Description
Information on the divergence between student numbers and delivery hours for the period 2002 to 2007 is provided in this technical paper. The change in hours from one year to the next is decomposed into three effects, one of which is 'hours inflation', whereby nominal hours increase over time for the same unit of competency or module. Here we show that the 'hours inflation' explains relatively little of the divergence between students and hours. However, another form of hours creep, whereby new modules have higher average hours than ceased modules, was of some significance at the start of the period in question.Summary
About the research
This technical paper provides information on the divergence between student numbers and the numbers of delivery hours for the period 2002 to 2007. Previous explanations of this divergence focused on ‘hours inflation’, whereby nominal hours increase over time for the same unit of competency or module. The approach we take is to decompose the change in hours from one year to the next into three effects:
- the effect due to changes in the number of enrolments among modules that are common to the years in question
- the effect due to changes in the average hours per enrolment among modules that are
common to the years in question (‘hours inflation’)
- the difference between the hours associated with new and ceased modules.
Key messages
- The move to nationally consistent hours has not brought student numbers and hours back into alignment.
- The mooted hours inflation explains relatively little of the divergence between students and hours.
- There is some evidence however to suggest that another form of hours creep, whereby new modules have higher average hours than ceased modules, was of some significance between the years 2002, 2003 and 2004.
- A further point to emerge from the analysis is the dynamic nature of the VET system, with very large numbers of hours being associated with the introduction of new modules.
Tom Karmel
Managing Director, NCVER