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This study analyses how one Victorian regional [Technical and Further Education] TAFE Institute is working towards understanding and contributing to skill formation for the green economy. While we already know that the provision of vocational education and training in regional areas contributes to regional innovation and development, (Kilpatrick, Johns and Rosenblatt, 2000; Gelade and Fox, 2008; Kearns, Bowman and Garlick, 2008; TAFE Directors Australia, 2011), this research provides a case study of how this is occurring with regard to the development of green skills. The study presents the perceptions and understandings of participants drawn from four different cohorts. These cohorts are (1) key players in the community/industry representatives, (2) TAFE managers, (3) TAFE teachers, and (4) TAFE students. The study found that work and jobs are changing to become more sustainable though investment in large scale alternative energy generation while often lauded had failed to reach fruition. Likewise, [vocational education and training] VET training programs are also changing with teachers and students contributing to the complex arrangements around the supply and demand for green skills. The teachers at this regional TAFE who participated in the study reported that they were well supported in accessing and participating in relevant sustainability-related professional development. Finally, numerous examples were evident throughout the study of how the work performed by staff at this TAFE institute was contributing towards regional and community development.

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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 study investigates the professional preparation of teachers working in vocational education and training (VET) programs in Australian secondary schools. It also investigates the similarities and differences and the enablers and blockers that occur across the various states and territories in their approaches to providing teacher education for VET in Schools (VETiS) teachers. The research focuses on the supply-side of university-based VET teacher education programs and offers a stocktake of the VET method area offerings that are available (and not available) for pre-service teachers in Australia.

Key messages from the report are that: (1) there are concerns regarding the efficacy and expertise of VETiS teachers; (2) the requirement for VETiS teachers to have a teaching degree in order to be able to teach in schools has been removed; accordingly, they are no longer required to gain full teacher registration; (3) some universities that have taught VET as a method area in the past to pre-service teachers have discontinued the offering; (4) demand by pre-service teachers within current models of teacher education to undertake VET as a method area is low and has made it an unviable offering for many universities; and (5) VET as a method area is usually low on the list of university subject offerings for pre-service teachers; with about one in eight of all secondary school students doing VETiS, maybe there should be a subject within all secondary teacher education programs that teaches pre-service teachers about VETiS.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

Informal learning has often been seen as formal learning's 'poor cousin'. Our paper explores and discusses new and different ways of thinking about defining, valuing and researching the breadth and importance of informal learning in diverse national and cultural contexts. This includes a consideration of the power relations that can act to devalue informal learning. It is underpinned by a recognition that not only do a relatively small proportion of adults currently engage in formal learning, but those who do tend already to be dedicated and successful lifelong learners. It leads to a discussion about how informal learning might be framed as part of the solution to adult exclusion, seen to be aggravated by unnecessary adult educational hierarchies, accreditation, assessment and formality.

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This paper reports on a research study that was undertaken with vocational education and training (VET) staff in a dual sector university. The study involved a cohort of 15 VET practitioners who negotiated authentic work based projects as part of their professional development and for academic credit. The agreed outcomes of each project involved writing up a project report, compiling a folio of work-related artifacts and products, and a presentation. The findings of the study identified five variations on the initial basic design, developed a template for writing up proposals, developed a basic report template, and developed a recognition of prior learning (RPL) statement and policy.

The collection of refereed papers is indexed at TD/TNC 73.622; individual refereed papers are indexed from TD/TNC 73.623 to TD/TNC 73.650. The collection of non refereed papers is indexed at TD/TNC 73.651; non-refereed papers are indexed from TD/TNC 73.652 to TD/TNC 73.680. Show less

This is a major field-based study for National Seniors Productive Ageing Centre by a research team from the University of Ballarat. It is an exploration of the benefits of older men's (age 50+) learning through participation in community settings other than those understood as having a vocational or educational dimension. It is based on an analysis of extensive audio-recorded and transcribed interviews and surveys in 48 organisations in six diverse sites across three Australian states. The six community organisation types explored were: adult and community education; sporting; religious, Indigenous and cultural; voluntary fire and emergency services; age-related and disability; and men’s special interest organisations. The research provides new evidence of the acute need for organisations providing adult learning in community settings to consider how to engage more men and to promote older men's wellbeing more effectively.

Excerpt from publication.

A shorter report based on this study is indexed at TD/TNC 99.876. Show less

This paper reports on research into the professional development of VET [vocational education and training] teacher practitioners that occurs through the completion of authentic work-based projects. The projects of the participants were undertaken in the designated project based subject/s of a Graduate Diploma program. This research analyses and documents these projects for the purpose of identifying and negotiating a future RPL [recognition of prior learning] pathway. Getting due recognition for work-based projects is the right of all learners within the VET sector. However most successful for gaining credit and RPL into university based programs are pre-arranged credit pathways that are negotiated and agreed to by the stakeholders.

Published abstract reprinted by the permission of the copyright owner.

The volumes from which this paper is taken are indexed from TD/TNC 77.351 to TD/TNC 77.353. Individual papers are indexed from TD/TNC 77.354 to TD/TNC 77.437. Show less

Informal learning has often been seen as formal learning's 'poor cousin'. Our paper explores and discusses new and different ways of thinking about, defining, valuing and researching, the breadth and importance of informal learning in diverse national and cultural contexts. It is underpinned by a recognition that not only do a relatively small proportion of adults currently engage in formal learning, but those that do tend already to be dedicated and successful lifelong learners. It leads to a discussion about how informal learning might be framed as part of the solution to adult exclusion, seen to be aggravated by unnecessary adult educational hierarchies, accreditation, assessment and formality.

Author's abstract. Show less