mail,
interaction and exchange with the world network;
Information Technology services
- the Computer Services Centre (CSC) responsible for
training, networks and supercomputing;
- the Management and Information Services Division
(MISD) responsible for administrative computing;
- the Instructional Resources Unit (IRU) providing
educational and promotional services;
- the Faculties Computing Unit (FCU) responsible for
computer teaching facilities and laboratories in The Faculties;
- School Computer Units in all but one of the Research
Schools.
Professional services - dealing directly with people, eg. Faculty
offices, the Study Skills Centre (student study assistance), the
Centre for Educational Development and Academic Methods (teaching
development), the Careers Advisory Service (student careers), the
Staff Training and Development Unit, and the Health and Counselling
Centre.
In addition, ANUTECH exists as a marketing and sponsorship body for
the University. It has a major IT role in supplying hardware through
its computing division PCTech. Its involvement with the Apple
consortium gives it some responsibility for the delivery of training.
There is a perceived shortfall here.
The relationships between the three main groups have traditionally
formed the culture of the University. However, in recent times the
interaction of these groups with the support services has come to
play a greater role, one that is likely to keep increasing. The
interactions between all these elements are set out in Figure 1.
[Figure 1: 'Functional Structure of the ANU' is available as a
separate menu item]
Displayed in this manner, the existing functional structure seems
quite simple and logical. In reality, however, the organisational
complexity, and the way in which decision-making is devolved to
individual schools, faculties and departments, impedes its effective
functioning.
There is a conflict of values manifest here. In a university
environment, freedom, creativity, and autonomy are highly valued. But
in an organisation as complex as the ANU the difficulties of
maintaining communication with all who need to know and be consulted
get in the way of effective co-ordination. So far as the use of IT is
concerned, this breakdown is evident in many ways.
There is no clear picture or common *understanding of the
functions* of the IT that is available, what the different sorts of
hardware and software can do, and who could provide it. Rather, there
is widespread misunderstanding and ignorance. The rapidity of change
in the commercially available technology makes it difficult for
staff, many of whom have only relatively recently struggled to become
proficient in something beyond basic typing, to know what would best
suit their needs and skills.
Similarly, there is no clear picture or *common understanding of
the roles of the different parts* of the University with respect to
the provision and support of IT. There is uncertainty among a
significant number of staff as to where to turn in the event of
software or hardware problems encountered. One particularly relevant
example is "What is the difference between the Computer Service
Centre and the Faculties Computing Unit?" When defined roles are not
widely and clearly understood, misunderstandings arise - and these
misunderstandings in turn breed bad feelings on all sides when false
expectations cannot be met. In addition, many groups see themselves
as adequately fulfilling a particular function when from the outside
this is not considered to be the case. Calls for help are too often
dismissed with statements like "We don't have the resources to
provide support for such a variety of software".
There is no *overall IT direction* and the lack of effective
communication means that many bodies 'go it alone'. Not only does
this throw people back on the resources which have been made
available to them in a non-systematic manner, but there are no
regular procedures for publicising what has been developed for and
found to work effectively in other areas. As a result there is much
duplication and little collaboration between people with similar
needs. This is exacerbated by the diversity of types of equipment,
and often the inability to connect them together. For example, people
still resort to carrying files around on floppy disk because it is
easier than trying to communicate with someone on a different system.
In general, communication between the different nodes on the diagram
is far from efficient.
The environment for learning to use IT is not perceived as *very
'friendly' or convenient*. There is resentment at the use of computer
jargon, and the time taken to respond to a request for help. Many
people feel inadequate because they do not know how to formulate the
questions they need to ask the experts. A new literacy is required of
people, yet there is not a nurturing environment in which to develop
it. As a result, many people 'cling' to the local friendly expert.
Often this lack of help or advice is used as an excuse to avoid
introducing or learning how to use IT. Training is not seen as very
flexible or relevant to their needs.
Many of the *links/relationships between the groups mentioned
are problematic*. The increasing sophistication and availability of
IT is already leading to changes in the roles of both academic and
clerical staff and of technical support staff. Although the
boundaries between many of the functional areas in tertiary education
are becoming less distinct and people could more efficiently work
together, historically autonomous bodies often ignore one another.
Many IT *decisions are made without considering the whole
picture*. Purchasing, support, training and maintenance are at
present unco-ordinated. The effect of this is that equipment often
arrives unannounced, and the person on whose desk it has landed must
then find out how to work with it. They are left struggling to
comprehend unfamiliar manuals in order to load new software which
works differently from what they are used to and must rely on trial-
and-error or a friendly colleague to work out how to use it. Many of
the resulting problems remain unresolved. Rarely, if ever, are
supply, installation and training co-ordinated before the event.
In summary, if the University is to use IT in a more coherent and
effective way, it may be that some common direction needs to be
agreed upon so that through better communication there can be more
effective co-ordination of ordering, supply, installation, training,
support, and maintenance. In the considered view of the Working
Party, for this to become a realistic goal, a significant change
needs to occur in the culture of this university. Whilst no future
policy for the use of IT in the University will succeed without close
consultation with local areas, any effective development of IT will
require a less anarchic approach to decision-making and local
operations.
Perceptions of Current Training Options
Training of existing staff has been patchy and clearly quite
inadequate in some areas. Indeed, in many areas of the University,
there are still staff who do not even have basic key boarding skills.
Training of the most basic sort would therefore be required before
such staff could make use of even the simplest forms of IT. Some of
those who have tried computerised 'Learn to Type' packages complained
of difficulty in finding a sufficient period of time for the
necessary concentrated effort. So far as typing is concerned,
classroom courses were seen as the only satisfactory way to ensure
that people not only 'learned to type', but also absorbed the skill
to the level of it becoming second nature. Such courses also provided
the opportunity to gain advice on practices designed to prevent
problems such as eye strain and RSI.
It is striking that the most common pattern whereby staff and
students learn to use IT is through quite haphazard means, the
effective quality of which has to be questioned. Many users appear to
be self-taught, in the sense that their learning has been in relative
isolation through 'trial and error' experimentation and hands-on
practice, often without even the assistance of relevant manuals or
other documentation. There were others whose learning relied upon
manuals and colleagues.
Few people cited formal CSC courses or training programs as
significant avenues for their own training. Occasionally staff were
not aware of these services but, more significantly it would seem,
the timing, duration and session length of courses made them almost
impossible to accommodate within the demands of academic teaching
timetables. It would seem that, despite the best efforts of CSC to
advertise courses, this information is often not reaching those with
the need. That suggests there are communication problems within
potential user areas.
A commonly expressed difficulty with the present provision of
training courses is that they take time which cannot be spared. The
stress of immediate pressures means that people feel that they cannot
be away from their regular place of work. Staff report problems both
in finding the amount of time required to attend courses, and with
their timing. Academic staff, in particular, have commented that it
is nearly impossible to find a block of several free hours to devote
to a course. Yet for these same staff to struggle on with inadequate
skills and understandings is counter-productive, and wastes more time
than the course would take.
There is a major problem here of reconciling short and long-term
goals, which will be addressed later in this report. Clearly, a
necessary reform is to ensure that staff are enabled to learn enough
to cope effectively with their immediate demands at the time that new
equipment is supplied. There then needs to be provided a follow up
course at a time when pressures are less.
The Role of the 'Local Expert'
The 'local expert' emerged as a common theme across the campus,
although the degree of 'expertise' was often only relative.
Generally, these individuals are academics (or other staff members
whose formal duties do not include the role of IT adviser) who have
some degree of comfort with the technologies and are seen to be
approachable by their colleagues. In some cases, the local
'troubleshooter' is a PhD student seen as a 'computer whiz' and who
acts as staff members' first point of contact. It is often not fully
recognised that receiving assistance from such a person is a form of
training. One reason why the 'local expert' proves so useful is that
he or she also has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the
academic subject matter, often a critical need given the technical
nature of the material to be manipulated.
In many cases, these 'experts' find themselves increasingly
overwhelmed by this informal role to the extent that their formal
workloads suffer. Seldom are the roles of these 'experts' formalised
in such a way that their normal workloads are decreased to allow them
time to assist their colleagues. At the same time, not all of these
individuals (and particularly not academics) are interested in such
formalisation of their adviser role; indeed, many undertake the role
simply because there is no one else for others to turn to.
While local experts can provide sympathy and support, much of the
assistance they provide could well come from other sources. In
particular, simple questions could be answered if the user consulted
a software manual. In many cases, however, the manuals are nowhere to
be found, and even if these were available, they often appear
intimidating to the inexpert. This problem is exacerbated where
discounted 'educational software' packages have been bought which
contain multiple copies of the software, but only a single set of
manuals.
Use of Administrative Systems
In addition to the use of IT for word-processing and 'number
crunching' a significant and growing number of staff have in recent
years been given access to segments of the University's
administrative and financial systems. This access creates a training
need, not just in the use of the equipment but also in how to make
most effective use of those systems. Some training has been provided
in this, but it is somewhat sporadic. A major difficulty reported is
that these systems are far from 'user friendly' and appear quite
intimidating to those unfamiliar with them.
THE NEED FOR TRAINING
The preceding account makes clear that to date the provision of
effective training across the University leaves much to be desired.
The basic problems have been evident for many years (see, for
instance, the attached memo from 1985). Urgently needed is a less ad
hoc and haphazard approach to training which integrates it into
people's work, rather than segregating it, and provides it in a way
which gives them more control over their training.
There will be costs involved in providing appropriate training. But
there are costs involved in not doing so; the personal frustrations,
inefficiencies, poor use of equipment, variability in levels of
competence, repeated examples of 'reinventing the wheel', waste of
time and consequent drop in morale already described will undoubtedly
get worse unless the issues discussed here are dealt with seriously.
The Desire for Personalised, In-house Training
Almost without exception, the preferred mode of training among both
academic and general staff is personalised and small scale. Staff
said they prefer either one-to-one, on-the-spot training or local
small group training where the group members share a common need or
interest. (Whether this is affordable is another question!) In both
approaches, staff express a strong preference for training to be
provided in their own workplace, on their own machines, and with
reference to real tasks related to their actual work.
Ideally, people need training **at the time** at which they are faced
with a problem. It is crucial that training be related directly to
the immediate needs of the person who is being supplied with new
hardware or software, or who is experiencing a problem. This calls
for a variety of possible solutions, operating at different levels of
sophistication depending on the degree of initial competence. For
some, the manufacturer's documentation and/or audio-visual training
packages might help. For others, these are not always directly
relevant, and many find it more convenient and appropriate to ask a
more experienced person for help. Also likely to be useful is the
kind of self-directed learning approaches which allow a user quickly
to 'home in' on a specific problem area. Such help could come from a
clearly written and well-designed manual, or an audio-visual package,
or a menu-driven on-line facility.
IT training, particularly for desk-top services, needs to be tailored
both to the individual user and to the working environment. It is not
sufficient for computer specialists to teach the range of features
available in a specific software package; rather, persons with
teaching skills are needed to prepare and present courses showing how
certain of those features can be applied to the specific needs of an
area.
Beyond this, local staff also need an understanding of university IT
systems. There is a clear need for a 'welcome kit' which explains the
IT facilities available, how to use the equipment, and provides a
list of contact names for IT support. 'House calls' and 'hotlines'
were also suggested as appropriate modes for assistance and training.
Product-based Training
Much training in the past proceeded on the basis that a few people
with a technical interest in a new product gained some familiarity
with it and then attempted to train end users. More attention needs
to be given to this way of proceeding.
Firstly, training on new products needs to be related to a range of
levels. The requirements of users at the desktop are different from
those of support staff and technical staff. The relevant training for
the latter groups needs to directed to their quite specific
perspectives.
Secondly, with a more co-ordinated approach to purchasing new
products, the University would be in a stronger position to negotiate
purchase arrangements which could include either training agreements,
or training 'vouchers', for specialised users/support people,
generalised users and specific end-user applications.
Training on Administrative Systems
Traditionally, training for administrative systems has been provided
at the time of implementation of new systems by Systems Controllers
or MISD staff. Neither areas have the resources to provide on-going
area specific training. This was assumed to be the responsibility of
Business Managers to ensure that new staff received the appropriate
training. This option has not worked well. It is essential that a
coordinated program of training for new staff and, as new features
are added, on-going training for all users is provided in a timely
and effective manner.
Coping with Dramatic Changes in Work Practice
Another dimension of training needs arises from the fact that the
emergence of IT often brings with it dramatic changes in work
practices themselves. The working party's visit to the Department of
Social Security set this in sharp relief. There the comprehensive
introduction of IT led to a major shake-up in the flow of work, in
the organisation of work-groups and in duty statements, producing a
much flatter staffing hierarchy. Changes in IT were but one element
in a radical change in the work practices themselves.
Increasingly, staff found themselves addressing not just new
technologies but also changing roles and new ways of collaborating.
In the context of the ANU, similar changes are touching all of us,
whether involved in teaching and learning, in research, or in
maintenance and support. Many staff, both academic and general, are
finding themselves enmeshed in ever-expanding networks of colleagues
and work-teams as a direct result of these new tools. Almost every
conceivable task requires ever increasing levels of technological
literacy. Not only that, but the character of the work to be done is
altered as new possibilities are offered by these technological
advances. There are academic and cultural lags in this; some
disciplines are more traditional and inherently conservative
regarding the new technologies, while others - particularly the
natural sciences - are more comfortable with rapidly changing, high
technology work tools.
Many are finding the transition to the 'information age' a difficult
one. Suddenly the skills that were satisfactory for a particular
position may no longer be adequate, or even appropriate.
Consequently, fears and frustration-levels increase, and these may
not be solely fear of the technology itself, but may also reflect
anxiety about one's personal future and adequacy. The opportunities
for some are balanced, if not outweighed, by risks for others.
It must also be said that the common assumption that new information
technologies will make work more interesting, flexible and efficient
may not necessarily be so. There is no guarantee that exciting new
technologies will create exciting jobs and that the 'output' will
reflect positive gains; indeed the quality of some work might be
degraded. Neither can we assume that the increases in skill levels
required and shown will always be matched by increased opportunities
or salaries.
For all these reasons, the impact of IT on the 'quality of work life'
at the ANU needs to be at the forefront of our planning. The design
and deployment of technology has to go hand in hand with the redesign
of work. The allocation of resources accordingly has to focus upon
the social infrastructure for training and support, not just on the
technology.
Clearly IT brings with it both risk and opportunity. Staff need
training in how to cope with and take advantage of these social
changes just as much as they do in the use of the technology itself.
The University's IT strategy therefore needs to focus on both
technology *and* people. Unless we face up to the double character of
this need in the future, it is unlikely that the full potential of IT
will ever be actualised.
STRATEGY FOR THE FUTURE
There is a wide range of knowledge in the use of IT on campus. It
should be a goal of the IT Directions Statement to ensure that all
academics, general staff and students are given the opportunity to
develop the knowledge and skills to use present systems and services
optimally.
To facilitate optimal use of IT capacity it is essential that the
members of University's upper management - both academic and general
- are well briefed in the opportunities offered by using an increased
range of IT service and facilities.
As argued above, the prerequisite to any effective development of IT
will be a greater willingness to co-ordinate decision-making and
local operations in respect to ordering, supply, installation,
training, and support. Without diminishing the importance of close
consultation with local areas, ways will have to be found to bring
these functions together into a carefully articulated flow.
**It will require a cultural shift within the University of
considerable magnitude.** But unless such a change occurs, the
University is in danger of wasting a great deal of money on IT.
Such a cultural shift cannot easily be engineered in as complex an
institution as a University, especially the ANU. Yet there are
reasons to think that it could come about. Both the teaching and
research functions of the University are under unprecedented
pressure. The rapid growth in student numbers at both the
undergraduate and postgraduate levels, the development of the
Graduate School, the much more intrusive role of the Australian
Research Council in funding research both in the Faculties and in the
Research Schools, the heightened rivalry, even jealousy, on the part
of the State universities, and the political threats to the integrity
of the ANU, have each added to the pressures which could bring about
the necessary cultural change. There are straws in the wind which
could be signs of a greater readiness within the ANU for people to
think and act as **members of one integrated institution.**
As well, the development of an IT environment is itself proving to be
a force for changes in the University's self-understanding. For this
to develop, the cultural shift needs to include the following:
- An investment focus on training. That is, an
acceptance of the view that to have staff trained in IT is an
essential university-investment;
- A universal recognition - that time spent on training
is actually work. Those who have responsibility for staff need
to recognise that leaving the workplace to attend training in IT
is not an annoying absence but an essential part of work;
- Fundamental change in the work environment, with a
willingness to look at longheld work practices which may no
longer be the most appropriate for an IT-aware organisation;
- An equipment strategy for IT which puts the poorest,
least-trained (but high need) areas as top priority for funding
in order to create a level playing field for all members of the
University Community in the use of IT.
- A willingness on the part of local areas to become
more co-operative in order that a more comprehensive and
coherent approach to the use of IT on the campus can be
developed. In certain respects, this could well include a
willingness to exchange some of their independence for inter-
dependence.
Ways of working at the ANU are already changing - eg. office hours
are not as rigid; lectures are not as formal; more work is being done
after hours or from one's place of residence. There is an opportunity
for the IT environment to change accordingly if the existing
arrangements - in the methods of communication amongst staff and with
students, in the division of labour and staffing hierarchies, and in
the organisational structure of the University - are allowed to
become less rigid, and adequate support is provided.
The University's approach to IT training needs to move beyond the
traditional conception: that training means teaching people how to
perform pre-determined kinds of task. Rather than training in that
narrow sense, what is required is the provision of environments for
learning, and carefully directed support, which will enable people to
make innovative and intelligent use of the powerful machines placed
at their disposal. Such an approach will seek to enhance people's
adaptability, by giving them transferable skills and the ability to
teach themselves. Through learning how to make creative use of IT,
they should be encouraged to explore the opportunities it offers to
apply new processes and procedures to the performance of their work.
To achieve these ends, both initial and concurrent training in this
broader sense must be provided in a non-threatening environment.
Users must feel comfortable about working in a continually changing
institution, and about contacting the providers of training for
further support and advice. In this way, we will develop a training
program which is not simply designed to rectify current shortcomings,
serious though they are, but one which will be able to adapt to
future IT environments.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Workplace Automation
R1: That the University commit itself, as a high priority
and at the highest level, to a Workplace Automation Project.
Such a project, if well carried out, would generate sufficient
increases in productivity as to be a role model for both the ACT and
the university sector generally. Bringing all members of the
University community up to a basic level in the use of IT will
greatly enhance communication, the movement towards becoming one
integrated institution, and the opportunities for the effective and
efficient delivery of appropriate training in the future. There are a
number of features to such a Project:
1.1 The delivery of IT facilities to the desktop should be
considered equivalent to the delivery of telephones;
1.2 Given that a major form of communication will be the Campus
Wide Information System (CWIS), it will not be effective unless it is
delivered to 100% of the campus population. Unless this is accepted,
the effort of establishing the CWIS will be wasted. The CWIS could be
used for the delivery of information and tips in the use of both
Administrative Computing Systems and desktop facilities such as
spreadsheets and word processing;
1.3 All staff of the University should be able to communicate
with each other via a well-supported, effective, efficient e-mail
service capable of interfacing with both IBM-PC and Apple machines.
1.4 In line with current attempts to develop a consistent
University corporate image, all areas should have the benefit of
commonly used templates for the production of inter-office memoranda,
external correspondence, fax cover sheets, applications for grants,
discussion papers, etc., in order to cut down on unnecessary
duplication of work.
1.5 Where appropriate, workgroups should be provided with Local
Area Network facilities to allow for the maintenance of a common
software platform; it is not cost-effective to have 10 staff using 6-
8 different software/hardware platforms. Area specific training could
then be delivered prior to any upgrade to facilities.
Commitment to Training
R2: That in recognition of the provisions of the new
General Staff Award Memorandum of Agreement under the Structural
Efficiency Principle 3.6, a total commitment to the provision of
training, both *before* the installation of new equipment and
*at other appropriate times*, is essential.
Whilst the Academic Staff Award does not contain the same explicit
provision, the same commitment is essential for these staff.
Comprehensive Needs Analysis
R3: That before any major IT purchases are made, there be conducted
a thorough 'needs' analysis which includes an assessment of
training needs as well as the work requirements, physical
environment, furniture, hardware and software needs.
Such an integration of purchasing and training envisages central co-
ordination but decentralised delivery. To succeed, it will require a
re-orientation in how the University has traditionally thought about
work.
3.1 Appropriate initial training should then be provided at the
time the new equipment or software is installed.
Involvement of Upper Management
R4: That a series of seminars/workshops for the members of
University's upper management - both academic and general - be
arranged to allow them to become involved in the change process
themselves.
Localised Delivery of Training
R5: That, in order to deliver a high level of effective,
timely training, a series of facilities based on the Infoplace
concept developed by the Australian Taxation Office be
established to service groups of staff and students. The primary
goal will be ease of access to all.
5.1 In the Institute of Advanced Studies this role could be an
extension of the School Computer Units. Elsewhere, newly established
Infoplaces would support general office applications for both general
and academic staff, and a dedicated facility would support the
development of courseware and have close interaction with both CEDAM
and IRU.
5.2 The new facilities would eventually be available to all
students together with academic and general staff. Such a facility
will include training facilities for users of desktop IT including
laboratories fitted out with the appropriate range of hardware,
software (microcomputers, workstations, printers and networks etc)
and other training aids.
5.3 Each Infoplace would work closely with the area responsible
for the physical provision of IT facilities to create training
programs based on needs.
Central IT Division
R6: That a central IT Division be established on campus to
meet the long term need of the University in the area of IT.
One of its main functions would be to support the work of the
Infoplaces. In particular, it could provide:
6.1 A 'hotline' or help desk service with skilled staff to
provide timely information in all areas of IT desktop services on
campus.
6.2 Home base for local support staff. These staff could be
rotated through local user areas to ensure they developed a wide
knowledge of the possible uses and applications of IT.
6.3 Training for local support people. The rate of change in
the IT market place is very fast indeed and support people need to be
very knowledgeable in the provision and support of IT services.
6.4 Trained specialists to provide hardware and software
consulting services in conjunction with the help desk service.
6.5 A shopfront to provide up-to-date information relating to
microcomputer hardware and software including purchase, support and
maintenance. This is seen as a 'one stop shop', however the emphasis
would be placed on IT training and support services such as
maintenance, network connectivity, and current information relating
to a variety of hardware and software products. Suppliers would be
asked to participate (perhaps on a space rental basis) with the
obvious advantage of having an outlet on campus to distribute
information relating to their own products. Sale of hardware and
software would be a function of the suppliers rather than the
University.
A structural diagram relating the central IT Division to the local
infoplaces is at Figure 2.
Figure 2 - Training Connections to the IT Division
_______________
| |
------------------| IT DIVISION |----------------
| | Training | |
| |_______________| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
_______|_________ ________|_________ _______|________
| | | | | |
| FACULTIES | | SCHOOL COMPUTER | | FACULTIES |
| INFOPLACES | | UNITS | | COMPUTER UNIT |
|_________________| |__________________| |________________|
| |
| |
| |
_______|_________ ________|_________
| | | |
| LOCAL SUPPORT | | LOCAL SUPPORT |
| PEOPLE 1/50 | | PEOPLE 1/50 |
|_________________| |__________________|
Train the Trainer
R7: That central funding be provided for the professional
training of trainers.
In this connection, consideration could be given to entering into
partnership with professional training organisations:
7.1 Trainers should be selected from staff who have shown some
aptitude with the software and have excellent knowledge of the
challenges of the workplaces. It cannot be assumed that technical
computer professionals will always be appropriate to fulfil this
role. In some cases (e.g. in connection with some new statistics
software) the best person might be an academic engaged in high-level
analysis; in others, (e.g. in the use of EXCEL in administrative
management), a departmental administrator might be the most suitable,
or e.g. in using network access to data sources via the library, a
specialist librarian would have the necessary skills. Wherever
possible, the formal courses should concentrate on adding value to
work performance.
Training Program
R8: That a high priority be given to the introduction of
an IT training program for all areas on campus.
This program would provide training courses ranging from basic
keyboarding skills including attention to preventive health care
practices in the use of IT to the more advanced applications and
specialised services such as e-Mail, AARNet, CWIS, the FMIS, use of
networks to access data sources via the Library etc. This program
would be coordinated by the IT Division and would set standards and
directions for IT training and education on campus. Good training
will always embrace experiential learning, and where possible, use
accelerated learning techniques.
Training for New Staff
R9: That an introductory IT course be developed for new
staff members to assist in their transition into the University
IT environment.
This course could be conducted as part of the induction programs run
for general staff by the Staff Training & Development Unit, and for
academic staff by the CEDAM. It would be at this stage that
proficiency in basic IT skills (such as keyboarding) could be
explored.
IT Kit
R10: That a Technology Information Kit be developed and
made available to all staff on campus and be part of the staff
induction process.
This kit would include information relating to the type and use of a
broad range of IT systems and support services on campus and would
include simple statements of the responsibilities of users and of
good practice. It would be available both electronically and as a
folder of hard copy information.
Training Curricula
R11: That training curricula be developed which recognise
the need for a more work specific approach to course content.
11.1 The development of these curricula across different kinds
of work would be undertaken by a group drawn from a broad range of
workplaces on campus who would have direct input into the development
of new IT training courses and IT education directions.
11.2 One area requiring special attention is to ensure that
those staff whose work requires them to access administrative systems
such as the Student Administrative System, or the Financial
Management System, are given appropriate training both on how to use
the IT involved and to make effective use of the administrative
system in question.
Refresher Courses
R12: That refresher and extension courses be developed for
staff who have previously been trained and are using IT services
on campus.
Peer Group Support
R13: That encouragement be given to the development of IT
peer groups on campus.
The initiative in this area would most likely come from the current
experts in various areas. Examples might include a Macintosh users
peer group, a PC users peer group, and a variety of groups from key
user areas of the FMIS.
Software Support
R14: That the University commit itself to supporting only a
small number of the most popular software packages.
This is essential to the provision of high quality and cost-effective
support and training.
Site-Wide Licences
R15: That the acquisition of site-wide software licences be
expanded and supported from a central point.
Site licences for commonly used software would make effective
training easier and cheaper to provide. It would also allow for cost-
effective use campus-wide (so long as an adequate number of manuals
are available at each location) and would encourage compatibility and
ease of exchange of files. It is worth noting that negotiation of
site licences for software reduces the incidence of software piracy
and saves time and money in a large IT environment.
Preferred Software, Self Directed Learning
R16: That local areas be encouraged, when considering the
purchase of new software to first determine whether suitable
software is available under existing site-wide licence,
secondly, favour software for which the University is already
providing support, then, if necessary to purchase different
software, choose that which is user friendly and for which
easily accessible manuals, tutorial software or on-line
facilities are readily available for self-directed learning.
Documentation - How To... Guides
R17: That one junction of the central IT Division be the
development of task-specific documentation directed at staff and
student needs.
The first of these 'Producing an Assignment on a Macintosh Computer -
A Guide for the Absolute Beginner' has been completed and is
attached. A second guide, dealing with producing laboratory reports,
is currently being developed. Whilst these two guides would be
particularly helpful to students, some directed specifically at
aspects relevant to staff use are likely to be helpful.
