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A ROADMAP FOR MINERALS PROCESSING EDUCATION

ac.za/cmr/news/process-mineralogy-course-2015). The week long course
provides problem based learning experiences, encourages peer to peer
learning and offers a range of active learning experiences related to
working with rocks and minerals in a mineral processing context. To allow
participants to extract the most value from the experience, the course is
limited to approximately 18 delegates.

JKTech also offers short courses in process mineralogy. A series of modules
covering the basics to more advanced case-study based applications,
can be adapted for delivery either to a wide range of participants or
targeted for specific operations. The courses have been developed and are
delivered by specialists from the University of Queensland who form part
of the JKTech extended faculty. One of the other impacts of the boom-bust
cycle in industry is the lack of discretionary funding to allow professionals
to travel. In response to these financial pressures and to make PD more
available globally and to a wider range of participants in 2015 the decision
was made to develop an online process mineralogy course.

Online

Online learning offers a wide range of benefits for learners, teachers and
educational institutions. In order to maintain (or even improve) the quality
of learning compared to that offered in a face-to-face environment a
number of factors need to be considered, among these is how to translate
content offered in a face-to-face context to an online setting. While the
course content is, for all intents and purposes, the same, it has to be
presented differently in the online environment. The team developing the
course included subject matter experts, educational designers and other
technical experts in visual design, multi-media and software development
and involved collaboration between the University of Queensland (through
UQx and the JKMRC) and JKTech. In adapting the course content, principles
of good practice in education (Caplan, 2004) were followed.
Supporting the learner to actively take part is facilitated by providing them
with authentic activities (i.e they have real world relevance, can be complex
and ill-defined and extend over a period of time, provide the opportunity to

Developing and Sustaining Capability 191
in Process Mineralogy