Work in Progress

Accommodating learning styles: Relevance and good practice in vocational education and training

• Summary
• Purpose
• Approach
• Research questions
• Methodology
• Organisations

Summary

Purpose

The study will explore a range of issues in relation to perceptions of and approaches to the teaching and learning process. It involves focus groups of both teachers and students, a survey and ten case studies.

Specifically the study aims to:

1. identify and clarify the distinctions between learning styles, preferences and strategies and their practical application to VET learning environments

2. identify the range of teaching strategies already in place throughout VET, their effectiveness for learners and different learner groups, and their applicability to different instructional methodologies and learning outcomes

3. develop a set of strategies that instructors can use to develop learners and knowledge/skill acquisition within the Training Package context

4. identify the implications for professional development program for teachers.

Approach

Quantitative and qualitative research, including a literature review, focus groups, survey and case studies in six providers in three states

Research questions

The specific research questions are:

1. To what extent does the VET sector take account of the preferred learning styles of different groups of learners?

2. Where account is not taken, what information do VET instructors use to develop instructional methods? Where account is taken, what is commonly understood, and what teaching practices have resulted?

3. How useful is knowledge of a selection of styles and preferences theories to VET instructors and planners, and to VET learners? How much use can be made of them, and in what form?

4. What are some of the exemplars of good practice in the use of a knowledge of learning styles/preferences in VET teaching, and how might these exemplars be disseminated and embraced by other VET practitioners? How do these exemplars handle assessment issues as part of consideration for learning style?

5. What strategies can be employed by VET instructors to develop self-management of learning among their clienteles; and what are the strategies that can be used by learners?

6. Can development of those strategies enhance learner motivation and capacity to develop lifelong learning mind-sets?

7. What professional development is likely to assist VET instructors to use learning styles to develop more client-focused teaching processes; and to develop self-managed learning in those clienteles?

Methodology

Using existing literature reviews as a basis, these will be updated, and customized to be specifically relevant to this study.

The research will draw on information from both teachers an learners based in providers in Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. Two providers from each State will be selected for participation in the study. All data collection methods used in providers will be organized through local provider personnel, and will include those personnel in the actual data collection.

The study involves:

* A survey of VET teachers/institutes across 6 providers in Victoria, WA & SA

* Focus groups of institutes in the 6 providers

* Focus groups of students in the 6 providers

* 10 examples of best practice

Organisations

The Research Institute for Professional Development and Vocational Education and Training's (RIPVET) main focus is to undertake research within the areas of lifelong professional and vocational learning, flexible delivery, learners' contexts and learning needs, practitioner contexts and professional needs, and quality provision of professional and vocational education and training. Its web site at http://www2.deakin.edu.au/faculty/education/ripvet/default.htm provides information about the Institute, key features, policy guidelines and its research scope.

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