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This guide provides trainers and assessors with a set of materials which focus on processes that will assist employees working at the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level 3 to gain the necessary skills and confidence to enable them to participate in training aligned to higher level qualifications. These qualifications balance technical aspects of construction work with supervisory and management responsibility. The guide is comprised of three learning modules and two supporting resources. Show less

Objective: In the past decade, several authors have advocated that formative assessment programmes have an impact on teachers' knowledge. Consequently, various requirements have been proposed in the literature for the design of these programmes. Only few studies, however, have focused on a direct comparison between programmes with respect to differences observed in their effect on teachers' knowledge. Therefore in this study we explored the impact of three formative assessment programmes on teachers' knowledge about supporting students' reflection. Methods: Our study was carried out in the domain of vocational nursing education. Teachers were assigned to an expertise-based assessment programme, a self-assessment combined with collegial feedback programme, or a negotiated assessment programme. We scored the verbal transcriptions of teachers' responses to video vignette interviews in order to measure their knowledge in a pre- and post-test. Multilevel regression analyses were performed to investigate differences in teachers' knowledge between the three programmes on the post-test; potential moderating effects of pre-test scores, contextual and individual factors were controlled for.

Findings: The knowledge of teachers participating in the expertise-based assessment programme was significantly higher than that of teachers participating in the self-assessment combined with collegial feedback programme. Furthermore, the findings indicate that for professional learning, not only the approach to formative assessment is an important variable, but also the extent to which (a) teachers are intrinsically motivated and (b) they experience a high degree of collegiality at their school.

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

This paper discusses findings that have arisen from the project ‘Transnational methods and models for self-evaluation of personal competencies’ which aimed to facilitate the awareness of adult learners/employees of their own personal competences and tacit skills through the introduction of various self-evaluation methods and approaches in their college or workplace settings. Show less

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

This handbook is designed for further education (FE) and post-16 teachers, whether specialising in academic or vocational education. Digital capability is crucial for learners, no matter what subject they study. Teachers will therefore need to develop their own digital capabilities as a basic competence in order to embrace current digital tools, apps and techniques to the pedagogy of teaching FE. This book provides the knowledge and skills required to source information learning technology (ILT) and content, and to convert traditional learning and teaching resources into engaging and interactive online material. It is designed around each aspect of the teaching and training cycle - identifying needs, planning and designing, delivering and facilitating, assessing and evaluating.

The book aims to: (1) explain what ILT and eLearning are in the context of the further education and skills sector; (2) enable teachers to successfully plan, prepare, facilitate and manage ILT for learning activities and tasks related to their role; (3) guide teachers through sourcing and applying the use of ILT and design of eLearning activities and digital resources; (4) establish and encourage ways to enhance learning, teaching and assessment through the use of ILT; (5) develop teachers' digital capabilities in exploring a range of digital tools; and (6) identify ways for teachers to keep up to date and share their own practices of ILT.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

The competencies of graphic design graduates are always a concern for design educators and industry professionals. However, limited evidence has been offered by past studies on the existence of a set of competency standards for new entrants to graphic design profession. Also, there seems to exist a very few studies on the tool used to measure the graduates' competency levels that can be found from the literature review. This paper intends to describe a conceptual framework used to develop a model and instrument for competency assessment of graphic design graduates in the context of Malaysia. The conceptual framework described in this paper will include the factors that constantly affect the competencies (knowledge, skills, personal traits, self-concept, and motives) of graphic design graduates.

Published abstract. Show less

The author argues that competency-based education and training is a tool of administrative reform with complex and contradictory effects. It is important in today’s policy climate not because it will improve learning or make individuals more competent to act, but because it provides an infrastructure for making teachers and administrators more accountable to a policy process. Through competency measures, education and training objectives are set and program delivery is organised according to principles of ‘efficiency’, ‘effectiveness’ and ‘responsiveness’ to the needs of industry. Broad public purposes and the social vision of education and training institutions are replaced with the logic of the market and the social relations of private wealth creation. Thus it brings a profound and fundamental shift in where, how and in whose interests institutions of education and training are controlled and managed. Show less

This publication is comprised of a 76-page learner guide and a 14-page resources pack designed to be used in a variety of learning contexts. The learner guide includes: an orientation to the National Reporting System (NRS); activities to help trainers and assessors determine appropriate language, literacy and numeracy levels for the settings in which they work; and advice on when and how to work with specialist language, literacy and numeracy trainers. The resources pack includes: a shortened version of the NRS; and tools to help locate and determine appropriate language, literacy and numeracy in vocational settings to develop training and assessment materials. This pack is designed for learners to take into their future practice as trainers and/or assessors. This resource supports TAA04 Training and assessment training package, indexed at TD/TNC 80.252. Show less

This project set out to conduct research around the non-technical capabilities needed by secondary school graduates to successfully participate in work or further study. There are many terms used to describe non-technical capabilities, such as general capabilities, generic skills or competencies, employability skills, core skills etc. However, for the purposes of this research the term 'non-technical capabilities' has been used and includes both literacy and numeracy skills and other generic skills, knowledge and understandings that are covered by the following four national frameworks: (1) the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF); (2) the Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework (CSfW); (3) the General Capabilities from the Australian national curriculum; and (4) the Australian Blueprint for Career Development (ABCD).

The project examined which capabilities are most appropriately developed in a school setting, as well as what might be realistically done in schools to develop, assess and/or recognise these capabilities and how employers can support and/or add to this. It also examined what secondary schools are currently doing to support students to develop these capabilities and identified where processes are already in place to assess and/or recognise them.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less