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A priority for governments is ensuring public confidence in the quality and value of vocational education and training (VET) available to learners throughout their lives. The delivery of high-quality teaching, learning and assessment is an important element of this and is known to directly impact on outcomes for students. However, little research has examined what high-quality training delivery looks like in practice and how it might be measured. Based on consultations with registered training organisations (RTOs) from the public, private, adult and community education (ACE), and enterprise segments of the sector, this research investigated how the quality of delivery in VET is currently defined and measured. It also set out to identify the barriers to high-quality delivery, as well as approaches that might better encourage and sustain high-quality delivery into the future.

This paper is the first publication from a project focused on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment practices in the vocational education and training (VET) sector in Australia -- what we understand these to be and how they might be measured. Based on a review of the literature, this paper explores current definitions of quality in VET, the factors that impact on the quality of delivery and the various measures used to make judgements about it.

This paper examines how competency progression and completion is implemented in practice in three trades. In particular, it focuses on: interactions between teachers and/or assessors and workplace supervisors; the different approaches used to integrate on- and off-the job training; assessment and signoff practices; and the ways by which workplace supervisors and teachers and/or assessors ensure the outcomes meet the standards outlined in the respective training packages. In addition to a literature review and situational analysis, the research method includes interviews with 26 TAFE teacher-assessors teaching Certificate III in Commercial Cookery, Carpentry, and Engineering-Metal Fabrication. Twenty-one workplace supervisors in the cookery, engineering, and building and construction industries were also interviewed. The concepts of competency-based progression and completion are aligned with the notion that progression through training should be based on the skills attained rather than on the time served. The authors show that competency progression and completion is not a new phenomenon and was an early feature of competency-based approaches to vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. Indeed, trends in the data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) show that over the past decade there has been a gradual increase in the number of apprentices and trainees across all trades completing their qualifications in shorter periods of time. This report investigates some of the interrelated factors that affect progression and completion and shows that a gap remains between the policy construct and real practice, where the time-based approach to apprentice training is still dominant. Key Messages include: (1) Some of the barriers to competency progression include a lack of flexibility in training providers and employer attitudes to allowing apprentices to complete early; (2) Variations to training generally occur through informal negotiations and are not always recognised in the apprentice's training plan, suggesting that the training plans are not necessarily the dynamic document they are intended to be; (3) The most important enabler for competency progression and completion is good communication and information flow between teacher--assessors/and workplace supervisors, however, teacher-assessors are more likely than workplace supervisors to claim that communication between the two is adequate; and (4) While assessment and validation are generally the collective responsibility of teachers-assessors and workplace supervisors, there is now greater involvement of apprentices in their own assessment through collecting evidence and making decisions about whether they are ready to progress.

This study focuses on a critical aspect of the vocational education and training (VET) workforce: initial VET teacher training. It has identified the generic teacher education courses offered both by the VET and higher education sectors, ranging from the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (now the Certificate IV in Training and Education) to graduate diplomas. The certificate IV is not only the most significant in student number terms, but it is also the one true initial qualification. All the others are post-initial and targeted at teachers with some experience. Findings include: (1) Student numbers are very high for the certificate IV. Numbers are modest for the VET diploma programs, and the total numbers in higher education courses are declining; (2) The certificate IV is delivered well by some providers. However, more stringent regulation of this qualification is required, given its current pivotal role in providing initial teaching skills; (3) Initial teachers also need access to a sound induction process and support from more experienced mentors to underpin, increase and help cement their foundational teaching skills; and (4) There needs to be an increased emphasis on high-quality continuing professional development. This should come in a variety of forms: formal courses at diploma level and above; effective non-formal learning; and a supportive and challenging learning culture and practices within the providers themselves. Universities are losing their importance in VET teacher development, and this is having undesirable consequences on the depth of VET teacher professionalism. However, to strengthen their role, they need to offer flexible programs, given the competing priorities on time-poor VET teachers. Specifically, they need to develop strong connections with the VET sector and build partnerships with those providing teacher preparation programs in the VET sector itself. Appended are: (1) 2008 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment: number of RTOs and course enrolments by type and state; (2) Key initial teacher training course enrolments and completions, 2006, 2007 & 2008; (3) Diploma of Training and Assessment: number of RTOs and course enrolments by type and state, 2008; (4) Commencing client profile all key initial teacher training courses, 2006-08; (5) Commencing client profile in selected courses, 2008; (6) Certificate IV Graduates Student Outcomes Survey data; (7) Diploma graduates Student Outcome Survey data; (8) "Key" higher education students and completions by state and provider, 2006, 2007 & 2008; and (9) "Key" higher education courses learner profile, 2008. (Contains 14 tables, 3 figures and 2 footnotes.)

This report draws on analyses of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data from the Survey of Education and Training (SET) and the Census of Population and Housing to provide an updated demographic profile of vocational education and training (VET) professionals and VET practitioners. A number of caveats are attached to this analysis, all relating to changes made to the primary source of data, the Survey of Education and Training. Caveats aside, a number of clear findings emerge, or rather are reinforced: (1) VET professionals are increasingly involved in direct activities; that is, activities that are directly concerned with the development, delivery and assessment of courses/modules; (2) VET professionals are increasingly older, and older VET professionals are increasingly found in technical and further education (TAFE); (3) There are roughly equal numbers of male and female VET practitioners in TAFE, with more of both employed part-time than full-time; (4) The proportions of full- and part-time staff have been stable for ten years; and (5) An increasing proportion of VET professionals are self-employed. In addition, there may have been a shift in the qualification profile of professionals in TAFE providers with, in particular, an increase in the proportion holding postgraduate qualifications. A range of reasons are suggested to explain why such a change might have come about, but the authors also suggest that further work is needed to understand if and why such a change in qualification profile has occurred. (Contains 3 tables, 1 box, and 9 figures.) [This report is complemented by two other pieces of work: "National TAFE Workforce Study 2008" (Lisa Nechvoglod, Peter Mlotkowski, and Hugh Guthrie) and "VET Workforce Collection: Feasibility Report" (Katherine McGregor). These three reports are published together by NCVER in "Vocational Education and Training Workforce Data 2008: A Compendium," edited by Hugh Guthrie.]

This paper focuses on issues which affect the capability of technical and further education (TAFE) providers to meet their clients' and stakeholders' needs and draws extensively on the reports of the consortium research program which examined ways to help build vocational education and training (VET) provider and workforce capability. The paper puts this research, most of which was completed in 2006 and 2007, into a contemporary framework. It suggests that TAFE providers need to be free of unnecessary central constraints to help them meet their strategic business needs. This includes more direct control of human resources matters and industrial relations. (Contains 8 footnotes.)

This paper is based on one prepared for South Australia's Training and Skills Commission. It comes at a time of strong interest in the quality and professionalism of the vocational education and training (VET) workforce. This interest is underpinned by research into what constitutes quality teaching, as well as initiatives such as the strategic audit of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment under the auspices of the National Quality Council. The author argues that professional development is just one approach to improving the quality of the VET workforce. A strong professional culture in the workplace and better approaches to recruitment, job design, industrial relations, workplace and performance management also need to play their part. Whatever the approach, professional development needs adequate resourcing if it is to be effective. He does not shy away from two areas surrounded by controversy--the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and the registration of VET practitioners. On the former, the author's view is that the certificate IV is a sound qualification as long as it is taught well and adequate support is provided. On the latter, he opposes mandatory registration but notes that under the Australian Quality Training Framework it is possible to audit so that providers not only have staff with the necessary qualifications and skills profile but also have an ongoing professional development program in place that helps the organisation run--and improve--its core business of teaching and learning. Perhaps these audit requirements should be particularly rigorous for providers issuing teaching qualifications. (Contains 22 footnotes.)

This paper examines the history of initial VET (vocational education and training) teacher training, both through the literature and the author's own experience. Finding of this survey include: (1) The minimalist regulatory approach of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment as the mandated qualification for VET teachers and trainers needs to change and it is time to accept a broader range of qualifications as a suitable foundation for teaching in VET. This should be based on a wider range of issues: the teaching role, the provider profile and the characteristics and needs of their students; (2) A more rigorous application of regulatory requirements for staff to maintain vocational competency and develop their teaching skills will ensure that teachers do not remain with minimal qualifications; (3) The "skill set" approach mooted for the new Diploma in Training and Assessment will lead to more formal professional development being taken up by staff. These skill sets need to be based on specific work roles as well as generic teaching and assessment skills; and (4) More active collaboration between universities and the VET sector will yield better teacher training and professional development. (Contains 2 footnotes.)

This literature review, commissioned by the National Quality Council, provides a historical account of the development of competency-based training in Australia and summarises the issues arising from the range of reviews conducted on elements of the national training system. It also explores the variety of ways in which competence is conceived both in Australia and overseas. The review is divided into three chapters. The first looks at the origins and introduction of CBT in Australia, including its relationship to the United Kingdom model from which it was derived and other aspects of the National Skills Framework which affect it; for example, training packages, the Australian Qualifications Framework and the Australian Quality Training Framework. The second chapter looks at a range of definitions and conceptions of competence and competency, how these compare with current Australian conceptions, their strengths and weaknesses, and what, if anything, they might offer to any reconceptualised view of competence. The third section contextualises the review based on Council of Australian Governments'objectives and discusses the issues arising from the literature considered in the first two chapters, including a range of reviews and analyses that have been conducted of CBT and of other key planks of vocational education and training. It will attempt to draw these elements together to provide a summary of viewpoints and suggest some of the issues arising from these findings. The literature suggests that: (1) competence can be conceptualised in two broad ways. One takes a view that competence is a personal construct, while the other grounds competence in the context of an occupation and even a particular workplace. It suggests that a balance needs to be struck between these two constructs; (2) support for CBT and training packages remains strong, but that attention needs to be given to the quality of both delivery and assessment. The literature also suggests that training packages could be better understood and used, and that some refining of the underpinning concepts, processes and products is required; and (3) the professionalism of vocational education and training teachers and trainers needs to be reemphasised and enhanced. The literature also suggests that perhaps it is time to revisit the nature and level of training for VET's professional staff. (Contains 2 figures and 8 notes.

Organisational capability is recognised as a key to organisational success. The combination of human capital (peoples' skills and knowledge), social capital (relationships between people) and organisational capital (the organisation's processes), is central to building an organisation's capability. This paper, presented at the 2008 annual conference of The Australian Council of Independent Vocational Colleges, summarises what is known about building capability among the VET sector's private providers. Its insights are based on a comprehensive program of research, "Supporting VET providers in building capability for the future", conducted from 2005 to the end of 2007. The research explored factors which enhance or inhibit vocational education and training (VET) provider capability. Private providers are numerous, usually small, and diverse. Individually, they aim to create unique goods and services which provide features or benefits of superior value for their customers, especially in niche markets. They are the "boutique stores" of the VET sector and are, collectively, significant providers of vocational education and training. (Contains 3 notes.)

Information was gathered about how Technical and Further Education (TAFE) agencies throughout Australia were implementing and using performance indicators. The context of TAFE's perceived mission and corporate goals were considered. A history of the development of national performance indicators in TAFE was compiled. The project drew heavily on letters and accompanying documentation provided by individuals or groups within state/territory TAFE agencies to study initiatives in developing performance indicators. Findings indicated that Victoria, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory had undertaken relatively little development, although the issue was receiving significant attention in Victoria. Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia had made significant progress in the development of performance indicators and systems. The Australian Capital Territory Institute of TAFE had a considerable history in the development and use of performance indicators. A review of the literature focuses on the following key words: planning, management information, accountability, and quality and quality improvement. In a final chapter, this publication uses an extended medical analogy to look at the strengths and weaknesses of performance indicators and considers a range of other issues, such as data quality, social justice and the use of performance indicators, and the development and implementation process. (A 78-item bibliography is included, followed by 4 appendixes: a project network list; a list of indicators and collection processes; comments on specific indicators; and a list of performance indicators.) (YLB)

This paper was developed to present to the Technical and Further Educatoin (TAFE) Department in New South Wales alternative approaches to curriculum development to assist the department in choosing an appropriate approach that will meet the current and future needs for an efficient, effective, and streamlined curriculum development process. The paper was used as a resource document for a 2-day workshop. It: (1) describes briefly the methods used in the curriculum study and identifies the sources of information; (2) places the curriculum development approaches proposed in context by providing an overview of these processes in general and those used currently in New South Wales in particular (five practices are discussed--import, in-house, project, contract, and multimodel); (3) provides a suggested framework for good curriculum practice in order to consider any potential approaches; and (4) proposes potential approaches (especially the contract model) to curriculum development and raises a series of related issues for consideration at the workshop. The paper was to be used along with the workshop as a beginning to provide a basis for reforming the curriculum development processes used by TAFE in New South Wales to meet its emerging needs. The document includes 44 references. Appendices include the project proposal, a list of persons interviewed, and the interview questionnaire. (KC)

A study for the South Australian Government gathered data on student enrollment and graduation rates in Diploma and Associate Diploma courses; documented initiatives for multiple entry and exit structures; proposed other possible approaches, using selected courses as case studies; investigated problems associated with providing multiple entry and exit points in such courses; and suggested possible solutions. Information was gathered from the following sources: interviews with South Australian education officials, a literature review, analysis of curriculum documents for a range of Associate Diplomas and Diplomas, analysis of student records and other data, and interviews of students. Some of the findings were that graduation rates for all programs were low, attrition from technical courses was higher than from less technical ones, and retention based on "student hours" data was high for all programs, with retention increasing over time. The study also found that students who did withdraw tended to do so early in the program, primarily due to course difficulty or money problems. Students saw merit in introducing courses with more flexible entry and exit points. Recommendations were made to gather more information on students' previous study and their courses and to develop methods for creating more flexible course work, in light of training requirements. Emphasis was also placed on articulation measures to help students keep from repeating prior work. (The report includes 29 references and 3 appendixes: the original project brief, a description of major and minor streams in curricula, and a listing of current Associate and Diploma programs offered in South Australia.) (KC)

A study examined the distance education needs of a specific subgroup of the off-campus population: 16- to 19-year-olds. It set out to determine: reasons for this group's choosing to study in the external mode; the nature and extent of required provision of external education; special curriculum, delivery, counseling, and support needs; and specific future policy recommendations. The study methodology included questionnaires, literature analysis, expert consultations, and a limited number of student interviews. Respondents to the questionnaires included 180 students (a 23% response rate), 43 Heads of External Studies (a response rate of approximately 93%), and 13 student advisers in Australian colleges. The data indicated that principal reasons for study externally were distance, preference for the flexibility of this method, work commitments, financial reasons, and scheduling conflicts. Findings indicated that Technical and Further Education (TAFE) was the major provider of postsecondary off-campus studies and that a shortfall already existed in the provision of on-campus places for students at Colleges of Advanced Education and universities. Heads of External Studies did not believe that 16- to 19-year-olds were suitable users of off-campus studies; they favored a mixed mode. A wide range of support mechanisms and delivery media was used. Staff generally believed this group required greater support than older students when studying off-campus. (Questionnaires and cover letters are appended.) (YLB)

Intended for policymakers, administrators, and others involved in determining how the efficiency and effectiveness of technical and further education (TAFE) should be measured, this monograph contains the following sections: (1) "Introduction," including a explanation of the origins of the push for performance indicators and the response to it; (2) "A Case for Performance Indicators? Some Conceptual Issues," which discusses cost-effectiveness and the role of performance indicators; (3) "What Are Performance Indicators? Some Definitions," including the relationship between performance indicators and program evaluation and validation; (4) "Four Factors to be Considered in Developing Performance Indicators," which explains the political, financial, administrative, and educational factors; (5) "Some Performance Indicators," with examples of those that indicate effectiveness and those that indicate efficiency; (6) "Performance Indicators--Some Issues and Concerns"; and (7) "Some Conclusions." A list of 44 references concludes the document. (CML)

A study evaluated the need for environmental education and training in vocational education in South Australia. Data were collected from the following sources: consultations with representatives of 16 organizations in the business, government, and education sectors; survey responses from 298 of 1,430 (response rate 21%) contacted organizations/individuals concerned with environmental management; and survey responses from 27 of 37 (response rate 73%) graduates of programs in the disciplines of land management and environmental health. Most respondents believed that environmental management is increasingly becoming an issue in many jobs. Because of the diversity of environmental management training needs both across the spectrum of the industry and within individual organizations, careful market research and flexible methods for consulting/networking with industry will be required when developing environmental management components for vocational education programs in South Australia. (Sixteen tables/figures are included. Appendixes constituting approximately 40% of the document contain the following: initial project brief; National Centre for Vocational Education Research's response to the initial project brief; list of consultants; environmental management training needs questionnaire; tables summarizing the environmental education needs of volunteers and employees in managerial, professional, technical, administrative, operative occupations; and levels of in-house environmental education currently being provided. Contains 32 references.) (MN)