This research examines what high-quality VET delivery looks like in practice, how it is measured and what are the barriers and enablers for registered training organisations (RTOs).
This report is an interim publication for a project that outlines what is known about the quality of teaching, learning and assessment practices in Australian VET and how it might be better measured. It is based on a review of relevant literature and is a precursor to consultations with RTOs that are currently occurring in the next stage of the project.
This study canvassed the views of stakeholders in order to identify the key features of quality teaching in vocational education and training (VET) and how it might be improved. It also involved an environmental scan of VET capability frameworks and standards to determine key domains, roles and capabilities of VET teachers, and three case studies of pilot teacher professional development (PD) initiatives currently underway to improve the quality of teaching. The report also makes reference to key related findings in the literature.
This report provides a portrait of the initial formal training for VET teachers in private and public registered training organisations. It describes the features and content of generic courses offered both in the VET sector and higher education ranging from certificate IV TAA to graduate diplomas. It also provides details about the characteristics and numbers of students enrolled in a range of courses. The report sits in the wider canvas of other initial and ongoing professional development and support for teachers. It concludes that the certificate IV is the one true foundational course, and suggests some ways to address its quality issues.
This paper examines initial VET teacher training from the late 1979s to the present, based on the literature and the author's personal experiences. While much has changed, many of the issues and approaches that are apparent in the early literature remain the same today. There is cause for optimism and the author proposes a number of approaches to improve the quality and relevance of initial teacher training. Such training is only a first step, however, and access to further formal training and professional development is vital to maintain and build teachers' skills.