How are teachers using it?
Aaron Lucas is the VET Coordinator and hospitality teacher at Guilford Young College. He has been using the Futura Training Resources since January 2009 and during a recent follow-up visit in Hobart he provided us with the following feedback:

“Since I have been using the resources it has made my life considerably easier. The students really take to the multimedia approach and engage much more with the materials than the resources they were using last year. I am much further along in the curriculum and by placing more responsibility on the students; I find that they respond much better. Some of the strategies that I use for keeping things on track are as follows:

• Use the data projector for key points and often during the introduction to topics, as this helps the students understand the context
• Use the checkpoints and worksheets to keep their learning on track
• Use the quiz as a really effective formative assessment tool
• Use the data projector at the end of the lesson to let the students know what we will do in the next lesson and what they need to prepare for

I find that the resources allow students to work at their own pace and the cost of the resource is cheap when you consider the quality! It is also great for when a student is sick, as they can simply jump on the CD and check out what they missed out on. I look forward to using the new Learning Management System and e-learning solutions, as this will help with the paperwork even more”.

To see an example of Futura Training resources in use:  Please note: Flash is required to download this file.

I would like to use the resources but my students can’t afford it!
School budgets are tight but have you considered the following options:

• Charge students a material fee – to do 16 units over two years means a cost of less than $1.50 per week!
• Can you organise a quarterly payment scheme for the students – just $15.00?
• Can you tap into some of the levies collected by the school?
• Are there any fundraising opportunities that can be diverted towards resource use?

I have limited access to computers and the lab is always booked out!
The whole point of having the resource available for students is that they can access it 24/7. The teacher can use the resource via a laptop and data projector in any classroom and the students access the material at home, in the library or at the local internet café!

I have limited computer knowledge!
The resources are really intuitive and easy to get around. The search function allows you to locate information easily and the students really play with it. Just remember that you can’t break it!

I have all of my materials done and have some pretty good notes for the students already, why should I use Futura Training resources?
That’s great and you can still use and integrate your materials. The Futura Training resources will engage students more, as they can watch videos, picture sequences and learn at their own pace. They encourage a student-centred learning approach, which gives them ownership and are ideal for Gen Y! All the relevant materials and resources are organised into one easy-to-find location. Black and white photocopies are simply not the same. Consider the time taken to photocopy everything, the associated cost and how hard it is to keep everything up-to-date! We are a professional Hospitality resource developer and we do this FOR you.

My kids come from a disadvantaged socio-economic background!
The resources aren’t that expensive and by letting the students play they can gain confidence and learn at their own pace. They can revisit information and the quiz allows them to see how they are going. Hospitality is a great career for hands-on people and it can certainly take you around the globe. Just think about Jamie Oliver and restaurant 15!

Using these resources can help give students access to things that they would otherwise not be able to access. You might not be able to afford abalone for a classroom demonstration, so why not show them the video instead?

What’s the content of the Book/CD Packages?
Our book and CD packages are grouped into selections of units such as: core theory; basics of cooking and kitchen operations; desserts and pastries; poultry and meat; and food & beverage. Teaching support tools are available for all of the units that are covered.

• The books are colourful, up-to-date, industry relevant; include recipes, videos, checkpoints and work sheets.
• The CDs enhance the content of the book, with 150+ recipes in each title, videos, picture sequences, tasks, checkpoints and a fun quiz where the student can check their own learning progress.

What’s this new Online Solution all about?
Futura Training now supplies its resources in an online e-learning format. This is an ideal solution for teachers who wish to teach a range of units and require flexibility in their resources. You will encounter the same content as found on the CDs, with some additional features:

• You can choose the individual units that you would like to teach and we can compile courses for your students.
• The students’ progress and results are tracked and the student can access them at the click of a button. In addition, a Learning Management System (LMS) has been integrated, allowing the teacher to keep track of student’s progress.
• If you have a minimum of 10 students in your class and enrol them for a minimum of 15 units the total cost per student is $120 over a 2 year period, which boils down to an acceptable $5 a month!

I’ve got internet access at school, but my students don’t!
Where the teacher has internet access at school, but the student computer labs are always booked out, why not uses a data projector in the classroom, whilst the students access the course at home?

• Teachers can plan the assessment tasks at school and the students can complete these in their own time
• If this is not possible, the book/CD packages are the ideal alternative

I’ve got projector/computer access at school, but no internet access!
We would propose to use the book/CD packages.

• Again a projector/computer can be used for the CDs at school, together with the books. The teacher can still engage the students during the lesson and they can prepare for future lessons at home
• Anyhow, wireless connections are increasingly installed in High Schools and you can then weigh up the book/CD package versus the Futura Training online option.

I don’t have access to a computer at school!
Why not lease a laptop and hook it up to a projector? The traditional and proven book/CD packages are the best alternative for this. The CD can still be used by students at home and the book can be used as the main resource during class time.

My school only buys class sets!
Class sets means that the school has only one set of resources for several classes. This means that the books and CDs need to be shared by many students and imply that the students don’t have the opportunity to take the resources home or to the library to study.
Have you considered the following options?

• Charge students a material fee – to do 16 units over two years means a cost of less than $1.50 per week!
• Can you organise a quarterly payment scheme for the students – just $15.00?
• Can you tap into some of the levies collected by the school?
• Are there any fundraising opportunities that can be diverted towards resource use?