The past year has required the education system to move from a face-to-face setting to an online one. Making education and upskilling as interactive and dynamic as possible for students and professionals. Source: Timberbiz
New technologies, resources and techniques for engagement are top of mind at WoodSolutions. Looking to the years ahead, there will be a combination of two deliveries is the future of learning.
“WoodSolutions have prepared for this shift,” said Eileen Newbury, National Program Manager for the WoodSolutions brand who is also the Marketing and Communications Manager at Forest & Wood Products Australia.
Coordinating some areas of the WoodSolutions education program is Dr Alastair Woodard. He has worked within the timber education industry for more than 26 years.
Dr Woodard said that: “blending in-person practical lessons and online learning is the future of the WoodSolutions education program.”
The WoodSolutions website offers facilities that backs the program’s focus on national university support, national TAFE support and resource development. WoodSolutions.com.au has information and materials that benefit design and build specifiers. There is an education section of the website created specifically for teachers, lecturers and students.
Also, the Campus section of the website offers learning modules for industry as well as design and build specifiers. It offers resources ranging from educational videos, powerpoint presentations and PDFs.
WoodSolutions is working with universities, TAFEs and industry leaders to create a course curriculum that is progressing alongside an ever-changing industry. Face-to-face campus visits have not been possible but that has not stopped the team from connecting with educators and students to examine and monitor each program’s needs.
WoodSolutions collaborates with industry leaders and instructors from all states and territories in Australia as well as from other countries across the globe.
The WoodSolutions education and campus programs have more than 2000 users with expected continued growth. The program plans to provide student assistance through updated learning materials and sponsoring students to attend major industry conferences. This year WoodSolutions will be sending its suite of technical design guides to university and TAFE libraries for students to access. There are more than 50 technical design guides with consistent research and updates.
WoodSolutions has a lecturer delivery resource section on the website that provides educators with course materials, lesson plans and optional assessments. These resources make the teaching process easy and accessible. Some materials are created with specific study topics in mind while others are more broadly designed and can be utilized across different grade levels as well as at TAFEs and universities.
With the continued growth in mid-rise timber buildings, WoodSolutions has assembled a team of experts to research, develop and liaise with industry and educators. The program has collaborated to assist in the creation of resources to give students the most valuable and innovative education available in this sector.
Box Hill Institute [BHI] ran a pilot program in 2020 that is now available nationwide. The hands-on facilities give students the opportunity to learn and practice working with timber before heading out into the field.
BHI offers students the opportunity to study for a Diploma of Project Management on Prefabricated Building Systems (Timber) as well as a course in Onsite Installation on prefabricated building systems (Timber) that will allow current tradespeople and apprentices to upskill.
Holmesglen Institute also has a full-scale mid-rise demonstration model that students can visit to learn detailed information in their studies of constructing mid-rise buildings with timber.
The WoodSolutions Campus website started as a collaboration between FWPA and the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood. The website provides educational materials for industry members and development opportunities for design and build specifiers.
The site offers videos on relevant topics ranging from timber grading to design for bushfire as well as clear steps and processes to further training in timber usage.
WoodSolutions is evaluating the needs of its consumers and finding balance amidst an unusual year. The weekly webinar series has moved to a fortnightly schedule. The team says that there is still great opportunity to gain CPD points and develop skills within the industry without falling victim to zoom fatigue.
When asked what the future will look like, Ms Newbury said: “we are going to refresh and evolve our delivery in order to educate the specifiers of the future.” She also said that the team plans to create more short educational videos, continue developing updated course curriculum and consistently provide informational webinars for continued professional development.
This new, blended style of learning is proving to generate growth and opportunity for students and educators. Face-to-face seminars being replaced with webinars creates the opportunity for a larger reach to a much greater audience.
Online assessments and instructive materials make access, to the vast knowledge provided easier to access and faster for students around the world.
