Apprenticeship Pedagogies in a Tasmanian Registered Training Organisation: What do T eachers say?

1. Apprenticeship Pedagogies in a Tasmanian Registered Training Organisation: What do Teachers say? Rod Mason, Skills Institute, Hobart, Tasmania rod.mason@skillsinstitute.tas.edu.au

2. Introduction • This presentation: • Part of an exploratory research study that was undertaken in 2011. • Purpose: • Investigate the approaches to traditional trade apprentice teaching and learning in the Tasmanian Skills Institute (TSI).

3. Background • Tasmanian VET landscape changed in 2009. • Tasmania Skills Institute (TSI) evolved. • TSI focuses on employment-based training. • Largest provider of apprenticeship training in Tasmania. • Entire workforce (N=380). • Traditional trade teachers (N=204). • 12 Industry Skill Groups (ISGs): allied trades, automotive, bakery, butchery, cookery, construction, electrical, hair dressing, metals/manufacturing, mining, motor body, natural resources.

4. Literature review • Pedagogy • The various teaching and learning strategies used by teachers in off- and on-the-job learning contexts. • Off-the-job: • Attend campus one day per week and/or block release and/or evening classes. • Didactic and participative methods are the 2 most common forms of pedagogy. • Lock-step delivery. • Flexible (or blended) delivery. • On-the-job: • Guidance and support achieved through coaching. • Pedagogical preferences • Teachers typically develop their own theories of learning style. • Completion of a Cert IV level VET teaching qualification may not equip teachers with appropriate teacher skills. • Innovative approaches require knowledge beyond Cert IV level.

5. Research questions • What teaching strategies are used by apprentice trainers? • Why are these strategies favoured by these trainers?

6. Research method • QUANTITATIVE: • Internet-based survey comprising 40 questions about teacher demographics, qualifications and experience, off-the-job teaching, on-the-job teaching, use of flexible approaches in teaching. • 49 out of a possible 204 responses were obtained. • QUALITATIVE : • 11 semi-structured interviews. • Systematic sampling technique. • 13 questions about teaching strategies adopted and why? Impact on teaching of having completed a Cert IV level teaching qualification, experiences/reflections having been a trade apprentice.

7. What pedagogies are favoured? • Majority of apprentices are required to attend campus. • Traditional lecture/formal presentation is still popular. • Generally, teachers use a range of learning strategies in the classroom. • Dependent and/or independent use of workbooks. • Classroom learning is a precursor to practical training that follows in the workshop/simulated workplace. • Practical demonstrations are followed by hands-on practise (apprentices either work on their own and/or in groups). • Some evidence of lock-step approaches to teaching. • Evidence of flexible delivery (e.g. entirely-on-the-job, CD_ROMs, on-line, self-directed work books). • Some evidence of more innovative strategies being used (e.g. computer-based games, interactive DVDs).

8. Why are these pedagogies favoured? • What had worked well in the past rated highest which was found to be closely linked with a teachers personal preference: • Teacher’s own experience as an apprentice was a strong contributing factor. • Established practices within teaching teams rated second highest. • External factors such as the demands of industry. • Impact on teachers of having completed a Cert. IV level teaching qualification varied. • Only slightly more than half surveyed found it helpful. • There was no clear indication that completion of a qualification beyond Cert IV level will result in the use of more innovative strategies. • Established teaching practices are more likely to be the precursor.

9. Six key outcomes • Extent of variation in teaching strategies used by teachers within the same teaching team. • In nearly all cases, apprentices are required to use a self-paced workbook. • When training is delivered entirely on-the-job, teachers struggle to get their apprentices to complete self-paced workbooks. • There is some evidence that lock-step approaches to teaching is occurring. • Some teachers have been forced to modify their practice to accommodate the demands of industry. • Completion of a Cert IV teaching qualification was shown to have minimal impact on teaching practice.

10. Blind spots • Lock-step approaches to teaching in the classroom. • Deliberate move back to lock-step in the Construction ISG. • Is this return to traditional teaching methods also occurring in other ISGs? • Use of self-paced workbooks when training is conducted entirely on-the-job. • Apprentices struggle to complete them. • What more can be done here?