Course books
Background
In 2022, the AHTA Education Committee recommended adopting the CANVAS Learning Management System (LMS). Before adopting CANVAS, AHTA provided all participants with printed course books.
This transition to CANVAS allowed the association to move away from printing course books, as content is now provided digitally through CANVAS, which is available to participants on an ongoing basis.
Do I need a course book?
The decision to purchase a course book is an individual choice.
Course participants will have access to the course material on the Canvas Learning Management System. However some members have reported that they prefer a hard copy for convenience and note-taking during the course.
Please be advised that some information in the course book may differ slightly to the course because, in the interests of quality, our courses are regularly reviewed and updated. Course participants should refer to the course materials in the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) for the latest version.
How do I order a course book?
You will have the opportunity to order a course book when you register for a course.
Why CANVAS?
The recommendation to implement a CANVAS was driven by several factors. Some of the key benefits include:
Up-to-date content: Course materials are hosted within CANVAS and can be updated swiftly and easily, allowing the association to continuously improve its courses.
Accessibility: Participants can access the course content from any device, anywhere, ensuring flexibility in learning.
Environmental consideration: Participants indicated that the association should reduce its carbon footprint. By moving away from printed materials, we are taking steps toward this goal.
Comprehensive feedback: Participants expressed a need for more detailed feedback on their assessments, beyond just receiving a grade. Before CANVAS, assessment feedback was handled manually, which made it challenging to provide thorough, timely responses.
Collaboration and communication tools: CANVAS offers built-in discussion boards, chat features, and direct messaging, facilitating communication and collaboration between students and presenters.
Dynamic and engaging content: The AHTA and its presenter team can create, organise, and manage course materials efficiently. It supports multimedia content, assignments, discussions, and quizzes, enabling dynamic and engaging courses.
Security and privacy: CANVAS is known for its strong security protocols, ensuring that participant and association data is protected.
Why isn’t the course book included in the course fee?
Before adopting CANVAS, AHTA provided all participants with printed course books.
The AHTA along with all Australian businesses have been subjected to 20-30% increases in costs in the last two years.
In addition, the AHTA has made significant investments to ensure the delivery of high-quality education aligned with the Australian Quality Framework (AQF) standards.
To meet these standards, the association strengthened its capabilities by hiring two part-time staff to review and enhance course offerings and by implementing the CANVAS learning management system (LMS).
Even with increasing costs, the AHTA has retained its course prices at the 2022 prices, because we are too aware of how difficult it is for our members to afford continued professional development, and we were able to offset these costs through sponsorship revenue.
If you would like more information on the cost of AHTA courses and where your course fee is spent, please refer to our website at this link: Course pricing
Why is the course book optional?
Offering optional course books provides members the choice to purchase if they wish or simply access the materials on Canvas, making it more affordable and accessible.
This also supports our commitment to being environmentally conscious and reducing our carbon footprint.
We recognise that some participants prefer printed materials, while others feel that printing is unnecessary and wasteful. Providing this as an option allows us to accommodate both perspectives.
What is the cost?
Course books will vary in price depending on their length and the number of pages.
The association will provide the option to purchase a course book at the cost of printing, with no mark-up applied.
The decision to print the book in color or black and white will be made by the association. Please note that printing in color can cost up to twice as much as black and white.
While the association will make an effort to gather feedback from participants regarding their preference for color or black and white, it may not be possible to meet everyone’s preference.