AVETRA DAY ONE - Afternoon

After lunch, a series of panels, followed two sessions in each of four streams.

First up, a panel session on 'apprenticeship completions' facilitated by Dr. Warren Guest. The panel include Suzi Hewlett (Manufacturing skills alliance), Brett Schimming, (Build skills Australia)  Quinn Sunderland, Manufacturing skills Queensland) and David Camper (VET educator / employer - motor engineering). Warren provided some background and the reasons for the panel which is sponsored by the Manufacturing sector. Apprenticeships have a long history, continual challenges with regard to completions, and in the age of AI, perhaps needs to be reconsidered. 

Suzy summarised a recent report undertaken on skills. Apprenticeship uncompletions have historically been high - dating back to the guilds! NCVER carried out the project with manufacturing apprentices starting 2019 with over 1000 apprentices data analyses. Custom data used - with many going through several employers to complete, bringing the 50% to a 60% completions rate. Workplaces in regional areas tended to have higher completions. Priority cohorts lower than average. Most common for driving non-completion are workplace factors - usually based around affordances to training. Also mismatch between off and on job 'curriculum' due to equipment availability. Flexibility and RPL availability also cited. Need to improve supervisor training, wrap around support for apprentices, and financial incentives for both employer and apprentices.

Brett agreed the themes similar in the Building industry. However, some contextual differences. Workplace culture and behaviour are factors. Many apprentices leave a workplace and move into another to try to complete. Lack of flexibility in 'time served' also an issue as the difference between apprentice wages and 'qualified' wages is large. 

Quinn encouraged research in to finding out if the apprenticeship non-completion rate is 'set' and how this challenge can be met. Mismatched expectations between apprentices and workplace.can be one factor. Economic reality of apprenticeship is that there is a disconnect between what young people are interested and what is actually available. Example of fashion for people wanting to become designers, but what the industry needs are sail makers. 

Suzy shared learnings from using promotional tasters, try a trade, etc. and found not one method was better for exposure. Media exposure often lead to increased interest in an occupation but the realities often mean many do not continue. Increased average of apprentices as people decide later in life to commit. Stickiness is difficult, especially if the work is challenging/difficult and workplace culture is not supportive. Discussion amongst the panel on above. Economical viability in many SMEs means that training and dealing with novice worker.is now too difficult. However, apprentices still well regarded and needs to be supported.

David reiterated that industry needs to put in the commitment. TAFE and school not able to train for every variation for job tasks. Industry still needs to play their role. Perhaps training for workplace trainers/supervisors etc. will be useful. In general turnover in all jobs is between 2 - 3 years, which is less than apprenticeships of 3 - 4 years. School pathways need to provide opportunities for students to 'try things out'. Decisions can be made to engage or that an occupation does not match.  

Brett discussed certification of trainers. However, the key is that it is not just trainers but the ecosystem in the workplace may not still be supportive. However, trainers need to understand how to get the most out of their apprentices, and care for their workers. 

The panel provided examples of things that work. In particular, flexibility in how training is availed, matched to the needs of learners and employers. 

Then a presentation on the Australian - Indian - advancing research programme  with Deepak-Raj Gupta (0n video) and Sonal Nakar. The programme with the Australia-India Business Council over 40 years. Sonal detailed the delegation to India and the various initiatives that were discussed and experienced. Opportunities are available with various institutions, centres of excellence etc. for joint projects with possible funding streams for research. 

The conference convened to provide a tribute to Berwyn Clayton, who passed on a few weeks ago. She was a prolific Australia VET practitioner, researcher and AVETRA leader. Andrew Williamson initiated the session. Tributes presented from various AVETRA members both f2f and from online messages.

Two 'long presentation' sessions across the 4 streams then occurred. I stayed in the AI stream.

- 'Gen AI and assessment in VET: A systematic review of three wicked problemss" a PRISMA 2020 systematic review of Gen AI and assessment in VET - with Geethani Nair (Skills Bridge Solutions). Project completed with Dr. Wijendra Guanthilake amd Ishini Hathruisinghe from Sri Lanka. VET Gen AI problem is structurally different from Higher Education (HE). In HE there is a focus on academic integrity frame; VET has a workplace competency frame - use of AI required and it is around capability with AI. Gen AI already in the classrooms. 

54 peer-reviewed and grey literature, 3 interlocking wicked problems unique to VET assessments and compared Australia and Sri Lanka national systems. Research Questions include - how can VET providers maintain industry cridibility when integrating Gen AI in assessment?, How can VET providers preserve the employer validation of graduates' independent competency? and How can VET providers ensure assessment authenticity while leveraging Gen AI in rapidly changing technological and workplace contexts? 

Identified 412 (2022 to 2025), screened to 186, 98 eligible and 54 included in synthesis. For RQ1 - students use Gen AI to produce written deliverables; even authentic workplace-relevant tasks can be Gen Ai substituted without reliable detection. Therefore for RQ2 - detection dominates; For RQ1 - workflow integration across browsers, word editors, etc. so for RQ2 - redesign of assessments is uneven. In RQ3 authenticity as design fails as is does not prevent substitutions. RQ HE guidance imported but scarce in VET. 

Wicked problems require institutional rather than purely technical response. Require ongoing management rather than single-point solutions. Identified 3 patterns as wicked problems. Industry credibility becomes challenged if detection dominates. Even VET's preferred response must go further than task design - as redesign of assessments is uneven. No common language between employers and RTOs for what counts as valid - as HE guidance imported and not always relevant to VET. 

Therefore assessment design needs to account for industry credibility,  employer validation and assessment authenticity. Shared recommendations for each. Provided examples of how challenging each of these wicked problems is. Across the two systems, Sri Lanka has a larger digital divide, so the context is different. Recommends for RTOs, policy, and practitioners. Phase 2 will interview students and VET educators to see what the wicked problems mean. 

- I then present on 'the changing role of VET educators in the age of AI: from 'guide on the side' to 'conductor of learning'. The argument was for greater pedagogical understanding to ensure that AI can be deployed effectively to support learning. Implications of using AI which is relevant, ethics around how to deploy, AI use replacing actual deliberate practice, and care needed when using AI to support teaching admin and resource development.

AVETRA AGM followed and the conference dinner. A long but productive day. 

AVETRA 2026 - DAY ONE -morning

 This year's Australasian Vocational Education and Training Research Association is held in Brisbane.

Workshops begin the yesterday, and I co-facilitate the session on 'dos and don'ts for publishing in the International Journal of Training Research which I co-editor with Associate Professor Teressa Schmidt.

Thursday begins with a welcome from Kira Clarke, AVETRA president and a welcome to country. Always an interesting session on the history of the country with the stories/songlines. 

The first keynote is with Dr. Don Zoellner. He provides an overview and perspective to start of the conference with 'Reframing VET's past: what happened when governments declared their policies and then instigated them? Check recent article in JVET.

Focus on the continuum how government policy (from 1980s) have been acted on and the consequences of these. The National Reform Agenda set out in the early 1990s has been resistant to fundamental change. Argued that VET and HEZ were never designed to be joined up, as they have unique and different social, political, economic contributions to national development. Using Fouchault's interest in how problems can be novel responses within specific fields of action. 

In the 1980s, the global economic environment challenged Australian economic and social foundations. By 1989, the NTRA set up the 'skills focus'. Presently Jobs and Skills Australia forecast that 9 out of 10 jobs require post-secondary qualifications. Therefore, still a similar approach. wen through the essential items across the decades - equity (access); quality (standards, assurance, accreditation of providers etc.); industry needs (alignment to needs, competency-based); training as an investment; opportunities and outcomes for individuals (flexible delivery, portability, choice etc.); National training system (registration, accreditation etc.); outcomes standards; VET markets as intended; research implications (focus on governmental national strategies/goals). Ended with a summarise of where to next. There is inertia in better understanding what is to be undertaken; OECD reports often not drawn on to inform how Australian VET could move forward; the original intend of VET retained; use data to find out what has worked (rather than what has not); to change something, is not to fix something but to extend the things that work! 

The keynote is followed by a ministerial address from Andrew Giles, Minister of Skills and Training. Supportive of the work of VET to be an 'equaliser' for many Australians. Ran through the various initiatives set out by the present government to increase access and opportunities. 

Plus an update with Craig Robertson, CEO for the Victorian Skills Authority. Drawing on the opening keynote, there needs to be a bridge between research and implementation to improve VET. VSA has had a MOE with AVETRA to fund researchers to undertake research on key aspects of VET. Used RPL as an example. RPL should be used to recognise skills that can be transferable, not just the ones that are specialist. Encouraged researchers to keep at it :) Work undertaken many years ago, still drawn on to inform new policy formation. Finished with comments on the challenges of the future, the need to prepare the future workforce for rapid change and ongoing geopolitical turbulence. The VET system has remained the same, bur does it need to change? Australia still retains competency-based qualifications in its purest form, yet every other country has moved on, beyond CBT. Encouraged the shift to learner-led and learning-focused learning rather than the need to assess and certify work tasks.  

After morning tea, presentations begin across 4 streams. I stick to a stream with a technology/AI focus.

- AI integration in VET: a scoping review - with Caroline Constant and Natasha Arthars. AI now being shaped globally with rapid developments. Research specific in VET remains fledging and fragmented, as most still from HE and formalised school sector. To find out 'how are AI used  VET'. PRISMA framework literature review from 2019 to April 2025, including peer-review journal articles, conference papers, and book chapter. From 436 studies, 46 papers included and with 18 emperical studies. 

Reported on initial findings - 18% conceptual, 39% empirical, 11% review and 11% other. Balance between qualitative and quantitative and 22% mixed methods. No longitudinal studies. 72% on vocational qualifications. ChatGPT used the most along with no specified tool! Pedagogical applications of AI in VET focused on performance/assessment, training delivery and learning supports, and engagement and satisfaction. 

Shift in teaching and learning - teaching becomes generating materials, configuring AI-mediated activities, overseeing supported environments, reducing workload. Learning becomes interacting with AI systems, personalise pathways and feedback. Knowledge changed to AI being a disruptor and contributor. 

Next steps - evidence -based AI pedagogical application in VET remains limted and uneven. Shift of focus from traditional forms of performance and assessment to learning embedding higher order skills, Ai literacy and fluency of VET and educators remains a 'black-box' There is a need for empirical studies in Australian VET. 

- The digital mirage: unmasking poser, compliance and neoliberal governance in online VET professional development  - Christopher Ward & Dr. Piper Rodd (Deakin University). Based on PhD on the value VET practitioners bring into professional development. Began with a context, shared emergent data and the 'AI gap' management 'efficiency' vs practitioner 'exclusion'. Analytical framework revolved around discourse around power and identity using Foucault framework on power, subjectification and the digital panopticon. Comparison between the mirage (rhetoric) and the reality (lived discourse) whereby online PD functions as a 'technology of neoliberal governance'. Detailed methodology with 12 participants (7 practitioners, 5 managers). Findings in the 'generic mirage' (professional diminishment, cycles of trends rather deep pedagogical development, compliance). Interpreted through Foucauldian lens and shared possibilities for moving forward. 

- Harnessing the power of problems for innovative VET course design - Steven Hodge, Natasha Arthars and Mike Keppell. Proposed the project as being a tryout for a post-competency Australian VET. The project drew on problem-based learning to develop a programme/micro-credential for a new/emerging technologies. The context of is in advanced manufacturing industry and the project through the TAFE NSW manufacturing centre of excellence. Involves higher apprenticeship, and also community driven strategies and targets key equity groups. 4 year project with TAFE, University and industry partnership. Project includes development of microskills, microcredentials, and higher apprenticeships (details at the centre site).

The research study undertook a literature synthesis, horizon scanning and semi-structured interviews with industry associations, SMEs, and TAFE head teachers. To find a generative advanced manufacturing problem for applied research (level5) for SMEs. Interative hermeneutic circle/spiral approach followed by thematic analysis of the data. Findings included shared contextual conditions that shaped the problem; three overarching problem areas - digital manufacturing, reverse engineering and mass customisation, resulting the problem frame of digital manufacturing as a shared problem domain for students to work through. 

Shared David Jonassen's (2011) analysis of problems for problem based learning includes 5 'external' characteristics - structuredness, context, complexity, dynamicity, and domain specificity. This framework is proposed as a way to frame the problem based learning approach. Working through these, provide one way to focus on the range of 'generic' skills attained through completing the problem based inquiry. Argued that applied research as pedagogy is viable. Students complete literature review, interviews, observations, descriptive statistics, and analysis. 

Next steps include upskilling TAFE teachers and then the students to carry through the project. Implications are that it is radical departure for VET curriculum and pedagogy (in Australia) PLB rather than competency; future focused rather that rooted in present and past; equips for uncertainty, change and emergent types of work; can intergrate with skill-based microcredentials to serve as capstone course, integrating and extending existing learning; recasts the VET educator ad facilitator of industry-based applied research. 

Networking for lunch follows. 

Thought provoking keynote, followed by contributions from the following speakers provide food for thought. A diverse range of presentations with a range of perspectives. 

AI in education - future we choose - Derek Wenmoth

 Derek Wenmoth summarises webinars he participated in on AI in education. Although written with the formalised school context in mind, many of the principles apply across educational levels and sectors.

Although AI is not new and has been around for decades, the arrival of LLMs provided a usable form of AI accessible to the masses. In Derek;s blog, he summarises the real tension between AI and education. For humans to be able to grow and develop as critical thinkers, requires effortful learning. AI replaces effort by providing the solution. Unlike calculators, who are often adjuncts that require human understanding to utilise (we need to put in correct numbers in a certain sequence to obtain responses), AI chatbots provide viable looking answers when asked to complete a task - say write a paragraph on xx.

Derek argues that the Aorearoa NZ school system, privileges learning as a form of economic asset. Hence, learners 'collect' credits rather and treasure the learning journey in itself. VET is not immune to this perspective. VET's primary objective is to prepare people for work. Therefore, students enrol with the purpose of attaining a qualification that will open opportunities for work. Never mind the learning required to actually meet qualification graduate outcomes! VET challenge is therefore to always prepare graduates for the world of work, and to ensure the student who does the work also does the learning.

The title of the webinars embedded into Derek's blog calls for 'AI , education and the futures we choose'. As educators, it is even more important now, to understand how learning occurs, can be supported for a diverse range of learners, and made engaging, and authentic. This challenge will not go away, AI is here to stay whether we like it or not. Pragmatic acceptance is not the way to meet the challenge. Instead, evidence-based and context-based understanding are keys to using AI in a careful and targeted way to support teachers, and learners/students to attain the critical thinking skills required to maintain humanness into the future. 

Irreplaceable: How AI changes everything (and nothing) in teaching and learning

This book 'Irreplaceable: How AI changes everything (and nothing) in teaching and learning, argues for a balanced view on AI and its application to education (mostly within the formalised schooling context).

It is authored by Maya Bialik and Peter Nilsson. 

After an introduction, presenting the background and rationale for the book, there are 7 chapters an an epilogue. The chapters are organised into 3 sections:

- For the teacher - to use AI as a research assistant, a planning assistant, and as a feedback assistant.

- For the students - using AI as a learning assistant, and a doing assistant.

- For the classroom - AI can be used as an adminstrative assistant, and teaching assistant/instructional coach.

The book celebrates the skills teachers bring, but also offers solutions and ideas as to how to deploy AI to support the processes of teaching, learning and classroom administration. Teachers' wisdom is of prime importance as they are the ones who need to orchestrate how AI can be used to support teaching and learning. It is important for teachers to have high AI literacy, so that the are able to make informed decisions on teaching and learning and the use of AI. All in, the book is a good addition to the AI in education literature, written for teachers by authors with a passion for teaching. 

Smart glasses - uses in vocational education

Smart glasses have been around for some time. However, they are expensive and have had many iterations with many tech companies providing various versions over the last decade. Last year, a flurry of activity generated renewed interest in smart glasses' potential. Despite a buggy official launch by meta, the Meta Ray-Ban glasses have had generally positive reviews. 

The glasses have been on sale September 30th in the US of A and early 2026 for other countries. 
Wi-Fi is required for Meta AI and importing media. However, you can still take photos and videos, listen to audio from your connected smartphone via Bluetooth, and check battery levels without Wi-Fi, though you'll need to connect to a phone's internet via cellular data to import captured media or use online features like Meta AI. 

Various spectacle companies have joint ventures with Meta and this could be the strategy that will bring smart glasses into the mainstream. Meta works with RayBan and Oakley to provide glasses across fashion categories. With Oakley, the target market is for sports and adventure, the Oakley Vanguard are sports glasses designed to be more durable and optimised for outdoor use. They connects to Garmin, extending the opportunities for outdoor real-time vlogging.

This youtube video reviews the Rayban and Oakley versions, landing on a mostly positive note.
JISC has published an overview of smart glasses and their potential in education. As with this previous article there arepros and cons for smart glasses. The JISC article undertakes a comparison of six smart glasses is undertaken. 

Overall, although the technology has been around for a while, the technical challenges 
are still presentand are being worked through. For vocational education, the integration of AI into smart glasses, 

along withAR/VR/MR need to be followed closely. The main deterrent at the moment is costs as it will 

be too costlyto equip an entire class with smart glasses in a workshop. Some trades workshops will also find 

WiFi a challenge to maintain when multimedia is being used across multiple devises. 

However, these technicaldifficulties do not mean we do not try things out. There are many other factors to 

work through, including aspects of practice-based learning safety considerations. 

We need to keep an eye on the costs of smart glasses and as they hopefully become more accessible from a 

cost perspective, be ready to pilot them.

Inquiry in action: Using AI to reimagine learning and teaching: Case studies from the frontline of Higher Education practice

 This open access book, collates a series of case studies from the University of Queensland on 'Using AI to reimagine learning and teaching: case studies from the frontline of higher education practice.

It is edited by Rachel Fitzgerald. 

The book begins with an introduction from the editor, followed by 12 chapters. There are 11 'case studies' with a final collation of themes chapter. 

There are chapters on AI literacy (chapter 1); ethics (chapters 2 and 3); inclusiveness (chapter 4); subject-specific chapters (1 - health, 4 - dentistry, 5 - dietetics, 8,10 -economics/business); inquiry-based learning (chapter 6); Critical thinking (chapter 7); web/mobile development (chapter 9); with application of relevant pedagogy across most of the chapters.

Useful for providing examples of the may ways in which Gen AI can be integrated into learning activities. Discipline/subject examples help our teachers visualise possibilities. 

ATAIN - #3 presentation for 2026 - Dr. Brendan Sheridan on 'old problems, new tech

Today's presentation is from Dr Brendan Sheridan, Teaching and Learning Developer from Te Puna Ako - Centre for Tertiary Teaching and Learning, University of Waikato.

The abstract is: This talk discusses the various factors driving use of Generative AI by students, in particular unauthorised use of Generative AI. It applies an adapted framework of Unified Technology Utilisation and Acceptance Theory 2 proposed by Bouteraa et al., 2024 and compares it to the Academic Integrity Motivation framework of Murdock and Anderman (2006)

Presented on 'motivation factors for Gen Ai use in tertiary education. Covered the framework above (Bouteraa et al.); overviewed more literature along with student engagement along these parameters. The moved to Murdock & Anderman and the case study at UoW.

Summarised the UTAUT & UTAUT2 which is a large framework. Bouteraa et al's driving factors for understanding the diffusion of Gen AI. The second framework on motivators for using Gen AI is tighter and more aligned to Gen AI.

Moved to short review of the literature (6 readings). Themes include Gen Ai being easier to get into then previous AI tools; media commentary and social discussion about Gen AI increase student's willingness to use it. With educational self-efficacy, use of AI connected to a sense of succeeding academically. Some use it as a reflective tool and refine thinking. However, solid disciplinary knowledge needed to use Gen AI effectively. In technological self-efficacy, many ways to use it positively - improved productivity, ability to synthesise content etc. Risks of privacy and transparency acknowledged.

Personal anxiety picked up - performance academic anxiety drives adoption of Gen Ai tools, however, academic integrity affected. Perceptions that Gen Ai use is unethical, this leads t cautious adoption of AI, overly embracing AI content lead to assuming students used AI for assessments, and sceptical students avoiding AI altogether.

In general, contextual and individual influences may push students towards breeching academic integrity.

Commonalities between the frameworks are that the purpose, is weighed up with can it be used and the costs of being caught.

UoW case study (Fester, 2025) on taught Masters programme. Some came from work where Gen AI was used. Students co-constructed AI policy with lecturer. 50% used Gen AI to complete assignments. 74% of students completed the survey.

Awareness of AI and integrity through co-construction of the Ai policy. Students felt well supported and appreciated importance of Gen AI in future work and learning. Various tools were used - Chat GPT, Copilot, Grammarly, Deep Seek. Used to explain concepts, check grammar/spelling, improve / proof read writing, summarise readings, draft communications.

Student perceptions indicate academic integrity policies on their own are insufficient. Saw Gen AI as cognitive/research assistant. Used critical engagement to filter information. Aware of limitations and challenges. Perceived that lecturers need to rethink assessments. Inconsistent messaging across programme on use of AI. 

In general the students' motivation factors was on performance, effort and social dimensions. There was awareness of Gen Ai limitation, critical engagement with AI, inconsistent messaging across programme alleviated by lecturer and awareness of academic integrity and understanding the inappropriate use of Gen AI.

Moved to teaching and instructional design response a UoW. Shared the factors around staff engagement and the active PD provided to support lecturers and impacts on self; and across the university. 

Considerations for the future: Bouteraa et al framework useful towards understand students' motivation. Motivation and use are not the same. important to mitigate users' anxiety; integrity not only around use but to support student's appropriate use of AI; external factors like user training and clear assignment instructions can help mitigate ideas for self-efficacy and alleviate user anxiety. 

Q & A followed. 

Microsoft Copilot - supporting research

 This article, was published mid-2025, providing an overview of the impact of Copilot researcher and analyst agents on work. 

Having now used both for 6 months plus, my take on these two agents, is that they can be useful, but need to used with care. 

1) working out what is to be done is important. Responses from researcher or analyst agents, arise through the prompts provided. Careful structuring of prompts is therefore essential in obtaining the types of actions required. Otherwise, researcher may go off topic quite easily.

2) providing context is important and delimiting the researcher/analyse agents to specific papers, websites or attachments help ringfence the direction of responses.

3) using the prompt writing agent in Copilot can be useful for tightening prompts.

4) ensuring that 'work or 'web' is selected, along with depth of responses (auto, quick, think deeper) helps again to ensure responses fit expectations.

5) Triangulation is always required, to check the validity of the responses. Limiting resources also help to save time, so that triangulation is restricted and does not have to go all over the place.

6) Draw on the advantages of AI. Summarising key points, comparison of key points across papers/sites, drilling deeper to extend insights, providing 'neutral' perspectives on conceptualisations, frameworks etc.

7) be aware of 'cognitive debt' / 'cognitive atrophy' and how this can come about very easily when your critical thinking is replaced by AI doing the work. You still need to read deeply, cogitate, make your own judgements and come up with your own synthesis. Then use AI to cross check these and see if it provides other insights which are viable.

8) Continue to learn how to manage AI to draw on it's ability to automate some research processes. The key is to use AI as a thinking partner, not to replace your own effortful thinking.