AVETRA - Day 2

 Day 2 begins with a welcome to Country. Dr. Lizzie Knight provides a overview of Day 1 and introduces the first keynote.

Keynote 4 is with Dr. Geethani Nair, the Chief Innovation Officer with Digital Skills Organisation. She presents on 'building a resilient workforce: The critical role of prioritising skills in VET'. Overviewed the Australian VET sector and its challenges; need to innovate at VET for dynamic industry demands; and opportunities on the horizon for the sector. Reminder of how VET covers community-based adult education, private RTOs, government and non-government enterprises,  TAFE, VET in schools etc. Some perspective of VET as broken but perhaps it is crumbly - fragmentated, eroded, dysfunctional :( The introduced a case-study from Sri Lanka. Has less than 1% of government budget in VET, in the bottom 20% for labour market efficiency and low in quality of education. Skills shortage etc. with low productivity, mainly in low/unskilled occupations and 1/4 of population employed overseas (majority in low skill occupations). In contrast, Australia focuses on VET are to assure active citizenship and community engagement; opportunities for under-represented groups and an inclusive and equitable society. Challenges include declining enrolments, low completion rates, employer satisfaction could perhaps be higher, student satisfaction quite high, and quality indicators indicate 20% could do better, and funding forecasted to decline. 

There are increasing skill gaps due to changing landscape of work and rapid technological advancement. To keep out requires agile and responsive skilling sector, new pedagogical models and teacher capability. Innovative VET needs to 'hit the industry bullseye', maximise relevance an transferability, and ensure mobility of skills. Adopting a skills-based approach (skills taxonomy) one way - from transferable skills across roles and industries, skills analysis of workforce, clustering for maximising tranferability and mobility, and skills development reflecting the evolving demands of industry. Application over acquisition, skills standards into clusters, skills developed close to action and skills for jobs - stackable, accreditated + non-accreditated. Explained skills pathways to job roles - pathway to job, job specific skills mapped to credentials/micro-credentials, blend accreditated and unaccreditated micro-credentials, training delivery could be skills, competency or curriculum based. In doing, learners are helped to stay ahead, have the ability to stack job roles, align micro-credentials to full qualifications, have rapid adaptation. Case study of cyber analyst role with alignment to digital skills standards. Curriculum with cyber core (info security, security infrastructure, security ops), cyber assessment, and cyber development. Completed through work-integrated learning. Shared mapping of digital job pathways. Opportunities to improve, increase, enhance, strengthen, improve and increase various key platforms of VET. 

Keynote 5 follows with Professor Rae Cooper who is the Professor of Gender, Work and Employment Relations at the Australian Research Council - University of Sydney Business School, presenting on 'ceilings, walls, floors and gaps: The architecture of gendered inequality in work'. Gender equity also related to equity for all others. Overviewed the architecture of difference and discrimination; the gap between aspiration and practice, and meeting these needs and filling the gaps. The pervasive and enduring architecture of gendered difference - stratification (glass ceilings), segregation (glass walls), undervaluation and bad jobs (sticky floors), hours disparity (paid/unpaid work), 'bad flex' (good flex is in short supply), and disrespect (harassment and bias still pervasive). Over 40 years, women stay in the workforce (post child birth) at high rates (40% return in 1960s and 80% now). Australian women best educated in the world, than at any point in history and better educated than men -50% now have a degree. Women at work want respect, security, decent pay, balance between work and care and flexibility. However, there is still a gap between what respect, security, work balance (53% gap) flex they want and what then would like going into the future and there is still a gender pay gap. Australian women are educated, engaged and ready to participate. However workplaces are not yet meeting their needs. Mutual benefits for women, government and business from filling the gaps and dismantling the gendered architecture.

Concurrent sessions begin after morning tea.

I present on our 'mobile learning' project with 'Applying mobile learning towards digital inclusion for vocational education learners'. The data comes from a study with Alan Hoskin to find out how trades students coped with the pandemic in 2021, the devices they were able to access, and their experiences of remote/emergency learning. As with other studies going back 2 decades, mobile phone ownership predominated amongst the participants. Yet, our LMS is PC/laptop centric, making the mobile learnning experience, much less fluid and userable. Therefore, there is still a need to design for mobile learning, in particular, holistic design across all facets of learning - communications, student support, pastoral care, learning activities and assessments, to assure a consolidated mlearning experience. 

Then Kylie Taffard from the ConCove presents on 'constructing women: investigating the influences on career development educators when advising young women on construction trades' and overview of her PhD thesis. Summarised research process - to understand trades academies and gendered occupations - with constructions trades as the context. Detailed her model - the opportunities and influences of gender socialisation and stereotypes; occupation stereotypes and segregation. These impacted on learners career decisions; career development educators focused on student interests; trades women also appreciated sympathetic career development support. Theory of career choice assumes self-efficacy but if this was tapped on, career choice much more aligned. Perceptions of the industry played a part, some saw the need to leave their femaleness to enter a male dominated industry. School culture contributed to perceptions of how to behave as a female and peer values often can be challenging. Family connections often helped pave the way into the industry. Career developers often had to help young people mediate their career aspirations with family expectations. Need to ensure support provided to young people if they pursued non-traditional career choices. Career developers themselves had challenges, working with other teachers who had biases with regards to gendered career choice, having to work through too much information on the range of careers available, heavy workloads, lack of support from school leadership etc. Summarised recommendations. 

Followed by Professor Antje Barabasch, from the Swiss Federation University of VET, on 'how industry responds to new challenges for training apprentices in Switzerland'. Overviewed the school and VET system, with 70% of school leavers selecting - from a wide choice of options - apprenticeships as a post-school education option. Detailed the apprenticeship training process - in-company training, training centres and industry training (to cover the gaps). Summarised a project on 'innovative approaches to apprenticeship training'. Rationale is the changes in work and new conditions for work and learning. Across 6 years, 7 industry case studies have been derived- telecommunications, public transport, postal service, retail, pharmaceutical etc.  Stressed the need for 'transversal skills', support learners' enthusiasm and motivation and the roles of relatedness, competence and autonomy to support these. Shared innovations and examples to extend apprenticeship through mobility and exposition; responsibility and entrepreneurship; preparatory course and special training, and supporting creativity. Recommended conditions for success in innovations in VET - management commitment, leadership, trainer autonomy, openness and flexibility, culture shift, time for evolution to take place, and support of intrinsic motivation. There are challenges as well - apprentices' focus on social aspects, work environment is competitive, and stress and authentic learning at work. 

After a working lunch with the research dissemination sub-committee,  three presentations follow:

Dr. Warren Guest on 'VET learners as curriculum co-designers: examining the realities, opportunities and prospects'. Focused on curriculum design process and how apprentices see themselves in the process. Apprentice case study shared for exemplary and not as model workplaces. On paper, the enacted curriculum and training plans spell out things to be accomplished. However, workplace sub-cultures, apprentices' agency, expansiveness or restrictiveness of workplace etc. mean consistency between workplace/ learning sites will always be variable. Suggested the co-designing of the curriculum especially with regards to mode of training delivery (on/off job, who with, decision based on cost/time/availability), the structure of training delivery (how long, when, where), assessment arrangements (to work for apprentice), elective units (or relevance to the apprentice aspirations) and competency based completion timeframe (negotiated / flexible). Training plans, although supposedly apprentice-led, now mainly employer-led. So what is the apprentices' experienced curriculum? Investigated apprentices agency and understanding of the process. Development of occupational and vocational identity is important to establish the motivations and direction for their apprenticeship journey. For the experienced curriculum, apprentice knowledge augments engagement, off the job develops vocational belonging, gradual skills development leads to deeper knowledge depth, business needs prioritised over learning needs, and learning preferences are rarely considered. 

Then, John Blake from Eastern College Australia on 'engagement strategies that support retention of learners in higher education'. Model of student as being central to education. The class (teachers and peers) are wrapped around to provide immediate support and whole of school also required to provide positive support as well. Study to address high attrition rate of student with external students even more likely to withdraw. Summarised reasons for attrition and a content analysis to unpack solutions. Affective categories (mentor, support, belonging, communication, teacher-presence, feedback, collaboration etc.) seen to be most likely to assist. Multiple strategies, as all these categories intersect and intertwine, synergised to the context, useful as interventions to improve engagement to prevent attrition.

Last presentation from Dr. Karen O'Reilly-Briggs who presents on aspects of her ISS fellowship - report now published -  with 'VET school teachers in Norway and Finland: what Australia can learn from Nordic models of VET in schools'. Briefly summarised backgrounds of Norway and Finland - from an educational perspective. In Finland, Universities of Applied Science provide more practice-based education, school-based VET has improved prestige and young people view VET positively with 50% of upper secondary school students study a VET pathway. VET teachers must be qualified before teaching, and only a fraction of applicants able to enter the programme. For Norway, school VET integrated into general education. 51% of students are VET students and 80% on 2+2 which includes two years of school which is generalised and two years of industry-based learning. Two pathways into VET teaching - 3 year Bachelor or practical pedagogical pathway (1 year plus 4). In both countries, VET teaching well respected, have VET streams in schools and require higher qualifications before entry into VET teaching.

Panel discussion on building institutional research capability, chaired by Professor Michelle Simon follows afternoon tea. Panel includes Professor Sarojni Choy (Griffith University), Professor Michelle Simon (Western University University), Professor Stephen Billett (Griffith University), Dr. Henry Pook (Holmsglen Director of Centre for Applied Research and Innovation) and Dr. Joy De Leo (Manager, Research and Data Analytics, NCVER). Each shared their perspectives and recommendations as to how to build research capability in their own context. 

A plenary session closes the conference. 

Overall, a good re-acquaintance with conference presentation and networking. The conference committee was able to bring in a good range of keynotes, updating on important aspects of Australian VET policy. We need a similar event in Aotearoa NZ :) 

AVETRA - Day 1 afternoon

After lunch, Keynote 2 is presented by Associate Professor Peter Hurley, Director of the Mitchell Institute based at Victoria University. He speaks on 'Measures and meaning: Diagnosing policy challenges in the VET sector'. In Australia, the VET sector, as with many other countries (UK being a prominent example), have been subjected to continual change. Reforms introducing contestable funding 15 years ago created extensive confusion, radical change, and continual challenges. Misunderstanding between, without and within the VET sector has led to implementation of reforms which no one has a common language/understanding of!! Policy makers need to be able to interpret what VET understands and how these are interpreted by government, funding agencies etc. Used the example of how VET students are counted, revealing diverse numbers and divergent stats on whether the numbers have increased or are decreasing. Qualifications, outcomes, grades, marking etc. etc. all have different ways to interpret their 'results'. These 'results' often tied to a person - their accomplishments, qualities, accreditation, competence etc. these measures are commensurable and do not decay, have a memory and create the possibility of exchange (i.e. qualification = acceptance for a job = individual 'gain'. Reminder that embodied skills is different from a representation of a skill. Returned to policy measures with examples of relevance to VET - contestability, more units completed = more skills attained?? does what is 'purchased' equate to actual hours of learning? Concludes there is a risk of atomisation due to way all of these outcomes are valuated. Therefore, a better way to 'count' needs to be created; all measures are constructions - relational and perhaps not realistic; education experience that can be valuable may be lost, crowded out due to the 'measures'; VET sector risks being hollowed out; and important to look behind what has been the result (which has not been successful). 

Then a panel discussion on chaired by Kira Clarke on 'Policy, place and partnership: The interoperable tertiary system'. Panel included Jenny Dodd (CEO TAFE Australia), Jenny MacAffer (CEO Adult Learning Australia), Dr. Don Perlgut (CEO Community Colleges Australia), Felix Pirie (Deputy CE Policy and Research, Indepedent Tertiary Education Council) and Liam Sloan Deputy CE Federation University and CEO of FedTAFE). Each provided perspective from their context on the connection (or not) between policy, place and partnership and suggestions as to how these may be improved, enacted and more effective.

Keynote 3 is with Professor Pi-Shen Seet who is professor of entrepreneurship from Edith Cowan University. He presents on 'Disruptive technologies, Industry 4.0 and their impact on the Australian skills and training system'. Provided background to his project on the changing world of work. Will robots take my job?? try this site to find out - uses USof A statistics. Technological change is an engine for long run economic development. Mckinsey's 12 disruptive technologies provide a guide to the items with greatest impact. The fourth industrial revolution poised to create rapid and radical changes in social/economic developments. Drivers and impacts of industry 4.0 uneven across countries, dependent on their mix of industries, workforce capability, demographics etc. So are there more threats or opportunities? Shared and summarised a range of Australian reports, generally 30% new jobs with lost of at least 10%. Many type of work will be impacted, again, with spikey effects, dependent on job tasks composition. Summary in NCVER report - 2018. Shared opportunities for further research - how are VET providers meeting the skills for Industry 4.0? How are new collaboration entities meeting education and training KPIs? Ongoing disruptive technologies and their impact on VET. 

The afternoon's concurrent sessions then begin.

First up, Ramesh Radhamony on 'Nursing education to enhance culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community access to mental health services: A scoping review'. Summarising a paper published in 2021. Considering immigrants and the refugee populations have high risk of mental health issues, enhancing health workers' knowledge regarding mental health service provision and cultural responsiveness can reduce health disparities. Scoping review completed to try to find out what could be initiated, how effective these are, and their impact. Summarised methodology to undertake the review including the inclusion/exclusion criteria for the scoping. Shared themes, limitations, gaps in the literature and discussion points. Good overview on how to conduct a valid review and how to bring some of the findings into practice. 

Last presentation of the day with Professor Stephen Billett on 'localised decision making and enactments: Engaging individuals, communities and workplaces in vocational education'. This follows on from presentation made earlier in the day. VET has been perenially challenged by poor standing, but requirements to meet specific needs. National mandates may not always fit well into all contexts. Overviewed the many projects undertaken to try to understand workplace/organisational learning and VET education provisions. The centrality of context and localised processes often made a difference. Being locally responsive is not sufficient. VET also needs to realise change by encouraging and supporting innovation.

Rationalised the importance for VET to meet local communities' needs. Connected the focuses of VET to the needs of the local community. Shared the findings from a 2022 project in how local actions may assist. Engaing conditions need to be made visible. Work needed to be fulfilling. Support required along with relevant education. Three ways to help young people learn about work include visits and walk-throughs, information sessions from experts and workplacement / internships. Additional support to ensure young people able to attend, whole community engagement and school-based provisions are also important. Assisting young people to identify suitable occupations also important including engagement with parents, visibility of the occupation etc. Specific strategies include social partnerships with local schools, tertiary education and enterprises. Initial occupation preparation also important but must be contextualised to context and individual needs. Local strategies through building local relationships coupled with local decision-making can be effective. CET programmes need to also follow similar strategies, responding to local needs. Initiation and development of workplace innovations can draw from communities. Local educational infrastructure and governance often work if they are provided sufficient support, and resourcing.   

AVETRA AGM runs before the conference reception and presentation of awards. A long but interesting day.

AVETRA - Australasian Vocational Education and Training Research Association - Conference - DAY 1 morning

 Finally able to get back to f2f conferences :)

This year's AVETRA conference is being held in Melbourne with streaming online of keynotes etc. and some presentations.

The day opens with sharing of the welcome to country from yesterday evening's welcome reception and introduction to the conference's themes by Kira Clarke, AVETRA president. 

Keynote 1 is from Professor Peter Dawkins, the interim Director for Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA). He speaks on 'job and skills Australia: Expanding the evidence base to inform skills needs and strengthen the VET sector'. Began with some overview of the various 'authorities' tasked with working out the job and skill needs for Australia, their roles and responsibilities and contribution to informing the National Skills System. The conceptual map means the National jobs and skills roadmap informs strategic activity, in turn driven and connected to labour market skills analysis (to expand the evidence base) and all trying to come to grips with the complexities to enable better decisions. Overviewed the range of programmes, projects and products and detailed 5 JSA papers relevant to VET. Shared statistics on mobility of learners (remote/regional learners tend to access local programmes); jobs in demand (nurses, aged care etc) and the categories of these shortages (including 'quality gap' -enough applicants but not of sufficient quality; skills mismatch). Reported on work in progress to expand the VET evidence base - VET national data access and Registered Training Organisation (RTO) typology. JSA is relatively 'new' but working hard to provide sufficient evidence base for better decisions for learners, employers, industry, providers etc. 

A ministerial address from Minister Brendan O'Connor follows. Thanked researchers for their work which help inform on how policies etc. impact on communities. Supported the importance of VET to Australia. Skills shortages creates challenges and also opportunities. Announced increase from Commonwealth to all the States to fund VET, to enable more inclusive VET so all Australians are able to skill up and contribute to the occupations which are experiencing shortages. Reiterated the importance of research to inform how these initiatives impact where they are targeted and how they can be improved to provide better solutions. JSA created to provide stronger evidence to inform future development of VET. Support for sustainability/green jobs to help Australia meet carbon zero targets. Care and support sector also prioritised. Support provided to lift the status to VET and also the number of VET researchers. Suggested opportunities for research - understand why half VET learners do not finish; getting more women in to male dominated occupations; 4000 RTOs and how to assure quality and consistency and how they operate, business models etc; how to extend TAFE and what does it look like into the future; and high quality VET workforce required. Evidence informed actions needed in these. 

The conference is then officially opened by Craig Robertson, CEO for the Victorian Skills Authority. Updated on Victorian education space; detailed underlying principles to think through VET; and how the new world of collaboration across VET. Helped to 'connect the dots' between federal and state requirements - moving away from national compliance etc. towards impactful implementation that works at the state level. 

After a short morning tea, presentations then follow across three streams: Challenges of our time, challenges that lie ahead and challenging times.

Notes of presentations I attended follow:

Associate Professor Gary Husband on 'revealing challenges faced by further, adult and vocational education providers through a detailed study of college governance in the UK'. From the project - Process and practices of governing colleges of further education in the UK: Uncovering the complexities of governing - a large 3 1/2 year project. Shared the range of research questions which revolved around the role, and relationships, practices, processes, strategic decision-making, accountability and aspirations and enactments inherent in the governance of further education colleges. Summarised research method which used observations of board meetings, interviews with key players and desk research of governing body paperwork. Then ran through context for the study. One of the rationales was that 45% of colleges were at financial intervention and guidance on governance was seen to one solution towards improving viability. Then summarised findings: non-standing items were key components which often did not receive sufficient attention. Outlined the policy churn and related impacts caused by Brexit and the pandemic which became crucial focuses for college councils, and the impacts of constitutional changes and financial pressures. National economic drivers and funding foci also impact on outcomes and experiences of learners. Concluded that colleges could respond to external factors, both positive opportunities and difficult challenges presented, colleges need to be able to respond quickly especially given the significant future changes. Also shared future work. 

Then Professor Antje Barabasch on 'Radical institutional change - the transformation of the New Zealand VET system'. Data gathered across 6 months in Aotearoa whilst working on another project. Worked on finding how NZ VET works, how is work integrated learning facilitated and what innovations were availed? Interviewed 60 people - government reps, managers, lecturers, industry, students and apprentices. Detailed the profound changes - see book for more detail. Summarised some of the challenges possibly inherent in the new system caused by creation of new entities. Then discussed the various institutional change theories which need to be drawn on to assist the shift of the sector into newer system. Ran through some of the characteristics and justifications for radical change - the market, externalisation, economic, organisation and social inclusion arguments. Compared apprenticeships in Switzerland and Aotearoa NZ contexts. Range of programmes from foundation to post-graduate post a challenge for VET providers i.e. Te Pūkenga. Discussed what may happen - continuation of RoVE; possible reversal as proposed by currently opposition political party; and delays requiring compromises. Encouraged development of VET research, especially to study the system, its efficacies and future possibilities. 

Professor Stephen Billett presents on 'Vocational education futures: purposes, processes and practices'. New challenges are being presented with current increased in geopolitical tensions leading to the need for national self-sufficiency. Development of further adaptable occupational capacities enabling problem solving and to initiate and secure workplace innovations and to remake their occupational practices. Reviewed the personal capacities required - canonical occupational knowledge, situational competence, adaptability. Workplace contributions include ability to innovate and maintain sovereign capacity. Focuses for VET future - assist identifying of occupations which suit; initial occupational preparation; continuing education and training; informing and engaging young people in VET and occupations; and initating and enacting workplace innovations. Without adequate interest and engagement by sufficient numbers and kinds of students, VET occupations' future is perilouf; personal and institutional investments wasted, initial occupational preparation needs to promote adaptability as a foundation for future applicability; CET provisions aligned to working people's needs. 

Therefore need to enhance engagement in VET as a worthy education sector; assistance in identifying 'suitable' occupations; initial occupational preparation needs to include occupational adaptability; educational processes promoting adaptability; provisions for CET needs to be accessible, flexible and responsive; possessing lots of work experiences, making it relevant and engaging. Workplaces provide access to knowledge required for both occupational capacities and situational performance. Initiating and enacting workplace innovations needs to be supported. Therefore localised engagements important and the need to promote learner agency and engagement. 

Followed by Dr. Don Zoellner on 'Optimising Australia's conceptually confused National Training System: One economic option for post-market VET'. Went though with an analysis of the VET policy trail in Australia. Understanding how policy has been made in the past informs what might be possible post-competitive markets with optimisation of a system rather than contestability amongst thousands as one solution. Declining VET markets is part of the market cycle. Applied Foucault's archaeological era discourse analysis to understand the discontinuities. Warns of conceptual confusion, especially in VET research. Multiple realities exists, requiring 'field experts' to interpret into various contexts. Proposed six maps of the notional national VET system and discussed each chronologically with their impacts. 

Lunch provides good opportunity to network and catch up with many across the AVETRA community. 

AVETRA - workshops

In Melbourne for the first f2f conference since 2019!! The Australasian Vocational Education and Training Research Association runs across 3 days, beginning today with several workshops.

Kira Clarke opens the workshops with a welcome to country and an overview of AVETRA.

Workshop one is with Rakesh Saha who presents on phenomenon-based learning (PhBL) which arose from an ISS scholarship visit to Finland.

His workshop began with defining PhBL, the advantages, how it is implemented in Finland and how this can be implemented. PhBL is a pedagogy that encourages students to explore a phenomenon which could be a topic, an event etc. The pedagogy encourages holistic, interdisciplinary, personalised, collaborative, enquiry-based and hands on learning. Of note that Finland, already considered having a successful education system, is working at initiating and promoting PhBL as it prepares learners for the future. PhBL helps promote well-being but also gives student agency, improves critical thinking, collaborative learning etc. and greater pedagogical flexibility for teachers. In Finland, 7 transversal competencies are identified: Thinking and learning to learn, cultural competence, taking care of oneself, multiliterarcy, ICT, working life skills and entreprenuership, and participating, influencing and building a sustainable future.

Then Professor Sarojni Choy and I facilitate a workshop on publishing in the International Journal of Training Research, of which we are co-editors. We went through the submission, peer review and publication process and worked with the participants to draft a plan for their paper and provided resources to write an abstract.

The third workshop on 'making a transformational difference: Steps to address inequity in VET' presented and facilitated by Kit McMahon and Sally Thompson, convenors of Women in Adult and Vocational Education (WAVE). The workshop sought to scope out and explore inequity in VET; discover what role VET has to address inequity; and learn the evidence and practice through applying a gender lens. Activity involved selecting a card which represented self and another representing inequity. These formed the basis of conversation through the session. Individual's presented their perspectives and these collated on flipchart. Brought the many contributions into discussion on the Gender Equality Act (Victoria) - implications, challenges, actions and ways forward. Many items still to address - gender pay gap, sexual harassment rates in workplaces, domestic violence etc. continuance of gendered occupations. Need to not be gender blind or perpetuate inequality. Research should create equity, not just find out that it exists! Define the issues and assumptions, understand the context of your policy/programme of service, create and define options - analyse choices for equality, and make the recommendation or case for adoption for intersectional gender equality.

Fourth workshop is with Carmen Basilicata who is Executive Director for Market Performance and Engagement at the ASQA. She overviews the self-assurance process to focus on quality and continuous improvement. Ran through update on ASQA and the broader regulatory reform. Focus is on provider self-assurance. Details of the draft co-designed model presented. Summarised the items required in provider annual declaration of compliance. Some similarities to the NZ system, principles and objectives are similar but processes are 'local'. 

A welcome to the conference reception followed.

UNESCO report - AI, ChatGPT and higher education

 A general introduction to AI and ChatGPT released in April by UNESCO.

Provides  'start up' instructions and then progresses into suggestions on how to leverage ChatGPT to encourage critical thinking, along with implications. Table in page 9 and some suggestions for its use to support research are useful.

OECD report - Is education losing the race with technology?

 This OECD report makes for interesting and challenging reading. The report surmises that in a few years, AI would be able to surpass most humans if it was to take the OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIACC). By 2026, AI would be able to solve the literacy and numeracy tests and its results would exceed that of 90% of adults in literacy (gulp) and 57-88% in numeracy. 

At present, literacy and numeracy skills are used daily by large sectors of the workforce. What are the implications, when AI is able to perform these tasks? The usual recommendations are for education systems to strengthen foundations skills for students and to also ensure 'AI' literacy becomes part of the curriculum.

The report is a warning for all educators, to not ignore the increasing capabilities of AI. Instead of avoiding the technology, educators need to become AI savvy, to understand the strengths and limitations of the technology and to be able to help guide their learners, towards using the essential human skills of communication, critical thinking and problem solving to be able to work synergistically with AI.

Augmented Education in the Global Age

 Augmented Education in the Global Age is a topical book, providing good overviews and discussion of the implications and impact of various technologies on education, in particular the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it will disrupt education as it is now framed.

The book is published by Routledge, edited by Daniel Araya and Peter Marber with parts available as 'open access'. I read the copy lodged as an ebook in the institutional library. 

The book is divided into 3 parts with 17 chapters.

An introductory chapter by the editors, summarises each chapter.

Part one has 6 chapters on 'augmented work in the global age'

The first chapter 'augmenting human intellect: A conceptual framwork'  is a reproduction of D. C. Engelbert's 1962 seminal report which has influenced many major players in the IT industry.

The second chapter by J.M Fung and S. Hosseini, connects AI to a context of new education for work as proposed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Of note is the claim that the lifespan of some contemporary occupations is becoming shorter, falling to around 5 years! with many having to re-invent their careers 8 times across their working lifes.

In the next chapter, M. Chui et al. (Mckinsey research team) define the 'bio-revolution' and how AI contributes to improving healthcare, food production and alleviate climate change.

The fourth chapter, J. Gregg, proposes the economic and employment opportunities for the 'Cosmos economy' and the role of AI in augmenting deep space research.

Next, Columbia University's Climate School inaugural dean, R. Defries advocates for the shift to a new curriculum towards multi-disciplinary approaches to address the many challenges posed by climate change etc.

Chapter six by E. Brynjolsson discusses the question of whether machines will increase productivity and lead to more leisure for humans or drive greater social inequality. Should AI be used to automate or to augment is the key question. History shows us that automation is often where economical focuses lead to by augmentation is actually, in the long run, much more humane and sustainable.

Then a collection of 6 chapters on the impact of AI on education systems.

Chapter seven by A. Papaspyridis and J. La Greca, provides contemporary examples from the HE and school sectors in the US of A on how AI in curriculum design is used for student 'training, grading and special needs education.

Then a chapter by K. Shiohira and W. Holmes, reiterating AI as a tool which is in on way perfect. AI outputs can be biased and inaccurate and ethical issues require addressing before AI is implemented.

In Chapter 9, A. M Paul advocates for the merging and partnership of digital and human smarts as a way to inform curriculum development.

J. Burmeister addresses the question in the next chapter, of what will happen to human lives when it is not dominated by work and the kind of education required to allow for this to occur. 

Chapter 11 focuses on HE, whereby P. Marber argues for HE to focus on creativity and problem solving.

Then D. Araya and M. A. Peters discuss the global implications of AI on learning, using the influence of China's belt and road initiative as a case study.

The last section focuses on policy planning for the augmented future.

Chapter 12 overviews China's AI policy and provided examples of how AI is applied towards the country's education system.

Then the next chapter, looks at the US of A response and how it needs to be better poised to deal with the challenges posed by AI on education.

In chapter 15, I. von Weitershausen of MIT, comparing German and American responses, highlights the well-known mismatch between the needs of employers and industries and the skills of workers.

T.Wadhwa provides another perspectives from India. In particular, how India must address the disparities within its society to assure the betterment of all its citizens into the future.

The last chapter, revisits the concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI) as a measure to deal with the predicted large scale disruptions.

In all, the first two sections are useful in providing meso viewpoints on how AI impacts society and the role of education in addressing the challenges posed by the rise of AI. AI could be a solution, helping humanity through augmentation of our biological intelligences, to alleviate the many 'weaked' problems faced by the world. Yet, AI may also be applied to creating unrest, wrought by its impact on how work is currently enacted. Therefore, it is important for all countries to think through implications and work at the macro policies which frame how AI contributes (or not) to individual countries' development.

The importance of writing in an AI world

 In this article, the importance of learning the skill of writing, is supported. Not only to be able to write but to write well is required for humans to articulate what they have learnt and understood.

As per my blog after 10 years of blogging, the process of learning to write well, is a learnt skill requiring much practice. To be able to summarise new concepts learnt and to connect these to one's ongoing schema, requires one to reflect, ruminate and write.

Being able to fluently communicate complex ideas and synthesise novel solutions is also all good and well. However, it is important to disseminate these, so others may also learn, critique, and re-work to their context and needs. In doing, progress is made towards solving some of the 'wicked' challenges facing the world today.

GAN (Global Apprenticeship Network) - Presentations from the future of apprenticeships conference in Melbourne/Auckland

 The presentations made at the GAN conference which ran from Melbourne and then Auckland in February, are now available online.

The three keynotes from the Honounourable Brendan O'Connor, Minister of Skills and Training in Australia, Laurent Friexe, CEO of Nestle and Nazrene Mannie, Executive Director of GAN Global, are recordings/videos.

Powerpoint presentations are available for a range of topics including VET research, VET collaboration, digital higher apprenticeships, the Swiss dual system, importance of VET, and quality apprenticeship framework.

Professor Antje Barabasch on VET in Switzerland - new learning cultures in enterprises

 Notes from this afternoon's presentation by Professor Antje Barabasch, head of research at the Swiss Federation University of VET who is currently in Aotearoa NZ for several months. She has been exploring the NZ VET system and presents on work undertaken to study VET attitudes of enterprises (business entities); innovative approaches to apprenticeship; and conditions shaping innovative learning culture (processes, strategies in training, forms of work organisation).

Began with an overview of the Switzerland, the Swiss education system, the various pathways through the system from school into tertiary/VET and how the dual track VET works. 73% of each school leaving cohorts enter apprenticeship. Explained how apprenticeships work. Firstly, the apprentice needs to find the position. A contract is set up and the apprentice is paid by the company. Training occurs on job with a competency orientation. In general, 3 - 4 days work in the company and 1 - 2 days at VET school. 'Branch course' also may occur in specialists occupations (equivalent to block courses).

Funding comes from the federal government, the cantons (regions) and private sector. 

Rationale for studies include external competition leading to structural and cultural innovations. Work organisation changes and innovation evolve in apprenticeship traning due to changes in the organisational culture. Study undertook 10 case studies across 6 industries - telecommunications, public transport, postal service, pharmaceutical industry, retail, and machine-engineering).

Learning culture - learning is embedded in cultural settings. 

Shared one major move to 'transversal skills' critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, communication, flexibility etc. Apprenticeships also need to be supported to attain and maintain motivation and enthusiasm. Motivation can be supported by providing opportunities to increase competency and confidence; provision of autonomy is important; and the work in different teams and be open to new team members etc. (i.e. teamwork skills). 

Reported some findings. Used the fitness training enterprises as an example. Then shared a collation of the 'innovations in workplace learning' which help enhance apprentice learning. Themes include mobility and exposition, take over responsibility and entrepreneurship, preparatory courses and special training, and supporting creativity. 

Closed off by summarising how to translate industry expectations into workplace learning. Innovative ways to extend and augment apprenticeships lead to increased attractiveness of the industries and better recruitment. Commitments required from enterprise management to allow for success in innovations. Important for VET teachers and trainers have sufficient skills to ensure coaching and teaching is also able to be flexible to support innovative approaches. Also shared the challenges as it takes time, effort, commitment and good systems to support innovation. 

Using technology (and AI) to support the research process and research writing

 Chanced on some YouTube videos posted by Dr. Andrew Stapleton through dipping in and out of various videos and other resources on ChatGPT. The initial video on how ChatGPT can be a game changer for researchers let me to several others. The main focus is on quantitative research in the science and technology fields, but there are good ideas, across the video series / channel, which are useful for all researchers. Of note also is this  series on research tools and apps, which introduces and evaluates, from a research perspective, a range of apps and resources (yes, books are included). 

Included are recommendations on completing post-graduate qualifications and post-PhD career pathways and processes.

From the learner point of view, Francis Madden provides pointers on using ChatGPT to do an Oxford PhD. Of note is the need to not 'copy and paste' but to check all sources (i.e. to ensure the information is triangulated), evaluate, finetune and rework the original ChatGPT outputs. All leads to engagement with the extant literature, more reading, critical thinking and improvement of academic writing skills. Time is saved, but also learning is extended and perhaps also improved.

So, there are ways AI can be leveraged, in a considered manner, to support research work. Resources from keen scholars, willing to share their experiences, helps all others save time as part of the hard work of finding and evaluating tools is done. Again, important to contextualise the types of tools/apps/resources recommended to meet individual researcher needs.