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This issue of ‘Centerfocus’ focuses on the need for schools to develop ways of translating students’ academic achievement into a measure of their workplace readiness and, ultimately, their ability to succeed in their chosen career. The author argues that the generic and specific skills and knowledge required in workplaces must be integrated with ongoing assessment practices in schools. In this way, students can be given specific feedback on how well they are prepared for the workplace. The paper looks at how schools can identify methods of assessing workplace readiness, both generally and for specific occupations, referring to some national taxonomies that identify generic workplace readiness skills and knowledge. Types of assessment are then outlined, such as selected and constructed responses tests, performance-based assessments, and portfolios, with a final comment on the importance of matching assessments with purposes. Show less

Competency-based training (CBT) has been fundamental to how accredited vocational education and training (VET) is delivered in Australia over the last 30 years or so, and over this time both advocates and critics of this approach have emerged. Taking the format of a panel discussion, this webinar will cover issues highlighted in a recent National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) publication on CBT [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 150.04] including whether there is a need to have a broader conception of what it means to be competent, one that explicitly acknowledges the importance of 'non-technical' skills and capabilities and if so, what would this mean for the capabilities required by trainers to teach and assess non-technical competencies. Other questions to be explored in the discussion are whether the CBT approach should be applied to all qualifications and whether there is a place for graded or proficiency-based assessment. Where relevant, the relationship between these issues and elements of the Commonwealth government's proposed new qualification model may be explored.

Summary from publisher's website. Show less

Fifteen articles are presented on topics ranging from reflections on independent learning to prespectives on TAFE teacher education. The papers and authors are: Further education teacher training in England and Wales / Richard Brown; Agricultural education in Western Australia: historical perspectives / Michael White; Recruitment and induction of beginning TAFE teachers / Norm Pyle; TAFE teachers and performance appraisal pitfalls and problems: an overview / Peter Lambert; Futures methodologies / Geoff Burkhardt; Helping Western Sydney's young unemployed / Peter West; Radical education for adult learners / Mike Reid; Literacy and numeracy problems in TAFE students / Peter Plunkett-Cole; The changing emphasis in education: learning for life / Sue Hall; An evaluation of aspects of an Outreach program / Anton Vogt; How adults learn / Jenny Osborne; Food as a nonverbal communicator / Keith Pollock; Problems and successes in group communication / Garry Maher; A learning experience / Onno De Smeth; Test construction / Andrew Finlay.

This volume concludes with a cumulative index of articles which have appeared in tha ACT papers in technical and further education from 1982 to 1986. Show less

This paper discusses the impact of the [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic on the learning experience of students at a VET (Vocational Educational Training) Higher Education Institution in tourism education, namely the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) in Malta (EU). A sample of students who attended ITS between March 2020 and January 2022 generated the primary data. This revealed the students' experience in terms of their academic performance (both theoretical knowledge and practical skills), their personal well-being, and their perceived evaluation of the educational institution during the emergency caused by COVID-19. There is particular emphasis on e-learning / remote learning and the challenges of conducting school-related practical work, going on work placement or work in the tourism industry (both part-time and full-time) apart from their studies.

The data analysis revealed that the student experience at ITS was, in many aspects, similar to international trends. This was seen in terms of the impact of the pandemic's restrictions on face-to-face learning and the sudden shift to pure e-learning in all courses. Students confirmed that since ITS had, in previous years, invested in the e-learning infrastructure, e-learning systems in place proved extremely effective when they were needed most. However, not all subjects were considered suitable for delivering online. In fact, students stated that most practical subjects and certain theoretical subjects are better delivered face-to-face. The way forward recommended by students is a blended system where the courses have both a face-to-face component and an online component. The latter not only provides more flexibility in learning, which is especially sought by mature and part-time students, but also reduces time wasted in travel to and from campus.

Although research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education is widely available, little research focused on VET and Higher Education in Tourism, especially through the experience of learners. For this reason, this paper seeks to address this gap in knowledge. The major limitation of this research is that it was conducted in a volatile situation with ever-changing COVID-19 conditions, restrictions and challenges that had a direct impact on education.

Published abstract. Show less

The purpose of the project was to develop ways of formulating examination exercises which shed light on various aspects of competence to perform occupational activities. The first part of the project, which sought to establish how far this can be achieved by programmed exercises, is now complete. The approach was to be so general that its applicability was limited neither to certain subject matter nor to specific forms of examinations and exercises. Show less

'Training journal' provides current and practical information for those involved in workplace learning, training and development in the UK. This issue contains the following feature articles: 'Appraisal: how to make it achieve what you want it to' by Terry Gillen (p. 10-15) which identifies why appraisal training so often proves ineffective and provides a number of proven ideas to make managers more positive about appraisal training and to help turn appraisal into a key management tool; 'Assessment centre assessors: current issues and perspectives' by Nicola Cole (p. 18-21) which explores the various issues and decisions to consider when selecting and training assessors so that assessment centres are fulfilling their role as selection tools; 'Leadership and the military: how we can adapt service models to fit today's businesses' by Mike Levy (p. 22-25) which investigates military models of leadership and what can be learned from these models when examining leadership in the current business context. Also included in this issue is news on recent events, reviews of resource materials for trainers, and surveys and trends on the UK government's training initiatives and workplace reforms. Accompanying this issue of 'Training journal' is 'Focus', the 20 page quarterly supplement to the journal. This issue, 'Focus on qualifications', provides the latest news on qualifications reform, training and support skills, and skills strategies. It also looks at the importance of the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) within workplace learning, its partnerships and its vision. The cover article is 'Qualifications for training and development specialists: what's available and who they're for' by Judy Whittaker (p. 8-10) which provides an update from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) on the development routes available to trainers through the Institute. Other articles include: a case study of how a new National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) on Business Improvement Techniques (BIT) was implemented; an update on Scottish e-learning qualifications; and a note on the benefits of consistency and ongoing monitoring of training for training strategy makers. Show less

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an initiative of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It was implemented for the OECD by an international consortium led by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). ACER also conducted the PISA survey within Australia. PISA is a new survey of the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds mainly in industrialised countries. The survey seeks to determine: how well students are prepared for future challenges; which skills they have to help them to adapt to change in their lives, e.g. the ability to analyse, reason and communicate their arguments and ideas to others; whether some ways of organising schools and learning within them are more effective than others; if the quality of school resources has an influence on students' learning; and the extent to which student performance is dependent on their home backgrounds and ways to improve learning opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. PISA assesses the learning domains of reading, mathematical and scientific literacy along with some other areas such as students' familiarity with computers, their learning strategies, and their attitudes towards their schools. The first of a planned three-yearly cycle of assessments was undertaken in 32 countries (28 OECD member countries and four non-member countries that chose to participate) during the year 2000 in randomly selected samples of schools and students. This pamphlet summarises the Australian national report, providing results of student performance and insights into factors that influence the development of their reading, mathematical and scientific skills at home and at school, and discussing the implications of the results for policy development.

The full Australian report is indexed at TD/TNC 69.532 and the international report is indexed at TD/TNC 67.328. Show less

This introductory guide describes how organisations can improve their potential for learning through a competence-based approach and provides practical strategies for managers to use in helping their organisations develop into 'learning organisations'. The author examines how to organise the learning environment, make use of flexible learning materials, develop systems and procedures, use techniques from quality management, and establish a learning resource centre. The guide includes short case studies and checklists, and demonstrates how various competence-based standards such as Investors in People (IiP) and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) can provide the basic framework for successful learning organisations. Part one examines the structures within organisations that can be harnessed to develop and nurture a learning organisation; Part two addresses human resource development within the organisation; and Part three examines how the initiatives outlined in parts one and two can assist in gaining external recognition for the organisation and its staff through NVQ, IiP and ISO 9000 certification. Show less

This paper arose from interviews with assessors working with the Automobile Training Package and deals with uncertainty and pragmatism in assessment. It portrays the assessment decision making process as a discourse in which the assessor is less likely to rely on documented performance criteria than on conversation with peers, employers and even the learner being assessed. Finally the paper compares the definitions of quality incorporated into the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) with the perceptions of quality that emerge from the described assessment experiences of the automotive teachers and assessors.

The volume of collected papers is indexed at TD/TNC 66.434, individual papers are indexed from TD/TNC 66.435 to TD/TNC 66.461 and a collection of Powerpoint presentations from the conference may be found at TD/TNC 66.462. Show less

The authors suggest that concern about educational quality is not new and the reforms that have dominated the education scene in recent years propose the use of assessment to improve educational quality. Educational policy makers, planners and managers are thus faced with a decision: should resources be allocated to assessment activities or should they invest in other aspects of education such as school buildings or teacher training. Conceptual analysis of relevant issues and the availability of information on practice in other education systems can be helpful in this regard. This booklet draws on experience from around the world to provide educational planners with this information. It describes assessment options and the research surrounding them, focusing on national and international assessments of student achievement and offering definitions of key concepts in current reform proposals. The booklet looks at national and international systems of assessment and the variety of ways in which student achievement may be described. Finally, the booklet offers a review of decisions involved in the design of an assessment and the way information derived from an assessment may be used. Show less