Next Steps for the IBSA VET Capability Framework Options Paper prepared for IBSA October 2012
Contents Introduction... 1 Mapping the Capability Framework to TAE10 units and qualifications... 3 At Level 1... 3 At Level 2... 3 At Level 3... 4 Australian Qualification Framework Levels in the TAE10 Training Package... 5 Next Steps what to do about gaps... 5 Using the Training Package to fill the gaps... 6 Option 1... 6 Option 2... 6 Using other approaches to fill the gaps... 6 Option 3... 6 Option 4... 6 Questions... 7 Appendix I: VET Capability Framework... 8
Introduction The 2011 Productivity Commission, report Vocational education and training workforce, Innovation and Business Skills Australia s (IBSA s) own Environmental Scan, and internal work in relation to the TAE10 Training Package led IBSA to set out to develop a VET Capability Framework for practitioners. Capability (or ability) frameworks describe the skills and behaviours that people will demonstrate if they are doing high quality work. These frameworks provide an overarching list of the skills required in particular work settings or contexts. They are broad descriptions, against which specific skills can be mapped. Typically they cover a range of job roles and/or work contexts. The terms capabilities and competencies are used interchangeably in many industry settings, yet within the VET system competencies are usually taken to mean nationally endorsed units of competence, which detail the skills and knowledge a person must be able to demonstrate in the workplace, leading to a statement of attainment or qualification. In this context capabilities refer to the aptitude or ability of VET staff to perform effectively in their roles, irrespective of whether they have attained specific units of competence or qualifications from the VET or any other system. A well structured framework can describe the broad capabilities needed to work in a particular industry, and provide a picture of broad capabilities against which professional development activities, formal and informal learning can be mapped. IBSA has undertaken this work to develop a framework to assist in: professional development RTOs need to show that they are continually developing the capabilities of their staff in both their VET and vocational skills determining what gaps currently exist in the TAE10 Training Package. The framework was developed by a process that involved: setting up a national project reference group to guide development engaging Precision Consultancy to: o research existing frameworks that covered VET practitioners at state, territory, enterprise or broader levels o write and circulate a discussion paper, produce an initial draft o consult nationally and through the IBSA website and workshops across Australia o revise and produce a second draft for further consultation o work with IBSA s national project reference group to finalise the framework o map the final draft framework against the TAE10 Training Package to identify areas where there appears to be good coverage, as well as gaps. The final version of the Capability Framework can be viewed here (insert link) P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 1
The final framework consists of: four domains areas of work, or what people do, each broken down into capabilities. six skill areas ways of working, or skills to be applied in order to do the work well. three practitioner levels to show development of the capability or skill. For each domain (area of work) a practitioner can identify their own capabilities. Most will have a matrix of capabilities, from different levels in the framework. Some will specialise in one or more domains. The four domains and six skill areas are shown on the following diagram. A complete version of the framework can be found in tabular form in Appendix I. It can also be found in a PowerPoint slide show version at insert link P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 2
MAPPING THE CAPABILITY FRAMEWORK TO TAE10 UNITS AND QUALIFICATIONS The Capability Framework set out to document the main capabilities required by practitioners in the Australian VET system and proposes three levels and a set of domains each containing individual capabilities. It is to be read as a matrix of capabilities, not a set of mandatory or required capabilities at any particular level. The TAE10 Training Package evolved over time, from the TAA04 Training Package which contained only two qualifications (Certificate IV and Diploma), to a training package which contains individual but not necessarily related qualifications developed at different times for different purposes. It has some generalist and some specialist qualifications, and a range of individual units of competencies. The purpose of the mapping exercise was to look at what is there, look at what the Capability Framework tells us is required, and recommend the development of new products to meet any identified gaps. The key question asked for each capability in the framework was: Is this capability comprehensively covered in the training package, so that if we wanted to help someone develop that capability we would have in place a training product which would enable that to happen? AT PRACTITIONER LEVEL 1 The mapping shows that at Level 1: All teaching capabilities from this level are covered by units available in TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment All assessment capabilities from this level are covered by units available in TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment Capabilities for industry and community collaboration are less well covered by TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, although the unit TAEICR501A Work in partnership with industry, enterprise and community groups, which could be included as an elective has good coverage of those capabilities. All systems and compliance capabilities are moderately well covered by units available in TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. AT PRACTITIONER LEVEL 2 The TAE50111 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training is designed to reflect and further develop the skills of trainers and assessors who have been working in the VET sector for some time. The teaching and assessment capabilities at this practitioner level provide a fairly neat fit with the assessment and delivery units from the core of the Diploma. TAEPDD501A Maintain and enhance professional practice represented strong coverage of the industry collaboration and systems compliance capabilities, as it requires individuals to create vocational and VET currency plans to implement for a practitioner s own professional development. When looked at holistically with the units TAEDEL502A Provide advanced facilitation practice and TAEASS501A Provide advanced assessment practice, these three units create good coverage of all domains and capabilities at Level 2, moving into leadership roles associated with Level 3. P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 3
AT PRACTITIONER LEVEL 3 During consultations about the Capability Framework, the capabilities associated with Level 3 were used to describe a person with high level expertise in teaching and assessment, who demonstrated leadership skills and could mentor other practitioners. The Level 3 capabilities are not covered by the training package except possibly in some areas specific to Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN), or in a context specific to international education. Beyond the Diploma, the training package only documents the competencies required of: LLN specialists Educational managers (drawing mainly from BSB units), Administrators in international education services. This may appear an odd combination but it is really about the history of development of the training package, and the fact that the last two dot points above describe qualifications developed within the Business Services Training Package and moved into TAE10 when it was endorsed. The Diploma of Vocational Education and Training is intended to become the qualification of choice for those wishing to develop their VET career and to initiate clearly defined professional pathways through the VET sector. It is also IBSA s stated position that individuals who wish to teach and or assess the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment should hold this qualification. Other qualifications recently developed or brought into the TAE10 Training Package, with the intention of identifying specialists within the VET sector include: The TAE50211 Diploma of Training Design and Development, for those looking to specialise in training development and instructional design The TAE70111 Vocational Graduate Certificate in Adult LLN Practice and the TAE80110 Vocational Graduate Diploma in Adult LLN Leadership, for those looking to develop or consolidate expertise and experience in adult LLN The TAE70311 Vocational Graduate Certificate in International Education Services, for those looking to develop skills and knowledge in international onshore education, transnational offshore education and international projects and programs The TAE70210 Vocational Graduate Certificate in Management (Learning), and the TAE80210 Vocational Graduate Diploma, for those looking to move into and develop skills around management in educational settings, and which previously existed in the BSB07 Business Services Training Package P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 4
AUSTRALIAN QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK LEVELS IN THE TAE10 TRAINING PACKAGE The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) has ten levels, ranging from AQF level 1 Certificate I through to Doctoral Degrees and Higher Doctoral Degrees at AQF level 10. The TAE10 Training Package currently contains: one Certificate IV qualification (AQF level 4) three Diploma qualifications (AQF level 5) three Vocational Graduate Certificates (AQF level 8) three Vocational Graduate Diplomas (AQF level 8). In August 2012, the Australian Qualifications Council, under its delegated authority from the Standing Committee on Tertiary Education Skills and Employment (SCOTESE), approved the removal of the Vocational Graduate Certificate and Vocational Graduate Diploma from the AQF and also approved minor amendments to the specifications for the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma. The amended Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma AQF level 8 qualification types are available for accreditation in both the Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training sectors and may be delivered and issued by appropriately authorised issuing organisations in both sectors. For more information about implementation and transition arrangements go to www.aqf.edu.au. NEXT STEPS WHAT TO DO ABOUT GAPS As outlined above, there are no qualifications above AQF level 5 in the TAE10 Training Package that provide sufficient coverage of the capabilities determined at Level 3. An immediate reaction to the discovery of gaps could be to argue that the gaps be filled within the training package. That is one possible option and two different approaches are described below. As a result of discussions with the National Project Reference Group (NPRG) other options are also proposed. P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 5
Using the Training Package to fill the gaps OPTION 1 Develop the units to cover all of the Level 3 Capabilities. This would involve a minimum of four units and probably a maximum of 16 units. Four would be developed if one for each domain was deemed sufficient, and up to sixteen if one per capability was required. The most efficient approach would most probably be to draft to element level for each capability within each domain and from that work, determine if there was sufficient detail to proceed to develop an entire unit, or whether it would be more useful to combine some of the capabilities into a single unit (e.g. Engagement and networks in the Industry Collaboration Domain). These units could then be combined into identified Skill Sets around each of the Domains. OPTION 2 Develop an Advanced Diploma, and or a Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Vocational Education and Training. As the mapping shows this is the level with the most gaps. An Advanced Diploma would be at AQF Level 6, while a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma is at AQF Level 8. Development of these qualifications could fill the gap and provide a next step for practitioners who have completed one or more of the Diploma qualifications and wish to develop their skills further. The qualifications could consist of the units mentioned in Option 1 (hence Option 1 is required for Option 2). Using other approaches to fill the gaps OPTION 3 Map undergraduate and graduate programs in the higher education sector to the Capability Framework, as has been done for the training package. This should identify a range of higher education programs available to individuals wishing to develop their skills at this higher level. It should be noted that Associate Degrees are required to meet AQF Level 6 characteristics, Bachelor Degrees are required to meet AQF Level 7 characteristics, while Masters Degrees are at AQF Level 9. OPTION 4 Provide advice about how best to use the Capability Framework for professional development purposes. This could include tools that would help practitioners map aspects of the framework to any existing qualifications, but would have a greater focus on how to use the framework to build capability. Tools to be developed would include those that could be used by an individual to reflect on their own capabilities, but could also be used by a team of practitioners to look at how best to build capabilities across a team. P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 6
Questions 1. Which one or more of the preferred options do you believe IBSA should implement? Why? If you list more than one option, please prioritise. 2. In what ways do you believe the Capability Framework could be used in your organisation? 3. What other comments do you have? MAKING COMMENT Please provide a written response to these questions by emailing Robert Bluer robert@ibsa.org.au by the 23 November 2012. P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 7
Appendix I: VET Capability Framework VET Capability Framework Domains Teaching First Level Second Level Third Level learning theories design facilitation evaluation Demonstrates awareness of basic educational theories; determines applicability of theories to the learning needs of individuals and groups Investigates a range of learning theories to expand and improve teaching repertoire for a range of learners Reviews relevant theoretical frameworks about learning and teaching in VET and applies and models the use of theories in VET teaching practice Contributes to development of resources and programs that generate authentic learning experiences; contributes to the design of flexible learning strategies Designs learning programs that meet industry expectations and provide meaningful learning experiences Provides leadership and recognised expertise in learning design, across varying contexts and a range of delivery methods Uses strategies and skills to ensure learner engagement and achievement of learning outcomes; creates supportive learner interrelationships; uses a range of technologies effectively Develops and implements models for learner connectedness; demonstrates a range of facilitation strategies to respond to diverse learner groups and contexts; guides others in the use of alternative delivery methods Applies and models a broad range of facilitation techniques; leads others to develop their facilitation approaches across a range of delivery contexts Contributes to program evaluation; seeks regular feedback to evaluate own performance and plan for improvements Evaluates program outcomes using established tools and techniques; modifies program design in response to evaluation outcomes Negotiates with clients and stakeholders to identify measures of success and evaluation strategy; develops and implements tools and techniques to evaluate program outcomes; reports on evaluation outcomes and recommends system improvements P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 8
Assessment First Level Second Level Third Level assessment theories products processes validation Demonstrates understanding of the principles of assessment and the rules of evidence Uses contemporary assessment research and theory to inform and expand practice Leads others to interpret and apply relevant theory to improve assessment practice; undertakes research to inform assessment practice Industry and community collaboration First Level Second Level Third Level Contributes to the development of assessment tools, or modifies existing ones, to suit client needs and specified context Designs, develops and evaluates assessment tools for purposes including RPL and assessment of training outcomes; uses a variety of technologies to develop and implement the tools Designs and implements continuous improvement strategies to ensure assessment tools meet industry and system requirements Employs a range of methods to ensure validity and reliability in assessment decisions Adapts assessment approaches as required for different contexts and candidates; reviews assessment processes and identifies improvements; provides assessment feedback to support continued learning Consults with stakeholders to design holistic assessment approaches; leads quality assessment practices; explores opportunities for innovation and improvements in assessment processes Participates in assessment validation processes Actively contributes to assessment validation processes; uses validation outcomes to improve practice Coordinates industry validation; critically evaluates validation outcomes and implements improvements to assessment strategies engagement networks vocational competence workforce development Liaises with enterprises to ensure teaching and assessment reflects current industry practices Builds relationships with enterprises and stakeholders to ensure learning programs, and related assessment, meet the client s needs Negotiates with industry bodies and stakeholders to ensure that learning programs meet or exceed expectations and that teaching and assessment practices reflect current industry trends Participates in enterprise networks to enhance own knowledge and skills Engages in networks to support sharing of vocational, and learning and assessment, knowledge and skills Demonstrates leadership in professional networks and provides advice and guidance about industry developments and changes Maintains vocational competency relevant to own subject area and works with others to maintain that competency; uses a range of methods to keep up-todate with industry changes Implements approaches to build vocational competence; leading to industry credibility Develops and implements approaches to build team vocational competence Contextualises program content and adapts teaching practices to suit specified enterprise needs Designs training and other solutions to meet indentified workforce development needs Work with enterprises to design learning and development strategies that address strategic direction. P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 9
Systems and compliance system standards system stakeholders products processes First Level Understands National VET Quality standards and relevant legislation and ensures compliance in own work practices Develops own knowledge of key stakeholders such as state training authorities, industry skills councils, VET regulators and licensing bodies Uses current training packages and accredited courses, and supporting tools and resources, to support training and assessment practices Ensures work practices comply with organisational policies and procedures ; maintains accurate and up-to-date records Second Level Develops approaches to meet compliance requirements and continually improve practice Monitors activities of VET system stakeholders and uses this knowledge in program design Contextualises training packages and accredited courses to source and select best products to meet learner needs Supports policy development and generates ideas for improvements Third Level Ensures team compliance with National VET Quality standards, and relevant legislation and regulations Builds sustainable relationships with key stakeholders to improve teaching and assessment practice and build practitioner capability Provides leadership about training packages and accredited courses, and guides implementation Reviews and creates policies to guide practice and ensure compliance; ensures team members keep up-to-date records of learner progress and outcomes P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 10
VET Capability Framework Skill Areas Teamwork and Communication Leadership Ethics Cultural competence Innovation Evidence based practice and research First Level Adapts communication style to suit audience and context; builds constructive relationships with colleagues and generates ideas for improvements Identifies own learning needs and obtains support for professional development; Demonstrates ethical behaviour and regard for confidentiality Interacts effectively with learners from a variety of cultures; respects and values difference; identifies LLN issues and seeks advice where required to meet learner needs Contributes ideas to enhance and improve work practices Accesses and utilises information and research sources about VET practice and the VET sector as appropriate to teaching level and industry area Second Level Seeks professional development opportunities and assists team to identify and address their learning needs Shares knowledge and experience with team; demonstrates self awareness; provides a positive role model for learners Supports colleagues in ethical decisionmaking; respects confidences Demonstrates awareness of cultural differences and develops strategies to ensure culturally appropriate teaching methods Generates ideas to provide new and creative ways of working Seeks out and critically analyses information and research sources about VET practice and the VET sector; undertakes roleappropriate research into own practice and within own environment Third Level Mentors team to foster learner engagement, retention and success; communicates persuasive messages to a range of audiences Focuses on achieving priorities and team goals; fosters structured approaches, including reflective practice, to develop team members skills Inspires trust and confidence; demonstrates values, attitudes and behaviours that command respect of colleagues and with learners Models cross cultural understanding and encourages cultural competence in teaching team Encourages staff to generate and share new and different approaches; advocates for change Identifies issues that need further investigation, and works with others to carry out research beyond own immediate environment P RE CISION CO NS ULTANCY P a g e 11