AVETRA OctoberVET - Applied research presentations from Holmsglen TAFE

 

Andrew Williamson, Executive Director at Holmsglen (Melbourne) welcomed the participants and began with a welcome to country. Dr. Henry Pook, director for the centre of applied research and innovation at Holmsglen and MC for the session, covered ‘housekeeping’ and instructions. Then provided an overview of the centre and its vision, direction, and objectives.

Hopped in and out of most of the presentations until mid afternoon NZ time.

Two groups of presentations today.

Firstly, summaries and updates on current projects:

Dr Louise Shaw: Evidence-based methods for preventing and overcoming falls with expert reasoning. Summarised the problem of falls in hospitals, introduced the research partners (hospitals, universities and TAFE) for the 3-year project and overviewed the research method /interventions and findings. Of interest is the development of evidence-based patient self-management programme and the development of a Virtual community of practice to support implementation and behaviour change. A good example of the importance of ‘change management’ in changing practice.

Warren Guest: Presented a contextual view of the design and negotiation of VET Training packages: through an examination of how the process is influenced by industry, government, and VET institutions, and for what purposes and intentions. Provided the context of training packages and the rationale for the study. The process is complex, involving many stakeholders – both private and public. Who, why and how is the consultation conducted was summarised but little study has been undertaken into the process. Therefore how do the industrial parties withing VE design the intended curriculum of apprenticeship training? Whose knowledge is prioritised? What knowledge is considered important? What purposes would that knowledge serve? Use case study of food processing (apprentice bakers) training package. Interviewed 8 ‘designers’ from TAC, IRC, SSO and AISC) and reviewed the 29 public submissions. Found that each sector/sub-cultures (for example, artisanal bakers, large corporate bakers, TAFE representations) had clear ideas but felt they were not  sufficiently represented. Apprentices were not involved. Seemed to be an over emphasis on assessments (177 mentions) but fewer instances of skills (28), knowledge (8) or performance (5). Industry represents broad subcultures with divergent and discursive goals. Curriculum knowledge inclusions are influenced by material/financial and cultural (craft sills) interests of the industrial parties. Apprentice expectations rarely considered. Assessment inclusion used by industry for accountability and quality assurance.

Robyn Neeson: Entrepreneurship learning through a collaborative approach to student practical placement. Presented on findings from a collaborative project with the Institute of Public Accountants. Summarised the research process – interview of 44 students who participated in a 10 week internship on expectations, experience and perceived benefits; survey of 74 SMEs who had participated in student programme/internship about reasons or participating and perceived personal and business benefits; and survey of 80 plus IPA members on issues for not participating.

Found both students and SMEs benefited – students felt they attained additional skills and better understanding of the work; host businesses appreciated the new knowledge brought in by students and the extra time freed up for them to do other tasks.

Lisa Clements and Connie Castellan: The impact of Covid-19 and lessons learned from the perspective of Centre Directors in Early Childhood Education Centres. Covered the details of the method and journey and shared the progress onwards. Data gathered through a survey and followed up with interview of centres who opened and did not across the pandemic. Remote early childhood programmes explored. Little research carried out and little consultation made when policies were put in place which affected early childhood centres. Sector largely ‘invisible’ and ‘voiceless’ with poor pay and conditions.

Dr Mary Hughes and Julie Wright: Learning reconfigured for the 'new normal': Challenges and opportunities for HE and VET programs in a mixed sector institute. Shared a small scale single case study to explore the adaptation made to f2f delivery courses. What online instructional approaches were taken by teaching staff to replace f2f? what were the factors that positively influenced student participation and engagement and what hindered these. Participants included 6 students, a lecturer and a trainer. Change of pedagogy to digital technology including those considered ‘hands-on’ subjects. Students noticed increased workload. The students found access to effective and reliable internet and digital devices (not just mobile phone), personal wellbeing and connections to others and home/housing/family responsibilities. Teachers also notices increased workload and time required to learn how to use platforms like Panopto. However, once conversant, found the tool to be useful. Students also had to adjust to the change in delivery, including learning how to use zoom, discussion forums and view videos.

 

Then a look into the future possibilities for VET research.

Professor Debra Kiegaldie -Clinical chair for the health workforce and simulation: The future of applied research in health and community services: Where are we headed? Shared examples of projects. Began defining applied research as setting out to solving specific practical problems including a new design or product. Drivers of applied research include collaboration (seeing other universities and TAFEs as partners and not competition), capability, and investment (especially in people). Important to have leadership and research goals.

Building 4.0 Cooperative Research Centre (CRC): is a research partnership for 7 years involving Holmesglen, industry, and university research partners, to work on the development of new technologies that aim to modernise the building construction sector. The group presents two current projects.

Dr Ross Digby: Application of AR/VR and simulated technologies in civil construction training programmes. Proposed government (funding, role), market (entry to training, barriers and status) and the VET sector (role of teacher/trainer/facilitator. Knowledge transfer or learning facilitation, learning environment, affordances of technology) as shapers of the contemporary educational landscape. How is VR /MR selected – is it to improve learning outcomes; meet diverse learner needs; authentic learning. Presented two examples  of VR/MR habitat and scenario – VR interactive safety module using Maker Immersion and MR training video for a tunnel boring machine. Detailed simulation examples of the ThoroughTec simulator to teach operation of a ‘Long Driller’. Suggested a blend of simulation and various iterations of VR/MR to meet learning needs.

Dr Henry Pook: Technology, workforce change and industrial relations in the building construction industry. Rationale for the project being high costs, poor productivity, complex production systems, diverse workforce with work undertaken in challenging environments. Various commissions, government inquiries, industry taskforce etc. show the need to increase understanding of what drives industry to help improve it. Requires planned, collaborative approach to improve the future of work for the industry. Detailed the research process and how to apply this 'new knowledge' to technology integrations. education and training, and regulatory change.

Digital ethics taskforce

 One of the items introduced during the eportfolio forum last week (see notes on this blog) was the work on the Digital Task Force convened by the Association for Authentic, Experiential and Evidence-based Learning (AAEEBL).  The resource created was publised in 2020 to provide guidance to students, professionals at work, educators, administrators etc. with working on eportfolios.

The guidelines cover support, the promotion of awareness, practice, respect of author rights and re-use permissions, access to technology, privacy, content storage, cross platform compatibility, accessibility and consent for data storage. 

These are summarised in this link. A fieldguide to portfolios is also an good overarching resource on eportfolios. 

Eportfolio forum 2021 - DAY 2

 Another busy day at the eportfolio forum.

The day begins with a welcome back from Allison Miller. Began with welcome to country and went through various housekeeping items. All slides will be on slideshare

Indepth workshops begin. I attend the session with Dr. Kevin Kelly from San Francisco State University on 'applying universal design of learning (UDL) and learning equity principles to eportfolio projects'. Began with definitions of equity and UDL. Introduced the learning equity framework and UDL and how to apply them to eportfolios. The strategies introduced are not prescriptive but adoption of an equity-mindset. 4 parts - assessment (usig backward design); engagement to be ready to use eportfolios; content needed to suceed; and instructions to give to students so they are successful with eportfolios. Worksheets provided at each part to help make decision as to how to (re)design equitable eportfolio assignments - access, connection and belonging. Went through each of the worksheets and provided examples. Responsed collected on chat. Good examples and discussion ensued. Slides and workshops from this link.

See book for deeper dive - advanced online teaching - creating equity-based digital learning. Also see Carless and Winstone book - technology-enabled learning 

Then a series of digital interative poster and 20x20 (20 slides over 20 minutes) presentations.

First up, I attend another sesison with  Dr. Kevin Kelly from San Francisco State University & Kristina Hoeppner from Catalyst on 'eportfolios through the lenses of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and decolonisation (DEBID)'. Reviewed the principles derived by the taskforce - digital ethics - in 2020-2021 and shared the current taskforce objectives. Important to ensure all learners are welcomed to maximise the affordances of eportfolios. Defined DEIBD (see summary here) and shared strategies to support each. A good initiative, especially for eportfolios as there is little information to support them. Slides on this link.

Alan Hoskin, Pam Grant and myself (Ara Institute of Canterbury) then present our interative poster session on 'analysing user recommendations to inform the selection of eportfolio tools'. The project arose out of our realisation that portfolios were being used all over the institution for all sorts of assessments, but many of the rich pegaogical advantages of formative /collaborative learning were being missed. Our project establlished the diverse approaches used, due to the range of levels of learning and discipline contexts. We now have a series of pilots run and from these and the survey/focus group meetings with teachers, we have developed a draft 'eportfolio selection tool' as a means to help anchor 'eportfolio' discussions to improve how they are used. Poster available from this link. 

The next session is a 'facilitated conversation' with Panos Vlachopoulos, Arda Texcan and Gai Ramesh from Macquarie University on 'the journey of implementing the right digital platform for a student-centred, pedagogy-driven and employability focused lifelong learning'. Conversation menti - which collated questins and answers and contributions from the 6 presenters, ran through the reasons, drivers for the adoption of eportfolio tools by institutions; the support required to bring in a portfolio tool; key considerations for implementation (of Portfolium - student/learner driven rather than assessment driven - part of Canvas LMS); criteria for selection of the eportfolio tool; what were lessons learnt? 

The forum ends with closing keynote with Serge Ravet, Innovation Director from ADPIOS  who speaks on 'From eportfolio to open badges and ... back to eportfolio'. Began the presentation on setting the scene and the evolution of eportfolios, open badges, open badge passport, Bologna open recognition declaration, exploring informal recognition and the creation of the open recognition alliance. The focus for eportfolios was how to make learning visible; for open badges how to make informal learning visible; and open recognition is on how to to make informal recognition visible. Reviewed the journey from 2001 to present. Compared portfolio - archives, traces, past, story-telling with identity - projections, plans, futures, potential. Patchworks and 'digital threads of social fabric' used as metaphors for portfolios. Recognition is in the middle of the learning citizen/learning community and learning society/learning organisation. Argued that portfolios are a good idea but never really 'took off'. -- ' too many portfolios do not convey the authentic voice of the learner; they are more like the ventriloquist's puppets, an illusion of independent life'.! There is evidence of high-impact eportfolio practices (see book ). Open badges (pixels of holographic identity) seen as one way to 'validate' eportfolios. could be co-constructed, resilient, trustworthy, distributed, connected etc. True value of badges is based on trust between the issuer and receiver of the badge, creating 'networks of trust'. So are open badges a nice add-on or a means to reinvent eportfolios? Proposed recognition as a form of knowledge and therfore possible as a way to accredit portfolios and badges. Recognition si symetry between recogniser and regonised and has referees, practitioners, communities of practice, analogic. Whereas certification is asymmetrical between certifier and certified, based on frameworks, assessors, awarding bodys and analytical. Therefore, 'the remedy for lack of recognition is not just 'more recognition' but to empower individuals to recognise. In essence, moving from formal recognition of informal learning to informal recogntion of formal learning. eportfolios could be the 'wallets' and open badges the (non fungible) 'currency of the recognition economy. These add to our social capital. A good presentation provoking thinking on the role, worth, relevance and utility of portfolios. 

Allison Miller closed the forum with information on the 2022 forum to be held at the Univerity of Melbourne via mixed mode (f2f and online). Post forum, the team site will archive the presentations etc. 

Good to touchbase with the eportfolio community. Forum went well apart from small tech challenges presented by the microsoft Teams environment. The presentations I went to were all useful and provided much fruit for thought. 

Eportfolio forum 2021 - DAY ONE

 

Attending and presenting at the eportfolio forum today and tomorrow, hosted this year using Microsoft Teams, by the University of New South Wales.

The conference begins with welcome and housekeeping from conference convenor, Allison Miller. Professor Patsie Polly welcomes delegates to country and UNSW. 

The Professor Louise Lutze- Mann director of education UNSW introduces the speaker for the opening address - Professor Rorden Wilkinson who is UNSW pro-vice chancellor for education and student experience.He sets up the context for the conference, espeically given the experiences of the last year with the move to online learning due to the pandemic. Took a positive perspective on how we need to learn and evaluate the opportunities availed. Provided information on UNSW evaluation of the role of portfolio. 

The Opening keynote is with Dr. Bill Wisser, director of the Teaching and Learning Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He presented on 'regrounding portfolios in the science of learning and practice of pedagogy'. Began with two stories. The first on the fear of the unknown and the second how perspective is governed by our known context. Important to remember, learners bring these with them into our classrooms. They are not 'jugs to be filled' but teachers need to connect with what they bring with them amd extend their horizons beyond what they normally or already know. Revised cognitive theory of learning (input, sensory register, working memory, long term memory, attention, encoding retrieval, chunking etc.). Connected these to expertise and how experts process their information. Novices use algorithms but experts use heuristics. Portfolios have a role as it allows learning to be processed/organised and then re-collated and shared (to teach is to learn). Need to shift from modeling coaching and scaffolding to also articulation. reflection and elaboration. Moving from being able to do to being able to share/teach. Important to not just allow for the performative aspect of learner but also to capture the learning journey. Assessments should be not only of learning but FOR learning. 

After a 'ice-breaking session (using Bingo) and morning tea, the  'Intensive' workshops begin and I select the workshop with Megan Haskins from University of Denver & Kristina Hoeppner from Catalyst who facilitates a conversation on 'digital ethics and portfolios: what next?' Provided details on a task force looking into digital ethics and progress to date. Shared resource on the complexities of eportfolio ethics. Then breakout rooms formed to discuss how ethics used currently; how these used; what barriers have been encoutered; and additional resources may be of benefit. Good discussion in our group around privacy, IP, ownership of eportfolios, resources/guidelines to support the many small but important aspects of adminstrating eportfolios, and providing a robust eportfolio platform for learning. A short 'timeout' followed for participants to reflect on issues and come up with any questions. Q & A followed. 

Then a series of short sessions. I attend the session with Aslihan McCarthy (La Trobe) and Kate Mitchell (University of Melbourne) (presenter) on 'constructing a symphonic self in a post-pandemic world: the case for eportfolios'.Usually eportfolio are seen to be tools for accredition, assessment and educational outcomes. The focus in this presentation is on well-being(emotional) and resilience. Defined the symphonic self as how individuals form coherent aligment across their various selfs - network self, identity/s etc. Important to help students develop capacity to tackle both global and personal challenges and view and value their life narrative both within and outside of work - plus the boundaries between the personal, professional and civic. The symphonic self can be incorporated into eportfolios as they are a 'living portal' (Nguyen, 2013). The eportfolio needs to be a process, not product; be flexible for agency and creativity; reflection should be at the core; structures should scaffold, be integrative and inclusive and be ongoing and iterative. At a practical level, pedagogy of the portfolio is central (including digital ethics); curriculum includs integration and implementation beyond the degree and provision of an infrastructure to support the portfolio. 

Next session with Dr. Jennifer Masters and Jacqui Patten from PebblePad with presentation on 'connecting with the profession: Using PebblePad to map learning activities against professional standards'. Introduced the PebblePad function to 'map my learning'. Professional standards are used as framework for professional qualifications and ongoing Professional development. Progressive learning experiences contribute to the attainment of these standards. Course development often hinge on these standards through the alignment of explicit learning activities. Students need to understand how to collect, collate and show the evidence of meeting standards. Shared an example and demonstrated how this works in PebblePad using capability blocks. Important if using to have the standards visible. 

Last session for the day for me is with Shari Bowker & Dr. Christine Slade from University of Queensland with 'assessment and feedback using eportfolios: shifting to a new paradigm of practice'. Reviewed the challenges associated with feedback, proposed a new paradigm for feedback with focus on student feedback literacy. Then applied these to eportfolio design and support the development of feedback literacy through eportfolio compilation. Usually, feedback provided part way through course and then another occasion just before final summative assessment. Often feedback given and nothing else happens, or a sandwich model for nice feedback on both sides of stronger feedback!. Feedback should be a spiral to support ongoing learning. Summarised research on feedback including constraints imposed by large class numbers, lack of time, students' reliance on teachers (rather than other forms of feedback). Their study wanted to shift students to become active participants in feedback. Feedback literacy includes the interelated aspects of making judgments through appreciating feedback and managing affect and taking action once judgement is made (Carless and Boud, 2018). Educators have to support by helping students appreciate feedback, practice making judgments, support sutdents to manage affect and enable them to take action. Eportfolio can support these by working through longitudinal feedback on journals, support evaluation and defining of self-evalutation, have reflective prompts and design multi-stage or iterative sequences of tasks to help students action feedback. Action plans may be useful as well. Check their previous workshop for more detail. 

Using microsoft teams as the platform for the forum seemed to work well. Just a couple of glitches with presenters on Apple Macs who are unable to see their presentation when they share screen. Also they are unable to see the chat. 

AVETRA OctoberVET - presentations from the May issue of Research Today

This afternoon, a series of presentations from articles published in the May 2021 issue of the Research Today magazine.  The session is hosted by Andrew Williamson from Holmsglen and editor of Research Today. The magazine publishes practitioner and beginning researcher articles, along with pieces from experienced VET researchers. 

Notes taken below:

Dr. Joe Pagnoccolo (also from Holmsglen) on "The role of interpersonal attributes in the apprentice experience". 

 Introduced the qualitative study to explore how final year apprentices coped with their apprenticeship. Completion of apprentices still low, hovering around 50 plus %. The study explored how 'soft skills' contributed towards apprentices' resilience and contributed to completion. Soft skills include interpersonal and people-related generic skills. Applied concepts of emotional intelligence to anchor the study. Summarised the research method. Collated apprentices' stories, behaviours and training experiences. Shared the interpretation of the data,implications and limitations of the study. Argued for the need to support apprentices in appreciating the importance of 'soft skills' - not often made visible in vocational qualifications.

Professor Erica Smith: VET teachers’ accounts of difficult teaching situations and how learning theories explain them. 

 Reiterated the complexity of VET teaching contexts and how learning theories often do not align with VET. In general, VET teachers have little chance to connect with the raft of learning theories available. Used teachers' 'critical incidents' as a means to deconstruct the teaching situation and how to apply teaching theories to try to work through the challenges. The range across 15 VET students was very wide and diverse. Introduced the Holistic approache to technology enhanced learning diagram as a source of some theories. Provided examples of some matches between teaching challenges and learning theories that could be applied. Offered these examples to the audience :) 

Professor Thomas Deissinger & Oksana Melnyk (University of Konstanz): Partnership and cooperation in vocational teacher education as a focus of Erasmus + capacity building in the EU. 

Thomas ummarised the progress of a project which started in 2020. Began with an overview of the context and the cooperative VET project to increase the employability of VET graduates - through the dual system. Includes 6 organisations across Astria, Germany, Italy and the Ukraine. The project's objective are to improve partnerships between universities delivering VET teacher education, the vocational schools and other stakeholders. Oksana provided details on the Ukraine section of the project which involves the Ministry of education and Science, and 5 Universities offering VET teacher education. Shared the first resultf from a national survey. Found students did not have the skills to apply pedagogical practices and there was low work readiness post graduation. The second phase is to open up communication with vocaitonal schools and work cooperative to improve the programmes offered through the universities. More information on the project's site. 

Simon Bruce: Consequential Learning: Learning with real impact.

Began with setting up the context of his work - in leadership and organisational development with a focus on shifting and influencing attitudes and behaviours, developing and enhancing 'soft skills' and developing and reinforcing leadership skills. His observations and reflections include: learning experiences need to provide more than content; These need to allow participants to share their experiences and expertise, question themselves and others, challenge preconceptions, reflect on possible bias and prejudgements and open to perspectives, opinions and views of others. Important to interperse content, context, conversation with opportunities to discuss the consequences. Provided examples and how to operationalise. His research collated through an International specialised skills institute fellowship (ISSI) (2018-2019)- summary here.

Linno Rhodes: Reading Between the Lines – adult literacy education and neuroscience.

Presenting on learnings attained through an ISSI fellowship completed in 2017. Summarised the neuroscience of learning - how the brain deals with danger and the need to keep safe. Overviewed the triune brain - neo cortex, mammalian brain and the reptile brain. Applied to how learning takes place in the VET context, especially the need to create a safe but also stimulating space for learning. 

Lindee Conway & KarenDymke (Melbourne Polytechnic): From Done to or Done for, to Doing with – from ‘PD’ to Professional Learning.

Began with background on Melbourne Polytechnic- a 'dual enrolment' institute - i.e., VET and HE. Referred to the Best evidence synthesis on Teacher PD completed by Auckland Universitty for the NZ Ministry of Education. Summarised the shift from PD which was 'workshopped' to a partnership/collaborative/co-constructed 'impact cycle' - an ongoing journey with instructional coaching and communities of practice. Knight's impact cycle involve the identifing, learning and improving. 

Noticeable shift into empowering teachers. Action research undertaken to see what and why - i.e.. why and how is the impact cycle and instructional coaching working. Discussed the challenge to identify 'what is being researched' and honed in on the 'impact cycle'. Instructional coaches are journalling their experiences to collect data. Shared some data. Look forward to reporting later.

Good connection between the presentations. Each provides a perspective into the complex world of teaching and learning. Having the sessions online this year has made it much more accessible for me as Oct VET is Australian based. 

OPSITARA - local ITPs' research conference

 This local conference is an opportunity for researchers across three polytechnics (ITPs) to present their work. The conference name refers to Otago Polytechnic (OP), Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) and Ara Institute of Canterbury (Ara).

Due to the wide range of degree programmes across discipline areas provisioned across NZ ITPs, the conference offerings are eclectic.

I was unable to attend many sessions, especially yesterday when I travelled down to Timaru to facilitate workshops for our Southern campus colleagues. However, managed to drop in briefly to one of the sessions in the pedagogy/education (PE) section.

Yesterday’s sessions were:

-         Robyn Hill and Warren Smith (with Jeff Hoffman) from SIT presented on their experiences, perspectives and evaluative processes for an online-based Master of Applied Management.

-          James Harrison from Capable NZ (OP) summarised some of the frameworks emerging from his PhD on developmental practices of vocational and professional roles. His contention that learning is difficult to quantify. Foundational learning across skills, knowledge and attributes builds up over time and not necessarily constrained by occupational role markers but by the aspiration of individuals.

-          John Mumford from SIT the presented on Artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic biases: developing critical thinking for post-graduate information technology students. He unpacked the ways critical thinking / evaluative thinking etc. could be defined, as relevant to the IT industry.

 

Today’s sessions include:

-          Glenys Ker from Capable NZ then presents work undertaken with Glenys Forsyth and Jo Kirkwood on facilitating learning success in professional practice qualifications – the critical role of the mentor. Provided background on the programme which draws on professional practitioners’ work-based learning. A self-designed and self-managed by learners. Summarised epistemological and pedagogical foundations. Evaluation of perspectives of learners – impact on professional self and personal self and the value of the reflective process as a professional practice tool. Match between learners and mentors critical’ relationship a key; mentors’ interest crucial; ongoing and constructive strengths-based learning; availability across evenings and weekends; resilience – don’t give up; stay the distance. Covered mentor’s roles and mentoring. Stressed the importance of ‘fit’ between learners and mentors. 

-          Martin Andrew, Sam Mann & Jo Kirkwood from OP presenting on nurturing Doctorate of Professional practice – voices of three academic mentors. The presentation covered the challenges, considered the distinctiveness of the doctoral journey, unpacked the premises of self-determination theory, and identified a range of tensions in the degree and the mentoring required to circumvent these. Provided overview of the qualification – 360 credits, approved in 2017 with first enrolments in 2018, 2 learners completed and 45 currently enrolled. There are 35 academic mentors. Outlined the process – not quite the same of usual PhD but does require thesis to be produced. Thesis focused on workplace project/professional practice – often action-based/auto=ethnographical research. Proposed OP PhD a third generation qualification and summarised unpinning learning theories framing the programme – experiential, transformational, Cop, criticality, reflective practice – with alignment to bicultural, sustainability, mentors’ fit and support, and criticality. Also importance in selection of external peer reader and appropriate examiners.

-          Kam Cheng and Sundeep Daggubati (Ara) then outline their work on ‘Mapping the Southbase Competency Framework to credit requirements in the New Zealand Diploma in Construction Management’. Provided details of a proposed project to explore the ‘subject matter expert’, learner and industry perspective on the RPL process. Discussed and described the project’s process.

In

-        Leslie Gill from OP on emotional intelligence inteaching and learning. recommended her book - exploring practical perspectives on emotional intelligence as a good reference. The undertook a brief overview of varoius chapters i the book starting with the history of emotional development. Second chapter is on insights into self awareness followed by chapters on the power of resilience, handling rejection, and the journey through grief and loss. Then summarised key points from chapters on expressions of empathy, spiritual well-being, and emotion management.

       Ana Terry from OP with ‘joining the dots – visual literacy in higher education. Importance of visualisation in representing complex ideas - i.e. flow chart of larger picture and how certain concepts interrelate. argued for the importance of the visual and its efficacy. However, how these are used can be a challenge. Both learners and teachers need to have visual literacy made 'visible' to us within a certain context. However, often assumed both learners and teachers have the skills.Visual literacy includes 'reading', 'writing', attaining meaning, navigation, thinking etc. Provided example from motor engineering of how learners build visual and critical thinking skills through drawing motor parts and explaining how they work. Discussed the process of visual being integrated with oral and how these contribute to learning. Shared proposed research activity going into the future. 

      Liz Ditzel with Leoni Schmidt, Michael Greaves, Amndy Kilsby and Amber Paterson (OP) on ‘what learning capabilities contribute to graduate’s work readiness?’ This is an Ako Aotearoa National Project.

      What are employers looking for in a graduate? and how can OP meet these needs. Summarised the Learner Capability Framework. Provided overview of the research project and findings. Surveys/interviews of employers/industry, and alumni conducted in 2019 to establish a learner capability framework. 2020 focused on implementation - mapping and consultation with Māori, and with employers/students etc. Currently implementation by mapping to programmes at OP. Translations of framework into Māori worked through. Top capabilities were verbal communication, effective interpersonal behaviour and working in teams. Achieved validation of the framework for implementation into the ITP and Aotearoa context. Reflected on 'what could be done differently'. 

-         Amber Paterson (OP) followed through with ‘integrating learning capabilities (transferable skills) and EduBits (microcredentials) into Year 3 Bachelor of Nursing. Developed one microcredential to help students track and meet their goals for sustainable practice - a third year community-based project. This provides a raft of learning capabilities to be completed. Summarised several student projects - usually around working with communities on health/well-being projects. 

     A good range of presentations, some of completed and externally funded projects and others more emergent. Presentations when well and session chairs were effective in facilitating the presentations and the accompanying Q & A.

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AVETRA October VET 2021

This year, the Australian vocational education and training research association (AVETRA) are running their research sharing symposium online. The schedule is availabe at the event site with all presentations being free to all, including non-members.

I present on Wednesday 13/10 with an overview of the current reforms on VET in Aotearoa NZ - flyer with more details here.

 

Mahara - eportfolio platform - is 15 years old

 This blog records that Mahara has turned 15. There is information on who instigated the development of Mahara and its wide reach now in the world of eportfolio platforms.

The blog has a video with recordings of representatives from around the world, who use Mahara.

At the moment, we are reviewing Mahara. In 2022,  we will be updating the version of Mahara available. We will then carry out a pilot to evaluate if Mahara is able to meet the needs of one of our degree programmes. The premise of Mahara is to allow people to collect, collate and showcase their learning. Some of our teachers and students have struggled with the 'openess' of Mahara in the past. So this time around, we will work on creating a template to help teachers and learners use Mahara in a more targeted way.  

My thoughts are that many of our programmes do not need a full-blown eportfolio platform. Many programmes use portfolios as a form of assessment in a few courses. In many case, the portfolio is more of a report than an actual portfolio. The use of other tools are therefore more appropriate when collection of evidence is relatively small and showcasing of the work is text-based and in the form of an assigment. Collection and collation can therefore be completed using word-processing platforms. An eportfolio platform is more suitable when whole programme collection of learning evidence across courses is required. Collation of evidence of learners meeting graduate profiles may be another aspect matched to the use of eportfolio platforms. Therefore, it is important to establish the main objective of the portfolio and match the tool, rather than use an eportfolio platform for everything.