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Education Links is produced by a group of teachers, students and university staff working to bring about democratic and socially progressive change in Australian schooling, as part of a broad political movement towards socialism in Australia. The magazine aims to present a socialist analysis of a wide range of theoretical and practical issues in education and is not affiliated with any political party.

Excerpt from publication.

Contents: Editorial; Multiple tales for training / Peter Waterhouse; Navel-gazing TAFE: from Kangan to [vocational education and training] VET and beyond / Peter Rushbrook; Revisiting the craft tradition / Peter Ewer; Feminist pedagogy and praxis / Kate Pritchard Hughes; Does it add up: adult education, mathematics and economic rationalism / Gail FitzSimons; Building castles in the air? / Crina Virgona; Perspectives on unemployment / Mark Brophy. Show less

This paper reviews ideas and concepts that provide a framework for facilitating the work-related learning of adult educators. The site of the study is the 'higher degrees (by project) research program' at a Victorian dual sector university. This paper assumes that there are concepts from within adult education that can and have been used in this program. The participants are adult educators who mainly work in the VET sector, and work-based practitioners involved in organisational learning and change projects. The discussion includes 'conceptions of work-related learning', 'conceptions of practice', 'communities of practice', and 'practices and processes of practitioner research'. Show less

This chapter begins by offering a definition of vocational education and training (VET) followed by a discussion of the economic and political forces that shape the VET sector and an examination of the relationship between vocational and higher education. The chapter goes on to provide a comparison of the VET systems in different countries. VET qualifications, accreditation and credentials are looked at and the discussion broadens to cover VET curriculum, learners and teachers. The chapter concludes with a discussion of tensions within VET, including the problematic nature of competency based training and assessment, the tension between VET and higher education in terms of status and whether VET is effective in meeting the needs of the unemployed and disadvantaged. However, the main concern expressed in this chapter is about the nature of VET in as much as it is the main sector of education offered by the state to working people. It is essential that the education offered by VET responds to change and provides an education that is worthwhile.

The complete volume is indexed at TD/TNC 76.380; selected individual chapters are indexed from TD/TNC 76.381 to TD/TNC 76.392. Show less

Education Links is produced by a group of teachers, students and university staff working to bring about democratic and socially progressive change in Australian schooling, as part of a broad political movement towards socialism in Australia. The magazine aims to present a socialist analysis of a wide range of theoretical and practical issues in education and is not affiliated with any political party.

Edited excerpt from publication.

Contents: An historical reckoning: education and training reform / Terri Seddon; Lurking in the wings / Roy Martin; Ford factory learning / Mike Brown; Claiming common ground / Helen Gribble; The training market / Simon Marginson; Bottom line training / Robin Sefton; Vocational education reform: kamakazi style / Peter Kell; Brave new vocationalism / Grant McMurdo. Show less