TAFE NSW Teaching and Learning Colloquium
Networking and sharing our strengths in teaching
and learning
30 March 2006
On 30 March over 100 TAFE teachers and managers met at the Mercure Hotel Sydney Airport to have strategic conversations about workplace learning and industry partnerships in the context of VET pedagogy – and how to continue these strategic conversations.
Chair of the NSW TAFE Commission Board, Ms Sandra Yates, AO, quoted Rebecca West: ‘There is no such thing as conversation. There are only intersecting monologues’ as a starting point for her keynote address. She questioned this stance and explored the possibilities and power of purposeful, ongoing communication and conversation, and that how conversation must be more than intersecting monologues. It needs to grow each participant ’s knowledge and understanding and expand this into a larger vision for more effective action that takes our thinking and actions forward.
‘The opportunity to voice our strengths and weaknesses of our organisation and to provoke thinking as to how to achieve strong and rewarding partnerships with industry.’
‘Gave me an increase in understanding of issues TAFE is faced with today – which was great as a newly recruited staff member.’
‘Thank you for the opportunity to ask the hard questions and even though I don’t have answers for them all at this time I feel better equipped to handle what is ahead with innovative thought and renewed enthusiasm.’
‘Cafe conversations are a great way to engage people. There was a lot of energy in the room. Someone recently suggested cafe conversations at a college level. Now I know how they are run I will take it back. ‘
‘The Colloquium allowed us to voice our strengths and weaknesses as an organisation and provoked thinking on how to achieve strong and rewarding partnerships with industry.’
‘It’s all very well to have a conversation but it must be heard.’
- Comments from Colloquium Participants
What conversations? Who with?
The colloquium engaged participants in large and small groups, one to one, and in speed conversations.
Through conversation, participants and organisers sought to frame key questions around the themes of workplace learning and industry engagement within the context of VET pedagogy.
They also explored how best to capture the learning from the day, so that the conversations could continue, with many participants keen to have further conversation in their own workplaces and Institutes.
A Broadcast Room provided computers and access to a blog site (see the link below), as well as poster spaces for recording learning using a message in a bottle metaphor – message to myself, message to my workmates, message to my Director. This was used enthusiastically by both individuals and participants sending messages to their Directors, their teaching section or work unit, and to themselves as triggers to carrying their learning into their workplaces.
Take Away messages…
Here are some of the key message and themes that emerged on the day:
- We need to approach industry to find out what they are wanting for their employees and adapt to their needs.
- We can learn from others who are undertaking the same shift from college based learning to workplace learning.
- Where are our part-time teachers? We want to include our part time teachers in planning for the future. They are in industry!
-
We need to reward/celebrate and encourage staff to develop relationships
in industry. - Learners need content (online/f2f/workplace) as well as contact with other learners, with their facilitators and with their employers to feel supported to learn. (This is not new information but sometimes we forget.)
- Further education is at crossroads – 2 pathways. We need to choose between adapting to what industry tells us what we need to do or be (reactive) and take the lead and be a change agent and learning organisation showing other RTO’s the way forward (proactive)
Conversations, networking, sharing ideas and learning from others’ experiences
worked well on the day. What will the impact be back in the workplaces and
the wider community and industry relationships?
What’s next?
Another Colloquium will be held next semester after the TAFE NSW ICVET Learning Powerhouse Conference in VET Teaching and Learning Practice.
Perhaps next time there should be a hotline metaphor following from the message in the bottle to ensure direct communication to the key staff!!
See also
Introduction
to the Day, Maret Staron,
Manager, TAFE NSW ICVET
Keynote
Address, Ms Sandra Yates, AO, NSW TAFE Commission Board
Key
Questions formulated by participants
Read the Messages in a Bottle on the Colloquium Blog, and you may wish to add your own.
See the Colloquium page for pre-reading, related articles and slideshow more >>
2006 TAFE NSW Learning Powerhouse Conference – Switched on to work
