All publications

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

A study on questions relating to access to, and participation in, structured training for both… Show more

A study on questions relating to access to, and participation in, structured training for both casual employees and outsourced labour. Show less

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

The publication focuses on examining the extent to which understandings about supply and demand… Show more

The publication focuses on examining the extent to which understandings about supply and demand within the training market are held in common among the key stakeholders in particular industries. Information is presented in two perspectives, by industry and stakeholder. The publication concludes with a discussion of the factors influencing the extent to which demand-oriented practices have been Show less

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

This consolidation study synthesises recent research and evaluation literature on generic skills,… Show more

This consolidation study synthesises recent research and evaluation literature on generic skills, with a particular focus on the conceptualisation and piloting of the Mayer key competencies in Australia between 1993 and early 1998. Show less

This report examines the effect of competency-based instructional techniques on VET teachers and… Show more

This report examines the effect of competency-based instructional techniques on VET teachers and trainers both at national level and at specific sites. The report contains a comprehensive literature review of concepts and models of staff and professional development. It comprehensively reviews actual and desired forms of staff development in relation to CBT and develops a model of effective staff Show less

The report represents the results of the first comprehensive quantitative study of the outcomes… Show more

The report represents the results of the first comprehensive quantitative study of the outcomes achieved by Indigenous peoples enrolling in VET courses in colleges within the Aboriginal community-controlled adult education sector. It shows what a valuable contribution the Aboriginal community-controlled adult education sector has been making to the improvement in Indigenous education and training. Show less

The key problem explored by this research is whether initial vocational education and training and… Show more

The key problem explored by this research is whether initial vocational education and training and associated support services assist early school leavers to negotiate an effective transition from school to adult roles. The report also examines the gap between provision and demand for VET and associated services barriers, to full access and use of the available programs and services by the Show less

This report addresses some of the issues surrounding small business participation in training and… Show more

This report addresses some of the issues surrounding small business participation in training and other learning activities, and the relationship between participation and business success. The project surveyed 181 businesses employing fewer than 20 people in the construction, manufacturing, property and business services, and the various networks of small business people. The result of the study Show less

This report explores whether competency-based assessment is meeting the needs of its users. The… Show more

This report explores whether competency-based assessment is meeting the needs of its users. The researchers found that a number of issues were raised by those consulted in the project. These included grading (the need to bridge the gap between competence and excellence), the quality of competency standards and their treatment of underpinning knowledge, who are appropriate assessors, and what 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 examines issues related to the learning needs of women working in small business. It… Show more

This report examines issues related to the learning needs of women working in small business. It suggests that the present VET policy framework and the ways in which the VET sector operates at present do not meet the needs of this client group. Show less

Older people are flocking to training. They are demonstrating that they want to learn and they can… Show more

Older people are flocking to training. They are demonstrating that they want to learn and they can learn. They are also turning more and more to community providers rather than TAFE. Is TAFE oriented too much towards young people, at the expense of the older person? Show less

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