In the landscape of contemporary education, the integration of digital tools has become indispensable. Recognising this paradigm shift, our proposal addresses the need to enhance the digital skills of elementary Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) students. We have also provided support to teachers in delivering effective feedback to foster self-regulation in students. This initiative supports migrants and refugees in acquiring digital proficiency while increasing their ability to participate in Australian society.
The significance of improving digital skills for migrants and refugees has been highlighted by organisations such as, the Settlement Council of Australia, and the Department of Home Affairs. These organisations emphasise the role of the AMEP in offering opportunities for better education, social integration, and economic inclusion.
The initial phase of incorporating our Learning Management System (LMS) as a teaching tool revealed a wide variety of skill level amongst our educators as well as our students that needed to be developed.
Guided by TAFE SA’s quality guidelines, we developed five competency units. The integration of the LMS in our classrooms increased student learning and educator confidence in using the tools. The courses we have developed cover a range of digital content modalities, including audio, video, and interactive elements. Grounded in various educational theories and frameworks, these LMS courses employ a range of quizzes and formative assessments to enrich the learning experience and consolidate the knowledge gained.
The LMS has proven to be a valuable tool for both educators and students. It offers automated feedback, enabling educators to manage excessive workloads while providing a comprehensive database for teaching and assessing course content. Moreover, the feedback loop created by the LMS through an inbuilt teacher and student dashboard, empowers students to self-monitor their progress, contributing to a continuous cycle of improvement and to self-regulated learning.