Category: Higher Education

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Effective employment-based training models for childcare workers

Author/s: Sarojni Choy and Sandra Haukka

Edition: Volume 50, Number 1, April 2010

Summary: Childcare workers play a significant role in the learning and development of children in their care. This has major implications for the training of workers. Under new reforms of the childcare industry, the Australian government now requires all workers to obtain qualifications from a vocational education and training provider (e.g. Technical and Further Education) or university. Effective models of employment-based training are critical to provide training to highly competent workers. This paper presents findings from a study that examined current and emerging models of employment-based training in the childcare sector, particularly at the Diploma level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 16 participants who represented childcare directors, employers and workers located in childcare services in urban, regional and remote locations in the State of Queensland. The study proposes a ‘best-fit’ employment-based training approach that is characterised by a compendium of five models instead of a ‘one size fits all’. Issues with successful implementation of employment-based training models are also discussed.

Keywords: childcare, learning, development, children, competency, employment-based training, diploma

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 50_1. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.

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The big picture on men’s (and boys’) learning

Author/s: Barry Golding

Edition: Volume 50, Number 1, April 2010

Summary: This paper focuses on what is known internationally from research about some aspects of men’s learning. It explores the similar and different factors that shape men’s attitudes towards learning in diverse national and cultural contexts. It also identifies some possible parallels (and differences) between the experiences, participation and outcomes in education of men and boys. The paper proceeds to make a case for recognising and addressing the factors that affect gender parity in educational contexts, including Australia, in which several tertiary outcome measures tend to be skewed towards girls and women. The paper forms part of background research for Phase 1 (in several Anglophone nations) of a major international research project into men’s learning in community settings that includes several Australian study sites.

Keywords: men’s learning, diversity, cultural contexts, gender parity, education, tertiary outcome

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 50_1. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.

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Diverse pathways into higher education: Using students’ stories to identify transformative experiences

Author/s: Robyn Benson, Lesley Hewitt, Margaret Heagney, Anita Devos and Glenda Crosling

Edition: Volume 50, Number 1, April 2010

Summary: This paper is based on findings from the first phase of a longitudinal project examining how a group of students from diverse backgrounds succeed in higher education. The concept of perspective transformation is used to explore students’ stories about factors that influenced them on their journey to university, including socio-economic background, family difficulties, gender, the effect of being first in family to enter higher education, migration, location and experiences of schooling. The paper argues that, for some participants, the decision to enrol was not primarily the effect of perspective transformation, but rather the result of other aspects of their lives. Finally, we comment on the value of narrative inquiry for revealing participants’ experiences and, potentially, for supporting the process of transformation.

Keywords: diverse backgrounds, transformation, socio-economic, gender, enrolment

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 50_1. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.

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Is the use of video conferencing and supporting technologies a feasible and viable way to woo farmers back into farmer education?

Author/s: Margaret Brown and Tom Fraser

Edition: Volume 51, Number 4, Special edition, December 2011

Summary: North Dakota State University (USA) have been using video conferencing as a delivery mode for farmer education for about twenty years and report that their farmers find this delivery method both practical and worthwhile. With the number of New Zealand farmers attending learning events decreasing, due mainly to time and cost, maybe it is time to use different approaches to engage farmers in learning. A study called ‘FeedSmart’, which looked into the ways farmers preferred to learn, identified that e-learning is worth further investigation as a learning delivery approach. In this paper we report on three small-scale trials that investigated the viability and effectiveness of generating and delivering information to farmers via a video-conferencing-based learning approach. This study showed that e-learning of this type has potential as a learning approach for farmers and is worthy of further investigation.

Keywords: rural, farmer, education, FeedSmart, e-learning

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 51_4_Special Edition. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.

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The learning projects of rural third age women: enriching a valuable community resource

Author/s: Glenna Lear

Edition: Volume 51, Number 4, Special edition, December 2011

Summary: As a third age PhD candidate with a passion for learning, I wanted to explore the learning of other rural third age women who live on the Lower Eyre Peninsula (LEP) of South Australia. This reflects the methodological stance of heuristic inquiry, which requires the researcher to have a passionate interest in the phenomena under investigation, and in this case includes my tacit knowledge as a third age learner and long-term resident of the region. I deliberately chose six very influential women over 50 years of age who have transformed their rural communities into vibrant ‘can do’ societies better able to cope with the economic, environmental and social changes of the last two decades. I wanted to know how they adjusted to the lifestyle changes in their middle years, after their children left home, their third age, how they adapted to the social and economic changes in rural life, and what they learned as community change agents and leaders of community organisations, boards and community development committees.

My research methodology gave them the opportunity to reflect on their autobiographies as co-researchers during our two informal conversations about their learning. I discovered that, at different stages in their lives, these midlife women intuitively realised that they needed to do something for themselves in the wider world, independent of the farm and their family, which required them to learn and change. They are passionate lifelong and lifewide learners, continually searching for something that challenges, excites and extends them. This paper discusses their lifewide learning and personal development in community activities and formal educational institutions, which has been personally rewarding and enormously beneficial for community viability and wellbeing. Although the numbers are low and the women come from a small remote region of South Australia, there are similar women of action in almost every community, both rural and urban, who continue to make a difference.

Keywords: rural, third age, women, community, change agents, development, learning

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 51_4_Special Edition. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.

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Launching a career or reflecting on life? Reasons, issues and outcomes for candidates undertaking PhD studies mid-career or after retirement compared to the traditional early career pathway

Author/s: Tom Stehlik

Edition: Volume 51, Special edition, December 2011

Summary: The Commonwealth government provides fee exemption for any Australian who undertakes a PhD. This policy is presumably based on the ‘clever country’ assumption that an educated population will develop and contribute to social and economic capital. Continue reading “Launching a career or reflecting on life? Reasons, issues and outcomes for candidates undertaking PhD studies mid-career or after retirement compared to the traditional early career pathway”

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Role reversal: Educators in an enabling program embark on a journey of critical self-reflection

Author/s:  Jenny McDougall and Wendy Davis

Edition: Volume 51, Number 3, November 2011

Summary: While much has been written about the transformative potential of adult education from the student perspective, little research has been done into the experiences of those who teach in such contexts. Continue reading “Role reversal: Educators in an enabling program embark on a journey of critical self-reflection”

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Friendship and relationships in virtual and intercultural learning: Internationalising the business curriculum

Author/s: Joanna Crossman, Sarbari Bordia

Edition: Volume 51, Number 2, July 2011

Summary: Graduates need to be prepared for working in global organisations that increasingly rely on virtual, culturally diverse teams. Continue reading “Friendship and relationships in virtual and intercultural learning: Internationalising the business curriculum”

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Older adults’ training courses

Author/s: Karin du Plessis, Kaarin J. Anstey, Arianne Schlumpp

Edition: Volume 51, Number 1, April 2011

Summary: Demographic trends indicate that older adults live longer and maintain active lifestyles. The majority are educated and many enjoy the stimulation that ongoing learning opportunities present. In order for these older adults to benefit from learning opportunities, circumstances specific to these individuals (e.g. age-related decline) need to be considered. The current paper reviews cognitive literature to establish older adults’ ability to learn. This is followed by a discussion of training programs as well as suggestions for course design specifically focused on older adults.

Keywords: Older, adults, learning, health, cognitive, training

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This article is part of AJAL, Volume 51_1. The entire volume is available in .pdf for purchase here.