TAFE NSW North Coast Institute
www.nci.tafensw.edu.au

North Coast TAFE has 17 campuses servicing an area stretching from the Queensland border to the Great Lakes region - a coastal strip approximately 700 kilometres long.

Annually, the Institute takes over 39,000 electronic enrolments and employs more than 1,600 staff. North Coast TAFE relies heavily on electronic forms of communication due to its geographically dispersed student base. The TAFE uses e-mail, videoconferencing, Bridgit, and Adobe Connect in addition to access to TAFE NSW and national VET corporate systems. Teaching staff make increasing use of wikis, blogs, social networking spaces and wireless technologies. All of these technologies are affected by the available broadband spectrum.

North Coast TAFE’s Information, Communication and Technology infrastructure strategy now addresses the whole of business ICT needs and includes the provision of technology-based equipment required for teaching and learning.

Specialist staff provide IT services to both North Coast TAFE and North Coast Region Schools including installation and maintenance of the Connected Classrooms program.

North Coast TAFE has a focus on contestable and International funding. They are project managing for TAFE NSW for the provision of training for secondary teachers as laptops are rolled out across the NSW state from the Digital Education Revolution. We are highly committed to expanding innovative practices in all areas of educational delivery to reduce the need for physical infrastructure while increasing opportunities for learners in rural and remote communities.

Currently content and delivery options are deliberately tailored to existing broadband options for students and staff. Higher broadband speeds would enable full use of interactive and video content.

Technology infrastructure for creative, flexible and adaptive learning spaces is an integral part of all capital development and refurbishment proposals. An excellent example is the current proposal for new automotive teaching facilities at the Kingscliff Campus. Together with Toyota Australia North Coast TAFE has planned a facility that will incorporate wireless access in all workshop areas, access to web based diagnostic tools and video streaming of classes and demonstrations to Australian and international students.

Existing broadband speeds mean the capability will have to be tailored to the network rather than world’s best practice.