VET Teacher Training in Australia: Preserving Australian VET ...

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3. Prepare resources for delivery 4. Deliver and facilitate training sessions 5. Support and monitor learning 3.1 Contextualise existing learning materials to meet the needs of the specific learner group 3.2 Finalise learning materials and organise facility, technology and equipment needs in time for delivery of learning sessions 3.3 Confirm overall delivery arrangements with relevant personnel 4.1 Conduct each session according to session plan, modified where appropriate to meet learner needs 4.2 4.2 Use the diversity of the group as another resource to support learning 4.3 Employ a range of delivery methods as training aids to optimise learner experiences 4.4 Demonstrate effective facilitation skills to ensure effective participation and group management 5.1 Monitor and document learner progress to ensure outcomes are being achieved and individual learner needs are being met 5.2 Make adjustments to the delivery sessions to reflect specific needs and circumstances 5.3 Manage inappropriate behaviour to ensure learning can take place 5.4 5.4 Maintain and store learner records according to organisational requirements The above is sourced from training.gov.au and a search for the TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment . This is part of the Unit or Competency detail; and what follows (below)is also an inclusion which is offered here to give an indication of the depth of required student effort and the improbability that this qualification can be awarded after a few days of training. Note: ‘training.gov.au’ is the title of the national site providing information on VET in Australia. If you go to this site and view this unit of competency, you will find that the detail of the unit addresses much more than is reproduced in this paper. TAE40110 Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit (TAE10 Training and Education Training Package, p. 208 of 1013) – Evidence of the ability to facilitate group‐based learning by preparing and delivering a series of training sessions, including: � At least two consecutive sessions, of a duration commensurate with a substantive training session (e.g. 40‐60 minutes), that follow one of the leaning program designs � At least one session delivered to a different learner group, with evidence of how the characteristics and needs of this group were addressed � Identify and respond to diversity and individual needs � Access and use documented resources and support personnel to guide inclusive practices In Australia, VET is the tertiary learning pathway to qualifications which are job specific in nature. Although the intersection with university education is becoming blurred as VET providers 9 (in some instances) are entering into the higher education space and universities are becoming more active in 9 The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER 2009) reports approximately 5000 registered training organisations (RTOs) of which 59 are publicly funded and known as TAFE Institutes. NCVER (2012) reports 2241 training organisations delivered publicly funded VET in 2011. Although much smaller in number, TAFE Institutes have broader scope of delivery and much larger numbers of students than private providers. It should be noted that ‘private provider’ is a catch all term embracing enterprise RTOs, community based RTOs, and those RTOs (overwhelmingly the largest number) which operate as private businesses in the education and training market place. 6
the VET arena, a community perception, seemingly, remains that VET is non‐academic and, generally, a learning pathway for people who don’t have the academic capacity to achieve a university qualification. Whilst Australian VET does provide a continued learning pathway for secondary students who don’t have university entry scores at the completion of their secondary education (or acquired later in life), people with university qualifications do enrol in VET courses so as to strengthen their professional capabilities. Also, VET does provide a second chance at learning for many; and some within this ‘second chance’ cohort go on to achieve university qualification. It is becoming common place for articulation arrangements to be in place between Australian VET providers and universities; accordingly, there is reason to believe that VET will be valued if “awakening’ is applied – when compared with universities ‐ more for its alternative pathway offering than being perceived as a lesser learning experience. This is a rich story which has not yet been adequately told. Continuing with the richness theme, I wonder if even VET teachers (in general) realise the uniqueness of their learning facilitation. As there are mostly no entry barriers to VET, it is not uncommon for an Australian VET teacher to be engaged with a group where some students have joined with high support needs. i.e. a broad spectrum of possibilities which might include low self‐confidence/image, learning difficulties, cultural challenges, past failures at education, low levels of language, literacy and numeracy, etc. and other students will be so advanced in their learning confidence that frustration arises with respect to perceived inadequacy of the pace and depth of learning. In these circumstances, the ability of the VET teacher to facilitate the learning in such a way as to forge group cohesion and energetic learning partnership is a high order capability, of much value, which may be overlooked. However, notwithstanding probable under‐valuing by others, an educationalist orientated teacher takes much pride playing a part in an initially disparate group of learners forging a partnership in learning and, frequently, on‐going friendships. For a VET educationalist teacher, these events are part of the joy of teaching and are indicative of the social capital outcomes from VET. In Libby and my research into VET and social capital it is clear that, for many students, VET is a life changing experience and not limited to those who come with academic weakness. Therefore, I suggest that a VET teacher has potential influence reaching beyond what many (teachers included) might recognise. I find it intriguing to reflect upon why my experience of VET in bringing about strong learning bonds leading to increased self‐esteem isn’t reflected in my experience of university education. With the forgoing in mind, Australian VET teachers are richly diverse in terms of their life experience and what they bring to VET. Mostly, they come to VET teaching from a substantial and varied work experience background – it is a requirement that they have both vocational competence and teaching competence (see following). They also have differing motivations for what is a profound career change. It is unlikely that a VET teacher sets out in life with a teaching career in mind; and this may be a significant point of difference when compared with primary and secondary teachers and 7
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