Cpit research month 24 august

Cpit research month 24 August

A range of presentations from department of humanities and academic division presented today, starting at 11. 20am and progressing to 2.40 pm. I and to miss some of the lunch time presentations from Te puna wanaga as I had a focus group to conduct for Another project.

First up, Libby Gawith presents on " Christchurch and how we are coping with our earthquakes" based on recently published paper. Canterbury was unexpected, lasted a long time, impacted a large area. Apart from aftershocks also coping with physical financial and workload pressures at home, work, through the community and across social networks. We are now in the restoration and reconstruction phrase requiring long term resilience. 2.6% population lost, divorce rattle up, births down and increased flu admissions. There is still uncertainty and worry. New behaviors due to experiences. Recovery means retuning to normal can be difficult. Rebuilt and positive focus important.

I then presented on the net tablet project " situated technology enhanced learning: using net tablets to help students construct their own eworkbooks".

Hemi Hoskins presented on progress with his masters studies. He uses hunting as a context to study the changes in Maori language. How old terms related to hunting and gathering in pre-European times. How the language had to form new terms for new huntingmprocesss, cultural changes and how language evolves to cope with change plus integration and synthesis etween old words and new uses for the.

A group presentation followed from tutors and students to model the teaching and learning approaches at Te Puna Wanaka. Included revitalisation on kiorahi (a traditional ball game)to learn language; a brief overview of how students and staff used the disruption and relocation to a different learning environment /the concepts of Ako, whanuanga, mana whenua, mana tangata, mana atua ; plus transference of knowledge through waiata and through leadership and personal knowledge.

Dr. Sandra Arnold then reflected on the writing of her book " sing no sad songs" with "writing as catharsis". A creative writing study as part of her PhD detailing her experiences of the death of her daughter from cancer 10 years ago. The power of language to assist with the integration of thoughts and feelings the articulate sorrow on the death of a loved one.

Kerstin Dofs presented on the ongoing project - some supported by Ako Aotearoa, learning and growing as learners : innovative use of strategy instruction to enhance language education. An approach based on developing a set of resources in the form of student work books and tutor guides to encourage self directed and life long learning with students learning English as a second other language.

Martin Jenkins and I then presented findings from the ako Aotearoa project " institutional strategies to support forced change". This is one of several commissioned by Ako Aotearoa in the wake of last year's earthquakes. A summary ofthe experiences of our staff and students through a tumultuous 2011 as a result of the earthquakes.

The last session was with Martin, Robin Graham, Julie Batchelor and Denise Holling with their summaries of presentations from the recent HERDSA conference. A range of presentations on student support, evaluations, student centred learning, assessments and feedback.

LAMs (learning activity management) with professor James Dalziel

Professor Dalziel is professor of learning technology and director of the elearning centre of excellence at the Macquarie university in Sydney. He presented on the topic "pedagogy for the 21st century".

Covered new approaches to teaching and learning, technology and learning, what is learning design? A case study round LAMs and relations between learning and curriculum design.

Argued that lectures are not evil as there are many ways to create lively lectures and have a role in summarizing a range of knowledge and provide forum for cutting edge knoweldgento be disseminated by experts.

Due to explosion of 'new' knowledge there is less reliance on memory but greater need to gain skills in finding, sifting and critiquing knowledge.

Advocates the 'start at the end' approach to learning design i.e. from graduate outcomes /profiles / attributes. Plus focus on skills like teamwork, critical thinking, effective communication, problem solving, collaboration etc. with shift to 'flipped classroom'.

Need for alignment between taught knowledge, teaching and learning methods, development of practical skills, assessment do knowledge and skills and the desirable attribute of graduates.

Used problem based learning in the training of medical doctor as an example of how change in teaching practice provides graduates with work ready skills.

Elearning has unfortunately not made much impact on pedagogy. Learning design has potential through providing students with a sequence of learning activities and a way for lecturers to describe and effectively share teaching ideas. Learning design could include a framework or language to structure learning activities, software system, community of educators and process educators go through to structure learning. It is Not an educational theory, still immature, a small field and should not be reliant on technology.

LAMs ( learning activity management) is a Tool for teacher to plan and run lessons. Each lesson can be seamlessly linked vi moodle to existing LMS. LAMs is open source and now used in 80 plus countries by thousands do educators. Uses templates like - predict, observe, explain; to lay out lessons.

Overall a good summary of some of the focuses now used at CPIT through support the Centre for Educational Development (CED) provides to teaching and academic staff. Not too sure if LAMs will assist the process of constructive alignment but for some staff, the structure provided in templates may be helpful, especially for those just starting out teaching. The important follow up to having classes laid out in LAMs is to ensure there is still a reflective dialogue with students, peers and learning designers to ensure that classes are organic/dynamic as content shifts, student profiles change and learning outcomes are updated. So classes in LAMs are 'work in progress' with clear pedagogical rational provided for selection of various learning /teaching strategies and a cycle of review based on reflective practice is also adopted.

Christchurch research month 21 August presentations

Teaching and learning for technology is the theme for today 's lunch time presentations from department of engineering and the trade innovation institute.

Dr. Yao Li begins with a presentation on the power of Android. Introduced Android including architecture and apps and potential uses for teaching. Android now up to 4.1x called jellybean. Up to 2.3 only on cell phones, from 3.0 honeycomb for tablet only and latest two icecream sandwich and jellybean on both tablets and phones. Architecture has Linux kernel with access to libraries. Apps have 4 components, activities, services, content providers and broadcast receiver. Teaching Android programming with a focus on engineering. Opportunities for research include real-time performance, security, power efficiency and interface with Android accessories including multimeters, oscilloscopes etc.

Dave Maples then presents on "power systems 1 by distance" . Teaching the course with students located at two campuses using Abode Connect And the smart podium. The smart podium used as a whiteboard. Important to preload all teaching material prior to session And have screens pre configured, prepare for session failure - use the chat window, exchange material on cell phone. Should be used in conjunction with Moodle not to replace. Word files need to be PDF and multimedia files as flv. In general students found learning to be possible.

Flip Leijten unble to present, so I presented his findings from the peer learning project, a continuation on a small project (peer learning with welding students) while working on using videos to study trades based learning. Flip's study extended the peer learning intervention to carpentry, electrical and painting and decorating students.

Christchurch polytechnic research month 16 August presentations

This afternoon, a series of presentations from the departments of science (sports and fitness) and broadcasting provide a nice mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches along with food for thought.

Dr. Nick Kimber presents on "health and performance supplementation through using antioxidants" focused on an interim literature review for application into a range of future projects. Athletes seem to have a belief that normal diet does not supply them with the required dietary needs of a elite training programme. However, many athletes ( in USA studies) gain information on use od supplements via informal means - friends, family, Internet etc. Nick provided N introduction to antioxidants and their importance in normal health and well being. In general, antioxidants should be sufficient from well constructed diet and supplementation contribution to enhanced performance still unclear.

Dr. Peter Olsen presents on a study undertaken during the rugby world cup last year studying heart rates while viewing sports. Study of spectators watching on TV and stadium compared. Generally heart rate at stadium higher than at home, heart rate higher when NZ playing and patterns consistent with increase in heart rate whenever any crucial play occurs.

Tina Ryan provides an overview of "athlete career development in NZ" as a summary of a study for her PhD. Provided example that NZ put 180 million into 2012 Olympics there development costs. In addition individual athletes also put in much that needs to also be costed. 2001 Graham report established SPARC and NZAS to encourage high performance sport development through performance based funding and athlete carding system (to track and support individuals with free sport science and medical support). 17 carded athletes from 8 sports interviewed to find out their perspectives. Themes included gratitude; expectations to perform and conform; and need to provide athletes with personal development opportunities beyond sports.

Dr. John Farnsworth presents on " new technologies and the Christchurch earthquakes". Studied how city assembled and disassembled in the face of change and the popular urban voice and presence in the lived city, similar themes studied in how economic, political and technological change takes place within socio technical assemblages. As city recovers from earthquakes,social networking and other forms of media discourse contribute towards how the individuals perceive effects. Used film "when a city falls" as example as being form of visual ethnography to uncover themes of how we view impacts on people and how a future city is imagined out of unplanned / unforeseen event.

Dr. Ruth Zanker discussed the question " is Sky (NZ pay TV) out of control in the NZ media ecology?" presented on the dominance of Sky in the market and the consequences of this on diversity of perspectives and viewpoints NZers have or not have access to. Has almost 50% of market and bought free to air channel Prime in 2006 thus increasing it's reach.

I had missed presentations from these two departments in the past, so good to catch up on the research activity that has been going on and to hear progress on projects.

Cpit research month Tuesday 14th

Lunch time presentations from Department of Business and Department of Computing under the theme of enterprise and innovation.

John O'Sullivan presents on part of his PhD with "using enterprise development stories to understand and encourage Maori entrepreneurship". An interesting use of narrative to explore how different cultures' view mainstream organisational processes. Narratives are apt for use in the project's context as stories are important in oral knowledge cultures. Keegan and Woods (2006) Arrived at key concepts of mauipreneurship by analyzing stories of Maui. John's project undertook interviews with contemporary Maori entrepreneurs to find out if themes would reflect mauipreneurship.

Second presentation with Dr. Juan Pellegrino on "strategy, learning and knowledge in the internationalization process: a comparative study of NZ incremental and early-internationalization SMEs". DefinedSMEs as companies between 6 to 99 employees ( NZ uses under 20). Internationalization literature indicates firms are either born- global or move into international markets incrementally. Study to try to understand how each type of firm goes about learning how to internationalise. Multiple data analysis used to produce comparative case studies.

Dr. Mehdi Asgarkhani from the department of computing presented on " research matters: information systems and IT in business". IT has evolved from being a financial system tool to becoming information management and as enabler to almost every business process within and beyond company's physical parameters. IT personnel no longer just technicians but also contribute to business strategy decisions. changes include rise of social media, IT need to create return on investment and increased consciousness of sustainability.

Cpit research month - Monday 13th - Computing presentations

Department of computing has 3 presentations lunch time yesterday.

Alison Clear on the topic of "creating international research opportunities" discussing strategies and networking opportunities for collaborative research to be undertaken. Covered the 'state' of international computing educational research and that in computing, conferences are main dissemination method rather than journals. Introduced Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Research (ITiCSE) has one forum. Working groups are the main method for collaboration whereby academics propose topics, then group participants are selected (through refereed process), work before conference and then have f2f meeting in 2 days before and across 3 days of conference to write a paper to be submitted as a draft at the end of the conference.

Dr. Ed Correia presents on "virtualization: the future". Presented on the virtual environment used at cpit called techlabs. Used to provide students with a realistic platform to complete projects and learning activities. Resource has been progressively built over several years. Presented on current limitations and plans to work through the technical challenges presented by these.

Armit Sarkar and team (Dr. Mike Lance & Mike Lopez ) on "improvements in teaching software engineering" Mike Lance discussed models including learning models. How are models of learning useful? And are models actually of relevance? Mike Lopez proposes to look at how students come to think computationally with one approach to investigate how students come up with misconceptions/alternaive viewpoints and what it takes for them to unravel their misunderstandings and move back onto the right track. Armit then presented on using loops and patterns to helping students learn programming concepts. A teaching resource produced to help novice programmers learn the different ways loops behave.

CPIT research month - student presentations / pitches

Have been able to get to the lunch time presentation yesterday and today featuring students 'pitching' their projects. A wonderful and eclectic collection of 3 minute presentations reinforces the diverse nature of the disciplines and subject areas here at CPIT. Presentations were from students studying in their Batchelor's programmes (usually in their third year) and from students complete post-graduate certificates. We had presentations from students in languages (Japanese, Maori); Science; Engineering, Recreation, Broadcasting and Business.

Topics included:
- lost of Japanese dialects in Hiroshima
- consequences of 'forced adoption' of Maori children in the past and how to assist these students to reconnect with their family ties and roots (whakapapa).
- the development of a life cycle tool for the assessment of the manufacturing cycle to improve sustainable production, sale and recycling
- a coffee bean roaster temperature gauge that also collects other sensory attributes important to the roasting process
- a 'mobile safety trading unit' that can be brought out to replace a physical retail space should the space be put out of action (e.g. earthquakes in Chch.)
- evaluation of the efficacy of e-cigarettes as an alternative to other forms of nicotine replacement
- study of chorophyll degration in 3000 year old matai (NZ native tree) leaves
- the effectiveness of a cryopreservation process on micro-organisms used in microbiology
- connections to the natural environment, perceptions of hearing and sight impaired and/or disabled people
- why and how we form attachments with the outdoors
- role of assessments in the outdoors when certifying outdoor instructors
- value of surfing- surfing as a medium of play
- youth involvement in sustainability - how they become involved/engaged and why
- how is controversy used as a public relations/marketing tool by the media

Student project pitches are judged by a panel for innovation and presentation. Three $$ prizes are offered as an incentive and it was good to see a wide range of students presenting this year.

Cpit research month day one afternoon

Five presentations this afternoon with the theme of 'Teaching and Learning in Practice' from research staff in the Department of Human Services and Nursing. Dr. Jane Maidment introduced the session.

First up, Raewyn Tudor on 'social work and community development in schools' part of Raewyn's Masters in Social Work studies. What are schools? Study based on increased interest in bringing community-based social support into schools through forming social work hubs in schools. Focus of the project to find out 'how useful is social work and community work in facilitating better community development' and 'what skills social workers need to work with schools'. Using Bourdieu's theory of practice as a theoretical framework.

Next Anna Richardson presents on 'inter-professional learning and working: Public health nurses and economic genograms' -- using the 15 minute interview model with public health nurses and families: a collaborative educative research project. A project led by Dr. Judy Yarwood. Presentation provided on the context of public health inNZ who work autonomously school clinics and home visiting. 15 minute interview includes manners, therapeutic conversations/questions and commendations using family ecomaps and genograms. Ecomap shows family connections/relationships and outside resources used and genogram shows generations including health issues, ethnicity and occupation. Using these tools help public nurses build better relationships and obtain pertinent information efficiently. Ecograms are ecomaps and genograms together to increase effectiveness.

Then, a presentation from Dominic Chilvers and Jane Maidment (plus Yvonne Crichton-Hill from University of Canterbury) on 'promoting learning and teaching about research through collaborative work integrated learning: implications for students agencies and practitioners'. Project came about with acknowledgement that social work practitioners and students lack confidence with research. Use field education as a way to bring students into research. Students involved with projects already going out in their work placements. Project tracked students as the placement progressed. Pre- and post placement research knowledge and confidence survey and individual interviews undertaken along with researcher journal observations. Resources were developed (teaching cards and DVDs) to support the learning of research at both CPIT and UC.

Mel Leinert-Brown on 'exploring undergraduate nursing students' experiences of their first clinical placement in an acute adult mental health inpatient-service: Learning from reflection'. Presented a project that has just started with the rationale for needing to study this area and progress undertaken through the literature review phrase.

Final presentation for the day, Deborah Sims and Rose Whittle on 'researching and using CLES+T: A New Zealand perspective. CLES+T refers to -clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher a scale developed in Finland as part of Mikko Saarikoski's PhD and now also used internationally. The survey useful as CPIT has started using Dedicated Education Units (DEU) for student placements and of interest to find out NZ context data - involving 10 schools of nursing.

Cpit research month 2012 opens

The annual research week now a research month. An interesting range of projects are being presented from today to Tuesday 28th August. Most of the sessions will run across lunch time each day, so I will take notes and post on to blog as I am able to attend since I will be fitting the various activities around the usual work commitments.

Today, at lunch time, the month is officially opened firstly by Dr. Margaret Leonard, CPIT research manager and Kay Giles, CPIT CEO. Kay spoke of the importance of doing research in the areas we have strengths in; connecting with industry and assisting with informing industry on innovations; and using research to update and keep us fresh in our teaching.

A presentation by Dr. Mark Quigley from University of Canterbury, provides a topical beginning to research months over 60 plus presentations (including several other Christchurch earthquake focused ones). Mark presented on 'The seismic story of us: Ongoing research into the Canterbury earthquakes'. Provided a flavour of the range of projects UC is currently involved in to study and understand why/how the earthquake occurred. For instance the probable 8 faults that started things going in Sept. 2010. He presented on - what controls the volume and spatial extent of liquefaction ejecta in major earthquakes; how the earthquake faults behave; and the paleoseismology of the Canterbury plains/Chch. historically. A really interesting presentation of the science underlying the event tempered by Marks' personal experiences as much of the data was gathered in his own backyard of his now red-zoned home.

The first staff presentation is from Andrew Massie, who blogged extensively at the beginning of 2011 about his experiences while on academic study leave with Connectics - a cable jointing company undertaking extensive repairs to Christchurch electrical supply after the February 2011 earthquakes. Andrew presents on 'High voltage academic study leave during the Chch.earthquakes'. With an hour to present, Andrew could extend on his presentation by providing details on the methods he used to collect the photos/videos etc. archived on his blog and provide background details of the cable jointing process before launching into the effect the earthquake had on the electrical supply infrastructure and the processes required to repair.

In the afternoon, presentations from the Department of Nursing and Human Services with a selection of industry, work placement and teaching/learning projects.

Reflections while away and returning - use of technology and readings on embodiment

Back into the swing of things after almost three weeks away. Will be resettling back into work routine as from today but have jotted some observations and reflections while away. These now summarised.

I stayed in youth hostels for 10 nights, a week in Adelaide and 3 nights in Brisbane. As usual, the hostels were busy with school groups, travellers and visitors. I did my usual observation of the types of technology being used. Almost every person at the hostel, apart from the younger school children, had a laptop or tablet with most also using a mobile phone. The main difference was the prevalence of video messaging, using Skype or Facetime. The reading and TV rooms were usually occupied with people talking to their laptops and there would be several people in the common room doing the same. Ease of access and use has made video communication mainstream for travellers.

While away, I worked through two edited books by Ericsson. The first was the 2006 edited book on expertise and the second, the 2009 one on developing professional expertise. Summaries are forthcoming on this blog. Both provide up to date information that is relevant and applicable to practice in trades based teaching and learning.

In Brisbane, I was joined by my elderly parents and my grown up children. I usually travel using public transport and enjoy getting to know a place through walking. However, with more people, I had to resort to hiring a car, equipped with a GPS to navigate the one way system and highway/toll ways. I have a good sense of direction and found the GPS to be frustrating as it would invariably send instructions to go around in the wrong direction before finding it's way back on track via the one way streets. After a couple of days, I was back to studying the map to work out a route and then using the GPS as a reference of where I was, rather than letting the GPS lead me to the destination. I suppose its a case of using the parts of technology that fit into my way of doing things, or perhaps I am getting too old to change!! Perhaps my sense of direction is so much embodied into my being that receiving information that does not correlate with my inner compass, creates too much input to cope with. Something to think through over the next couple of weeks as I continue readings in the area of embodied cognition.

NCVER day 2

Day 2 begins with keynote from Robym Archer 'on hands on and hands up: the place of arts training in higher education'. Basically argued for the value of the performing arts in society and the need to ensure people are provided with opportunities to train in this area. However young artiste consider university degrees as a pathway to performance arts but apprenticeship is still the best wat to learn. Perhaps TAFEs retaining the master/apprenticeship model may be a better fit.

Concurrent session follow and I attend sessions on youth transitions.

Dr. George Myconos, Brotherhood of St. Laurence, presents on 'Navigating VET: experiences of at risk youth. Provided evidence of the difficulties faced by students who have dropped out of school due to personal challenges and how enrolment in VCAL as run by community organisations instead of school to lead to Community VCAL (CVCAL) may provide some assistance. CVAL consists of class room tuition, vocational learning usually at TAFE or similar and work placements.  However, supportive class room tuition in community organisations not alwats followed through with appropriate pastoral care at TAFEs or workplaces. Suggest approach of 'small spaces in big places' to help integration. This requires all three to work together towards shared objectives, consistent pastoral care guidelines, PD for staff to provide appropriate care and flexibility in institutional processes.

Then Cain Polidano (University of Melbourne) presents on 'impacts of school VET programmes in Australia', a quantitative study using data sets from OECD, PISA 2003 and longitudinal survey of Australian youth survey 2003. Found taking VET course with workplace learning leads to higher likelihood of completing school but negatively impacts on changees of attaining higher ed. qualifications.

A VCAL 'influence on shcool leaving' project then presented by Sheldon Rothman from Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER). A quantitative study using statitstics from Ontrack, the Victorian high school students' destination survey of 2010. Provided background on VCAL structure of foundation, intermediate and senior. The study focused on the intermediate and senior levels. Completing VCAL senoir tends to lead to apprenticeship and employment. Higher level trades prefer student to have completed VCAL senior whereas trades like hairdressing and hospitality were accepting VCAL intermediate.

Last concurrent session with Mani Nallsamy from Box Hill TAFE on a mentoring project to improve teaching with teachers who had high technical abitlity but were unfamiliar with Australian cultrure and education systems. Provided mentor support through English classes, teacher training and class room observations.

Conference ends with panel session on 'quality of research: The experts' view. A broad discussion of reseach aspects including data interpretation, rigour in applied science research, multi-method approaches, engagement and policy and reviewing research. Panel members were Tom Karmel, Lorraine Dearden (University of London), Gerald Burke (Monash), Anne Edwards (former vice chancellor), David Finegold, Barry McGaw (University of Melbourne) and Robin Ryan (Flinders).

NCVER - 'no-frills' vocational education research conference - day 1

In Adelaide this week for the annual National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) 'no-frills conference. On Wednesday, workshops convened and there was a welcome reception followed by an 'Intelligence2' debate organised by St. James Ethics Centre and presented through NCVER as part of the celebrations for the 21st year of the 'no-frills' conference. The topic was "Having a university degree is grossly overrated" with Professor Peter Shergold, Annabel Crabb and Dr. Lyn Arnold arguing for and Professor David Finegold, Hon Annabel Vanstone and Stephen Johnston arguing against. The debate was supported by an audience of over 700 and provided an enervating start for the conference.

The official Day one of the conference began at the TAFE SA (South Australia) campus. After a welcome from Dr. Tom Karmel (NCVER director) and a traditional welcome to country, to the land of the Ngana people, the first keynote was from Adrian Smith (chair of the Australian Training and Skills commission) on modernising South Australia's skill base. He presented pros and cons of the demand-driven system for VET and presented SA experiences in bringing about change. Skill bases have changed as SA moves from declining manufacturing sector work to growing minerals based industries. Limitations to the supply-driven systems include difficulty of accurately predicting demand and providers focused on numbers and existing capabilities. Skills for All launched to fund training, ACE and VET infrastructure. A managed approach with funding incentives for qualifications in short supply and capping where there is excess student demand and monitoring of RTO quality seen to be way forward.

Second keynote from Professor David Finegold (Rutgers University - US o A) on 'the 21st century workforce: China, India and implications for Australia. Both China and India trying to move from low skill equilibrium (LSE) to high skill ecosystems (HSEs). Globilisation causing movement of higher value added services and knowledge work from Us to India and China. China now a global leader in low-cost manufacturing and shifting investment to innovation and investment. In the last decade increased graduates from 600.000 to 7 miliion with many gradutea travelling overseas to complete post-graduate qualifications. However, both China and India face in challenges (of different kinds) and countries like Australia need to find out how to match the gaps. Both countries have exploding middle class, willingness to invest in education and for India, high numbers of young people. Therefore, Australia positioned to be Asian VET and HE leader through continued investment, re-branding, offerings tailored to local and regional need and welcoming immigration policies.

After lunch, concurrent sessions begin (6 streams) so I attend the sessions relevant to trades-based learning. First up, Karen O'Reilly-Briggs on 'the master artisan'. Started with overview of the apprenticeship system in Europe. Identified gaps/differences between European and Australian crafts training and continued with rationale for investigating viability of introducing a master-level programme for trades people in Australia. Support for concept found but also revealed frustration and dissatisfaction from trade industry representatives with current AQF system. Suggest importance of existing trade qualifciations, idenity and need to address intrinsic motivation for completing trades careers and reaffirm professional trade identity before meanful pathways for master qualification for artisans proceeds.

Then a session with Professor David Dowling on 'consulting with industry and other stakeholders to define a set of graduate capabilities. Worked through process of how to engage engineers in setting up graduate capabilities (Stephen & Yorke, 1998, p2). Part of a policy driven programme design and delivery process. Review of attributes begins the process. Stake houlder consultation starts with divergent phase (each group - practitioners, former students and teachers), then a convergent phase (each gorup forms clusters of skills ), data analysed and fed into development of graduate capability guide.

Stian Thorensen from Curtin University presented on 'initial pathways and transitions of apprenticveces and trainees with disabilities'. Findings from the first year of a three year longitudinal study presented involving 404 apprentices and a comparison group of 85 without disabilities. Rationale and research method presented. Postal survely and ingerview with 30 across 3 states used to identify social economic outcomes and barriers/facilitators to participation. Map starting points, key change points, destinations, outcomes and career intentions.

After afternoon tea, my session on 'first year apprentices of workplace learning' took place. Tiering of employers' ability to traing and apprentices' expectations for training suggested by one participant as a method to try to better match employers and apprentices.

Next. Flip Leijten presented on his 'peer learning project' using videos taking pre and post feedback workshop intervention to find out 'effectiveness of peer learning in vocational training settings.

Dr. Phil Toner from University of Sydney, then presented on 'diversity in pre-apprenticeship programmes'. These programmes carried out with training providers allow people to try out apprenticeship before they sign up. However, in line with previous research (Folye & Blomberg, 2010; Karmel & Oliver, 2010)  pre-apprenticeships were found to not lead to better apprenticeship completions.

Conference dinner at Regency College capped a full day.

Ako Aotearoa professional development programme - enhancing teaching and learning in vocational education

On Tuesday, I had the privilege of presenting the first workshop in a series of nine for Ako Aoteoroa as part of a professional development programme for tertiary teachers. This first workshop was presented at Tai Poutini Polytechnic in Greymouth, on the West Coast of the South Island. A range of trades, outdoor education and 'humanities' subject tutors participated enthusiastically.

The main objective of this series of workshops, is to present to tutors/teaching practitioners, some of the findings from a selection of completed Ako Aotearoa projects. These projects were on first year apprentices experiences; peer learning investigation while learning how to use videos to study trades learning; and students producing eworkbooks using net tablets. In particular, to help tutors contextualise some of the findings to their own teaching practice.

Another objective was to raise awareness of the role of evidence-based research in vocational education and encourage practitioner-led study into trades learning. There still needs to be capability building in this area. However, Ako Aotearoa hub funding which I think is about to be re-launched after a six month hiatus, is useful as seed funding to pay for teaching release time to allow for small studies to occur.

I am looking forward to presenting the rest of the workshops. This first one has provided several items to improve on for the next session. It is a good opportunity to meet the wider trades tutor community as many do not attend various teaching and learning conferences. Trade tutors are well grounded in the needs of their industry and the make a good sounding board for 'academic' ideas on pedagogical and programme design approaches. The important thing is not whether the ideas are framed by scholarly frameworks but whether the teaching/learning strategies will work with their students.

Working with multiple data

Attended a free webinar this morning via QSR the company that sells nVivo. The topic was on public consultation research presented by Patrick O'Neil rom Lincoln University and Dr. Lyn Lavery from academic consulting. Introduced by Kate from QSR.

This is the last of a series of 3 on working with different data came about through the public consultation process Chch city council ran after Chch earthquakes. with previous webinars available on research preparation (for the unknown) and rapidly synthesising and analysing data.

The projects was focused on the Share an idea project used to inform the Chch city plan. 14thMay and series of interactions also used with all data collected by July. 2 teams involved with city council And overseas consultants. Coding structure was set up to deal with multiplicity and amount of data. Needed to ensure data collected could be collated to be meaningful. Topics set up and sub themes emerged. Important to have shared understanding of what sub themes mean to all researchers.

All data, regardless of type, coded to nodes and subthemes on nVivo. large amount of data had to be analyzed within a short time frame. Need to ensure all data was analysable. Data gathered through expo, website, council forms, workshops.

Website collected tweets (over 20,000), emails, group ideas. Council forms included letters, emails, voicemails. Expo included post it notes, pictures and drawings, focus group transcripts etc.

NVivo allowed word, excel files, PDFs audio, video and images with all could be coded to the same topics and sub themes. Plus 5 researchers could all work on data at the same time using nVivo server.

Examples of data types from expo then described.
1) Let's hear it used written information on a form - with 4 questions - what missed, what to retain, how to make Chch city better, what is most important About vision for Chch. Transcripts entered as answers to questions and then coded to sub themes.

2) Web tweets with 4 themes - move, life, space and market. Engaged people before expo and then others could see their own and others and provide feedback and stimulated more ideas. Above coded with tweeters age And suburb and tweets coded into sub themes.

3) Post it notes from expo generated 17,000. Entered into an excel file and manually coded to theme. Then text search used on excel files deployed to create nodes. Merged into existing nVivo data. 1/3 of post it notes then coded using coding density functions.

4) YouTube videos used to capture interviews up to 3 minutes with people who preferred to provide oral feedback. Video transcribed within nVivo and again coded to sub themes. Selected parts were transcribed by firstly doing a first watch and then only transcribing relevant parts.

Children's art to help children articulate their ideas. Photo of art uploaded to nVivo, regions of the 5) picture can then be coded by identifying on the picture and labeling.

Outputs also used nVivo visualization tools and can be run using queries to generate tag clouds ( word frequency with stop word list to remove unnecessary words) and word trees (to illustrate words that are searched and other things associated to each word).  Visualisations could be used to quickly display the most common ideas to inform good mass communication and quickly represent a particular topic and display a large amount of content.

All in a good opportunity to have an example of how to better use nVivo for qualitative analysis. Plus information on nVivo 10 which allows for social media data to be more easily used plus need for nVivo to be able to handle very large projects more efficiently.

Learning how to multitask

Writing up notes from the a recently completed pilot with front office students - using videos to enhance reflective learning. Feedback from the students and tutor (Debbie Taylor) has been very positive despite several technical issues to surmount. Of note is that for the first time, all students have completed their practical assessments after the first iteration, so no need for resits, which take up extra time and can be demoralising for students.

We are now working on several technical issues, before we run the official project with a new group of students next semester. Apart from connecting the ipads to a datashow, we have found sound quality from the ipad videos to be a challenge. Firstly, the ipads tend to pick up sound only if the students speak loudly, then when the videos are played back via a data show, students' voices are sometimes difficult to discern. Over the next few weeks, Sam Hegarty at the LTU will be trialing several configurations using wireless mikes and speakers attached to the datashow to improve sound quality.

Even with the sound quality challenge, student learning has been enhanced through the opportunity to view themselves and others roleplaying check-in and check-out processes. After the inital 'camera shyness' the students pitched in and really connected with the overall objectives of the project. They worked at practicing their check-in/check out skills, recorded each others roleplays and provided solid peer feedback to each other. The tutor then used examples of good practice to illustrate main skills.

Of note is the need to do several things at once during the check in/ check out process whilst maintaining a customer friendly/focused demeanor both verbally and through body language. The bringing together of tasks skills and soft people relationship skills can be challenging for students to learn. Debbie is now in the process of deconstructing the check in/check out process more thoroughly to identify areas where multi-tasking is crucial. From the deconstruction, we hope to provide students with the opportunity to practice the multi-tasking parts separately, before incorporating these into the full check in/ check out sequence. There are several occasions during the sequence when students have to talk to the guest, fill in forms/enter information into the computer or find paperwork etc. along with listening to the guest and portraying a professional (I know what I am doing) and friendly/welcoming demeanor.

So next semester, we will have students go through the checklist of check in or check out sequence as they view Debbie (physically or virtually) complete the process. Then, students will concentrate on THREE items /skills through the first few practice roleplays. As their skill develops, the entire check in/ check out roleplay will be videoed. Students will then need to be able to pick up the skills/ dispositions that need to be improved through both peer and tutor feedback. During the pilot, I trialled several class observation sheets and have now modified observation forms to reflect the class room activity as it unfolds. So looking forward to next semester's work on this project.

microsoft surface

Yesterday, various tech websites and tech blogs provided overviews and reviews of the Microsoft announcement of the Surface tablet. Visually, a nice form factor and the use of the cover as a keyboard a great innovation. Will need to try the cover/keyboard out for responsiveness.

One of the issues we have as an educational institute is the challenge provided by catering to a range of operating systems. Our tablet projects using IOS and Android have been completed with tablets that are not networked into the institution’s Windows OS. So the promise of what looks like a decent Windows OS tablet, will be something to look forward to for a project for the beginning of next year.

The reviews, like this one, seem to be positive. The Windows Metro OS is also promising and I did have a short time to try out the Windows 7 version on Samsung Phones. The main advantage will be user friendly capatibility between PC and mobile devices. For some teaching programmes, ease of sharing between work / student PC and mobile devices like tablets and phones, will increase the range of learning activities we can offer students.

Postman, Sennett and Jenkins on technology – cautions and recommendations

Some toing and froing via email at the Centre of Educational Development through my sharing of an article by Neil Postman has led to a discussion on how technology may be used to support teaching and learning.


I read Postman’s 1995 article – ‘Five things we need to know about technological change’ - as a caution – to remember that the media may also become the message. However, even if there will be pros and cons and winners and losers (Postman’s 1 & 2 cautions) and a risk that technology becomes the focus (cautions 3 & 5), technology is also ecological (caution 4) and WE as the makers and users of technology, need to understand the pros/cons and use technology ‘wisely’.

As per previous blog, Sennett’s book (the craftsman) also cautions on a reliance on technology. His example is the use of computer aided design (CAD) in architecture and how designs can become the be all and end all, mesmerising the architect with 3D rendered views of his/her creation and missing the important factor that buildings have to be designed to be lived in, be sympathetic to the environment (physical and social) they cover and comfortable and useful to occupiers/inhabitants.

The 2006 Jenkin’s et al. article – ‘Confronting the challenges of a participatory culture:Media education for the 21st century’ - explores the challenges posed by digital technology to education - with a slant towards formal school education. The examples provided through the article, inform us that it is possible to use technology to help student come to grips with learning for a future world that will rely on digital technology (and perhaps has already?).

So if we are preparing our students to become plumbers, do we also still need to help them become critical learners and users in a world rapidly becoming technology reliant? Who decides?? What will be the most appropriate vernacular/form of communication required by students learning to become plumbers/chefs/nurses etc.? What ‘communication’/media literacy skills are required? – Jenkin’s article includes Play, Performance, Simulation, Appropriation, Multitasking, Distributed Cognition, Collective Intelligence, Transmedia Navigation, Networking and Negotiation (see page 4 for details of each).

Therefore, will a reliance on text based communication be sufficient for future occupational practice? For instance, will trades people use YouTube to advertise their services on TradeMe? If YES, should we be therefore helping students learn to present on visual media instead of writing reports?? Both text and visual presentations require student to represent and organise their thinking – which form of expression will now be more authentic? What appropriate ‘thinking and recording tools’ should be introduced to students to help them make sense of, collate and represent their thoughts and learning?

The Craftsman by Richard Sennett

At home this afternoon due to the first snow of this winter closing CPIT. Got to work just after eight through heavy snow on my side of town. Mostly wet in town but then the snow started to really thicken and settle. CPIT closed just after 9.30am so made our way very slowy home. Still snowing this afternoon and about 10 cm in the garden. Therefore, a good opportunity to do my weekly blog.

Over the long weekend, (Queen's birthday with Monday as a public holiday) and re-read Richard Sennett's book The Craftsman. I have dipped in and out of the book several times and used relevant portions in my dissertation, in particular definitions of craftsmanship and the premise that all of us are craftsman, both in our personal (as parents, homecooks, gardeners) and work (not only trade based but professions and examples in the book with computer programmers) lives.

The kindle version of the book on my ipad is now well bookmarked and had copious notes of parts that are pertinent to several projects I am currently working on. I have also highlighted about a dozen other readings/books to follow up, so the weekend reading has been fruitful.

The book moves through 3 sections, craftsmen, craft and craftmanship. In the craftsmen section, four chapters cover the historical conceptions of craftsmanship and provides examples of ancient (weaving) and modern (linux programming) of the existence of craftsmanship. The decline of respect for trades craftsmanship through the industrial revolution is also traced. In this section, the main line of argument is that we should still maintain our sense of craftmanship. Losing aspects of craftsmanship like continual working towards quality whether a plumber or a surgeon, means we lose some of our humanity. Of importance is the need to retain the craftsmanship mindset, so that we are conscious of the impact of technology,tools and machines on the way we do and conceptualise. The example provided is the advent of computer aided design (CAD) in architecture whereby architects become enamoured by the call of design but forget that their creations have to fit into a certain geographical context with weather/climate that impact on the eventual human interaction with the buildings.

The second section concentrates of the importance of the hand in how humans relate to their world. The chapter 'the hand' summarises psychological, ethnographical and sociological approaches to understanding how the had works and the hands contribution to 5 dimensions of human endeavour. 4 are identified by Raymond Tallis, as anticipation, contact, language cognition and reflection and a fifth being values developed by highly skilled hands. Learning music is used as the example in how the hand contributes to how we understand ourselves, communicate with others and form and then explain our conceptualisations. In chapter 6, 'expressive instructions', 3 versions of written recipes are used to explain how trying to explain how to debone a chicken, is about having to unpack how we use our hands. It would have been good to have these recipes in the appendices. However, the example used is apt.

The last section concludes as a call for the need to respect quality-driven work. Human drive for continual improvement needs to be nurtured through the education system. Current work organisation practice makes it difficult for craftmanship to be practiced. The book is a call for better suuport of an innate human desire. If carefully sponsored, might be a way for humankind to better meet the big challenges, many of them environmental issues that will affect all of us one way or other in the near future.

vodaphone tech forum

Last night, attended a short session at Vodaphone's Northland (Christchurch) store. The main audience for the forum was corporate IT managers and technicians. The objective was an update on Vodaphone's latest offerings that would be useful to the corporate market.

Mobile has moved rapidly and telecomunication companies really have their work cutout to keep up with the increase in smart phones and tablets (in NZ over 50% of Vodaphone customes have smart phones and 90% of corporate clients issue smart phones to their staff). The 'bring your own' device is high on the list for corporate IT support and something we in education are continually challenged with. However, there were assurances that sometime in the near future, corporates having to cope with a multiplicity of operating systems, will be a thing of the past - through cross platform device life cycle interfaces.

There was a short presentation of one of Vodaphone's four 'innovations' - infield support systems with the others being machine to machine, mobile marketing and mobile wallet.  Also a demonstration of the 'airwatch' app from ipad to monitor. After that, a chance to play with the many tablets and smart phones on offer. Having become familiar with the iOS on my ipad and the android OS on the Toshiba Thrive tablets, I decided to have a good look at the Windows 7 mobile OS on a Samsung Omnia W and a Nokia Lumia. A nice responsive touch screen with three buttons - a go back, a start and home. Integration to standard microsoft word, powerpoint and excel and given. So roll on windows 8.

classroom observation software

Two comments (1 recent) on video analysis software, a post for end of 2009, recommend the use of ‘classroom walk through’ software to collect, archive and complete interim analysis of class room based observations. The two are ecove and observe4success. Both require download of specialised software to assist with the archiving and analysis of classroom observations.

I had a look through itunes apps on my ipad and find there are quite a few software tools out there for classroom observations, with ipad app options to link data collected on the ipad with PC resident main archive. Examples include classroom mosaic, ecove – general, special ed., administrator, esl.,  assessa+/ faculty tools,  reflect live,  lessonnote and tower mobile / randa tower. Most ipad apps are free but will only really work if they are synched to the PC or Mac based central repository. Therefore, the apps are for ease of data collection.

In the main, the tools revolve around checklists and collation methods for later discussions with indvidual teachers or for comparisons of teachers' classroom teaching across subject or year levels. I can work out that the tools will provide for consistency of data gathering. However, in professional development for teaching, it is the 'conversation' and reflection on the data that are important rather than the actual quantitative findings from how software collects and collates the data. The tools can also be useful for research data collection. But again with proviso to ensure it augments qualitative data, for example videos of class activities.

Seeing these tools are being now used in a 'mobile learning' way does provide some good ideas on how to use similar approaches to help students learn. They provide for a means for students to gather data from field trips, labs, practical workshops etc. and have the data collated for later followup, discussion, analysis etc.

Using video to help students' reflective learning process

As a follow up from our net tablet project, I have just started on another Ako Aotearoa Southern Hub funded project with Hospitality tutors Debbie Taylor and Heather McEwan. Two sub-projects using tablets (ipad2s and Toshiba Thrives) will be worked through. The first one is for students to use the ipad2s to video each other as they role play front office customer interactions. The second is to explore the concept of virtual field trips to replace hotel visits (as all the high end hotels in Christchurch are not inaccessible due to the 2011 earthquakes).


The first project, using the ipads to video student role plays has just started. Debbie and I are piloting this with a group of 1st year Diploma in Hospitality students. Our first hurdle was a technical one. How to attach ipads to a datashow so that Debbie could use the student videos as examples to encourage better/improved customer service practices. At present, we are trying out several cabling variations.

A literature search found several articles, mainly in the teacher education sector, on using videos to help enhance reflective practice. One article I have tapped for ideas is by Williams, G. Farmer, L. and Manwaring, M. (2008) on ‘new technology meets an old teaching challenge: Using digital video recordings, annotation software, and deliberate practice techniques to improve student negotiation skills’. The study was conducted with law students and although our project will not be going down the annotation route, I will follow up on the software mentioned in the article – Medianotes.

For the moment, we will concentrate on the ‘deliberate practice’ aspect, in particular, to identify the main skills students will need to develop, provide appropriate and timely feedback and assist the reflective learning cycle. For the feedback cycle, we will be providing students (as with previous projects) the guidelines to be able to feed up, feedback and feed forward (from  Hattie and Timperley's - power of feedback).

Tacit knowledge, Haptics and Embodied Knowledge - resources

Following up on several previous posts relating to studying how students learn a trade, three useful resources to explore further in tacit knowledge, haptics and embodied knowledge.


Professor Alice Lam from the University of London presents an overview of tacit knowledge, from a organisational management perspective. Table 2 summarises the individual/organisational differences for standardised and non-standardised work. So for individuals – standardardised work involves ‘embrained knowledge, non-standardised involves ‘embodied knowledge. On the organisational level, standardised work needs ‘encoded knowledge’ and non-standardised uses ‘embedded knowledge’. 

David Prytherch and Bob Jerrard from Birmingham University present an interesting paper ‘Haptics, the Secret Senses: the covert nature of the haptic senses in creative tacit skills’ through findings from a study of skilled artists and propose that skilled manual work (sculpting, glass blowing, glass engraving and blacksmithing) requires engagement of all senses. Visual sense plays role as a monitor while other senses are important in completing skilled work.

Lastly, a blog on embodied knowledge, featuring the work of Merleu-Ponty. An overview of another aspect of embodiment.

Engaging with organisational management literature on knowledge transfer

This week, I am undertaking a literature review for a new CPIT project, funded by Innovation New Zealand. This project is to evaluate the processes that work well for bringing CPIT staff expertise and industry knowledge through the sharing of the use of a 3D printer. My role is to be the ‘observer’ and to find out through survey/brief interviews, what works well and how knowledge transfer between CPIT and industry can be improved.
The field of knowledge transfer has several synergies with my current work investigating how novices learn a trade. For one, all the literature I have accessed thus far, acknowledges the social dimension of knowledge and how knowledge is created in companies through the interactions ‘workers’ have with each other, the products they manufacture, the processes and systems they are organised to work with and their on-going relationships with their stakeholders (customers, other companies, suppliers etc.). The recent book - 'making work visible' detailing the ethnographic research approaches at Xerox (previewed in recent blog) and the book 'the social life of information' being good resources.

So diving into the organisational management focused literature on knowledge creation, knowledge transfer and exchange and how companies innovate is re-visiting a familiar place, just with slightly different players/actors. Several articles advocate the need to support ‘communities of practice’ and the approaches are very socio-cultural. Of note are the discussions on tacit knowledge and how these can be nurtured, ‘captured’/harnessed to improve innovation. As all in, a fruitful week engaging with literature that is slightly different but also similar :)

NZ vocational research forum -- day 2

Day two opens with welcome from Dr. Peter Coolbear, CE of Ako Aotearoa. Provided a short overview of yesterday and connection to the contributions from today. Important to think about what the priorities are for VET research into the short and long term.

Keynote 3 is on 'Maori Learners in workplace settings' with Cain Kerehoma from Kahui Tautoko Consulting. An Ako Aoteoroa National project with MITO, BCITO, ETITO and the ITF that commenced in 2011. Other projects conducted in formal training so important to undertake this project on workplace learning. 40 plus learners in 3 regions (Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Wellington) from motor and building trades. Investigate how Maori workers learn in the workplace, what works and what are the barriers to sucess. Used focus groups and interviews to talk with (not about) Maori learners. From stakeholders, points to note include: learner attitude a key; ethnicity not a key factor in outcomes; failure attributed to family backgrounds and wider social/economic factors; some distinctive characteristics of Maori learners; and positive relationships a key. Feedback from learners include: learners come from multiple backgrounds; focused on 'getting the 'ticket'; importance of whanau support and expectations; relationships with employer; apprenticeship model works well; barriers occurred for accessing off job training; and some distinct learning approaches used (learning styles, shyness, wait for others to ask rather than approach supporters for assistance).

Attended session with Helen McPhun (McZoom) and Andy Graves (IAG training manager) on 'the proof's in the pudding: evaluation of a winning partnership. Looks into changes made to IAG induction programme - 4 weeks induction plus option to complete ANZIIF qualification over 2 years. Pilot run to provide four weeks induction, integrating modules of the NC in Finance (level 4) and rest of qualification completed over first year at work. Programme developed by determining parameters (cause), business needs, performance needs, learning needs, preference needs towards 'delivered solution'. -- engage learners reaction, stimulate learning, improve performance application and produce results on business impact. Evaluation of the pilot reveal high learner engagement, assessment activities stimulated learning, ability to apply learning, competency achieved between 2 - 4 weeks instead of at least 8 weeks.

Then 'lessons from ITO embedded literacy and numeracy' with Rose Ryan and Heather McDonald from plus Alison Doyle and Rosemary Sutton who also contributed to the project. reports on Department of Labour commissioned evaluation. Pilot projects fund between 2006 - 2008 and 2009 saw funding for capability building and trainee learning. In 2011, embedding became business as usual. Embedding supported by ITO PD activities, ITF good practice project and establishment of ITF literacy/numeracy network. Project was formative to look at range of models used by ITOs to embed; whether some models more effective than others; and what value is placed in improving lit/num for learners. Interviews conducted with 23 ITOs and case studies conducted (3 ITOs in 2010, 2 in 2011). Findings include ongoing strategic development in IT0S; awareness raising and capability building along with processes of assessment and diagnosis. Lessons learnt include: support from industry employers; need to build capability internally and with on and off job trainers; and sustainability of on-going change.

Keynote 4 is with Francesca Beddie, general manager, research, at the National Centre for Voc Ed Research (NCVER) in Australia. She presented on 'a common vision for VET research in Australia'. Outlined aspiration of NCVER to ensure public funding is spent wisely on research to inform tertiary ed and training. Every 3 years, NCVER undertakes by consulting with researchers, policy makers, training practitioners etc. leading to recommendations for VET research priorities. Important to set 'generic' priorities rather than specific recommendations due to fluid and dynamic nature contributed by social/political contexts. Included is need to continue building the evidence base; have high level evaluation aimed at assessing the impact of policy interventions; and continued efforts to build researcher capability. impact of research also important - four domains involved - knowledge production, capacity building, informing policy and informing practice.

A workshop on 'working together towards a common vision for NZ VET research' then took place. Session led by Mark Oldershaw and a list of questions to consider included topics for research; how to communicate research findings; and how to assist new researchers and build communities of practice.

After lunch, 3 more concurrent sessions. I attended the following
Siobhan Murray presented the Ministry of Education work on the Industry training review: Employer perspectives on VET. Part of review of industry training. Survey with interviews with employers. Survey gathered information on respondents (960 employers), types of training, decisions about training, access to training and opinions about VET system. 300 + employers had between 1 - 5 employees. employers more likely to invest in training for specific rather than all staff; regulartory compliance and upgrading staff skills in current job main training types; apprenticeship most common with training accessed via ITOs; qualification completion rated as very impt; and costs of having staff away from workplace and training cost main barriers to further training. Most common method was in-house followed by ITO organised. Employers value training and feedback also gained on ITO and training provider supports. areas for ITO improvement include type of training, better support for training and better communication.For tertiary providers type of training, better quality courses/tutors and communication/consultation.

Then a session with Sarah Crichton from the Department of Labour on 'Industry trainees and their pay rates. analysis of data from 2003-2008 for adults 20-64 of benefits from participation (120,000 with 95,000 trainees in employment before and after) in workplace based training. Generally, trainees completing level 1 qual. did not show gains. completing level 2 provided small gain in earnings. Level 3 a bit more and level 4 gained 7% increase in earnings. important gain in that trainees completing quals. tended to be still in employment after 3 years.

Lastly, Fiona Stokes from BERL reported on the work of measuring the economic costs and benefits of industry training. in general, economic benefits are gained from training and especially important in certain sectors (export). Presentation centred around key figures and on methodology used to derive the costs. Data gathered from usual sources -stats from Ministry of Education, Dept. of Labour and also interviews with trainees, ITOs, employers etc. Economic costs include cash funding from TEC to ITOs ($1550 - $2300) but NOT in kind costs (staff away on courses etc.). Also employer and employee costs. Role productivity training generally have low training costs ($2450-$8400) but significant and immediate impact. Occupational and trades training have higher costs ($60-70000 over several years), margin increases once trained but life long skills and on-going benefits to individual and industry.

Final plenary session discussed 'a way forward for VET research in NZ' through collation of the discussions at the workshop just before lunch. Topics to research - incentives/motivations/aspirations, what leads to success/completions, pathways, ROI, Skill utilisation, generic skills. Communication - website for VET research, forums, be more proactive - promote use of media, versions of publications for different audiences, common language/no jargon, more cross agency collaboration. New researchers - community of practice, mentors, networking opportunities, better cross tertiary communication and funding/seed money.
Panel of Peter Davies, Francesca Beddie, Peter Coolbear and Mark Oldershaw presented briefly on the collations.

Overall, a good conference with many focused and relevant papers reflecting the current political climate.

ITF NZ vocational education research forum

itf nz vocational research forum

welcome from ITF with Mark Oldershaw

Keynote one from Peter Davies, from the Policy Consortium in the UK on ' researching VET in a cold climate'. Provided an overview of the UK situation where research funding has been recently reduced and a recent report (Wolf, 2011) that recommended that young people should be discouraged from taking voc ed quals to the detriment of core academic study! Need for research to offer practical solutions, so although less research, they may have more influence where it matters.Provided an overview of various recent research pertinent to VET including low skills, older workers, apprenticeships, NEETs etc. Presentation also included developments in evidence-based approaches and lessons learnt in the UK. encouraged to check out Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) as a major evidence base on FE and training in England through the LSIS excellence gateway on-line portal with e-LMI tool also made available to support training provision to employers. VET pedagogy on effective teaching and learning in VET includes 5 inter-related components - teaching models, teaching content, teaching skills an strategies, teaching relationships and teacher reflection. Evidence based approaches include evidence producers, gatherers, synthesisers, tranformers and engagers - Coalition for evidence based education via Education Media Centre (EMC) - provides one point of contact, enhance research credibility and make findings more relevant and user friendly. www.policyconsortium.co.uk

After morning tea, two streams of concurrent sessions running, so attending ones with most relevance to my work.

"Getting to know the workforce in the tourism sector' with Joy Saunders from the ATTTO presenting work with Cristine Angus (Angus & Associates). Work done to help inform targeted review of quals (Troq), workplace development into the future. Industry survey to measure no. of staff, wage rates, seasonality of staff, staff characteristics etc. Major challenge to track down tourism based organisations due to diversity of industry and very large number of small businesses. On-line survey used with reminders via email and a prize draw.

A unified system for engineering diplomas - addressing the shortage of engineering technicians in NZ with Bill Cope from Competenz reporting on the process for developing two level 6 qualifications NZ Dip in Engineering and NZ Dip in Engineering Practice. One reason was the large number of NZ and local ITP Dips. Need to find out what students and industry think about the Dips?? revealing confused messages and lack of national consistency, not knowing actually what the qualification prepared them to do! NEEP project funded by TEC formed to develop a coherent national education plan for engineering. Started with development of a graduate progression map. Then define tasks undertaken by various technicians in civil, mechanical, electrical and process disciplines. Plus establish supply and demand.

High-viz partnerships: transforming on-job assessment with Karen Vaughan/Ben Gardiner (NZCER) and Andrew Kear from the BCITO. Find out processes involved in new assessment system and learning outcomes and contribute to evidence about effective assessment. New assessment system set up by BCITO to improve consistency between assessors, better quality assurance outcomes for the assessment process, involve effective partnership and learning resources focused on the learner. Moved from using 5000 workplace assessors to 75 roving assessors. Set up community of practice based on f2f internal moderation system. developing the Assessment team. Revising learning resources. Project studies the 'assessment space' where assessments include formal events, personal reflections, work evidence etc.

My keynote on first year apprentices of work place learning follows lunch. The occasion being the opportunity to officially launch the project with Ako Aotearoa. Audience receptive to findings and the brochure produced for apprentices to help them make a more studied decision about commencing and then beginning an indenture.
Then support for Flip from CPIT for his presentation on 'effectiveness of peer learning in a vocational education setting'. This project studied how students learn from each other in pre-trade training courses. four trades - electrical, painting/decorating, welding and carpentry. Proposes strategies useful to introduce peer learning to pre-trade training.

Followed by support for another CPIT colleague, Emma Meijer on Canterbury Tertiary College Trades Academy Success - 'the best of school and beyond'. provided background on what makes CTC work and future direction. Stressed importance of regional context and the need to consult and meet needs of educational (schools, ITOs, providers, industry) and social (family aspirations, local skill needs) stakeholders as a form of partnership. School work, plus trade/tertiary skills and includes full-time pastoral care co-ordinators.

To close the day, a plenary session called 'looking forward' consisted of presentation of projects that are in progress.
Diana Sharma from Unitec on a project called 'turning good trades people into great business people'. Presented on the work of the Unitec business development unit to assist SMEs become more effective/efficient businesses. Through collaborative venture between francise operation (Laser), University of Ballarat and Unitec. a three step process - capability assessment, receive customised learning recommendation and undergo intensive, flexible self-development programme.
Next, Doug Powhare from ESITO spoke on 'diversity: an industry collaboration' on project to increase representation of Maori, Pacific Peoples, Migrants and women in the electrical supply industry. Funding used to provide coordination support, develop aspirational pathways and mentors and establish a research framework.
Ian Elliot, CEO of plumbing, gas fitting and roofing ITO presented a project on evaluating ITO offerings to support educational judgements. Small project carried out 3 focus groups of plumbing/gasfitting apprentices at final block course (Dr. Lex McDonald & Dr. Anne Hynds from Victoria University). Apprentices perceptions of learning opportunities for industry-based training. Findings include: motivation was the key influence on whether participants perceived they were able to learn new skills and knowledge that could be applied in the workplace. Further research could include apprenticeship supervisors' understandings of how to motivate apprentices to learn and apply new knowledge and skills in workplace settings; and changes to effectiveness of learning through varying the ratio of on and off-job learning.

AVETRA - day 2 - 13th April

Keynote from Tom Karmel, managing director,NCVER, on the topic of research for industry. Discussed role of industry in education, with a need to define 'what is industry' as there is great diversity and made up of many parties, each with different perspectives and focuses. Chose examples from NCVER research to illustrate - value of completing apprenticeship, role of wages in completion rates, value of completing VET qual., match between training and labour market, role of VET in innovation, and VET and workforce development.

Professor Erica Smith from University of Ballarat on - managing apprentices and managing PhD students: Current concerns and transferable tips. There are similarities although both are at different levels and have different objective.

'Practice based research and critical pedagogy - rethinking teaching training for vocational educators' with Lisa Maurice-Takerei and Dr.Helen Anderson from Manukau Institute of Technology. Project on developing a qualification and a model constructed to move beyond technicist competencies towards development of professional knowledge. Literature from Leach (2011) on theory building, identity development (Seddon, 2009) and reflection on practice (Boud, 1993). need for voc. ed teachers to become reflective practitioners. Us of video to enhance critical reflection. Model includes pedagogy, content and transformation feeding into collaboration/theory building, reflection, discourse contributing towards identity, autonomy and theory. video useful for tutors to observe and then reflect on and then analyse towards their own substantiation of practice.

Stephen Billett on ' vocational education: standing and clarification of objectives' summarises one of the arguments that forms his book ' vocations education: purposes, traditions and prospects'. Low standing of some occupations leads to erroneous assumption that teaching and learning for these occupations will be less complex. Begins with overview of worth of vocational education but that it has suffered from low status, negative societal sentiments and unhelpful regulation and inadequate educational provision. Need to redress to secure a better balance amongst factors shaping voc. ed's purposes and practices. occupations arise through social need but vocations from personal direction. to proceed, occupation requirements are not uniform, so national prescriptions alone not sufficient. too much emphasis on the intended curriculum and not enough attention to the enacted and experiences, need to accommodate local decisions about occupational requirements, student readiness, available resources and experiences. those who teach and support learners often best place to make decisions about what should be emphasised. individuals decide how they engage with and learn from what is provided.

'Explicating forms of negotiating through personal work and learning practice'with Ray Smith from Griffith University. Presentation on personal work and learning practices - four forms of negotiation. Negotiation as a means of learning is under theorised and under specified. work and learning is purposeful and goal directed, along a continuum of purpose (deliberate to accidental) and a continuum of goal realisation (resolved to unresolved). Four contingent forms of negotiation can therefore have purposes and goals on vertical and horizonal axis, dividing negotiation into four quadrants. Realised (resolved/deliberate), discovered(resolved/accidental), concealed (unresolved/accidental) and protracted (unresolved /deliberate). provides for ways of categorising workers' work and learning practices as types of negotiations that differentiate processes and outcomes involved; bring a simultaneous focus to what and why workers do their work the way they do it - personalising and illuminating 'how' negotiated practice is enaced. Reduce the generice and taken for granted meanings of the concept and so enable a more expliciit conceptualisation of work and learning practices as negotiation - which is always more than a synonnym for interaction or co-participation.

Keynote 4 with Professor Anne Marie Bathmaker, University of West England (Bristol) presenting 'bringing practice back in: How practice shapes constructions of knowledge in vocational education. stems from a project on knowledge in general vocational education. Using 2 examples from further education in England. connections to work by staff and students was tenuous. In a example from science, the BTEC was seen to be a progression programme from FE to HE. Knowledge seemed to be mainly identifying and listing content and not going further by applying to practice. in contrast, performing arts example had strong linkages with industry, facilities were authentic (used by amateur companies as well as FE). Knowledge was things and skillls needed to practice in the real world, linking theory to practice. Young (2008) on shaping the knowledge in GVE and bringing knowledge back in.

Panel discussion closed the conference with next year's conference in early April in Perth. Panel of Tom Karmel, Berwyn Clayton, Craig Robson, Stephen Billett and Erica Smith, chaired by Llandis Barrett Pugh, discussed the quality of VET research in Australia.

AVETRA day 1 - 12th April

At the Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) conference late last week. A good opportunity to network with mainly Australian VET researchers. A large number of presentations taking place with 6 concurrent papers presented at each time slot. I have selected the papers that are accompanied by refereed papers and which are related to apprenticeship, trades learning or trades teacher training.

Conference opens with welcome to country providing a good overview of the Indigenous perspective.
and official welcome from Dr. Llandis Barratt-Pugh - current avetra president - summarising the Australian context and current political landscape. Andrew Leigh, representing the Minister of Tertiary Education then provided overview of current federal government policy to provide opportunities for all Australians to contribute to the economy with VET playing a key role in preparing people for ongoing challenges presented by social, technological and political changes.

Keynote 1 from Robin Shreeve, CEO of Skills Australia,on 'aligning tertiary ed. with the demand for skills and qualifications in a changing world'. Firstly provided an overview of Skills Australia (which will be transformed with added remits in July). Then the challenges faced by Australia in the short and long term and how skills training may contribute. Three conceptual pillars used : apply concept of specialised occupations, develop, test and model multiple scenarios to achieve flexible policy reponses and fund users rather than providers. Described the 4 scenarios developed for the Australian context to replace pervious one based on work by Royal Dutch Shell. Models are - long boom, smart recovery, terms of trade stock and ring of fire. Proposes an integrated VET/HE sector to be more responsive to various challenges and meeting projected skills requirements from various scenarios.

Concurrent session 1 with Dr. Hilary Timma, Charles Sturt University, on 'eclectic approaches by worker-learners to authentic work based learning and assessment. summarised a project, following 13 mature-aged learners who had completed vet-based studies by distance ed. Mainly examined how people learn (and are assessed) in workplace, especially as developed through processes of social interactions in the workplace and through significant others who contribute to assist, encourage or comment on what is taking place. occupations included police, hospitality education, client services, business management and horticulture. framed by sociality of learning (Boud), communities of practice (Lave & Wenger) and workplace learning (Billett).

My session on findings from the 'first year apprentices project' then took place. good attendance and a broad range of questions at the end.

Session 3 on 'apprenticeship pedagogies in a Tasmanian RTO: What teachers say? with Rod Mason, Skills institute, hobart, Tasmania. investigates the approaches to traditional trade apprentice teaching and learning in the Tasmanian Skills Institute (TSI). What strategies are used and favoured and WHY. Teachers typically developed their won theories of learning style. completion of Cert IV might not equip teachers with appropriate skills. innovative approaches required knowledge beyond Cert IV level. pedogogies used were generally traditional (lecture/formal presentation, demonstration followed by practice, dependent and independent use of workbooks), flexible delivery included CD-Roms, online, self directed workbooks and some evidence of innovative strategies (computer based games, interactive DVDs). Choice of pedagogy tended to be based on past experiences, established practices within teaching teams and external industry demands.

Next session with Dr. Llandis Barratt-Pugh and Dr. Sue Bahn - how pre-site construction induction training improves work safety but illuminates the issues of on-line certification. reports on a project to look at mandatory pre-site training as offered in WA and impact of the study on current delivery methodology. Pre-site construction safety programmes need to change beliefs about workplace safety and also provide opportunities to learn and be able to deploy 'instinctive' responses (perhaps learnt through repetition). Evaluation of programme indicates programme was useful, but delivery mode, either f2f or online had mixed responses due to different needs of individuals and companies they work for. Some companies did not trust the online certification and this project findings did lead to removal of subsidies for online programmes.

After lunch, first session with Sonal Nakar on 'the voice of VET teachers: teacher dilemmas and its implications on international students, teachers and VET institutions. identified many challenges, some turning into dilemmas and all based on need to make some form of ethical decision. examples of dilemmas include: lack of resources and support systems for teachers in helping international students with differing IELTs scores; managing percieved inappropriate gift giving by students; inconsistencies amongst various VET institutions regarding curriculum, assessment standards and extent of the course; teaching subject without expertise. Recommendatyions include better partnership between govt and educators in policy making; toughened and consistent national framework for regulation to delivery high quality teaching and learning outcomes; greater opportunity for teacher qualification; and consistency in curriculum/duration delivery.

Next, 'Promises and expectations between apprentices, trainees and their employers' with Ros Brennan Kemmis, Sharon Ahern and Diane Middleton (Charles Sturt University). presentation introduces the concept of 'practice architecture, as apprentices, trainees and employers come into an already established pre-configured way of saying/thinking, doing things, and relating among the different kinds of participants (cultural-discursive, material-economic and social-political dimensions). drawing a subsection from Smith, E. Walker, A & Brennan Kemmis, R. (2011) Understanding the psychological contract on apprenticeship/traineeship to improve retention. NCVER. (need to check). the study reported in this project Uses 3 case studies from the main study. where there were instances of differences between expectations and promises between apprentices and employers. in general, preconditions necessary to fulfil contract include: sound HR processes for recruitment, performance management; systems reward both tangible and intangible; early intervention; monitoring training both on and off-job and clear lines of communication.

Then paper from Anthony Wareham from Unitec - evaluating the effectiveness of plumbing and gas-fitting pre-trade programmes in NZ. Looked into theory/practical components of the programme and whether pre-trade courses provided skills/knowledge relevant for entry-level employment in the plumbing trade. 3 pre-trade courses evaluated (school based try a trade, plumbing and gas fitting 4 weeks 'taster' of a 16 week multiskills course, and students Gateway). programme evaluation criteria distilled with need to provide students with authentic work experiences to learn work ethics, be introduced to tools, work etc.

Also attended two sessions with unrefereed papers. The first with Alison Miller, Higher Ed. Qualifications pathways manager and Mary Leahy from L H Martin institute on 'connecting education and work: vocational streams and the capabilities of approach (Sen & Nussbaum)- due to interest in the capabilities approach. both explored the need to an improvement of pathways through tertiary education. Capabilities approach -- alternative to flawed theory of utilitarinism, focuses on what people need in order 'to be and to do', to live life they have reason to value, set political goals as capabilities rather than functioning, appreciation of the corrosive effect of entrenched disadvantage, intrinsic value of people, and humans are social beings.

Keynote by Dr. Salim Akoojee, university of the Witwatersrand, on 'towards a responsive TVET research agenda for the 21st century: Time for doing different things differently'. The presentation - explored the nature of VET research practice and the role of political-economy, provide a possible framework by which we could interrogate VET research and develop a 'responsive' TVET research agenda to take social justice as a starting point. An interesting and thought-provoking presentation, also reminder of Sen and Nussbaum's capability approach, of how transportation of processes that work in developed countries (e.g. national qualification frameworks) may not be suitable in developing world contexts. TVET research needs to ensure reponsiveness to political/social sphere and take a stand to ensure research is used responsibly.

AVETRA AGM followed then the conference dinner - a long day with several interesting presentations to mull over.