This report adds to the work on recognition of prior learning (RPL), particularly as it focuses on private registered training providers' RPL processes - how it is practised and the factors that facilitate or impede its implementation. It reports that advantages of RPL can be found in the information gained from students', trainers' and employers' processes of acquiring and assessing recognition. However, the demand on resources - time and funds - are viewed by providers as factors which limit the promotion of RPL and its use by students, particularly those from disadvantaged groups.
This report provides an overview of funding arrangements implemented as a result of the 1992 Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) Agreement. The Agreement sought to establish a unified national system of vocational education and training (VET) with joint Commonwealth, state and territory responsibility. The report discusses the outcomes of government, industry and individual investment in training, and includes examples of overseas funding models.
The experiences of contract and casual staff 'getting connected' with flexible delivery and online learning technologies and engaging in professional development is the focus of this report. The study finds a significant proportion of professional development relies heavily on learning by doing, informal learning, and networking with colleagues.
This volume is a companion to Getting connected: Professional development of contract and casual staff providing flexible delivery - Volume 1. The detailed report of the project is contained in volume 1 while volume 2 contains the appendices.
The current, various policies for fees and charges in the public vocational education and training (VET) system in each state and territory are the focus of this report. It finds that due to a host of reasons there is little to no consistency to fees and charges across Australia, and many variations between public VET providers within the same state and territory. Implications arising from this finding include the difficulty to analyse the impact of fees and charges on student participation, and the difficulty for students to compare course costs between institutions. Additionally, if a nationally consistent policy for fees and charges was introduced, it should be developed from a set of agreed principles.
This report explores the ways in which quality is defined and understood within vocational education and training (VET) systems, and the indicators that various systems and institutions have adopted around the world. The quality indicators have been brought together into an evaluative framework and reveal Australia's need to consider how to accommodate the aspirations of learners in a changing society and to better meet broad community needs.
This project was a pilot instrumental music teaching course in basic guitar instruction to 12 volunteer students (school and adult). A control group of four students were taught in the traditional manner with face-to-face instruction from a local tutor. Eight were taught via the internet in remote locations of Western Australia. The report recorded significant issues with teaching practical music studies via the Internet, with remote students failing to achieve satisfactory results in comparison with the control group. Several suggestions are made for those developing online delivery and learning in this field.
This study provides detailed information on students who enrolled in enabling courses and examines the post-course outcomes for these individuals. It also assesses the effectiveness of enabling courses to assist students to progress to a higher level of education or training or to gain employment following the completion of an enabling course.
The study analyses the 1997 TAFE graduate destination survey to explore issues concerned with the employment outcomes from vocational education. The study focuses on earnings and occupations of male and female graduates. The research addresses questions such as why is there a gap in full-time earnings between male and female graduates; why does gaining a TAFE qualification appear not to provide a relative benefit for some female graduates in some industries; is occupational gender segmentation the reason for differences in male and female graduate earnings; is the VET system reinforcing occupational gender segregation by encouraging males and females into different streams of study. The study presents findings based on analysis of national data and also includes findings on an industry by industry basis.
This report provides a review of the equity and access policies in schools, vocational education and training, higher education and adult community education and argues that government equity strategies could be improved by: targeting low-SES students within all equity groups; identifying two new target groups: those with low skills and the long-term unemployed; reporting performance in a way that focuses on the outcomes (in addition to the outputs) of education and training; strengthening pathways to employment from education and training.
This report reviews the extensive literature on women and vocational education and training. It aims to provide material useful to policy-makers and practitioners in planning responses which are appropriate to the nature and scope of women's disadvantage in VET. It also aims to provide guidance to researchers and research funding bodies on gaps in the existing research and the direction for possible future research. The report covers the political landscape (economic reforms and social trends), insights on women's participation in VET and a discussion of social justice and approaches to equity within VET. It also includes an extensive bibliography.
In the extensive literature search investigating the position of women in management and leadership in the workforce, there is consistent evidence of the way structures, practices, beliefs, values and attitudes continue to account for the problem of gender equity in the workforce. Much of the literature to date has, therefore, documented the considerable barriers to women's success in workplace cultures and environments. The emphasis in this study is on identifying the factors that currently shape the career success of women in process manufacturing.
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.
Examines recent Australian research in the area of flexible delivery of training. Issues uncovered include the need for future research to focus on managing change and to address the learning aspects associated with flexible delivery.
This submission is a review of research literature in Australia since 1990. It focuses on the following seven issues: strengthening demand, information, intermediaries, increasing responsiveness of supply, funding of training, TAFE in a competitive training market, and regulation.
Defines flexible delivery and looks at flexible delivery modes, venues, entry and exit points and flexible assessment. Questions and concerns are raised about the implementation of flexible modes and venues. Examines the organisation of the flexible curriculum, and asks whether individualised instruction works.