THE LEARNING POWERHOUSE 2005 …

   What’s Happening in the Engine Room?

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Session Details

• Concurrent Sessions 1
• Concurrent Sessions 2
• Concurrent Sessions 3
• Concurrent Sessions 4
• Concurrent Sessions 5

CONCURRENT SESSIONS 1 - 10.50 - 11.40 AM

Informal Learning, Leadership, Interaction and Social Capital. What is the relationship between these concepts and building successful communities?
Theatre

Ruth Schubert
TAFE SA Flinders University

Twenty six small regional communities and 260 community leaders from across South Australia participated in comprehensive research on what makes a successful community. Social capital was used as a measure of success, and the research explored the dynamic relationships and processes operating in communities across the state.

Statistical modeling techniques of PLSPATH and HLM have provided two models and levels of community operation. The models demonstrate the direct relationship between informal learning, leadership and interaction in building successful communities.

Paper (317 KB) MP3 Audio (13.6 MB, Duration: 30 mins)

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Personalised Learning – Why a Pre- enrolment and Guidance Service ?
Dining Room

Liz Renshaw
Head teacher ABE TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute

Gregor MacKenzie
Part time teacher ABE
TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute

If you want to find ways to increase student engagement and participation in learning then it helps to find out about their needs, aspirations and expectations before enrolment. We have developed a pre enrolment and induction/orientation service that facilities students making an effective transition into learning. Join in our conversation on how to personalise the learning experience.

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Teachers Connecting with Research on Work Based Learning
Dining Room

Helen Corben
Project Officer, Teacher Development
TAFE NSW North Coast Institute

Helen Corben has worked in the VET sector for over 20 years with a strong focus on teacher development. In recent times, she has undertaken research into the attributes of excellent VET teachers, has managed the development of the TAFE Graduate Diploma of Adult and Vocational Education and has worked on projects aimed at bridging the gap between VET theory and practice.

This session reports on a collaborative project with Southern Cross University, in which teachers were presented with a package of research readings around work based learning issues. In sharing the findings of this initiative, it is hoped to trigger discussion among delegates about strategies that they have used/could use to encourage teachers to connect with research findings that will enhance teaching, learning and assessment practice.

Paper (72KB)

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TAFE Teachers Finding their Voice: Presenting the Findings of your Research to a Wider Audience
Room 9A

Leesa Wheelahan
Senior Lecturer School of Vocational, Technology and Arts Education
Griffith University

Many TAFE teachers have a story to tell from researching their own teaching practice, but don’t know how and where to tell it. This workshop will explore strategies you can use to present your research findings to conferences and for publication, including overcoming fear, and identifying your ‘take-home’ message.

Leesa Wheelahan lectures in adult and vocational education at Griffith University. She is an former TAFE teacher and has worked with TAFE teachers for many years.

Paper (50KB)

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Telling Tales: a peek into the world of Digital Storytelling
Room 5C

Robyn Jay
NSW LearnScope Project Officer, TAFE NSW ICVET

Elizabeth Jones
Teacher, TAFE NSW North Coast Institute

Lynette Connors
Teacher, TAFE NSW North Coast Institute

Digital stories combine a spoken ‘text’ with digital images, and often music or sound to create a short ‘mini-movie’. The primary focus is not on technology however but on the script; a well designed oral ‘text’ combined with carefully selected images can create a powerful communication tool.

Increasingly VET practitioners are recognising the value of digital stories to enrich their teaching practice. Digital stories offer an alternative for those seeking or needing a more multimodal approach to teaching, learning and communication.

This session will provide an overview of the methodology, an outline of the basic process and resources required, some ideas on how DST might be used in a VET context and a case study of how digital storytelling is currently being used in a TAFE context.

Paper (58KB)

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Building Skills – An Industry Partnership Approach
Room 9BC

Carol-Anne Blecich
Faculty Director
Business, Information Technology,
Arts and Media
TAFE NSW – Illawarra Institute

Leanne Taylor
Regional Manager, South Region NSW Crown Lands
Department of Lands

Margaret Reveley
Head Teacher, Business Services
TAFE NSW Illawarra Institute

The Department of Lands and the Illawarra Institute Business Faculty formed a collaborative partnership to develop a framework for the recognition and enhancement of existing skills and knowledge for the Department’s workforce.

The framework developed has a three dimensional approach that enables staff to gain recognition for current skills, develop an individualised skills gap analysis and supports the development of personalised programs of learning.

This project provides an excellent example of the ways in which VET providers and industry can work collaboratively to ensure a current and future skilled workforce.

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Teacher empowerment through technology
Room 7ABC

Steven Parker
Teaching and Learning Resource
Development Administrator,
Teaching and Learning Resource Unit,
TAFE NSW Illawarra Institute

Julie Collareda
Manager Educational Initiatives
Teaching and Learning Resource Unit
TAFE NSW Illawarra Institute

With technology there is no finishing line; there is constant change and possibility, there is no set way to use it for teaching and learning, technology is but a tool. It can seem over-whelming. What can a teacher do to stay afloat?

This presentation is about the resource development tool teacherSmart; with examples from teachers designing and delivering their own resources using technology. teacherSmart workshops encourage playing, exploring, collaboration and thinking creatively with any technology as part of a team.

Paper (121KB) MP3 Audio (14.8 MB, Duration: 32 mins)

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Managing Partnerships (RTO Auspicing) and Compliance to new AQTF Standards
Heritage Room

Peter Roberts
College Director
TAFE NSW Sydney Institute

Pam Dalley
Senior Education Officer
TAFE NSW Sydney Institite

TAFE NSW Sydney Institute - Sutherland College has developed a simple process for developing and managing partnerships with non RTO organisations who are assessing competencies in the workplace that lead to qualifications awarded by TAFE NSW.  This process was developed to support Head Teachers managing the increasing numbers of partnerships and to comply with the implementation of new AQTF Standards since from 1 July 2005. 

Peter Roberts the Director of Sutherland College and Pam Dalley the Senior Education Officer at the College will conduct an interactive workshop addressing the new ATQF Standards, explaining the steps in efficient management of partnerships and examining the Manual and Training System that Sutherland College now uses to assist staff with managing partnerships.

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Strategic Conversation - Excellence in Teaching (Part 1)
TAFE Industry Partnership Centre G11

Virginia Baker-Woolf
R/Manager Staff Learning
TAFE NSW Sydney Institute

Jai Waters Manager Organisational Development
TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute

A Strategic Conversation is the art of talking through a problem or issue in an open, free flowing dialogue. Instead of directing by presentation or objectives the facilitator opens up the thinking process to everyone. This unleashes a great surge of creative energy. The Strategic Conversation is lead by a Design Facilitator using visual facilitation techniques to free up thinking. The focusing question for this Strategic Conversation is ‘How can we create even greater excellence in teaching?’ Virginia and Jai will guide the room through the ABCD Model: A Present situation, B Future Vision, C Design, D Connections & Consequences.