Virtual Situated Learning Environments - Information Communication Technologies for Human Services Education and Delivery - page 85

Figure 3. Human services: Developing a healthy lifestyle management strategy

for reflection of self and team learning and
simulations.
The assessment is designed to test the devel-
opment of employability skills identified through
written contributions and reflections and ability of
the team to agree on a holistic plan for a healthy
life-style.
In summary, the Virtual Community Cen-
tre, offered as a VSLE, provides a common
place for students from a variety of human
services professions to explore skills needed
at the intersection of practice. This is done in
a realistic setting in which there are a number
of alternate needs from a variety of service
providers. The on-line environment creates the
opportunity for a common “language” to be
developed as students use the written word to
identify commonalities and differences in their
approaches. The fact that discussions, negotia-
tions and role-play responses are recorded in a
written form enables students to “revisit” these
to both reflect upon challenges and to explore
continuous improvements in approach. The use
of written communication means that different
disciplinary approaches can be explored over

time and modifications made as innovative ap-
proaches are explored.

concluSion

When designing learning environments for the
human services, it is important to combine learn-
ing opportunities that mix both pure and applied
approaches to developing subject matter and ab-
stract and reflective learning techniques. Human
services exist at the junction of many disciplines
and thus it is important that students are provided
learning opportunities that not only develop their
employability skills in specific subject areas, but
are also presented with learning opportunities to
develop their inter-professional skills. This chapter
has argued that ICT, through its use in supporting
VSLEs designed to provide a common context
for students, combined with ICT social networks
tools that enable on-line role-play, simulations and
discussion activities, provide a learning context
in which students of human services can develop
these skills. The outline of a possible approach to
linking learning activities in the on-line environ-