Meeting the demands of VET teaching and training

Associate Degree in Training and Education Incorporating the new Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (TAE50111) Meeting the demands of VET teaching and training CRICOS Provider No. 00103D

The Associate Degree in Training and Education program has been developed for trainers and teachers in TAFE, private Registered Training Organisations and industry. Our industry pathways, and the substantial credit we provide for your qualifications and experience, allow you to complete your Associate Degree of Training and Education much faster than other associate degree programs with eight courses instead of the usual 16 saving you up to one year s study. It is well known that VET teachers and trainers need skills and knowledge beyond the entry-level Certificate IV qualification to meet the complex demands of VET work. The University of Ballarat s Associate Degree in Training and Education equips VET teachers and staff with high-level skills and knowledge to handle the challenges of industry engagement, new modes of learning and a changing VET environment. You will acquire: an understanding of the principles and practice of competency based education and training as delivered in a range of settings insight into the broad social, economic and political context for VET an understanding of learning and human development theories and how to apply them knowledge and techniques to address literacy and numeracy needs of learners an ability to analyse and think critically and constructively about, issues and developments in the VET sector skills and knowledge to liaise with industry at local and national levels confidence to pursue higher-level university studies Students qualify for the new national Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (TAE50111) while they study for the Associate Degree. The units of competency in the Diploma are fully embedded and assessed within four of the courses (the UB term for subjects). Students who already have a VET Diploma get extra credit into the program. PAGE 2

Teaching Excellence Influence > Motivate > Inspire Multiple entry and exit points Depending on prior qualifications, students may take the Certificate IV entry pathway or the Diploma pathway. Certificate IV pathway students may exit the program early with the Diploma of VET only, or can complete an additional four courses and graduate with both the Diploma of VET and Associate Degree in Training and Education. Entry Pathways If you have Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104 or TAE40110) + four years industry experience and an industry qualification If you have Diploma of Training and Assessment or Diploma of VET Practice or Diploma of VET Semester 1 Feb-June Year 1 Semester 2 July-Nov + four years industry experience and an industry qualification EDTAS 1003* Applied Curriculum and Teaching Strategies in VET EDTAS 1002* Developing Industry Relationships in VET EDTAS 1001* Improving VET Practice EDTAS 1005* Assessing Learning in VET Semester 1 Feb-June EDTAS 1201 Independent Learning in University Contexts Completed over 1 2 years Semester 2 July-Nov EDTAS 1202 Thoughtful VET Practice Semester 1 Feb-June Year 2 Semester 2 July-Nov EDTAS 2001 Learning Theories: VET in Context EDTAS 2002 Literacy and Numeracy across the VET Curriculum EDTAS 2001 Learning Theories: VET in Context EDTAS 2002 Literacy and Numeracy Across the VET Curriculum EDTAS 2004 VET in Society EDTAS 2003 VET Links with the Economy and Industry EDTAS 2004 VET in Society EDTAS 2003 VET Links with the Economy and Industry The outline above assumes that students are studying part time at two subjects a semester, to complete eight courses in all. Students may opt to study more quickly or more slowly. Students entering with one of these diplomas receive extra credit, and undertake only six courses to complete the Associate Degree. These students can complete the Associate Degree over either one or two years. *These four Year 1 courses embed all of the units of competency in the Diploma of VET. PAGE 3

Extra Practicum Option The Year 1 courses of the Certificate IV entry pathway fully embed the Diploma of VET practicum requirements. For students who wish to build their hours up to the 200 hours of practicum required to meet TAFE Victoria Multi Employer Certified Agreement (MECA)/Multi Business Agreement (MBA) requirements, an optional Practicum Module can be undertaken. The Practicum Module involves teaching/training activities as well as observing other trainers and participating in professional development activities. Students can claim exemption for part of the Practicum Module if they have relevant and recent experience. Students must pay an additional fee to undertake the Practicum Module. Support can be provided to students to help them identify suitable practicum sites. Program Delivery How do I study? The program is offered by distance education, with optional workshops. Printed learning materials, and on-line materials and activities are provided. Students are assisted with the necessary academic skills for higher education study. These skills are developed in special modules included in both pathways of the Associate Degree. The program can be completed in one year, but students are encouraged to study parttime, completing over two years. Who teaches the qualification? The Associate Degree teaching staff have extensive experience in the VET sector, and are prominent in the VET profession and in VET research. They have a great deal of experience in the teacher-training of TAFE staff, and understand the needs of this cohort of learners. Assessment Participants are assessed via a wide variety of authentic learning tasks which allow them to utilise their newly acquired knowledge and skills. Whenever possible, they are encouraged to select topics and tasks that are directly relevant to their own work and career plans. PAGE 4

Program Content Applied Curriculum and Teaching Strategies in VET This course introduces students to advanced principles for the design and development of curriculum and learning resources in VET. Students will learn to analyse the learning context, interrogate training packages and address learner diversity in the production of high quality learning materials. The principles of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) will be addressed, and techniques investigated for addressing LLN skill development through learning strategies and resources. Academic skills are also developed within the program. On successful completion, students will achieve the three units of competency from the TAE50111 Diploma of VET, TAEDES501A Design and develop learning strategies, TAEDES502A Design and develop learning resources and TAELLN401A Address adult language, literacy and numeracy skills. (Course code: EDTAS 1003) Developing Industry Relationships in VET The course helps students develop the skills, knowledge and values to work effectively with enterprises and community groups in an industry area and develop ongoing, ethical and successful relationships with both existing and potential clients. Students learn how to identify external and internal factors that affect an organisation s current and future training needs, and to assist enterprises and community groups in selecting appropriate training programs and strategies, based on training needs analysis and evaluation of existing training programs. Students learn how to develop relationships with appropriate personnel in enterprises and more broadly in industry and the community. Students learn how to adapt these skills for situations in which they may be enterprise-based trainers working with internal clients. They develop reflective skills to analyse their actions in all of these areas. Academic skills are also developed within the program. On successful completion, students achieve three units of competency from the Diploma of VET: TAETAS501B Undertake organisational training needs analysis; TAEICR Work in partnership with industry, enterprises and community groups; and TAEDES505A Evaluate a training program. (Course code: EDTAS 1002) PAGE 5

Improving VET Practice This course equips students to work as advanced practitioners in VET. Students will learn to understand learning theory and learner diversity and extend their teaching repertoire to address diverse learner needs. Students will learn how to develop a personal professional development plan using provided internal and external learning opportunities, and feedback and reflection on their own performance. They will understand how this process fits within the performance management and professional development frameworks of their own organisation and of organisations more generally. Academic skills are also developed within the program. The course embeds two core competencies from the TAE50111 Diploma of VET, TAEPDD501A Maintain and enhance professional practice and TAEDEL502A Provide advanced facilitation practice. (Course code: EDTAS 1001). Assessing Learning in VET The course provides students with the skills, knowledge and values to work effectively at an advanced level in assessment in the VET sector. Students learn how to identify external and internal factors that affect assessment practices and the development of assessment tools and procedures at different Australian Qualification Framework levels, and lead others in assessment. Students develop a commitment to quality and integrity of the VET system and how assessment contributes to this. They learn how to balance fairness to learners with the maintenance of confidence among all stakeholders in assessment outcomes. They undertake an assessment practicum in a VET context. Academic skills are also developed within the program. Students achieve two units of competency from the Diploma of VET: TAEASS501A Provide advanced assessment practice; and TAEASS502B Design and develop assessment tools. They undertake higher-level learning to develop a critical approach to assessment. (Course code: EDTAS 1005). Independent Learning in University Contexts This course is designed to equip students, whose previous studies may not have contained an emphasis on scholarly engagement, with the skills to succeed in study at degree level. Students will understand the reasons behind scholarly conventions and the ways in which they can be applied in other contexts. Students will practise writing by undertaking an essay on their own working and learning experience. They will then learn to write an essay in an academic format and to apply referencing appropriately. They will appreciate the importance of graduate attributes and how these generic skills develop from VET through undergraduate study to postgraduate study. This course is part of the Diploma entry pathway. Content from this course is included within the first year courses of the Certificate IV entry pathway. (Course code: EDTAS 1201). Learning Theories: VET in Context The purpose of this course is to explore and investigate how learning takes place across different learning contexts with a particular focus on VET and VET in schools. The course will enable learners to understand through investigation the changing roles of teachers and learners in contemporary contexts, based on a range of theoretical and policy constructs of education and society. The course will explore theories of learning and assist students to develop understandings around contexts in which vocational and other learning takes place. The course is designed to encourage an inquiring attitude to the study of policies, theories and research related to learners with a particular focus on young learners and learners from diverse backgrounds. (Course code: EDTAS 2001). PAGE 6

VET in Society This course is designed to raise students awareness of the ways in which VET can both assist and impede the life-chances of individuals and groups in society. Students will develop an understanding of the social implications of VET policy developments and the reasons why strategies to increase participation rates may succeed or fail. They will understand that the issues in Australian VET are not necessarily the same as those in other countries. Students will study a particular equity group of their choice (e.g. students from a particular culturally and linguistically diverse background or from a low socio-economic group) and the relationship of group members to the VET system. They will visit a relevant agency to examine in detail services offered to clients and will reflect on ways in which in their own practice they could better cater for such students. (Course code: EDTAS 2004). Literacy and Numeracy across the VET Curriculum This course is designed to raise students understandings of the importance of Literacy and Numeracy across the secondary curriculum. The course focuses on the contemporary issues of VET and the importance of integrated approaches to literacy and numeracy. The course investigates strategies to incorporate literacy and numeracy pedagogy principles across VET curricular, through teaching sequences for calculating, measuring, problem solving and reasoning for learning. The course involves researching and developing literacy and numeracy assessment models across VET curriculum including VET in schools. (Course code: EDTAS 2002). Thoughtful VET Practice This course is designed to deepen the knowledge and skills that students gained from their previously-obtained Diploma in VET, Diploma in VET Practice or Diploma in Training and Assessment. Students will apply an analytical and critical framework to the topics covered in the Diploma qualifications, including the development of learning strategies and resources, teaching practice, working with industry partners, assessment in VET, innovation in VET and professional development. This course is part of the Diploma entry pathway. Content from this course is included within the first year courses of the Certificate IV entry pathway. (Course code: EDTAS 1202). VET Links with the Economy and Industry This course is designed to raise students understanding of links between VET and the economy and VET and industry. It builds upon the course Developing industry relationships to provide a broader view. It is divided into two main modules. The first examines broad relationships between VET and the economy, both in Australia and globally, and the ways in which VET policies are used to develop a skilled workforce to meet economic needs. Policies are analysed for tensions such as conflict between the needs of the economy and those of individuals, and between immediate and long-term aims. The second module is about the relationship between VET and particular industries. Students examine the nature of the qualifications offered in different industries and the relative contribution of VET to those industries. Engagement in VET by the industry is examined at the national, industry and individual enterprise level. Students learn how to develop an individual engagement plan to include industry currency, industry networking and an ability to interpret the nature of different enterprises and their VET-related needs. (Course code: EDTAS 2003). PAGE 7

Future study pathways Subject to University of Ballarat Academic Board approval, a Bachelors degree in tertiary teaching will be made available to graduates of the Associate Degree from 2014. This Bachelors program will equip students to teach in higher education as well as VET. Alternatively, special arrangements are in place for Associate Degree graduates to complete a Bachelor of VET by distance education through Charles Sturt University. Costs Places in the Associate Degree in Training and Education are Commonwealth-supported. Students will be subject to the normal HECS obligations associated with university study. For more information on HECS, please visit www.goingtouni.gov.au Students who wish to graduate with the Diploma of VET in addition to the Associate Degree will be required to pay an administrative fee for the issue of the Diploma. An administrative fee will also be payable by students who wish to take the extra practicum option. Admission requirements Students must hold a recognised vocational qualification at trade level (Certificate III) or above, or equivalent; and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104 or TAE40110). Four years of relevant industry experience is also required. Enrolments and Enquiries For further information about the content of the Associate Degree in Training and Education or questions about study, please contact: Dr Steven Hodge Call +61 3 5327 9532 Email s.hodge@ballarat.edu.au or Professor Erica Smith Call +61 3 5327 9665 Email e.smith@ballarat.edu.au For administrative queries and personal help to enrol, please contact: Angela Bell Call +61 3 5327 9772 Email a.bell@ballarat.edu.au Information in this publication was current at the time of printing (October 2012). The University reserves the right to alter any program, procedure, regulation or fee. Prospective students should read the contained information carefully and contact the relevant numbers for further information. CC_161012 1800 811 711 ballarat.edu.au