Connected classrooms enabling increased enrolments

Connected classrooms are providing an opportunity to increase capacity and access to learning for TAFE students.

In 2024 more Federation TAFE teachers are delivering training to more students in locations all around Victoria than ever before with the aid of connected classrooms to reach students not normally able to enrol in training or attend class in person.

Federation TAFE’s efforts to reach more regional students responds to the regional skills demands of employers and industry and identified by the Victorian Skills Authority and the Victorian Government’s desire to ensure more people can access TAFE via Free TAFE courses.

VET qualifications in Early Childhood Education, Training and Assessment, Community Services, Business, Building and Construction, Building Surveying and Design and Engineering and Electrotechnology are all examples of qualifications been delivered in hybrid mode with students attending simultaneously in person and online.

Offering these qualifications in hybrid mode also meets employer and student demand for skills in locations where a ‘full’ class could not be delivered in person; students who want more flexible learning options and ensuring courses are sustainable and viable.

Students who would not be able to attend class in person are now able to access learning and complete a VET qualification.

Kylie Mookhoek, Teacher, Early Childhood Education, provided examples of students who are caring for family members or have young children, who have benefit from attending class online.

The Early Childhood Education team moved to the hybrid mode in response to student demand in the Wimmera and the skills shortage for Wimmera-based trainers.

By using a connected classroom, their class size for Certificate III in Early Childhood Education has doubled in February 2024 compared to the same time last year, with students learning from the connected classrooms in Horsham and Ballarat and another 8-10 students solely online.

“The biggest thing we had to challenge was our mindset – it’s easier not to change - but the students benefit from it,” said Kylie.

While the connected classrooms technology was not hard to master, “stay calm when things are not working and just read the instructions,” the implications for teaching and learning delivery required more thoughtful changes.

“We need to be mindful that people are online.”

This has meant the team has inserted reminders in documents of when and where to connect with online students, creating combined breakout groups, using online resources and activities like collaborative software, quizzes and polls and adjusting learning resources to be more accessible online.

If students miss a class, all sessions are recorded with an exit task so teachers know when the student has engaged with the material.

The team has also found a useful way to ensure this doesn’t become a Ballarat centric delivery model. Each month a trainer teaches from the connected classroom in the Wimmera campus, giving teachers a chance to build relationships with these students. This, as well as class team building events such as a recent visit to Ballarat Art Gallery with Dr Deanne Gilson and co-delivering with industry partners, helps to boost student connection and engagement with their learning.

Building and Construction Teacher John English has been using online technologies to teach since 2019 and says connected classrooms have increased the reach and improved efficiency in teaching and learning.

This year John is teaching the Diploma of Building and Construction and Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying course. A hybrid delivery model for both classes has enabled students in Melbourne and Melton, and as far afield as Warrnambool, Mildura and Albury Wodonga to learn through Federation TAFE.

John also agrees that connected classroom technology is not difficult to use and that good support has been provided through ITS. However, it has meant a change in training practice.

“I need to be more aware of what students are doing at any given time.”

With most students online in his classes, John says preparation and planning for how the class will be delivered is key for a successful lesson, including planning how to deliver individual and group learning activities, providing written documents in advance in teams or emails and clear and succinct verbal and written instructions. Questioning techniques including cold calling, using students names and ensuring time so all students can be included in discussion, helps students online engage with the lesson as much as those in the room.

“You need to talk with them online, make it an active experience, otherwise, they are passive dots on a screen.”

Hybrid modes of learning and connected classrooms have led to about a 15-20% increase in enrolled students in one of our most in-demand courses in 2024.

The Diploma of Community Services has about 80 students, across two classes and two trainers teaching students in the classroom and online in Wimmera, Ballarat and other locations. The hybrid mode and a versatile timetable, has enabled students who are over 100 km from the Horsham campus to study at home for one day and come into class for one day, meaning it reduces the financial and family impact of travelling to study in person.

Community Services Teacher, Mark Tonzing said the options that he and fellow teacher Gina Scuffins have organised for students, as well as the Free TAFE pathway in Community Services has given students more choice when it comes to how they train and gain Community Services qualifications.

“This method is enabling us to meet the demand for these important skills, with many of our students able to secure jobs as soon as they graduate.”

Professional development has helped many Federation TAFE teachers to become more confident with their skills in using the technology and engaging people online.

For more information about connected classrooms and support, contact ITS on

Knowledge article: Connected Classrooms – Preparation and use

Training support: Book some training

TAFE team can contact the Centre for Learner Excellence at cle@federation.edu.au for support on engaging students in hybrid modes.