International Research Snapshot
RESEARCH SNAPSHOT | Marjan Mckeough , Senior Librarian, ETIS (Education and Training Information Service) Centre for Learning & Innovation, DET
The ETIS intranet is available to TAFE NSW staff.
This eZine feature is brought to you by ETIS - the Department of Education and Training’s Education and Training Information Service. ETIS manages the NSW Vocational Education and Training Database linking in with the national vocational education database managed by NCVER. They are excellently placed and qualified to identify and share with us these key, recent reports and articles with particular relevance to VET teaching and learning. (Ed)
Workplace learning and assessment
Clifford, Jackie; Thorpe, Sara, More ways than one ... exploring the use of different learning methods in organizations, Industrial and commercial training, v. 39, no. 5, 2007. pp. 267-271
This paper seeks to give an overview of different methods to learning and development within an organization. It aims to promote the idea that, in many situations, learning derived from every day organizational activity is often more robust and meaningful than that gained from attendance at a training course. Experience of learning and development across several organizations, including private, public and not-for-profit, provided the study with evidence that, despite theoretical acceptance of the value of flexible approaches to learning, there is still a strong reliance on the use of training courses as the primary method of learning. The key to achieving a competent and skilled staff group is to select the right learning method for the right person at the right time.
Velada, Raquel et al, The effects of training design, individual characteristics and work environment on transfer of training, International journal of training and development, v. 11, no. 4, December 2007. pp. 282-294
This study aims to gain insight into some of the factors that determine the transfer of training to the work context. The present research examined the relationship between three types of predictors on transfer of training, including training design, individual characteristics and work environment. The results indicated that transfer design, performance self-efficacy, training retention and performance feedback were significantly related to transfer of training. Contrary to expectation, supervisory support was not significantly related to transfer of training. These results suggest that in order to enhance transfer of training, organizations should design training that gives trainees the ability to transfer learning, reinforces the trainee's beliefs in their ability to transfer, ensures the training content is retained over time and provides appropriate feedback regarding employee job performance following training activities.
Bauer, Johannes; Gruber, Hans, Workplace changes and workplace learning: advantages of an educational micro perspective, International journal of lifelong education, v. 26, no. 6, November-December 2007. pp. 675-688
This paper analyses a macro and a micro perspective on changes in the workplace in relation to workplace learning. It critically evaluates what kind of phenomena both perspectives can account for. Research from a macro perspective focuses on changes in economy or on organisational change. It helps to explore the role of lifelong learning and workplace learning in society as well as to define required competences in different professions. Research from a micro perspective focuses on individual reactions to changes in one's own workplace. It helps to explain how changes in daily work affect knowledge and skills on the individual or group level. It is argued that the micro perspectives is advantageous if educational goals are pursued which aim at fostering workplace learning and competence development. Examples from empirical research illustrate the potential of a micro perspective on workplace changes and workplace learning.
Aldridge, Fiona et al, Practice makes perfect: a NIACE briefing on learning at work, Leicester, U.K.: NIACE, 2007. 12 p.
The central findings of the NIACE annual survey on learning at work 2007 pose challenges for current Government skills policy. Whilst the Government lays stress on securing qualifications for people at work, the NIACE survey shows an overwhelming preference for less formal ways of learning to improve job performance. The British preference for informal ways of learning remains deeply ingrained, and Government should recognise this by encouraging a culture of learning and reflective practice in workplaces, alongside the drive to secure an increasingly qualified workforce. This document focuses on responsibility for learning and development and improving job performance through learning.
Fuller, Alison et al, Creating and using knowledge: an analysis of the differentiated nature of workplace learning environment, British educational research journal, v. 33, no. 5, October 2007. pp. 743-759
This paper argues that contemporary workplaces give rise to many different forms of knowledge creation and use. Some of these are utilised to the benefit of the organisation and employees but others are buried within everyday workplace activity. By studying the way in which work is organised (including the organisation of physical and virtual spaces), this research is suggesting that it is possible to expose some of the learning activity as well as to identify examples where new (or refined) knowledge has been created. It is argued that it is important to break down conceptual hierarchies that presuppose that learning is restricted to certain types of employee and/or parts of an organisation and to re-examine knowledge as applied to the workplace.
Yandell, John and Turvey, Anne, Standards or communities of practice?: competing models of workplace learning and development, British educational research journal, v. 33, no. 4, August 2007. pp. 533-550
Drawing on interview data derived from two case studies of teachers in their first year in the profession, this article examines the difficulties that confront new teachers as they move from a Postgraduate Certificate in Education course into their first teaching post. It questions the value of those discursive practices, promulgated by the Teacher Training Agency through 'Qualifying to teach', that construct teaching as a set of discrete competences or standards, and argues that Lave and Wenger's (1991) concepts of legitimate peripheral participation and communities of practice are useful tools with which to analyse the sociocultural complexity of the new teachers' experiences.
Learning for and in the workplace, National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy (NRDC), London: NRDC, 2007. 6 p
Possessing and developing the skills necessary to enter employment, perform work tasks well and progress at work is critically important. It is essential for individuals if they are to improve their life chances, capabilities and livelihood. And it is vital to ensuring that the UK develops to secure its place as a world-class modern economy, based on the high calibre skills and knowledge of its workforce. Successfully developing better skills, knowledge and capabilities for all types of work means vocational and occupationally-specific learning must be based on strong foundations of literacy, numeracy and spoken communication. The workplace is the best site for many people to develop their literacy and numeracy skills, develop the motivation and confidence to persist with learning, and get on better at work. Workplace learning is best placed to reflect, and quickly respond to, the needs of employers, unions and employees.
New OECD activity on recognition of non-formal and informal learning: country background report: Ireland, Dublin: National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, 2007. 75 p.
This draft country background report on the recognition of non-formal and informal learning in Ireland has been completed as part of an OECD activity on the 'Recognition of Non-formal and informal learning' (2006-2008) in which Ireland participates. The report was drafted in 2006/07 by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland with the assistance of an Advisory Group and, in particular, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the Further Education and Training Awards Council. The aim of this report is to document and review the current scenario with regard to the recognition of prior informal and non-formal learning insofar as it relates to qualifications. It describes in detail the existing policy with regard to the recognition of prior informal and non-formal learning and the technical and procedural arrangements that have been put in place by Irish institutions and other actors in the area to facilitate such recognition.
Connolly, Michael; Jones, Catherine; Jones, Norah, Managing collaboration across further and higher education: a case in practice, Journal of further and higher education, v. 31, no. 2, May 2007. pp.159 -169
This article captures the different perspectives of those involved in a collaborative project which implemented an e-learning initiative with higher education and further education institutions in partnership. The initial part of the article provides context and considers some of the debates in the literature on collaboration. The focus of the article is a case study which critically examines the experiences of one project. The project was an excellent staff development experience for many staff, enabling them to see the potential of e-learning. The case study also raised concerns for the future development of the project, namely equality, resources, communication between all groups, technology infrastructure and course development.
Success through excellence: a quality improvement strategy for the further education and training system in Northern Ireland, Belfast: Dept for Employment and Learning, 2007. 23 p.
The Northern Ireland Dept for Employment and Learning (DEL) seeks to guarantee that the education, training and skills provision it funds is of excellent quality, and that those who provide these services on its behalf commit to suitably high performance standards. The Quality Improvement Strategy is for the whole further education and training system in Northern Ireland, for all the providers that participate in delivering it, and the partner organisations that will work with them to ensure its successful implementation. The Strategy presents a vision of quality performance, aligns the work and business processes of partner organisations across the further education and training system, and indicates key actions for improvement in order to support change. The Strategy also aims to enhance the quality of further education and training programs funded by the Dept, ensuring a coherent approach to quality improvement, and the raising of standards across the system, working collaboratively with the key partners.
Developing skills through partnerships: symposium report, Ottawa: Canadian Policy Research Networks, 2007. 13 p
In November 2005, Ontario signed two deals with the federal government designed to help create the conditions to develop the highly skilled workforce the province needs to ensure its economic and social prosperity. One year later, key labour market stakeholders, including users, delivery agents and government, met to explore how partners can help governments implement the agreements. The report of the symposium includes summaries of both keynote speeches as well as presentations given on 'lessons learned' by other provinces, including Alberta and Quebec. The paper also lists immediate and long-term priorities and details the findings of several roundtable sessions.
The contribution made by centres of vocational excellence to the development of vocational work in schools, London: Ofsted, 2007. 14 p
This report looks at how Centres of Vocational Excellence in colleges support vocational work in schools, and considers their likely contribution to the development of the forthcoming 14 to 19 diplomas. It finds that they have contributed significantly to the quality and range of experience available to young people and increased their motivation, attendance and career aspirations. However, barriers to further development arise from uncertainties over future funding and the unwillingness of some schools to be involved.
Fostering partnership development in workplace literacy: a case study of the Canadian National Literacy Secretariat Business and Labour Partnership Program, Canada: Partnerships in Learning, 2007. 15 p
The purpose of this in-depth case study was to document a government initiative called the Business and Labour Partnership. The overall intention was to understand the process of partnership development and the strategies that were used to engage business, labour, and provincial governments in adult work-related literacy. It was also interested in documenting the ideas and approaches that were used as well as the different types of partnerships that developed given that most Canadians did not believe that a literacy problem existed. This new information will help illustrate what a partnership program in real action looks like so that public servants and literacy practitioners can learn from the experience.
Farrell, Patricia L.; Seifert, Kim Allan, Lessons learned from a dual-enrollment partnership, New directions for community colleges, no. 139, Fall 2007. pp.69-77
This article presents lessons learned from a community college in Arizona in implementing dual-enrollment partnership programs.
Deitmer, Ludger, The evaluation of regional work place learning partnerships in vocational training and working life, European Conference on Educational Research, Ghent. EERA, 2007. 10 p.
This paper argues that newer evaluation approaches could be helpful for optimising the learning processes underlying vocational education and training collaboration with regional stakeholders, like workplace learning partnerships in which VET institutions cooperate closely with local industries and universities. It describes what aspects of VET could be interesting subjects of evaluation including the dimension of collaborative learning in a work place learning partnership. But these changes need close cooperation between local school teachers and trainers. The paper discusses how, to meet these challenges, new evaluation tools are required.
Holland, Mike et al, The development of the secondary vocational curriculum in a northern local authority in England, European Conference on Educational Research, Ghent, EERA, 2007. 22 p
This paper looks at the impact of evaluations of two projects directed at improving the vocational provision in a northern local authority in England during 2006. The two projects are 'Pathways to success', a pioneering project conducted at Sheffield Hallam University, that has enabled South Yorkshire's schools to teach real-life vocational skills is being hailed as a national example of good practice; and 'Rotherham ready', a program that involves all Rotherham schools and colleges, together with a large range of business partners, and aims to engage all children in Rotherham from 4-19 in developing enterprise skills. Both projects investigate the change in culture within schools as they promote a more vocational curriculum for 14-16 year old students. This information is helping to provide a sound foundation for the introduction of the new 14-19 vocational diplomas which will phased in nationally from September 2008.
Liu, Chun-lin, An 'industrial-oriented' educational cooperation between local enterprises and a higher vocational college in China, International journal of vocational education and training, v. 15, no. 2, 2007. pp. 85-91
The 'industrial-oriented' program (between three Guang Dong local business enterprises and a higher vocational college) is an effective way of carrying out 'employment-oriented' higher vocational education and 'employment order-based' skill training in China. This article talks about the creations from a Business English department as well as three Guang Dong local enterprises in China. These two groups are cooperating in an 'employment order-based' talent training, which aims at training employees for three particular industries and the approaches to putting it into practice.
Billett, Stephen et al, Collaborative working and contested practices: forming, developing and sustaining social partnerships in education, Journal of education policy, v. 22, no. 6, November 2007. pp.637-656
Despite a lack of applied research, social partnerships are increasingly being adopted by both government and non-government agencies to meet localised needs in education and other fields. This article discusses the findings of an investigation of how social partnerships can best be formed, developed and sustained over time. In this study, researchers engaged with ten longstanding social partnerships to elicit, synthesise and verify the principles and practices underpinning their work. The principles and practices that are proposed as most likely to assist the effective formation, development and transformation of social partnerships over time comprise building and maintaining: (i) shared goals; (ii) relations with partners; (iii) capacity for partnership work; (iv) governance and leadership; and (v) trust and trustworthiness.
Stuart, Mark; Wallis, Emma, Partnership approaches to learning: a seven-country study. European journal of industrial relations, v. 13, no. 3, November 2007. pp.301-321
This article explores the role of trade unions in innovative learning partnerships. Formal framework partnerships suffer from implementation problems and a lack of focus on worker needs, in contrast to local learning partnerships that address the specific interests of workers displaced through restructuring. The key challenges facing unions are the types of skills addressed, coordination issues across learning partnerships and building the union skills needed to work in partnership.
Greenwood, Ian; Randle, Hanne, Team-working, restructuring and skills in UK and Sweden, European journal of industrial relations, v. 13, no. 3, November 2007. pp.361-377
This article investigates the connection between team-working, workplace learning and skills and industrial relations in six manufacturing plants in the Swedish and UK steel and metal sectors. The forms and processes of team-working observed do not conform to a stereotyped dichotomy between Swedish autonomous work organization and more hierarchical UK traditions. The findings demonstrate the importance of product markets, sectoral effects and management processes, and the role of strategies as well as institutional structures.
Professional development frameworks
Brand, Anthony, The long and winding road: professional development in further and higher education, Journal of further and higher education, v. 31, no. 1, February 2007. pp. 7-16
This article provides a narrative and commentary on the developments, over the last 20 years, of professional standards for lecturers in the lifelong learning and higher education sectors in the UK. The article examines these developments and seeks to demonstrate that a number of tensions and issues arise from the current structures and frameworks. Research data and evaluations associated with the effectiveness of professional development across the sectors is presented and discussed.
Lipinska, Patrycja; Schmid, Eleonora; Tessaring, Manfred, Zooming in on 2010: reassessing vocational education and training, Thessaloniki, Greece: European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, 2007. 148 p.
Joint efforts of European countries, social partners and the European Commission to modernise vocational education and training for a more socially cohesive and competitive Europe, have shown results. The report presents progress in and challenges for devising equitable, effective and efficient VET systems, based on information from individual countries, the EU and international sources. The report highlights the implications of demographic and labour market trends and discusses progress in devising national qualification frameworks, ensuring quality, validating non-formal learning and providing lifelong guidance.
Kamarainen, Pekka, How to develop a trans-cultural approach for studying the professional development of trainers in a European context? European Conference on Educational Research, Ghent, EERA, 2007. 15 p.
The paper provides insights into the conceptual and methodological groundwork of the European cooperation project - A Framework for the Continuing Professional Development of Trainers TTplus. The project will produce qualitative research information on the educational and professional position of trainers in six European countries (Germany, Greece, Portugal, Romania, the Netherlands and the UK). The project will also develop a framework for professional development of trainers. Therefore, the project has to combine openness for cultural diversity (including different systemic backgrounds) with a focused approach to development of training cultures (with openness for different strategic options). The paper outlines the common framework as a relatively open knowledge resource environment with pre-structured or open learning areas and related support facilities.