Berwyn Clayton is the Director of the Work-based Education Research Centre (WERC) at Victoria University and the 2011 Researcher of the Year. This paper presents her keynote speech from the 2011 National VET Research (‘No Frills’) Conference and provides an insight into Berwyn’s journey from teacher to VET researcher. It highlights her interest in assessment and the capability of the VET workforce, and her dedication to supporting and mentoring new researchers.
This report explores the beliefs and experiences of new graduates of the certificate IV, with a focus on the graduates' sense of preparedness and confidence in planning, delivering and assessing training, as well as their views on the benefits and limitations of the certificate IV.
Recognition of prior learning has been a longstanding major policy initiative within the education and training landscape. This report provides insights into how people become aware of their recognition options and explores factors that encourage or inhibit access to recognition of prior learning. This may assist practitioners offering recognition of prior learning services to make changes which could enhance the experience for those people wishing to pursue this pathway.
The findings of a study examining organisational culture and structure in ten public, private, community and enterprise-based Australian registered training organisations is presented in this report. It identifies the ways in which organisational cultures and structures shape what is possible within registered training organisations and how to manage change to build organisational capability.
This publication outlines the outcomes of forums held in 2005 to introduce the consortium research program which has investigated ways of building VET provider capability. It found a range of issues were of concern to participants as they considered how registered training organisations might position themselves to meet the demands of their various clients in the future. In particular, they noted that in a continually changing VET environment, attention would have to be given to new structures and ways of working as well as renewing the VET workforce.
Mp3 of interview conducted by Steve Davis with Roger Harris and Berwyn Clayton about their report 'Supporting vocational education and training providers in building capability for the future'.
The purpose of this study was to identify the factors which help successful equity initiatives that had been seeded in TAFE institutes through short-term funding to take root and spread. The report concludes that many equity programs remain stuck in the seeding stage and fail to thrive and grow. It suggests that this is because current funding approaches place too much emphasis on starting initiatives and not enough on the development and scale-up of promising ones.
Reforms to Australia's vocational education and training (VET) sector have had a significant impact on practitioners' work in public and private providers. This study analyses practitioners' perceptions of, and reactions to, the changes. The scope of these changes has been substantial and has required shifts to practitioners' habits, norms, skills and knowledge. While the greatest changes have been increased work responsibilities and shifts in relations with industry in particular, a key theme is the varied impact the changes have on VET organisations and practitioners.
Vocational education and training (VET) can assist rural communities develop the necessary skills to survive and prosper in changing social and economic environments. This report investigates the implementation of training packages in five rural communities, and the strategies providers, community and industry stakeholders use to achieve positive outcomes. Providers in the rural communities reveal that flexibility is the key to successful training. However, some funding and delivery policies/regulations hinder their efforts. The authors find that policies and incentives that support collaboration will assist training diversity in non-metropolitan Australia.
This report provides a literature review and history of approaches to quality assurance of assessment in the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia and overseas. It also examines eight potential models that can be used by individual or groups of assessors within a training organisation. The models include a diagnostic assessment tool, an assessment principles checklist, and guidelines for the development of assessment instruments. The report provides background to the development of the resource kit.
This report highlights the diversity of assessment methods used in flexible delivery modes of teaching across Australia's vocational education and training (VET) sector. While assessment practice is underpinned by training package and course curriculum requirements, other factors influence the methods teachers and assessors choose. These include the availability of qualified workplace assessors, the proximity of students to teachers or assessors, the need to ensure students' work is their own, and the involvement of learners and workplaces in the assessment process. This suggests challenges and opportunities exist for teachers in a competency-based training and assessment system.
Assessing generic skills in a selection of training packages is the focus of this report. Based on case studies, the authors also examine how these skills are understood by trainers and learners. The report contains a comprehensive literature review of assessment of generic skills.
The implementation and management of recognition of prior learning (RPL) by registered training organisations following the introduction of Australian Quality Training Framework standards are reviewed in this report. Proposals to support registered training organisations' compliance with RPL in the standards are also included. The report is based on work commissioned by the Australian National Training Authority to identify and analyse the barriers that affect the implementation of RPL, and to advise the National Training Quality Council.
The use and potential of online assessment is investigated in this report. It identifies: *the principles of quality assessment *assessment practices that can be supported with online technologies *methods and tools that work *factors that influence choice and design on online assessment methods. The report is published in two volumes. Volume 1 is the main report and volume 2 contains the appendices and is available in PDF format only.
This volume is a companion to The development of quality online assessment in vocational education and training, Volume 1. The detailed report of the project is contained in volume 1 while volume 2 contains the appendices.
This study undertook a comprehensive examination of a sample of auspiced (or partnership) assessment arrangements. It also included a review of national and international literature on partnerships and six case study sites selected for indepth examination, giving a wide variety of models of partnership arrangements. The research found that there are common factors critical to the development and continuation of effective collaborative alliances such as auspiced arrangements. The report also provides guidelines for partnerships in assessment, based on information gathered through the case studies and the literature review.
This report provides an outline and discussion of the support needs and services required for students to achieve successful outcomes while studying online. The findings of the report are based on a literature review, surveys and follow-up interviews with students studying online and with teachers/co-ordinators delivering online. The focus of the surveys and interviews is on students' expectations of the services either currently provided or required to be provided to ensure their success.
This study explored retention in apprenticeships and traineeships and factors that influence this process. The study is based on interviews with over 400 apprentices and trainees as well as with teachers, trainers and workplace supervisors. The study identifies a range of personal, industry, labour market, workplace and training factors that contribute to the likelihood of an apprentice or trainee completing their training. The study concludes with the view that retention is the collective responsibility of all parties involved - the individual, the employer and the provider of training.