AVETRA 2021 Day 4

 Today's theme is on VET research.

Day 4 begins with a keynote by Dr. Antonio Ranieri from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training who speaks on ‘trends in VET policy and research: A European perspective'. Shared details of the new policy framework for education and training in Europe to help ensure a prosperous, sustainable and social Europe. Policies include new EU skills agenda, and recommendations for VET. All evolutionary processes to ensure that there is stability and recovery beyond the pandemic. Economic activity and employment have been affected. Many job losses especially for temporary employees and those with lower educational attainment. 

Challenges include the wider range of target groups requiring VET; complex insitutional and governance arrangements; highly diverse content and modes of learning; and coordinated policy and measures to enhance attractiveness. Important as those with lower education do not often see the need to have participate in lifelong learning opportunities. 

Shared the skills intelligence compass to help cope with changing labour markets. The compass includes ensuring various studies coordinate. Include skills index, skills forecass, skills policies, VET skills and skills foresight etc. with megatrends, long-term skills demands and supply trends, skills needs in jobs, skills systems performance, skills utilisation, skills (mis)match and sectoral/regional skills analysis. Need to therefore leverage off the actionable skills intelligence smarter.

Summarised finding on firms which offer comprehensive training and learning opportunities have better outcomes. Introduced current study on how digitisation affects skills needs and learning within workplaces. Important also to study the incidence and drivers for informal learning as these comtribute. 

A panel then discusses 'research themes and priorities in education and VET'.. The panel includes Phil Loveder (NCVER), Josh Williams (NZ - Skills Consulting Group), Radhika Gorur (Deakin University), Joy Deleo (NCVER) and Damian Oliver (National Skills Commision). Discussed mainly the high level policy/strategies along with labour markes, skills and the impact of the pandemic.

Three presentations follow.

First one with Dr. Llandis Barratt-Pugh from ECU on ‘legitimising autoethnography: constructing the practice of reflective practitioner inquiry'. Presented definition and 3 types of autoethnography and the pros and cons of the methodology. Same person as researcher, subject and analyst. Ask the question - What do you know and how do you know it? Provided some examples. Can be individual or multiple researchers and draw on past experiences or look into planned future experiences. Often critiques as a pseudoscience. Conflicts with research norms - solo source, memory dependent, lacks validitity. 

Proposed a process to ensure better acceptance of autographically based research. Completed through gathrering experiences with students using autoethnograhy. Locate the question, prepare self for making tacit explicit, jog memory, use alternative lenses to expane, draw on diverse data sources to triangaulate, draw key themes, review and interview, consolidate and record. Framework includes making memory more explicit, provokde memory, stimulate, validate memory and making the process transparent. Worked though techniques and tools to achieve these processes. 

Number two is a presentation by Professor Erica Smith from Federation University on ‘research by VET teachers: empirical evidence’. Overviewed a large body of research undertaken by VET practitioners. 77 students in the Associate Degree of VET (Federation University). What are VET teachers teaching? How successful are they? How do their studies align with traditional research. Provided background on how this has occurred. TAFE students in Victoria only able to go up pay scale if they comple level 6 qualificaiton. Research is a requirement.

The course uses Boyer framework - discovery, integration, application and teaching across 3 modules for students to work through and complete a small applied project. Most doing projects/studies on elearrning/online learning. Then on school-based VET, CBT, electrical, english as additional language, automotive etc. In general, results were good with most completed to credit or distinction level. 

Shared issues and proposed solutions. 

The third presentation is with Dr. Joe Pagnoccolo from Holmsglen with Santina Bertone from Central Queensland University with ‘the training experiences of Australian apprentices’. A traditional presentation of study. Began with context - including completion rates for apprentices being low. Interpersonal factors have been common challenges. The study aimed to find out how apprentices' interrelationships and soft skills affected their apprentice experience. Summarised literature review on issues completing training including workplace based issues and personal/contextual factors; Interpersonal skills concepts of emotional intelligence and social-emotional learning; people-related generic skills include non-technical skills and transferable skillls.

Summarised methodology, participants and analysis. Reported results - apprentices narratives, behaviours and training experiences.  Discussed findings, detailed implications, limitations and summarised recommendations.

A workshop on using VOCEDplus  is next and a session with a quiz and AVETRA awards closes the day.