All publications

This study reviews both international and Australian literature on provision of vocational education… Show more

This study reviews both international and Australian literature on provision of vocational education in adult and juvenile correctional institutions. The international research includes some studies that found that vocational education and literacy/numeracy education have led to reduced recidivism. The Australian literature, which is small scale at this stage, indicates that VET improves access to employment but the studies do not identify in what way VET assists as there are many variables which affect why prisoners participate in programs. Show less

This publication, edited by Annie Campbell and Penelope Curtin, is aimed at fostering discussion aro… Show more

This publication, edited by Annie Campbell and Penelope Curtin, is aimed at fostering discussion around issues pertinent to adult and community education (ACE) in Australia. Recent relevant literature and reports that relate to the following topics are examined: * Who uses ACE: Future demand * Lifelong learning and ACE * Community in ACE * Widening participation in ACE Show less

This is an overview of the report by the same name which looks at how competency-based training has… Show more

This is an overview of the report by the same name which looks at how competency-based training has helped to achieve the goal of an adaptable and flexible workforce. Show less

This report has been prepared as part of the Indonesia Australia Partnership for Skills Development… Show more

This report has been prepared as part of the Indonesia Australia Partnership for Skills Development (IAPSD) Program as a reference document about the technical and vocational education and training situation in Indonesia and in Australia. The overall goal of the program is to assist in improving workforce skills, so that skill formation arrangements better meet the needs of Indonesian industry. Show less

This study compared costs of delivering workplace and TAFE-based courses in three industries - retai… Show more

This study compared costs of delivering workplace and TAFE-based courses in three industries - retail, hospitality and automotive. The data that were gathered provide an insight into the comparative costs of training and how they are distributed across governments, employers and trainees. Show less

Four major impediments to higher youth employment are identified in this review. These are: the inab… Show more

Four major impediments to higher youth employment are identified in this review. These are: the inability to maintain rates of economic growth sufficient to reduce unemployment without inducing inflationary pressures; changes in the composition of demand for labour favoring more highly skilled workers; systems for delivery of vocational education and training which remain poorly adapted to users' needs; and wage structures that prevent the market for youth labour from clearing. Show less

This booklet provides a review of research on competency-based training. It gives a brief overview o… Show more

This booklet provides a review of research on competency-based training. It gives a brief overview of the historical context of training reforms in Australia and overseas, and examines the implementation of CBT from a variety of perspectives. Show less

The changing nature of indigenous involvement in vocational education and training (VET) over the pa… Show more

The changing nature of indigenous involvement in vocational education and training (VET) over the past decade is one of the most remarkable transformations seen in Australia's educational history. The number of indigenous peoples in VET has grown from just a few thousand in the 1980s to almost 45 000 in 1998. Inequality between indigenous peoples and other Australians in overall participation in VET has now been eliminated. VET providers, particularly TAFE, have opened their doors to indigenous peoples. They have responded and are enrolling in VET courses in record numbers. They are staying in the programs and successfully completing them in greater numbers than ever before. However, there are still many issues that need to be addressed such as balancing representation across courses, improving pass rates and employment outcomes and reducing withdrawal rates. This study suggests strategies that focus on more appropriate provision of courses and improving the outcomes achieved by indigenous students. Show less

This review of research reviews both the Australian discussion papers on reliability and validity of… Show more

This review of research reviews both the Australian discussion papers on reliability and validity of competency-based assessment as well as international empirical research in this field. The review discusses two types of competency-based assessment - paper-based objective testing techniques and performance assessments as well as the implications for validity and reliability of each type of assessment. The review includes guidelines for establishing procedures to enhance reliability and vaidity. Show less

This report provides a picture of adult and community education (ACE) provision of VET programs in V… Show more

This report provides a picture of adult and community education (ACE) provision of VET programs in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia and in so doing provides a broadly based picture of the ACE sector as a whole. The report provides evidence of the capacity of the ACE sector to effectively address learner needs and to help learners link together learning. It also notes that while ACE provides considerable benefits to disadvantaged groups, many people with substantial prior educational background also choose to make use of ACE. Show less

This project indentifies the types of Adult and Community Education (ACE) programs, provision and ap… Show more

This project indentifies the types of Adult and Community Education (ACE) programs, provision and approaches that are most effective in meeting small business training needs in New South Wales. Show less

This detailed study of work experience and vocational placements examines how occupations are select… Show more

This detailed study of work experience and vocational placements examines how occupations are selected by students, what preparation is required, training arrangements, recording, assessment issues and associated policy implications. A must for workplace supervisors, placement co-ordinators, teachers and employers. Show less

This publication reports on a research project which set out to analyse recent research and policy d… Show more

This publication reports on a research project which set out to analyse recent research and policy documents on indigenous peoples' development needs and aspirations, and was aimed at assessing the extent to which current developments in vocational education and training research and policy were sufficiently informed by this separate but related body of literature. The report argues that current policy settings and research on the educational needs of indigenous Australians have been overly influenced by human capital theory and economic rationalist policy. Show less

Provides a summary of the major research conducted into the issue of the participation in VET progra… Show more

Provides a summary of the major research conducted into the issue of the participation in VET programs by those with a non-English-speaking background. It covers who they are, the policy agenda, their participation in programs, the outcomes achieved and factors influencing both participation and outcomes. Show less

This 'Research at a glance' explores small business and its attitude to training, its training needs… Show more

This 'Research at a glance' explores small business and its attitude to training, its training needs, how it becomes involved in training and how the training happens. It suggests that small business owners and operators prefer a learning style which is problem based, practical and integrated with their business. Show less

This title brings together what is known about workplace learning, examines it critically and propos… Show more

This title brings together what is known about workplace learning, examines it critically and proposes directions for future developments in both research and practice. The authors seek to provide frameworks for considering issues and new ways of representing the complexities of the field in an accessible form. Show less

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy was adopted almost a decade ago.… Show more

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy was adopted almost a decade ago. This publication reviews and addresses how the policy came about and, more importantly, what it has achieved since its inception. Show less

This synthesis of the 11 reviews of research brings together recent Australian research literature c… Show more

This synthesis of the 11 reviews of research brings together recent Australian research literature covering a range of key VET issues. Authors are drawn from a cross-section of Australia's foremost VET researchers. Topics include: aspects of enterprise learning in the workplace, returns to enterprises from investment in training, vocational education and small business, training markets, entry-level training, vocational education in schools, public and private training providers, flexible delivery, assessor training, quality assurance and the use of evaluation in the VET sector. Show less

This report showcases the results of the Australian National Training Authority Research Advisory Co… Show more

This report showcases the results of the Australian National Training Authority Research Advisory Committee (ANTARAC) project by describing five approaches taken by the VET team on the impact of research on VET decision-making. It shows that research has affected decision-making, but not in the way that people think. The great value of research is in building the climate of opinion which can, in turn, assist the decision-making process. Show less

This study is an examination of both on and off-the-job sites as learning environments. The report a… Show more

This study is an examination of both on and off-the-job sites as learning environments. The report analyses the relative contributions of the workplace and VET providers to the learning of apprentices and explores how these environments might best complement each other. It also identifies factors which determine whether or not integrated models of learning are supported. Show less