The Department Of Education

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Numerous times in our lives we have come across words like lecturer, teacher, trainer, coach, mentor, facilitator etc, but seldom do we value the subtle difference between the occupations and responsibilities of each of these roles. However, it does seem that these words being synonyms of each other are in reality a form of professional identity resembling teacher, trainer, and facilitator. Is this terminology of functions different from one another? It is only reasonable to distinguish people according to the principal role by them, and this is where the differences between a teacher, trainer, and facilitator start to surface.

Current research on personal learning and development literature has a tendency to focus on the pedagogy concerning the effectiveness of a range of methods of personal learning and development. The majority of the literature resonates more on participative methods of pedagogy is required. Personal learning and development is an area of argument in the academic literature in view of the fact that there is no recognised framework and the diminutive informal evidence of what makes a good personal learning and development.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia has been a subject matter to a numerous policy changes; the most important one affected was deregulating the training market, and launching it to capitalism from both private and public training organisations. Supporters of the competitive training market have suggested that private trainers will not only amplify the quantum of training but also accommodate a diverse and client centred focus to training; some argue that a number of public sectors are unqualified of attaining.

Professional Learning and Development – Is it effective? What impact?

The development of effective professional development for staff, teachers, trainers and educators, has been long time coming, I have experienced this, therefore, I acknowledge Opfer and Pedder (2011) in the conflicting perceptions of educators regarding the introduction to professional development and their approval. The outlook towards the importance and effectiveness of the professional development presented in Opfer and Pedder (2011) is influenced by their understanding of the prospect. Collinson et al (2009) describes that the best outcome for professional learning and development have derived from continuing mentoring and peer collaboration. There is much debate in personal learning and development amongst the education industry and includes what type of personal development is best. There is an abundance of argument amongst academics that personal development for teachers is best done in the workplace, but little evidence is available to support this (Smith and Lowrie 1998; Mitchell 2008; Kwo, 2010;Hill 2009).

Opfer and Pedder (2011, p.4) indicated that in general individual educators will create their own professional development from an array of options, some VET educators will attend seminars, external study like myself who has continually studied and attended as many seminars in the VET industry, along with Mentoring for Growth for the Queensland Government. It is easy to see that other educators in the industry will inadequately engage in their personal and professional development in the VET industry.

As a VET professional and training in Business and Management, I have found vast variation in the industry currency along with knowledge across the VET educational sector. The importance of professional development is moderation and validation of unit of competency assessments. Through collaborating with peers in the industry and sharing information in addition to networking with others in the industry it will give each individual the opportunity to lead therefore being responsible for their own professional development this will enable the individual to mentor.

Toze and Tierney (2009) focus the importance in industry currency for trainers in Queensland VET sector and the process of improving oneself through such activities as employability skills and employment skills. AQTF plays an integral part of continuous improvement in the Vet industry and requires training staff to improve their teaching skills in their current industry of technical skills and knowledge. It further suggests Toze and Tierney (2009, p.6) that the currency of training in the industry has increased RTO attention on the need to maintain industry skills and knowledge. Do the VET teachers understand the system? Clearly, it is defined that they are constantly told what to do by their peers, with no contribution into the process, how can they reflect on themselves as professionals? According to Toze and Tierney (2009, p. 7) those trainers with good understanding of industry currency could easily articulate the benefits to their RTO. These industry teachers who have understood the industry currency have clearly been affected by their training delivery and this has made them better trainers/teachers, more importantly improved their learning and assessment activities for their students.

The Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) (2012) strategy for "continuous improvement learning" (2012-2015) has provided additional research and discussions regarding strategy for improving professional learning in the VET sector. It further mentions continuing reflective practice and discusses why this a is an essential quality for innovation, however there are no comparisons of how they are practicing reflection and what the outcomes have been of these reflections. Again, there are only discussions from external and internal stakeholders based on what they think reflective practice is and why it is so inflexible to do. External and internal stakeholders want to know what the impact of reflection practice is, how can this be used, how linking teaching, learning and assessment strategies to students, how are they applying innovative instructional pedagogy for diverse students along with using training packages and diversity in learning approaches for this industry. The continuous asset in the professional learning and reflective practice, will improve the lifelong learning and diversity in learning approaches.

Professional Characteristics – Who are we?

Who am I? (Angwin 2012 Deakin University diagram) were the first 3 words I read when I started perusing the first perspective of Professional Identity. I questioned this over and over, how did I come to be who I am as an professional in this identity maze, am I an Educator, Teacher, Trainer, Lecturer or a facilitator? Day et al (2006, p.605) cites Beijaard’s concept of identity being "who or what someone is" or as they see themselves or what others see in them. We are all teachers, educators, and trainers to someone, co-workers, friends, our children, our parents, even acquaintances. For some of us, like me, it is a full time professional profession. Each and everyone one of us sees the world differently in our field and yet how do we educate the students we each seem to possess?

Day et al (2006, p.605) cites Beijaard’s argument that as a teacher, you remember past information learned and pass it on. You correct flawed information and persevere on more practice until, undeniably, 10 + 10 = 20. A teacher is appointed by the school management to instruct the lessons that form part of the syllabus for the students of a specific class. The ‘teacher’ is supposed to fend off the doubts in the minds of the students regarding the hypothesis on a particular subject (Day et al. 2006, p.605). A teacher can turn out to be an ‘educator’ and has its verbal structure in the word ‘educate’, whereas the word ‘teacher’ has its verbal structure in the word ‘teach’. These are the variations between the two words. Teaching is the ability and the skill of providing knowledge to a group of students. A teacher provides proper formal education to students so that they can develop and grow within themselves (Day et al 2006, p.606).

One judges the accomplishment of a teacher by the capability of their students to grasp and understand the concepts they explain to them. Although teachers are primarily facilitators in providing on knowledge Darling-Hammond (2009) they take a keen interest in the growth of the characteristics of their students so that they proceed to take dedicated interest in the subjects after the teaching process is over. A teacher helps students to get specific education, which includes training. The objective of instruction is to facilitate the student to be able to incorporate concepts across multiple disciplines and consequently, to be able to perform and develop analyses and critical thinking.

How do teachers measure their continuous personal development for effective teaching in schools? Research by Blank, (2010. P.57) indicates evaluation on teachers and the effects of professional development, this survey showed a more true and applicable responses on behaviour and or practices. Blank (2010) describes that teacher professional development is habitually not consistent with the school curriculum and teacher coursework, and that pedagogy is not incorporated into the overall school strategies for development. Goldschmidt and Phelps (2007, p. 35) expands that a great deal work is still required to value teacher knowledge and its connection to pedagogical teaching practice and in the end student achievement. Continuous research should examine the relationship to the specific knowledge field and student pedagogy and how this will influence the professional development on teacher knowledge, and the degree of these changes in the teaching standards for improving the quality of education.

VET’s Professional Learning and Development – How do we keep it professional?

There is an ever changing confusion in the VET sector both State and Federal levels in Government Policies and Economic Development. This VET sector is recognised and maintained by the Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) and overseen by ASQA who is the regulator of this industry sector to maintain standards of Nationally recognised training. The changes in the system have affected a number of RTO’s and other organisations in regards to funding and traineeships thus have created a decline in the workplace training environment and in the workforce. The education and skills are now focused on schools, vocational education, university and lifelong learning. The Queensland government in October 23rd, 2012 decided not to fund Diploma and Advanced Diploma level of study, subsequently this has made a huge impact in the VET sector, this is now available on VET FEE help programs, with these changes in the funding, the main focus of delivery and success has a direct impact on Professional learning and development for the VET industry professionals. The VET sector is continually scrutinized regarding academic and quality scope in the professional development of VET educators/teachers Cobb & Preskill (1983).

Collinson et al. (2009. p.3) mentions the developing change in the professional development and this is significant for the dramatic change in the education sector and for the education professionals and students; this is also joined together with other countries with extended educational and social policies. The amalgamation on workplace training from previous years has been the fundamental transformation in VET institutions with an improved focal point on work based delivery programs. There has been significant changes in the delivery of Business and Management packages and units of competency and this has required the VET professionals and educators to familarise, adjust and engage to their professional learning and development and to contribute to the goals and purposes of reform Levin and Fullen (2008, p. 293-294). To regulate this we need to assist with this transition but how do we regulate this transition? One of the mammoth issues found with VET personal learning and development on offer is it is just the same previous façade, no one offers any specific skills training that you can go back to work with and put into practice. VET professionals have to diversify in the personal and development sessions to assist with the shift from classroom based to workplace delivery, this reform is also highlighted by Ball, (2003, p. 215-216), this alignment between public and private organisations.

A continuous professional learning strategy was prepared by the Queensland VET Development Centre (QVDC) for the Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) (2012) and has listed a number of strategies such as "Teaching and Learning and Assessment, one of which is to "develop innovative, flexible and responsive teaching, learning and assessment practices which meet the diverse needs of students, communities, clients and industry and the environment". I further question the next objective "revitalise the link between teaching, learning and assessment" along with "nurture stronger working relationships between VET educators, tutors, and workplace trainers in training delivery and assessment". Australia is one of a small number of countries which functions its vocational education system on a competency based system (Barker, 2011) where trainers/teachers are instructed through the training packages, (TGA) Training.gov.au the database on Vocational Education and training in Australia along with the new "Standards for Training Packages" under the umbrella of National Skills Standards Council (NSSC). These VET teaching professionals shift in their methodology of professionalism and the difficulty in understanding the Training Packages, which changes every few years.

Research by Innovation & Business Skills Australia, IBSA (2011. p. 18) agreed that many VET educators need higher level teaching qualifications. IBSA (2011. p.19) states that most professionals teaching in the VET sector is a very highly skilled occupation, and VET educators need the same level of qualifications as other education sectors, no matter what level they are teaching. VET professionals must also adhere to the requirements of The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) (2007) Essential standards for Registration, and it’s no wonder that VET teachers are so bewildered with systems and audits, which is complex and exceeding the capacity of any professional development or training to VET teachers. Levin and Fullan (2008) argues such incomprehensible demands in systems create a reliance on management and external bodies which then becomes tiring, these are the probable reasons why teachers do not believe vocational teaching as a profession.

CONCLUSION

In Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector many trainers, facilitators, teachers and educators are not skilled in the teaching field nor are they trained or experienced but have entered the training sector as being industry experts Beauchamp and Thomas (2011). An experienced "Trainer/Educator" locates the intelligence and abilities contained by another drawing them out for all, even the student to see, and at that time, steps out of the way allowing them to develop, create and pursue their talents. While both identities can focus on their individual classroom practice and not always strive to be part of the community (Beauchamp and Thomas 2011, p. 11) observations of the teachers did not progressively focus on community, but preferably on their own classroom.

A trainer/educator leaves an impression on the taught. A lot of a time the ‘taught’ considers such a quality that has left an everlasting impression upon the student as their mentor or ‘educator’. It is therefore, assumed that not all teachers can be called trainers/educators, only those teachers who leave a lasting impression in the students pedagogy can be called as educators. A trainer focuses on a particular area of development. They try to communicate the skills and best practices to accomplish an achievement in a particular area. Trainees, when they get to the level of the trainer subsequent to the training period, consider the ability of the trainer to pass on their skills. A trainer sees that trainees have developed new skills. However, there is to a certain extent of overlapping in the responsibilities and functions of teacher, trainer, educator and facilitator. To be effectual, it is not as much as necessary to be a good teacher and one needs to incorporate these qualities of a trainer and educator and facilitator, and vice versa this appears (Beauchamp and Thomas 2011, p.11) teachers observations. Training aims to induct the trainee in the most effective way of doing the training with the available resources and limitations (for example by following the guidelines in the course materials).Education and training are both pedagogy processes and both are important. The key difference is the extent and focus of the subject matter.

What is the difference between a trainer, an educator, and a teacher? A few use the terms educator and teacher synonymously, while others argue that there is dissimilarity. It could be just a semantic variation, because there are some negative connections with the term teacher, people started to use the word educator instead, however, and these two terminologies could also refer to diversity in attitude of the individual. Both these professional identities are somewhat not fixed nor compulsory Sachs, et al (2005) it’s the experience and the good judgment that is made of that experience. VET researchers such as Chappell (2000) emphasized that people who are employed in the VET sector would not be recognised as a VET professional.

Scott (2005) indicated that vocational teachers who purely deliver and assess are "para-professionals", and that the true professionals are managing quality assurance and curriculum.

In my years of training, educating, and facilitating in the VET sector in Business and Management, I can share the views of Kwo and Intractor (2004. p. 283) which refers to the teacher’s identity being both enthusiastically constructed and also forced by societal views along with their observations with the group of teachers link as they state "teaching also tests the heart, and calls upon inner strength, spirit, vocational passion and resilience. Flint et al (2011, p. 1163) describes ‘when teachers are not able to direct their own learning and development, it can impact their perception of themselves as professionals’. Day et al. (2006) expands more on the theory of professional identity with very strong shifts in professional identities as they compromise new industry relationships.

In the VET sector it is not unusual for VET professionals to be described as educators, facilitators, lecturers, and trainer/assessors Chappell & Johnson (2003). Therefore, who am I? I am an Educator, Teacher, Mentor, Coach, Facilitator, Lecturer and Trainer, I am a professional in my industry with many years of study and experience and reflective practice and the motivation to review my progress and recognise opportunities for development in my profession. It is unfortunate that the VET sector has not determined what a "professional" really is in the VET industry as there is no acknowledgement, no certification apart from a Cert IV TAE and lastly no currency standards. So my question is how do these so called VET professionals teach in the VET sector? And how do we recognise this as a profession?