TAFE Teacher of the Future

1. TAFE Teacher of the Future Andrea Bateman Improving teaching for VET practitioners VPN Network E: andrea@batemangiles.com.au T: 03 5339 4426

2. Background • Current research & the basis of this presentation: • Quality is the key: Critical issues in teaching, learning and assessment in vocational education and training, Mitchell, J, Chappell, C, Bateman, A & Roy, S, NCVER: 2006 • Other relevant research: • Shaping the VET practitioner for the future, Rumsey, D & Associates 2002 • VET Teaching and Learning; The Future Now 2006-2010, Guthrie, H, Perkins, K and Nguyen, N, WA DET: 2006

3. Consortium research program • Supporting VET providers in building capability for the future • High-level research program driven by a consortium of expert Australian researchers; funded by NCVER • 9 programs - extensive and interlinked research activities over 2 years. • These research activities will provide the evidence on which to base decisions for the future of the VET workforce and which will support workforce change. • http://consortiumresearchprogram.net.au/html/

4. Research activities • 1. Visions and Options • 2. Career Pathways • 3. Teaching, Learning and Assessment • 4. Cultures and Structures • 5. Learning Through Work • 6. HR Practices • 7. Educational Leadership • 8. Decision-Making • 9. Insights

5. Project methodology • Mixed methods approach – simultaneous use of multiple research methods • Literature review • Discussion paper • Focus groups (4) • Mini-conferences (2) • Field research in UK • Consultation with stakeholders • Investigation of networks in VET • Conducting an online forum • 15 case studies

6. Critical issues - literature • Changing environment • What do learners and clients want? • Skills and resources needed by VET practitioners • Critical success factors (individual, organisational, systemic) for VET providers in developing and implementing innovative approaches to teaching, learning and assessment

7. Changing environment - literature • Factors driving change: • Technological developments • Consumerism • Staff shortages • Increasing competition between providers • Increasing diversity in the client base • Engaging more learners (mature age and youth) • Rising complexity and uncertainty in society and the economy • Changing structures of work roles, employment • Value of generating and applying knowledge • Shift from mass production to market segmentation • Shrinking time horizons (Moynagh & Worsley 2003, Mitchell et al 2003, Dickie et al 2004, Mitchell et al 2006)

8. Dickie, Eccles, FitzGerald and McDonald (2004) described the future environment in which VET professionals will be expected to work as: …an environment characterised by increasing diversity in the client base; increasing sophistication in client expectations; change in products and expansion of options for training delivery; changes in employment, work roles, team structures and places of work; increasing competition and increasing demand; and globalisation of the training market

9. Initial proposition • Profile of the VET environment that emerged was that it was characterised by 2 features: complexities and opportunities. • Increasing awareness of the complexities of teaching, learning and assessment in VET, in a constantly changing training environment. • Growing awareness that there are new opportunities for innovation in teaching, learning and assessment in VET, leading to the delivery of new or improved services.

10. Needs of clients - literature • Critical issues (and opportunities) confronting VET practitioner: • Increasing demand for customisation and personalised services • Developing a position on learning styles, including: gaining a deeper understanding of individual learning styles & preferences, improved awareness of own approach to learning styles, a clear appreciation of the debates around learning styles • Effectively providing support for different learner groups (e.g. equity groups, on-line) • Understanding of the many different ways learning can occur in workplaces (especially on the job, informally) • Development of partnerships between teachers and enterprise managers and trainers (Leadbeater 2004, Mitchell et al 2003, Miliband 2004, Mitchell et al 2006)

11. What do clients want? - refined • Employers are unwilling to pay for customised or personalised training VS Employers want training to be context specific to their enterprise • A view that it may not be wise to cater too much for the learning styles and preferences of individuals (Coffield, Moseley, Hall and Ecclestone 2004; Smith and Dalton 2005)VS Employers want training to meet the immediate needs of the enterprise, not of the learner. • Provision of specially designed services and support for different learner groups BUT inflexible funding models a barrier to customisation. Providers are challenged with the need to cater for mixed learner groups • To appreciate and support learning that occurs on the job, the trainer ideally needs to spend time in the learner’s workplace BUT this is not always possible. • When establishing partnerships there may be obstacles – different educational qualifications and training approaches of the different parties.

12. Skills & resources needed - literature • Skills needed by the VET practitioner in the design of learning programs and resources: • Improved skills in implementing Training Packages • Skills to take advantage of the new digital technologies • Skills and resources to provide effective support for learning that occurs in the workplace

13. Skills & resources needed - literature • Skills needed by the VET practitioner to provide assessment services: • Ability to focus on critical aspects and develop tools and processes to enable valid assessment • How best to provide recognition services • How to grade performance • How to assess generic skills • How to provide support to other assessors

14. Skills and resources needed - refinements • Skills required to implement Training Packages may have been underestimated. • Some questioned the value of generic resources such as assessment tools. Some practitioners rated generic resources as invaluable while others customised them to suit their contexts. Others noted that they needed interpretation and this interpretation required skills that are not easily acquired. • Issues raised were: • Graded assessment • Tension between compliance and creativity, as raised by Schofield and McDonald (2004). • RPL - especially impediments and barriers to implementing RPL

15. Emerging profile of a VET practitioner • Demand driven and only supplies services as required • Able to customise programs to suit enterprises and individuals • Able to personalise programs to suit individuals • Able to let go of old certainties such as: pre-set curriculum and didactic instruction – to – develop attributes, attitudes, ideas and techniques that meet the client needs • Looks outward at market needs and seeks to meet those needs • Needs a raft of new skills – so many that they need to draw on specialist skills and knowledge of others

16. Emerging profile of a VET practitioner • Some features and attributes: • Views individual students as lifelong learners • Respects the business risks and pressures of enterprise clients • Appreciates that enterprises need skills to achieve business outcomes • Understands links between training, HR and workforce development • Functions effectively within supply chains and skill ecosystems • Exercises professional judgment in delivery and assessment • Develops and sustains long-term relationships with clients

17. Emerging profile of a VET practitioner cont’d • Participates within a team to access colleagues’ specialist skills • Taps into wider networks for information and resources • Understands the value of accessing and applying industry research • Contributes to the development of innovative products and services • Commits to achieving and maintaining the quality of the profession • Improves the tools and frameworks of professional practice • Updates technical skills and industry-specific knowledge • Copes with complexities and uncertainties about industry skill demands.

18. Attributes • VET practitioner is a strong educator with an equally strong appreciation of business • All attributes may not reside in one individual – however all attributes would ideally be evident in work teams.

19. Skills & knowledge - common themes • An understanding of learning theories • Pedagogical skills reflecting emerging theory, i.e. learning facilitator • Flexible approach • Ability to innovate • Ability to foster generic skills • How to interpret and unpack Training Packages • Able to research and analyse key issues & priorities in VET • Business and client focussed • Vocational expertise and industry currency • Meeting AQTF requirements, with greater attention to continuous improvement approach (Guthrie, Perkins & Nguyen 2006)

20. Critical success factors for innovation - literature • VET practitioner: adopting new work roles such as learning manager, facilitator, mediator, broker, strategist • VET organisations: developing an agile and flexible culture which encourages diverse thinking and individual initiative • VET system: developing more teaching and learning resources, facilitating practitioner development, making changes to policy, promoting creativity

21. Innovation - literature • Models of good practice might be transmitted by: • Tapping into networks • Offering staff incentives for continuous innovation • Fostering people with dissemination skills

22. Innovation - refined • Structured professional conversation • Creating systems and processes for innovation • Encouraging practitioners to be creative and flexible • Providing time • Collaboration with peers • Statewide professional development

23. Professional development - Common themes • Rumsey (2002) identified 4 types of professional development: • Foundation • Just in time • Refresher • Targeted • + Advanced skills; focussing on reflection and strategies enquiry to develop high level expertise (Guthrie, Perkins & Nguyen 2006)

24. Your comments… • What do you think the TAFE teacher of the future looks like? • What do you think are the critical skills and knowledge that we need to foster?