Technical And Further Education Research Articles

LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA

The article examines and analyses legislative support of higher education in Australia and compares it with the educational legislation of Ukraine. It is defined that Australia is a federal country and its education legislation is provided by the National and State Governments. The national government develops the national education policy and substantiates its guiding principles. The federal government is responsible for funding higher education and provides additional funding to the states. State and territory governments control all aspects of education except universities. The laws in this country are effective. In education, they are focused on improving the quality of professional training, forming such competences of higher education students that employers expect and that are appropriate for workplaces. Higher education in Australia is provided by universities and colleges, as well as institutions of the state-controlled TAFE (Technical and Further Education) system. Universities in Australia provide theoretical training for higher education applicants. Vocational education, focused on the development of specific skills for activities in a specific workplace, is provided by TAFE institutions. Their programmes are developed in partnership with business and industry communities. 
 In addition to the public TAFE system, there are also private vocational colleges. The legislative framework of higher education in Australia includes: Australian Education Act, Higher Education Act, Higher Education Support Act, Australian Qualifications Framework, Training Packages.
 The latter outline the standards of professional skills that can be used to train and assess the competences of education seekers. Training Packages were developed in the process of national consultations with industry. Their goals are to determine the match between the demand for qualifications and the supply; encourage the development of a flexible and relevant workforce and training; ensure national recognition of professional and technical training results; support people in the choice of education and career.

The role of technology in assessment, documentation, and tracking of clinical competencies in radiography education

The role of technology in assessment, documentation, and tracking of clinical competencies in radiography education

Nursing degree students’ clinical placement experiences in Australia: A survey design

AimThis study aimed to evaluate Australian nursing students’ views of placements at seven tertiary education institutions with the use of the Placement Evaluation Tool (PET). BackgroundClinical placements are a core element of healthcare education programs around the world (Chuan and Barnett, 2012) with undergraduate nursing students required to complete a prescribed number of hours as part of their degree. The quality of nursing clinical placements varies with a range of positive and negative learning experiences. DesignA survey design was used with a contemporary survey tool– the Placement Evaluation Tool (PET). Using Qualtrics software (Qualtrics, 2005) the on-line survey was distributed to approximately 6265 undergraduate nursing students at six Australian universities and one Technical and Further Education (TAFE) college where Bachelor of Nursing degree students were enrolled. Three Australian States were covered. Sites were selected where a project team member was employed. MethodsA total of 1263 nursing students completed the Placement Evaluation Tool (PET) − 19 items (rated 1–5), one global rating (rated 1–10) − following placement in three Australian States (July 2019−February 2020). Most - 618 (48.9%) completed a placement in acute care with placements positively rated overall. ResultsThe total PET mean score was 78.3% with 29.8% being ‘extremely satisfied’ (10 out of 10 – Item 20). However, 11.0% were dissatisfied with global ratings of four or less, whilst ratings between States differed significantly (p = <0.001). One third of respondents answered a free text statement relating to placement experiences, with significantly more comments from older students (p = <0.001) and from those with ratings in the lower range (p = <0.001). Three core themes emerged: 1. Staff Attitudes to Students, 2. Environment and 3. Lifestyle. ConclusionsWhilst students’ clinical experiences in Australia tend to be positive a minority reported exposure to negative staff attitudes, in unsafe environments, with lifestyle detriments. Further work is required to understand and enhance student experiences.

The prevalence of psychological distress in an Australian TAFE sample and the relationships between psychological distress, emotion-focused coping and academic success

ABSTRACT Objective This study investigated the baseline prevalence of general psychological distress reported by students in a regional Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Institute in Australia. In addition, the relationship between psychological distress, emotion-focused coping and academic success at the end of one semester of study was explored. Method Three hundred and four participants (M = 32.00, SD = 13.12) completed measures of psychological distress (Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale, 21 item) and emotion-focused coping (Coping in Stressful Situations Checklist). Academic success (i.e., module completion rate at the end of the semester) was also quantified. Results Consistent with university samples, the results suggest that TAFE students have higher levels of psychological distress when compared with normative data. Participants with higher levels of distress also reported applying emotion-focused coping strategies, and had reduced academic success at the end of the semester. The relationship between distress and academic success was mediated by emotion-focused coping. Conclusions This study serves to increase awareness about the possibility of an elevated prevalence of psychological distress in vocational TAFE students, their self-reported use of maladaptive emotion-focused coping strategies, and the relationship with academic outcomes. The findings also suggest potential targets for intervention with this population. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) Recent research indicates that Australian tertiary students have a higher prevalence of psychological distress than the general population. (2) Psychological distress has been found to be associated with poorer academic outcomes and the application of less adaptive coping strategies. (3) The majority of research has been conducted using university samples, and minimal research has been undertaken in the Vocational Education and Training sector, despite its prominence in Australian post-secondary education. What this study adds: (1) Consistent with research conducted in university samples, this study indicated that a sample of TAFE students reported higher levels of psychological distress when compared with normative data. (2) Higher levels of distress were associated with the application of emotion-focused coping strategies, as well as reduced academic success at the end of the semester. (3) The relationship between psychological distress and academic success was mediated by emotion-focused coping.

Uptake of Proactively Offered Online and Telephone Support Services Targeting Multiple Health Risk Behaviors Among Vocational Education Students: Process Evaluation of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundA high proportion of vocational education students smoke tobacco, have inadequate nutrition (ie, low fruit and vegetable intake), drink alcohol at risky levels, or are physically inactive. The extent to which vocational education students will sign up for proactively offered online and telephone support services for multiple health risk behaviors is unknown.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to examine the uptake of proactively offered online and telephone support services for smoking, nutrition, alcohol consumption, and physical activity risk behaviors, individually and in combination, among vocational education students in the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) setting. The characteristics associated with the uptake of online or telephone services for smoking, nutrition, alcohol consumption, and physical activity risk behaviors were also examined.MethodsVocational education students enrolled in a TAFE class in New South Wales, Australia, which ran for 6 months or more, were recruited to participate in a cluster randomized controlled trial from May 2018 to May 2019. In the intervention arm, participants who did not meet the Australian health guidelines for each of the smoking, nutrition, alcohol consumption, and physical activity risk behaviors were provided electronic feedback and proactively offered online and telephone support services. Uptake of support was measured by whether participants signed up for the online and telephone services they were offered.ResultsVocational education students (N=551; mean age 25.7 years, SD 11.1; 310/551, 56.3% male) were recruited into the intervention arm. Uptake of the proactive offer of either online or telephone services was 14.5% (59/406) for fruit and vegetables, 12.7% (29/228) for physical activity, 6.8% (13/191) for smoking, and 5.5% (18/327) for alcohol use. Uptake of any online or telephone service for at least two health behaviors was 5.8% (22/377). Participants who were employed (odds ratio [OR] 0.10, 95% CI 0.01-0.72) and reported not being anxious (OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.71) had smaller odds of signing up for online or telephone services for smoking, whereas participants who reported not being depressed had greater odds (OR 10.25, 95% CI 1.30-80.67). Participants who intended to change their physical activity in the next 30 days had greater odds (OR 4.01, 95% CI 1.33-12.07) of signing up for online or telephone services for physical activity. Employed participants had smaller odds (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.06-0.56) of signing up for support services for at least two behaviors.ConclusionsAlthough the uptake of proactively offered online and telephone support services is low, these rates appear to be higher than the self-initiated use of some of these services in the general population. Scaling up the proactive offer of online and telephone services may produce beneficial health outcomes.Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12618000723280; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=375001.

West Java’s Fashion Diplomacy to South Australia: A Model of Sister Province Cooperation

Sister Province is a concept that describes inter sub-national cooperation from two different countries. West Java Province, as one of the three provinces with the largest population in Indonesia, has built a Sister Province cooperation with South Australia. This Sister Province cooperation has been established from 1997 and revitalized during the leadership of the 14th Governor of West Java, Ahmad Heryawan, in 2015. The revitalization of West-South-South Java cooperation began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) containing work plans in both regions in various fields. In the MoU, West Java and South Australia collaborated in the arts and culture, which is related to the modest fashion. The realization of the West Java and South Australia Sister Province was the cooperation of Bandung Islamic Fashion Institute (IFI) as the first Muslim fashion school in Indonesia, and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) as vocational schools and training in South Australia. This study uses the paradiplomacy theory and the sister province concept as analytical tools. The research was conducted to know how the process and the implementation of IFI and TAFE cooperation as a form of Sister Province Cooperation. The research method used is descriptive qualitative research with literature studies. This research resulted in the cooperation of the Sister Province of West Java-South Australia through IFI and TAFE running quite well, namely by the realization of scientific exchanges and fashion show collaborations between the two institutions. However, other cooperation plans have not been realized and require both parties and the government to assist in the preparation of realization and achieve effective and profitable cooperation.

WHEN DISABILITY SERVICE OFFICERS BECOME STREET-LEVEL ADVOCATES IN QUEENSLAND TECHNICAL AND FURTHER EDUCATION CONTEXTS THROUGH ARISTOTLE’S NICOMACHEAN ETHICS

&lt;p&gt;Aristotle, The Grand Master of Philosophy and Literature, developed many theories relating to inequality which remain relevant in this current millennium. This qualitative study examined the role of Disability Service Officers (DSOs) in Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and explored their approach to students with dyslexia using Aristotelian theory. This case study used semi-structured interviews in five TAFE Colleges within Australia. A foundational theory of Street-Level Advocates emerged from the DSOs interactions with adult students with dyslexia. Disability Service Officers interactions aligned with Aristotle's philosophy of Nicomachean Ethics; and knowledge, thinking, and ethics of humanity, whilst practicing good deeds. Aristotle’s theory plays an integral part of this research, as he provides knowledge of good deeds, not unlike DSOs in TAFE.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0656/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Brief Report: What Happens After School? Exploring Post-school Outcomes for a Group of Autistic and Non-autistic Australian Youth.

Young autistic Australians are less likely to attend higher education and have lower employment rates than non-autistic Australians (in: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Survey of disability, ageing and carers Australia: Summary of Findings 2018. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra, 2019a). Few studies have examined post-school outcomes among this population. Using data from the first phase of a national longitudinal study including autistic (n = 79) and non-autistic (n = 107) 17-25-year olds, we found young autistic adults were (a) less likely to be employed, (b) more likely to attend technical and further education (TAFE) than university, (c) more likely to enrolin higher education on a part-time basis and (d) less likely to be engaged in both higher education and employment, than their non-autistic peers. Findings highlight a need tounderstand post-school trajectories of young autistic adults.

A degree is a degree? The impact of elite universities on colleges offering degrees

The provision of bachelor degrees in technical and further education (TAFE) institutes in Australia, further education (FE) colleges in England, and community colleges (CCs) in Canada and the Unite...

Dominant Factors for an Effective Selection System: An Australian Education Sector Perspective

With the latest advancements in information technologies, many organisations expect systems to provide effective support in the recruitment process and decision making. However, there is a lack of clarity on the dominant factors required for an effective recruitment system which can influence business outcomes. This paper aimed to identify the predominant factors in the employee selection process and the use of a management system for decision support. The empirical study consisted of a qualitative survey of 74 samples and a quantitative survey of 204 individual participants from 17 organisations coming from technical and further education (TAFE)/dual education (higher education and vocational education) sector members of the Victorian TAFE Association in Australia. Using commonly adopted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of 38 variables, the data triangulation of the qualitative and quantitative analysis resulted in conformance of five dominant factors under three themes. We believe the results of the study offer actionable suggestions in developing an effective recruitment system and furthers the research in this field of study.

WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF DYSLEXIA AND MEARES-IRLEN SYNDROME IN ADULT VOCATIONAL STUDENTS?

This exploration found that six of the 22 adult students with dyslexia presented with Meares Irlen Syndrome (MIS). This comorbidity was diagnosed in 27% of participants. Several adult students have no diagnosis of MIS, yet had symptoms of this condition. There was evidence that a further ten participants exhibited symptoms; some had a reaction to light when using computers; others had migraines when reading books or doing other visual work, and others had difficulty concentrating on written work for more than one hour. It is a quandary for educators who support adult students with dyslexia, in preparing lesson plans for inclusion when there is limited research in the field of education and MIS. In this social constructionist study, 22 diagnosed adult students with dyslexia were interviewed within five Queensland Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Institutes/Colleges, regarding their reading and literacy abilities. Article visualizations:

The power of digital: workplace tools to modernise safety compliance

Jobs and industries around the globe are following the Darwinist model of needing to adapt to change for survival. A high proportion of the next generation entering colleges, technical and further education (TAFE) and universities today are preparing for jobs and tasks that do not exist yet. Recent technological advancements have meant that some industries and workforces are at risk of being left behind. With national and international safety regulations getting increasingly strict and competition tightening, the importance of maintaining a modern workplace and workforce to comply with safety procedures has never been more apparent. The oil and gas industry is one such field where safety audit, compliance and effective inspection are paramount. With considerable industry regulations, standards and checks, it is imperative that there are good systems in place. Implementing mobile technology is fast becoming the universal solution within the oil and gas industry to ensuring effective management and thorough compliance.

The long and winding road: Experiences of students entering university through transition programs

This article presents outcomes of two studies which focus on the lived experience of transition by students entering higher education in NSW (New South Wales), Australia, from two divergent pathways: Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and a university based enabling program. The studies intersect in two fundamental ways. First, the theoretical foundations (Mezirow’s Transformational Learning Theory and Bourdieu’s Social Capital Theory) which emphasise the role of habits of mind and the habitus respectively in an individual’s life. Second, both studies have identified the primacy of the contribution of education to changing notions of self. The studies have found that successful students reappraise and reimagine their self-identity inclusive of possible future selves. The studies reject deterministic and often deficit models of socio-cultural influences on self-concept, and instead embrace the perspective that adult learning can not only realise, but also build upon latent capabilities, and ultimately that it is an empowering experience for many transitioning students.

Making a Difference: Dyslexia and Social Identity in Educational Contexts

Dyslexia is known as a Learning Disability (LD), a reading disability and a neurological disability; yet there is confusion about dyslexia and the associated support required in learning. Challenges are experienced by adult students with dyslexia in both social and organisational contexts. This study explored the life experiences of adult students with dyslexia, in Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Colleges in Australia. The shift from a prior negative self‐perception to a current positive social identity in adult students with dyslexia can be developed through key supporting relationships and interactions in educational institutions.

Pathways to performance: an examination of entry pathway and first-year university results

Although diversity at universities has increased dramatically over the past 150 years, many groups are still under-represented relative to their proportion in the general population. Initiatives to improve diversity have included the increased use of entry pathways other than direct admission from secondary school. As admissions via these alternative entry routes have increased, concerns have grown that alternative-entry students are not well prepared for university study. Here, we describe the outcomes for students entering university via one alternative entry pathway and compare them with those of students entering from secondary school. We used quantile regression with restricted cubic splines to examine the relationship between secondary school performance (quantified by the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank; ATAR), pathway of entry to university, and performance during first year university. Entry pathway significantly affects the conditional distribution of first-year marks. Outstanding performance is largely confined to students entering university from secondary school (Year 12 entry), rather than from an institution for technical and further education (TAFE). Concomitantly, for any given ATAR, the risk of failure is higher amongst Year 12 entry students than among TAFE entry students. The results have substantial implications for changes in admission criteria and for the public funding of universities.

Australian teacher education: inside-out, outside-in, backwards and forwards?

Teacher Education in Australia seems to be in a dynamic and constant cycle of review and change. Policy governing teacher education has also been eminently changeable and dynamic. To some extent this stems from three year terms for governments where a short term and expedient political view is taken. There has also been ongoing centre-periphery tension between the Commonwealth government and the State governments regarding regulation and accreditation of teacher education programmes with there now being regulatory bodies at both national (Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership – AITSL) and state levels. Despite all of this, teacher education is still the butt of ongoing criticism and investigation and is now more highly regulated than ever. Since teacher education occurs within a university context, with the exception of that which is offered through some private providers or some Technical and Further Education (TAFE) providers, it is also at the whim of government funding policies impacting universities generally.

オーストラリア職業教育訓練教員の資格要件 : 専門技術継続教育機関(TAFE)の高等教育段階に着目して

オーストラリア職業教育訓練教員の資格要件 : 専門技術継続教育機関(TAFE)の高等教育段階に着目して

Adult literacy provision and social class: Australian contexts

Adult literacy provision began in Australia during a radical education era in the 1970s, and yet in recent decades, social class as a construct has been largely absent in the academic literature on adult literacy. We argue however that social class is essential to understanding adult literacy provision and furthermore that working class people have not been well served by this provision since the time literacy assumed enhanced status as human capital from the 1990s. We make our case through asking and responding to questions relating to the social class backgrounds of students and their teachers, how people are assessed to need literacy, what is taught, who undertakes research and who influences adult literacy policy. At the macro, structural level of analysis, we discuss the influence on adult literacy provision of the ruling class agendas of international agencies (i.e. the OECD) and national agencies representing capital. At the meso level, we discuss how the main adult literacy provider, technical and further education (TAFE) has failed to meet the adult literacy needs of working class students due to neo-liberal reforms. And at the micro, classroom level, we discuss some implications of class disparities between adult literacy teachers and their students.

Trading places: The impact and outcomes of market reform in vocational education and training

In 1990, Australian governments embarked upon a radical policy experiment to create an ‘open training market’, comprising public Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and private providers. The idea that vocational education and training could be traded in a marketplace, with provision subject to market forces and competition between public and private providers, was unthinkable for most at the time. Underwritten by government, TAFE had been the dominant post-school provider of trade and technical training, and ‘second chance’ education for disadvantaged groups since the early 1970s. From the early 1990s, however, vocational education and training was progressively redesigned within a market framework, and TAFE institutes have since been required to compete with private providers for government funding on a more ‘level playing field’. Justified by policy makers solely on the basis of economic theory, the construction of an ‘open training market’ has proceeded in the absence of any evidential support, and on the untested assumption that market-based competition produces better outcomes than government planning and coordination. Despite the unprecedented nature and potential implications of marketisation, ‘So far the great change in education has been undertheorised and under-investigated’ (Marginson 1999, p.229), not least in relation to vocational education and training. To rectify the knowledge deficit and promote informed policy debate, this thesis investigates and evaluates the impact and outcomes of market reforms in vocational education and training from a national perspective. The conceptual and evaluation framework for the thesis integrates the theory of ‘quasi-markets’ (Le Grand and Bartlett 1993) with insights and resources from the fields of political economy and the sociology of education policy. The thesis comprises a review of local and international literature on market reform in the public sector, particularly vocational education and training; an examination of the Australian policy, financial and regulatory framework for vocational education and training markets; an analysis of national data on student participation and finances; an investigation of the structure, composition and dynamics of the quasi-market for vocational education and training; and an evaluation of the operation and effects of market reform, with special emphasis on the two main market mechanisms of competitive tendering and ‘user choice’. The thesis employs a quantitative research methodology, and the main data collection instrument is a survey administered to a stratified sample of 2,581 public and private providers across Australia. The findings indicate that market reform in vocational education and training has produced mixed outcomes. Client choice, provider flexibility, and responsiveness to employers and private fee-paying clients have increased. But efficiency gains are questionable and the quality of educational provision, responsiveness to publicly subsidised students, and access and equity for disadvantaged groups appear to have declined. On balance, the costs appear to outweigh the benefits of market reform. The research also finds that, as a result of marketisation, TAFE and private providers are trading places with respect to organisational identity, values, priorities and income sources, with private providers becoming more dependent on government funds and TAFE institutes less so. Overall, the research casts doubt on the efficacy and desirability of markets in vocational education and training, and raises questions about their potentially adverse consequences from a public interest perspective. Policy alternatives are discussed, and areas for further research are proposed. The thesis concludes by arguing the need for a more creative and judicious mix of state planning and market forces; one that serves the needs and interests of all stakeholders and preserves the distinctive character and mission of the public TAFE sector. However in the wake of more recent market reforms, as discussed in the epilogue to the thesis, TAFE’s market share and financial base have shrunk to the point where its future viability is now in question.

Two dimensional efficiency measurements in vocational education

PurposeIn Australia, the vocational education and training (VET) sector accounts for approximately A$8 billion of public spending, of which around A$6.6 billion is spent on government providers that include Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes. The TAFE institutes in Australia are large, public VET providers, generally funded and managed by state government. Measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of TAFE institutes is of great interest to policy makers, regulators, consumers and to the institutions themselves. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachIn this study the authors use data relating to student cohort demographics, institutional characteristics and educational outcome data, while employing stochastic frontier analysis, to develop two distinct efficiency measures and models. The first model examines institutional efficiency in the transformation of financial resources into teaching loads. The second model evaluates efficiency in the transformation of institutional resources into post-study employment outcomes. K-means cluster analysis is used to establish groupings of similar institutes and subsequent canonical discriminant analysis is employed to develop a typology of these clusters.FindingsIn both models the authors find significant inefficiencies in the Australian TAFE system. The relationship between both efficiency measures is then assessed. While there is no direct linear relationship, a distinct pattern could be detected. Finally the authors develop a typology of efficient institutions.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing research by defining efficiency in vocational education in two distinct ways and by the utilisation of the derived efficiencies in the development of a typology of efficient institutes. In doing so, this research makes an original contribution to the understanding of the drivers of efficiency in vocational education.