Post-nominals for Qualifications

Having spent a year learning about education, I thought I had done the hard part. But almost as difficult it seems is the process of obtaining my results. I had assumed that on completion of all the requirements for an educational program, there would be a week or two for the administrative processes and I would be sent my certificate. However, I have found that this process takes 6 to 8 weeks for a vocational institution and about four months for a university. In the case of the vocational institution the process is automatic, but for the university it is necessary to apply for an award.

Also there is the process of the awards ceremony. It may be fun to dress up in an academic gown, but this delays the awarding of certificates as the ceremonies are only held a few times a year. This seems an unnecessary encumbrance in the Internet age: why not issue the certificate (preferably electronically) immediately and have the (optional) ceremony later? It seems bizarre to spend effort making sure that students can get through a course quickly and then hold up awarding of the qualification for months.

Then there is the matter of working out what post-nominals you can have (letter after your name) and in what order they appear. The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) has a policy on qualification titles, including abbreviations for in postnominals. Institutions issue their own guidance but this can be cryptic. The ECU Authorized Post Nominals is a more comprehensive list. In other cases you may have to look for examples in publications, such as the ANU College OF Business Report.

Then the is the question of the order in which post nominals are listed.  According to the Oxford University Calendar Notes on Style: "The overall order is civil honours; military honours; QC; degrees; diplomas; certificates; membership of academic or professional bodies.".

Online Training Modules from Fair Work Ombudsman

The Fair Work Ombudsman has made available two free on-line training modules. The topic is difficult conversations in the workplace, with one course for managers and one for employees. These are meant to take about 25 minutes each and so are what I would call vocational training modules, not "courses" as described by the Ombudsman.

The training modules are hosed by Janison. These reply on Adobe Flash and use video, but there are transcripts of the videos for those who need alternative text. There appears to be no way to download the modules for off-line use, or to load them into a corporate system, for organizations where Internet access is not available. It would be useful if the module descriptions came with a data budget, that is an estimate of the Megabytes required to be downloaded to complete the course.

Here is the description for "Difficult conversations in the workplace - manager course":

Many workplace issues can be resolved quickly and informally if you discuss them with your employees.

This course will help you gain the skills and confidence you need to discuss workplace issues when they arise.

It includes:

• information about how to handle a difficult conversation
• tips to help you prepare, manage your emotions and reach a positive outcome
• interactive scenarios to help you practice your conversation skills
• downloadable resources and links to further information.

Designing Elearning MOOC

The "Designing Elearning MOOC" (deMOOC) by CoachCarole looks interesting, as it uses conventional e-learning tools, such as Moodle and Mahara. It also uses a conventional e-learning approach of a text rich e-book with embedded video. This contrasts with many of MOOCs I have tried which emphases video, with no or poor text alternatives and a beta release learning management system.

However, I can't work out who, or what "CoachCarole" is (a company? Where are they based?). The MOOC lacks (or I can't find), this context about who has prepared the course, or why.

Teaching Development in Higher Education

The report "Impact of teaching development programmes in higher education" by David Parsons, Inge Hill, Jane Holland and Dick Willis, was released by the UK Higher Education Academy (HEA), September 2012. It aims to be a "... state of the
art, evidence-based assessment of the impact of HE-based teaching development programmes and initiatives...". While looking at the UK, much of what is found could be applied in Australia.

The researchers found:

•     There is a positive association between participation in teacher development programmes and individuals’ propensity to develop (or enhance) learner-centred teaching methods.  This is important since a range of wider scholarly and pedagogic-
centred research studies have shown such methods are in turn associated with stronger student outcomes in HE. 
•     Impacts on teacher knowledge and skills are less clear but seem to be positively affected by a combination of longer duration programmes, integrated support (especially for newer teachers) and continued formal inputs from continuing professional development.
•     Impacts may be more readily achieved for established teachers but the available evidence suggests there is substantial potential for transfer to practice among ‘novice’ or aspiring teachers where a critical mass of pedagogic knowledge is achieved. ...

Interestingly the researchers suggest "... there is much that can be drawn in the UK from school-based teacher improvement, and specifically from other post-secondary teacher development including within further education.". However, I have found that university academics are very reluctant to acknowledge that there is anything they can learn from the vocational education (TAFE) sector or from professional education activities of bodies such as the Australian Computer Society.

Web accessibility for online education

Greetings from the Canberra Institute of Technology, where I am attending the one day workshop "What web accessibility and implementing WCAG 2.0 mean for you" by Kristena Gladman and Felicity Hanrahan.The National VET E-learning strategy has a set of materials design to help with accessibility for vocational education:

• Understanding Accessibility
• Accessibility Guide for Teachers
• Creating Accessible Audio and Video
• Increasing PDF and Microsoft Word Document Accessibility
• Developing and Testing for WCAG 2.0

These are intended to help not only with the design of courses delivered online, but also materials such as books and Apps, used in face-to-face classes. I became involved with web accessibility in 1999, when asked to be an expert witness in the case of Maguire V Sydney Organizing Committee for the 2000 Olympic Games. This was using WGAC Version 1.0.


The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Version 2.0 are now an international standard: ISO/IEC 40500:2012. In my view it is not of value to explain the details of the standards and the legal requirements for web accessibility. In my view a better approach is to explain to teachers simple ways to implement accessibility techniques and how these can save them time and effort, while providing better learning materials for their students. That will then motivate them to act.

Part of accessibility can be to empower content developers, including teachers,  to make their materials simpler and therefore more readable for everyone. As an example, rather than have to work out how to highlight a label "Read this first" half way down a page of course notes, the designer can instead place it first, so it is read first. This makes the document more readable for everyone. It would be possible to then use CSS styles to mark part of text "read this first" and move it lower down the page, for aesthetic reasons, but readability perhaps should come first.

For most content developers, including educators, accessibility is mostly about what not to do, not what to do. The content will normally be used within an existing system, such as a Learning management System. The content creator should therefore not be specifying fonts, colours and the like for their course materials, for example. They should use the defaults, so that the styles set for their corporate web site will be automatically applied. If they do use their own fonts and styles, this will like result in more work by someone else who as to go through and remove this, so it is better not to put it in the first place.

As an example,  rather then use PDF, I use the HTML editor built into Moodle to prepare course notes. I avoid fancy formatting, just having one column of text and using default fonts. As a result the notes are very quick to download and display on a wide range of mobile and other devices.

Also the notes can be run through a web translator into other languages. I also use HTML for presentations, in place of Powerpoint, gaining the same advantages. This takes me a little more time to set up initially, but is much easier to maintain. As an example, my notes for a talk in Indonesia last week, could be translated from English to Indonesian. I have offered the Indonesian university I visited my ICT Sustainability Course Notes in Indonesian.

What web accessibility and implementing WCAG 2.0

Kristena Gladman and Felicity Hanrahan

The National VET E-learning strategy

 Presenters:

In late 2009 the Online and Communications Council, a subcommittee of COAG, endorsed the implementation of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0). These are a set of standards that make web content accessible to a wide range of users. WCAG 2.0 requires all federal, state and territory websites to conform to the guidelines.


Many people assume 'accessibility' only applies to online content, but it's not just about websites. Web accessibility also applies to all web content formats – that is all file formats and information that can be delivered on the web.


This one day workshop is intended to help participants understand what WCAG 2.0 means for them and will be delivered as a series of sessions, beginning with a session that provides an overview of:
10:00am - 12:30pm: Overview

• the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0 (WCAG 2.0)
• the legal status of WCAG 2.0
• the government’s Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy (NTS)
• the application of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
• how people with disabilities access the web

1:30 - 4:30pm: Streams (the overview will be followed by sessions split into streams based on the roles and responsibilities of the participants)
Stream 1: policy, management and project management:
This session will be focused on ensuring that policy makers, managers and project managers are in a position to manage risk and maximise the benefits of addressing accessibility through giving the participants a better understanding of the requirements for WCAG 2.0 conformance. The session will help them to determine what level of accessibility understanding they need in order to scope and resource projects, and identify what questions they should ask of the design and development team before publishing.

Stream 2: design and content:
This session will be focused on design solutions with the intention of giving participants a better understanding of how the WCAG 2 Success Criteria impact upon the design, creation and editing of content, what they need to provide to the technical implementers and how to avoid common pitfalls and reworking designs. For further information visit: https://actnationalvetelearning.wikispaces.com

On-line Professional Education For Australian Research-Intensive Universities in the Asian Century

"On-line Professional Education For Australian Research-Intensive Universities in the Asian Century" is an early version of work for the ANU Graduate Certificate In Higher Education. The aim is to allow higher degree students to obtain skills certificates, by completing a template in their e-portfolio, alongside their coursework and research. This will allow universities to meet skills and quality standards and offer e-learning as an option, while retaining traditional courses and flexible research degrees. I would welcome comments.

As an example I what I have in mind, it happens I have been asked if I can do some vocational teaching at an RTO. This requires a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. I should be able to meet much of the requirements for the certificate by Recognition of Prior Learning, based on my studies for the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. This requires filling in a form from a RTO, attaching evidence of skills and experience and having this assessed. That process would have been much easier, if I had the form at the start of my Graduate Certificate and I could have filled it in with evidence as I went along.

PS: As the Prime Minister recently released the  Australia in the Asian Century White Paper and I am just on my way back from talking on online education in Indonesia, I appended “Asian Century” to the previous title of the paper. ;-)

Teaching Woodworking Online

Pauline Farrell from Box Hill Institute of TAFE, has produced an excellent example of e-learning with the course "Hand make timber joints" (LMFFM2006B). All the materials for the course, including the assessment tasks and eBook, are available.

The eBook includes videos showing woodworking techniques. One issue is that the videos make up most of the 284 Mbytes of the eBook. It might be good to have an option where they are separate and where the video can be offered at a lower resolution.

Australian Technical Standards for e-Learning Materials

The National VET E-learning Strategy has released a draft of "New Generation Technologies for Learning incorporating E-standards for Training". This provides technical standards for e-learning materials and is a minor update of the current standards. While intended for the vocational education sector (including TAFE), these standards are also applicable to education in Australia more generally. In particular this would be of use in Higher Education, which has tended to neglect the need for standards. That lack of standardisation risks making Australian universities uncompetitive in the global education market. Not only will that result in a loss of international students, but also the loss of Australian students to lower cost, higher quality, overseas on-line courses.

Table of Contents

1. Background
2. Accessibility
3. Content Formats
4. Content Packaging
5. Intellectual Property Management
6. Metadata
7. Platforms
   • Desktop Platforms
   • Mobile Platforms
8. Repositories
9. Web Services/Data Exchange
10. More Information

From: "New Generation Technologies for Learning incorporating E-standards for Training" (Draft), National VET E-learning Strategy, 2012

Using iPads and eBooks For Training

The Canberra Institute of Technology will host a forum on Using iPads and eBooks For Training, 4:30 pm 24 October 2012.

ACT - e-Rated Networking Forum (face-to-face) 

When: Wednesday, October 24, 2012, 4:30 – 6:30pm 

Where: Canberra Institute of Technology, Reid Campus. Further details will be emailed to registrants closer to date.

Note: Interested in using iPads and eBooks in your training delivery?\ 

Join us at this ACT's e-Rated Networking Forum to hear how Box Hill Institute is using iPads with their apprentices! 

Guest Speakers: 

• Pauline Farrell, Executive Manager - Blended E-learning Solutions, Box Hill Institute
• Steven McMahon, Teacher - Metal Fabrication Trades, Canberra Institute of Technology

You must register (sign up) to attend this FREE face-to-face event.

TV on the NBN

Professor Gerard Goggin from University of Sydney Department of Media and Communications talked at "Converging on an NBN Future" on the NBN and TV. He mentioned  a project with Screen Australia, April 2012.

Unfortunately I could not find a copy of the report (apparently released April 2012) available on-line. This brought out a problem with this symposium, and much Citysearch and policy discussion about on-line services: those having the discussion are not actually using the technology they are discussing to have the discussion.

At the University of Canberra I am sitting in one of their high technology flexible classrooms, which have WiFi and projectors. In the same venue I have attended "un-conferences" where all the participants are on-line and contributing all the time. However, the current symposium is an old fashioned slide show, with one person talking and everyone passively listening. As far as I know no one outside the isolated room can take part and so far no one has been invited to ask a question.

Those who are formulating on-line policy for Australia need to experience how the new technology can be used to understand it and to be credible. Otherwise they will produce policies which miss the point and will be ignored by those who actually are using the technology.

In his Alfred Deakin Lecture "Free at Last! Or Freedom Lost? Libery in the Digital Age"
 (8 October 2012), Malcolm Turnbull, the Shadow Minister for Communications, demonstrated an understanding of the issues.

Using the Internet to improve government service delivery

Keith Besgrove from DBCDE talked at "Converging on an NBN Future" on use of the NBN for government services. He pointed to health and education trails now taking place. Some of this is covered in an NBN Co publication: Using the NBN to improve government service delivery".

One point Keith made was that some of the barriers to on-line services are administrative, not technical. As an example, TAFE courses are largely state funded and so of a student attends a course provided by another state, so way to cover the cost needs to be found.

Online University Access for Indigenous Communities

The Final Report of the "Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People" was released 14 April 2012 by the Australian Government. The report makes 35 recommendations, aimed at "Parity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff in the higher education sector". The target set is 2.2%, being the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the population.

Measures proposed to achieve this include revising the guidelines for the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP) to emphasize academic skills in school. Also universities and the vocational education and training (VET) sectors should work with professional bodies and private and public sector employers on alternative pathways into higher education. It is suggested the MyUniversity website have information on scholarships. A new funding model is proposed with tutoring support for more students.

Of particular interest to me is Recommendation 15:

That universities consider how best to support the needs of regional and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, including through:

• the use of virtual networks and other technology-based solutions to provide greater access to universities by remote and regional students ...
• working with the Higher Education Standards Panel to develop quality standards for Away-from-Base education delivery
• collaboration to allow recognition of the effort of universities that may enrol students who then go on to complete their degrees at different universities.

These measures for on-line education, education in the community and students being able to study at more than one university would be of benefit to all students, particularly those in remote areas. As a student myself, I found it useful to combine courses from different universities into the one program, using distance education and on campus courses. However, this has been a complex and expensive process.

The report discusses the use of telecommunications to improve access to education:

Access to high-speed technology and virtual networks for regional and remote students

Students from regional and remote areas require access to technology to support their distance learning. The consultations with HDR students indicated that the main forms of communication are often telephone and Skype (a voice-over-internet protocol service), but in many instances, telephone communications are considered unsatisfactory.

Distance Education is very lonely and isolating. I would definitely have enrolled as an internal student if I could have. I saw my supervisor once or twice a year.⁷⁶

Students often face challenges in gaining sufficient access to university services. One student relates:

I was unaware of any scholarships as I was living out on my homeland in a remote locality.⁷⁷

Virtual networks would help higher-degree students based in remote or regional areas to better access peers and academics. Suggested approaches during consultations included establishment of online forums and regionally based networks.

The National Broadband Network will play a critical role in increasing functionality of online support and the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia has suggested that the needs of remote communities should be addressed in the rollout of the National Broadband Network (submission no. 65, ASSA, p. 6). ...

From: Final Report of the "Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People", Professor Larissa Behrendt, Professor Steven Larkin, Mr Robert Griew and Ms Patricia Kelly, July 2012

Table of Contents of the Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

• Foreword
• Executive Summary
• Recommendations
• Introduction
• Context
• Our approach: empowering communities, Closing the Gap and nation building
• Next steps
• Building on existing efforts
• Current situation
• What are we trying to achieve?
• Parity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff in the higher education sector
• Part I: Unlocking capacity and empowering choices
• 1 Unlocking capacity and empowering choices
• 1.1 Schools
• 1.2 Other pathways
• 1.3 Enabling programs
• 1.4 Access to information
• Part II: Supporting success and releasing capability
• Introduction to Part II
• 2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success
• 2.1 Provision of support through Indigenous Education Units and the faculties
• 2.2 Building professional pathways and responding to community need
• 3 Provision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander–specific support to universities and students
• 3.1 Indigenous Support Program funding
• 3.2 Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme – Tertiary Tuition
• 3.3 Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from regional and remote areas
• 3.4 Other non-financial support for students
• 3.5 Recognising and broadening student choices
• 3.6 Financial support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
• 4 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and research
• 4.1 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and perspectives
• 4.2 Higher degrees by research and research training
• 4.3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research capability
• 5 Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff
• 5.1 Growing and retaining the general Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university workforce
• 5.2 Building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic and research workforce
• 6 University culture and governance
• 6.1 University culture
• 6.2 University governance
• 6.3 Parity targets to be included in mission-based compacts
• 7 The way forward: an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher education strategy and evaluation framework
• 7.1 Development of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher education strategy and the role of the Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council
• 7.2 Development of a monitoring and evaluation framework
• Part III: Lessons learned
• Introduction to Part III
• 8 Whole-of-university approach
• 9 Unlocking capacity and empowering choices
• 9.1 Schools
• 9.2 Vocational education and training sector
• 9.3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce
• 9.4 Correctional centres
• 9.5 Aspiration
• 9.6 Readiness
• 9.7 Access to information
• 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success
• 10.1 Student support: a case management approach
• 10.2 Regional and remote delivery
• 10.3 Financial support
• 11 Building professional pathways and responding to community need
• 11.1 Community-based approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education
• 11.2 Professions and universities collaborating
• 11.3 Indigenous graduate attributes
• 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and perspectives
• 12.1 Curriculum and pedagogy
• 12.2 Teacher education
• 12.3 The interface between Indigenous and Western knowledge systems
• 13 Research, research training and university workforce
• 13.1 Good practice supervision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher degree by research students
• 13.2 Cohort support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher degree by research students
• 13.3 Building Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research capacity in students and early career researchers
• 13.4 Building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher education workforce
• 13.5 Ethical practice in research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• 13.6 University strategies to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers
• 13.7 Research teams and models for research success
• 14 University culture and governance
• 14.1 Bringing community knowledge to campus
• 14.2 Decision-making and accountability structures
• Acronyms and abbreviations
• Glossary
• Appendices
• Appendix I: Terms of reference
• Appendix II: Review process and personnel
• Appendix III: Submissions
• Appendix IV: Consultations
• Appendix V: Commissioned research
• References

Planning UK Vocation Skills Requirements

The City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development (CSD) issued the 104 page report "Britain's Got Talent: Unlocking the demand for skills". The UK Government has introduced a loan model for vocational students, as is being done in Australia. While better than direct government subsidies, the authors of this report argue that this will discourage students from enrolling in courses which have out of pocket expenses, even if these have better job prospects. The authors propose payment by results, with the institutions receiving payments proportional to the higher salary the graduate obtains after graduation. This sounds cumbersome to implement, but the tax office will have the past and future salary details of the students who take out loans, and so would be able to calculate a bonus for institutions where the student gets a salary increase.

Executive summary

...

Many adult skills courses offer excellent wage returns, and the average return for vocational qualifications the Government funds is 8%. However, too much of the UK’s provision fails to match the underlying demand. This is because the main government lever – subsidy of training – tends to aggravate misplaced incentives for learners and employers.

Would-be learners lack information about the skills that are most likely to secure the best employment outcomes, and so err towards courses they find interesting, rather than skills that will maximise their productivity. When government subsidises individuals, by offering them a range of free or reduced-cost courses to take, it reinforces the tendency to pick a course based upon its ‘consumption’ value, instead of a hard-headed appraisal of the benefits. While the extent to which a learner enjoys a course is an entirely legitimate aspect for teachers and learners to consider, it should not be the primary consideration of public subsidy, which should aim to maximise the productivity and employability of learners. Where learners are not putting their own money on the line – or less of it – they need appraise the course less as an investment and more as something to consume. Subsidy handed to individuals therefore weakens the link between government investment and employers’ demand for skills. ...

Improving the system’s performance depends upon strengthening accountability in order to reduce the number of:

• Types of qualification taken that do not lead to good employment or earnings outcomes
  
• Subjects taken within those qualifications that employers do not value
  
• Providers that teach to a mediocre or poor standard.

The Government therefore needs a mechanism to encourage learners to take the types of qualification and those subjects that add value, and which puts pressure on poor and mediocre quality providers to improve. Marginal improvements on each dimension could have a substantial impact on labour market outcomes, and hence the productivity of government skills spending....

The Government is introducing income-contingent loans, along the lines of the student loans model in higher education.

This reform will ensure that learners over 25 and those who already have qualifications must co-invest alongside the state. This should encourage learners to view training as an investment and appraise the costs and benefits of each course. But it will swap poor state investment under a more subsidised regime for under-investment by individuals under the new regime, as people are less likely to take a course if they have to invest themselves. ...

The state’s investment in human capital would be far more efficient if an actor in the system was liable for the labour market value of the skills delivered. Providers are the obvious candidate. They are 13 embedded in local economies, so are in a position to understand, forecast and supply the skills local employers need, and steer candidates towards more profitable courses. Exposing providers to the demands of the labour market would also make them more accountable for how well they impart skills employers value: the quality of their teaching as defined by the labour market.

A payment by results model would achieve this. Providers could be paid according to learners’ pay uplift and employment rates upon finishing courses. This would incentivise providers to act upon the ‘prices’ set by the demand for skills – higher pay and employment rates arise for those skills that are in relatively short supply. As they would be paid a premium for a course that led to good employment outcomes, providers could have strong incentives to invest in skills that local employers demand, and which allow workers to build the transferable skills that allow them to navigate the market.

Under such a system, providers would offer courses in, and steer individuals towards, skills that are most likely to lead to labour market success. Providers would have an incentive to seek out information from employers about what mix of skills they need and supply suitably trained workers. ...

From: Britain's Got Talent: Unlocking the demand for skills, John Springford and Ian Mulheirn, City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development (CSD), 2012

Learning Objects Seminar

The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is offering a free seminar for educators on how to download and use learning objects. The seminar will be via the Intenet using Blackboard Collaborate. I have attended these seminars before and as well as explaining learning objects well, they provide an excellent example of how to give a seminar on-line.

Webinar - Search and download FREE learning objects By Helen Lynch

Want to discover free, publicly funded, quality assured, custom designed VET learning resources? Come along to this National VET E-learning Strategy (Strategy) Webinar for a demonstration of how to search, find and deploy (in a Learning Management System) learning objects from the Strategy's Toolbox Learning Object Repository.

Understanding how to use this free repository will save you hours of search time and allow you to present quality VET resources to your students.

Following this session a face-to-face workshop will be held in September on ‘Cutomising, repackaging and deploying’ these learning objects. ...

30 August 2012 12:30 – 1:30pm AEST via Blackboard Collaborate

Vocational Training Certificate

The Australian Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40110) is designed for people teaching in the vocational education and training (VET) sector:

Achievement of this qualification or an equivalent by trainers and assessors is a requirement of the Australian Quality Training Framework Essential Standards for Registration ...

This qualification, or the skill sets derived from units of competency within it, is also suitable preparation for those engaged in the delivery of training and assessment of competence in a workplace context, as a component of a structured VET program. ...

Job roles associated with this qualification relate to the delivery of training and assessment of competence within the VET sector. Possible job titles and roles relevant to this qualification include:

• enterprise trainer
• enterprise assessor
• registered training organisation (RTO) trainer
• RTO assessor
• training adviser or training needs analyst
• vocational education teacher.

From: Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40110), Version 2, 12/Oct/2011

Ten units (also called "competences") are required to be undertaken for the certificate. Seven of these are required ("core") and the other three can be selected from another 14 available.:

Core Units

1. TAEASS401B: Plan assessment activities and processes
2. TAEASS402B: Assess competence
3. TAEASS403B: Participate in assessment validation
4. TAEDEL401A: Plan, organise and deliver group-based learning
5. TAEDEL402A: Plan, organise and facilitate learning in the workplace
6. TAEDES401A: Design and develop learning programs
7. TAEDES402A: Use training packages and accredited courses to meet client needs

Elective units

Assessment

1. TAEASS301B: Contribute to assessment
2. TAEASS502B: Design and develop assessment tools

Delivery and facilitation

1. TAEDEL301A: Provide work skill instruction
2. TAEDEL403A: Coordinate and facilitate distance-based learning
3. TAEDEL404A: Mentor in the workplace
4. TAEDEL501A: Facilitate e-learning

Language, literacy and numeracy

• TAELLN401A: Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills

Training advisory services

• TAETAS401A: Maintain training and assessment information

Imported units

1. BSBAUD402B: Participate in a quality audit
2. BSBCMM401A: Make a presentation
3. BSBLED401A: Develop teams and individuals
4. BSBMKG413A: Promote products and services
5. BSBREL402A: Build client relationships and business networks
6. BSBRES401A: Analyse and present research information

Vocational Training Certificate for University Academics

Introducing a compulsory teaching, assessment and supervision qualification for Australian university academics, I suggest would improve the quality of higher education and research.

In Australia, the higher the level of education, the less formal qualifications required to teach it. School teachers require at least a graduate diploma, or more usually a Bachelor's Degree. Vocational teachers require a "Certificate IV in Training and Assessment". Those teaching at university are not required to have any teaching qualifications.

It seems reasonable to require someone who is teaching at a university to have at least some minimal training in the theory and practice of how to teach. Even if not teaching a class, an academic is likely to be working in a team, supervising research students and assessing their work. This teamwork and supervision requires similar skills to teaching, so researchers might as well do the same course as teachers, to learn these skills.

Australian university staff are encouraged to do a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education, made up of four one semester courses, the equivalent of one semester full time study. Having done an introductory three day course and being half way through a certificate, I am finding this a little too heavy on pedagogy theory, with not enough practice.

One of my colleagues is instead doing the Australian qualification required for vocational teachers, a "Certificate IV in Training and Assessment". The vocational qualification is one quarter the size of its higher education equivalent. I suspect it is just as useful, by leaving out much of the theory.

Perhaps a useful middle ground would be for new university academics to be required to do a short introductory course of a few days, in their first year. They would then be required to complete the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment in their second year. After that, to be considered for promotion, they would be required to have undertaken another three courses and obtained at least a graduate certificate in higher education.

e-Networking the National VET E-learning Strategy

The Canberra Institute of Technology hosted a National VET E-learning Strategy "e-Networking Night" at their Reid campus on 14 June 2012.

Jyothi Jayaram, ACT toolbox champion, provided an introduction to the National VET E-learning Strategy.

The National VET E-learning Strategy is an excellent federal, state and territory initiative to improve vocational e-learning. However, in my view, the terminology used for the "strategy" is unnecessarily confusing, with most potential users of it blocked from access because they are unable to understand the terminology used.

Next was Annie Gregg and Graeme Steadman on "Academy of Real Estate: Dos and Don'ts, Challenges, Support and Lessons Learnt in implementing e-learning".

They took a unit of competency "Appraise Property" and worked with "All Homes" to design a Moodle based course. They pointed out that there is more to e-Learning that just putting a lot of resources into a learning management system. Also they suggested checking that you check your IT people are providing the same version of the LMS you are planning to use (many educational institutions have got around this issue by outsourcing the LMS to a specialist company). Also it was suggested to spend time on the structure around the LMS to help the students. The point was made that with vocational courses, the students are very focused on getting in and getting their course done so they can keep their job, or get a better one. A SCORM package was used (using Microsoft Learning Content Development System (LCDS) to convert Microsoft Word documents to SCORM), which limited the computer platforms it could be delivered for.

It seemed to me that a lot of the issues are not about preparing a course for e-learning, but about setting up an institution to use it. Also integrating the assessment into the course content can help the student learn but greatly increases the complexity of course development and maintenance. A less integrated approach might be acceptable to the students if the same set of tools is used for several courses. It also occurs to me that such packages would have potential for delivering training in other countries, particularly China and India.

Nina Allen talked about CIT teacher examples of using some of the web2.0 tools in online learning:

CIT uses the Moodle LMS, Equella repository and Wimba virtual classroom. Nina pointed out that a photo of the tutor was useful for introducing them the students. They provide recordings of the face-to-face classes with Wimba. The Powerpoint slides are also provided online. Interestingly a glossary of the main terms is provided in the Moodle page (I would have put this in the notes so it does not clutter the front page, but Nina argued that this saves the students asking). Mobile applications can be sued by the students with their smart phones wherever they happen to be. Nina pointed out that training videos of scientists in white coats are not that interesting to younger students, whereas examples from pop culture (such as the Big Bang Theory TV show segment on operant conditioning with chocolates).

CIT pedagogical examples in e-learning by Margaret Robson:

Margaret teaching vocational teaching at CIT. She suggested that pictures liven up the e-leaning content and also using images in quizzes. Students can be asked to research a topic and contribute their results back to the class.

Margaret referred to the "flipped classroom" (or flipped teaching), where the lessons are online and worked through by the students at home and then classroom time is used for practical exercises.

Margaret also mentioned Badge Stack, which awards badges to students for small learning tasks (seems to be like virtual elephant stamps).

Augmented reality: what is it and how can we use it in education - Helen Lynch and Jyothi Jayaram

Helen talked about an augmented reality camp at the UoC Inspire centre (the centre was created to teach technology enhanced learning to Canberra school teachers and seems to be having a considerable impact). The example of AR shown uses embedded invisible codes in images (Steganography), which can be scanned with a mobile phone or tablet computer, which then access online material. Helen demonstrated creating a code using layar.com.

This may be of some use where printed brochures are used. But to me this looks like a gimmick with limited usefulness. The photographs have to be accompanied by a caption explaining that there is a hidden code, so a visible code may as well be used. Also care should be taken in transporting documents containing hidden codes across an international border, as you may be arrested for spying.

Strategy developed and other free resources and how and where to find them - Jyothi Jayaram

There was not time to discuss resources, but there is a list at: https://actnationalvetelearning.wikispaces.com/

CIT Leading the Way with e-Learning in Canberra

This was an excellent afternoon of learning about e-learning. In between making these notes live at the event, I found myself writing a proposal to ANU to implement a repository like CIT's and to implemented flipped teaching for ICT students. This reminded me of events I attended inn Canberra in the mid 1990's about use of a technology called "The Internet" where it was not so much the details which were important, but the sense that this was something of practical value which could be quickly implemented.

E-learning For Regional Australia

As part of the National VET E-learning Strategy a free online industry forum on the use of e-learning for workforce training in regional Australia, 8:30am to 5:30 pm, 7 June 2012 (register online).

Program – Thursday 7 June 2012

8.30 am - 9.00 am

Audio testing

9.00 am - 10.00 am

Regional session 1

Emergency services, agriculture and transport

· Emergency services | Tasmania Fire Service (Tas)

· Natural resource management | Conservation Volunteers Australia (National)

· Agriculture | Rural Skills Australia (National)

· Agriculture | Qld Rural Industry Training Council (Qld)

· Transport and logistics | TDT Victoria (Vic)

10.30 am - 11.30 am

Industry sector session 1

Implementing industry-wide workforce development e-learning business plans

· Renewable energy | Clean Energy Council

· Surveying and Geospatial | Spatial Industries Business Association

12.00 pm - 1.00 pm

Industry sector session 2

KEYNOTE Managing change with an example from the manufacturing industry

· Manufacturing | Australian Industry Group

1.30 pm - 2.30 pm

Regional session 2

Aged care, nursing and health

· Aged care | Yass Valley Aged Care (NSW)

· Aged Care | Pakenham Aged Care (Vic)

· Nursing | Health Staff Ed Pty Ltd (SA)

· Health | Silver Chain Nursing Association Inc (WA)

· Health | WoundsWest (WA)

3.00 pm - 4.00 pm

Regional session 3

Apprentices and trades

· Civil construction | Civil Contractors Federation NT (NT)

· Civil construction | SWAT Skills Specialists (SA)

· Local government - construction | Local Government Association of SA (SA)

· Electrical supply | Essential Energy (NSW)

· Coal seam gas - water treatment | QGC (Qld)

4.30 pm - 5.30 pm

Regional session 4

Small business, tourism and retail

· Food processing and production | East Gippsland Food Cluster (Vic)

· Food | Northern Rivers Food (NSW)

· Tourism | Regional Development Australia - Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island Inc (SA)

· Tourism | Dolphin Discovery Centre (WA)

· Retail | Service Industries Training Authority Council (NT).

To participate in the online sessions, your computer must be configured to run Blackboard Collaborate (Elluminate v10) web-conferencing software. You will also need a headset with a microphone and a stable Internet connection. A practice session will be held on Tuesday 5 June from 2.00 to 3.00 pm AEST. For more information, visit the E-learning for Industry website at http://industry.flexiblelearning.net.au.

Design of RPL Assesment

Recently I was asked to design some test questions and a guide for the evaluation of experience of people who don't have a degree in IT. This is called "Recognition of Prior Learning" (RPL) and usually applies in the vocational education and training (VET) sector, but is increasingly used in higher education as well.

There are some helpful documents available from the WA Department of Education and Training:

1. Designing assessment tools for quality outcomes in VET, WA Department of Education and Training, 2008
2. Recognition of Prior Learning: An assessment resource for VET practitioners, WA Department of Education and Training, 2009

Templates from WA Department of Education and Training

Preparation for RPL

1. Example - Units of Competency clustered into skill sets/qualification
2. Template 1 - Units of Competency clustered into skill sets/qualification
3. Example - Evidence matrix
4. Template 2 - Evidence matrix

Demonstration/Observation

1. Example - Instructions for candidate of demonstration/observation
2. Template 5 - Instructions for candidate of demonstration/observation
3. Example - Reporting and recording of observation/practical task
4. Template 6 - Reporting and recording of observation/practical task

Interview

1. Example - Interview question bank and recording document Example - Self-evaluation form for candidate
2. Template 4 - Interview question bank and recording document Template 3 - Self-evaluation form for candidate

Self-evaluation by candidate

1. Example - Self-evaluation form for candidate
2. Template 3 - Self-evaluation form for candidate

Further supporting evidence

1. Example - Third party evidence report
2. Template 7 - Third party evidence report

Student Loans and Subsidies for Vocational Courses

Yesterday the Prime Minister announced low cost loans for vocational students and subsidies for entry-level courses in high demand job categories. Foundation and entry-level courses would be directly subsidized by the federal government, in areas such as health, business, hospitality, communications, construction and transport. For longer Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses, students could apply for a loan to cover the cost (similar to the scheme already in place for university courses). Students would be "guaranteed" a government-subsidized training place, but it is not clear what measures will be put in place to meet the likely demand and so honor that guarantee.

It is not clear how educational standards will be maintained under a sudden increased demand. Australian governments have funded the development of e-learning for the vocational sector over several years and this would be one way to meet the new demand cost effectively and maintain standards. This would also allow students to more easily study and work at the same time. However, more funding would be needed to train course developers and tutors in the new techniques needed for e-learning.

National Education e-Portfolio for All

One initiative the Australian Government could introduce would be free national registration for vocational students open to all citizens and access to free online course material for all. Rather than the current system where a student registers separately with each educational institution, they would register with the national system and have an e-portfolio which they could use at whichever institutions they attend, vocational or higher education. Any citizen could also make use of free educational material on-line.

Free e-Learning for All

At present TAFE institutions produce e-learning material. These materials are registered in a national database for easy access. But TAFEs then try to sell it to each other, for little financial return, but requiring large administrative costs. Instead the Federal Government could purchase a license for the material and make it freely available to all citizens.