What is distance learning?
When someone completes coursework away from an actual school campus, it is generally called distance learning. This is a general term for many types of learning, including online classes and distance learning classes with resources delivered by mail. Many distance learning programs are connected to traditional colleges while many exist independently to cater to the growing demand for quicker courses at a competitive price.

If study through distance learning will I be certified interstate?
Yes. This is a nationally recognised qualification and meets all stateand federal requirements. The "Nationally Recognised Training" logo on the right and the national course codes are the nationally recognised indicators for qualifications that are accepted throughout Australia.

What happens if I don't live on the Gold Coast?
Many of our current students don't. As they can't come to our college there are two items our distance learning students have to organise themselves.
1 - Their own first aid course.
2 - Their own vocational field placement.

How do I organise my vocational field placement?
The entire distance learning courses for Children’s Services are divided into two areas, theory and practicum (training in the field). Distance learning students receive two types of course resources;

1 - Course resources to complete the theory based study
2 - Vocational Field Placement Record Book

Theory Based Component
The theory based course resources cover all units required by the community services training package listed on the National Training Information Service
(NTIS). The resources cover easy to read course information supported by interesting activities and assessments to complete and submit to your assessors at the College.

Once all of the set units have been competently completed you only have to finish your vocational field placement. This can be performed during or after the theory part of the course. The College cannot sign off on a student’s qualification until both theory and vocational assessments have been completed.  (Competency Based Training – CBT)

Vocational Field Placement Book
The second resource is the Vocational Field Placement Record Book. New students receive the College’s Vocational Field Placement Record Book to ensure students meet all the set performance criteria set by the training package.

About Vocational Placement
Vocational placement is where a student is placed in a workplace to receive practical training and experience as part of the training program. The assessment of competence in the workplace is a requirement of a vocational placement. Our students are required to establish a relationship with a current trainer/assessor or supervisor in the vocational field of Child Care to assess your understanding of the course. The College Vocational Field Placement Record Book ensures your learning is on track and enables you and your trainer/ assessor to maintain accurate, consistent course performance objectives.

The Australian College of Early Childhood Education places a strong emphasis on taking students from a theory based classroom environment to real child care centres. As all child care employers seek graduates with industry training experience, this part of the course is crucial.

Vocational Placement Options
There are 2 methods for students to gain their vocational placement hours. Option 1is to nominate a child care centre of your choice. You may be outside the Gold Coast area and may wish to select a centre closer to your place of residence. You may already know someone working at a centre or may have already performed some volunteer work at a centre and now want to complete a qualification. This is known as third party assessment where the child care centre director or a suitably qualified and experienced child care staff member can act as a mentor to the student and sign off on the student having competently completed the set performance criteria.

How do I organise my field placement?
Students are to phone and introduce themselves to the Child Care Centre Director and make an appointment to see him/her before commencement of vocational training. Learn how best you can fit in with Centre staff and routines. The Centre Director then has to sign the provided Vocational Placement Agreement form as the Industry Placement Person for the student. Students are expected to perform vocational training normal shift hours (8 hours plus half hour lunch break) early or late and at the Director's discretion.

Option 2 - Gold Coast based students have the option of performing their vocational training at Smarter Kids Kindergartens and Preschools. The main emphasis for students is convenience and quality of vocational placement. These centres are listed in the Vocational Field Placement Record Book or you can visit their web site at: www.smarterkids.com.au

What happens when I have nominated my Child Care Centre?
Once you have nominated a centre and confirmed your placement with a Child Care Centre’s Director or with us at Smarter Kids, a suitable training schedule and industry mentor/ assessor must be assigned.

The training schedule is provided by us in the Vocational Field Placement Record Book and allows your nominated centres’ mentor to review and sign off on your specific performance criteria (assessment tasks) when completed. This vocational assessment book is provided with your course and is a requirement on the Community Services Training Package in accordance with your level of qualification.

When do I receive my qualification?
Once you have competently completed all the written theory for all units of the course and have returned your completed Vocational Field Placement Record Book your assessments reviewed our assessors. Once completed the Chief Executive Officer signs off on the qualification and the student is then awarded the national qualification they have completed.

What if I only complete half of the course?
If you decide to withdraw half way through the course you must submit your vocational placement training book for review at the College. This will allow College assessors to combine the theory and filed placement units competently completed. Students having competently completing some units of the qualifications will be issued with an academic transcript listing the units the student received a competent grading. The remaining units in the academic transcript will be listed as not yet competent.

Once both are received and assessed, you will receive a mark of competent for those elected units.

Do I keep my Vocational Placement Record Book?
Vocational Field Placement Record Book is a critical piece of assessment evidence that you should always keep in a safe place and even make copies for safe keeping. The College must keep an original copy of your Vocational Field Placement Record Book on your student file for State and Federal auditing purposes. If you wish to keep a copy it is strongly recommended that you take a copy of the student handbook and then have the copy signed by a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner of Declarations as having sighted the original.

 PLEASE DON’T MISPLACE YOUR VOCATIONAL FILED PLACEMENT RECORD BOOK. ALWAYS TAKE COPIES.

How do I complete my First Aid via distance learning?

HLTFA301B – Apply First Aid
HLTCPR201A – Perform Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

These two units are compulsory for the Certificate III in Children’s Services and the Certificate IV in Outside School Hours Care. All employees of a Child Care centre must always have these qualifications renewed and current. Every year for CPR and every two years for Apply First Aid.

The Australian College of Early Childhood Education does deliver this unit through the Accredited Training Company (http://www.accreditedtrainingcompany.com.au/) to those students in the Gold Coast area.

Students who cannot attend our College classes are required to locate a qualified first aid provider to complete this core unit and provide a copy of their completed qualification to the College. This will then be credited towards the student’s course.

This form of third party assessments enables students to perform the required competencies as efficiently as possible while meeting the requirements for the national training package for children’s services.

Distance Learning Time Frame
Students on average complete a unit every month. Some students complete units in a shorter amount of time while others take slightly longer. Students who want to fast track their study can easily do so to meet their educational and career goals.

 It is important to understand that you will have 6 months (26 weeks) from the formal date of your enrolment to complete each unit and submit assessments for marking. Students can request in writing for an extension. This must be received by the course assessor prior to the 6 months (26 weeks) expiry date.

By Failing to Plan Your Study Habits You’re Planning to Fail Full Stop! Set Clear Distance Learning Goals

• At work, get the support of your colleagues. Let them know about your learning goals and how much you want to succeed.
• At home, clearly explain your study needs and seek household support.
• Look at your diary and schedule and determine a study timetable to work through the material
• Browse through the material to get an overview of the work involved. Divide the work into segments, taking into account time needed to plan and complete tasks.
• Allocate priorities so as to complete all tasks and allow time for study.
• Find your own best timing and study patterns and use them eg morning, night, weekend, regular study times, short spurts.
• Think about your work e.g. when reading material think about how it applies at work - relate what happens at work to the learning material.

Distance Learning Course framework
Each unit consists of assessment activities, exercises, questions and work projects for the student to complete and to provide evidence of competency in the specific unit. This self-directed learning, i.e. readings, activities, work related projects and evidence for assessment by the trainer. The learning resources are well structured and current with national child care industry standards.

No Need to be so Distant with Distant Learning!
Learning at a distance can appear as a lonely affair but this doesn’t have to be the case. When delivered in the classroom, distance learners (for an additional fee) are more than welcome to join the current class that is completing the unit. Many distance learning students also arrange meetings with their assessors to receive advice and support face-to-face on certain course topics that maybe of concern.

Assessors are there to Assist!
Distance learning students also seek assistance from fellow peers and work colleagues who have completed the qualification or work in the industry.

Who Can Enrol?

•  Anyone 15 years and over.
• No prerequisite qualifications for the Certificate III in Children’s Services and the Certificate IV in Out of Hours School Care
• Prerequisite for Diploma in Children’s Services is the Certificate
• Prerequisite for the Advanced Diploma in Children’s services is the Diploma

How to Enrol