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This workshop is designed to help teachers improve student outcomes, refine their assessment techniques and gain insights into the quality of their own pedagogy. Using existing workplace technology and Australian World-First software, 'AutoMarque', teachers will be able to: (1) self coach - AutoMarque identifies the weaknesses and strengths in teachers' pedagogy; (2) mark students' test papers - the photocopier prints out marked sheets eliminating the necessity for teachers to pick up a red pen; (3) quantify question quality - with AutoMarque's application of classical test theory, teachers will be able to determine which questions are worth retaining; (4) identify gaps in student learning at any point in time - teachers will find gaps in student learning not observable under conventional assessment; (5) correlate student improvement over time, by strand of learning - student progress is 'magically made apparent'; (6) store student records in their institution's data base - the collected data is easily migrated to another data base; (7) collect results of surveys and automatically display the results by segment - the tedium and errors of transcription are removed.

Author's abstract.

A list of the presentations from this conference may be found at TD/TNC 97.71; available papers are indexed from TD/TNC 97.72 to TD/TNC 97.79. Show less

This paper provides an overview of Chinese government attempts to promote a revised school curriculum reflecting a more holistic approach to education under the banner of suzhi jiaoyu (quality education), and positions the policies in the Chinese historical, educational, social and economic context. While the push has inspired innovative reforms in a number of schools and met with considerable in-principal support, on a wider scale implementation of the reforms is hampered by insufficient resources, conceptual ambiguity and conservative resistance. The goals of the new curriculum are still not reflected in the examinations and frequently conflict with teacher, student and parental goals in a society where examination outcomes have life long consequences.

Published abstract reprinted from ‘International journal of educational development’, copyright 2009, with permission from Elsevier. Show less

Quality training and assessment is an important topic in the current discussion about vocational education and training (VET). Service Skills Australia (SSA) is responsible for the development of training packages for service industries. In this role, SSA consults and engages with industry, training organisations, government and other stakeholders to develop and support the implementation of nationally recognised training products that respond to industry skill needs. This paper will give an overview about key activities and policy reviews in the VET sector and will then summarise trends and major issues in feedback data from industry from over a decade of training package review and development. This highlights gaps in the current discussions like the development of comprehensive evaluation framework, a re-evaluation of the way VET implements recognition of prior learning (RPL) and the implementation of a truly nationally consistent training and education system that responds to the needs of industry. The paper will combine this with further research SSA has undertaken with industry to develop the Service Industries 2009 Environmental Scan (indexed at TD/TNC 95.679) and through its continuous improvement projects. Furthermore, the paper will look towards the design and implementation of 'next generation' training packages, and provide some thoughts on what these products could/should look like. Show less

This is the third review of joint work to modernise vocational education and training (VET) conducted by European countries, the European Commission (EC) and European social partners. Since 2006, work on common principles, guidelines and tools has significantly progressed. European and national agendas for VET are aligning. Countries have worked on quality, attractiveness and good governance to make VET more equitable and more relevant to labour market needs. This analysis is based on country self-assessment reports, other research findings and statistical data. Show less

Insuring that ethical action remains a vibrant aspect of an organization’s climate and culture is an ongoing challenge for those responsible for training and development. To better understand what best practices are being utilized today, eight organizations in the Silicon Valley region of the United States were studied. Findings suggest that ethics training is particularly intensive when an employee is first hired, when rules, regulations and corporate values are shared during the indoctrination period. Training continues, but is often limited to online activities. Face-to-face interaction, necessary for learning and development, is usually reserved for specialized functions and senior level managers. Most firms emphasize a compliance-based approach, with little attention directed toward developing moral competencies over time. In addition, assessment tools to measure ethical competencies are rarely used as performance criteria. Findings from this study reveal specific trends, which can inform, guide and improve practitioners’ efforts to further develop ethical decision-making and action within their organizations.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This publication explores quality assurance mechanisms supporting certification of [vocational education and training] VET qualifications in nine European countries. It examines the necessary transparency of quality assurance practices, particularly in the context of the [European Qualifications Framework] EQF. The study reveals that various methods are used to assure the quality of the three stages of certification: assessment, validation and recognition. Quality assurance of VET certification can be characterised as a mixture of regulation and autonomy. In the countries studied it is possible to categorise quality assurance systems into models along a continuum based on the division of responsibilities: the prescriptive, the cooperative and the self regulated. It is shown that VET certification quality assurance practices can be analysed according to the stages (organisational and operational) at which they are applied to design and delivery of assessment, validation and recognition.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

In order to meet clients' needs and maximise outcomes, registered training organisations (RTOs) need to develop processes and products that focus on the quality of the learning and assessment experience. The purpose of this publication is to provide RTOs with guidance about how to use clustering to improve delivery and assessment practice.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

The purpose of this study, by the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), is to investigate the development and implementation of e-portfolio applications and systems which support recognition of prior learning (RPL) processes. This study will help inform the development of e-portfolio systems and the implementation and use of relevant standards and technologies in the national training system. This study investigates the relationship between e-portfolio systems and RPL practice as it occurs in the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system. The key activities were to: (1) determine how e-portfolio tools can support the RPL work flow; (2) identify the requirements for storing, presenting and validating learner evidence for RPL; and (3) review and document the RPL Support System trial outcomes. The outcomes of this report include: principles of good RPL practice; e-portfolio use in RPL; ways an e-portfolio supports the RPL process; capturing, accessing and verifying learner evidence to support the RPL process; key findings and recommendations; examples of e-portfolio use to support RPL; and trialing methods of using e-portfolios to support the RPL process. The source material has been generated through examination of e-portfolio systems, through stakeholder consultation, desktop research and through reference to the other investigations conducted by the Framework’s e-portfolio business activity, which include: the development of a national roadmap for implementing interoperable e-portfolio systems; a study investigating access and authentication issues across and between organisations; and a study to identify the privacy and security requirements of learner information in relation to e-portfolios.

Excerpt from publication. Show less

This report presents an assessment of the quality and the level of implementation of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) policy in the Western Balkans, comparing results with a previous assessment conducted in 2006 and published in 2007.The report covers Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo. The assessment framework is based on the European Charter for Small Enterprises (the Charter), a set of policy guidelines endorsed by the European Union Member States and a key component of the European Union Lisbon Agenda. The report covers the 10 policy dimensions included in the Charter. It applies a methodology known as the SME Policy Index, which makes it possible to quantify and compare qualitative policy features. The first part of the report reviews progress by policy dimension. The second part focuses on policies supporting high-growth SMEs. The intention is to provide a comprehensive review of good practices, introduce country assessment methods through two case studies (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia) and open a debate on what is likely to be a key component of the SME agenda for the next few years. The third part of the report includes stocktaking and progress reviews for each of the seven Western Balkan economies. The key finding is that over the last two years there has been good progress in elaborating and implementing policies supporting small enterprises all across the Western Balkans and there is clear convergence towards the adoption of the policy guidelines set in the Charter. However, progress has been uneven across the 10 dimensions and the seven economies covered by the report.

Excerpts from publication reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

The Bologna Process in Europe aims to develop a coherent and compatible European higher educational system. In Norway, the Quality Reform in 2003 was the first step in implementing the Bologna Process. Internal quality assurance systems have produced several publications on internal indicators, such as student progress and teaching staff work loads, of the Quality Reform. To our knowledge, possible gender differences of these changes have yet to be evaluated. We therefore analysed data on grades from the University of Oslo before and after the Quality Reform with regard to gender differences. Data on examinations from 1990 to spring 2007 (495,334 examinations) were analysed using relative percentage graphs. The results show that female students have benefited more than males from the change of system: for several disciplines, male average grades were better than female average grades before the change, and female average grade were better than male average grades after the change. Male students show greater intrasex variability both before and after the introduction of the Quality Reform.

Published abstract. Show less