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The early 1990s introduction of competency-based training (CBT) in Australia was a turning away from rich learning prevalent in previous approaches to [vocational education and training] VET to a narrow behaviourist approach; however, the outcome in the VET field has not been as retrograde as was then feared. There has been flexibility and innovation in the approach to apprenticeships and other pathways to qualifying for a career over the past 20 years. Much more entwining of CBT with rich learning or process learning approaches could have occurred as a lifelong learning foundation upon which apprentices (and other CBT graduates) may capably - and with commitment - build their careers in the changing workplace. This chapter looks to a near future in which 'capability' outcomes are strengthened by embracing an expanded view of 'competency' beyond what has been typically understood in Australia to this time.

This thesis focuses on practical work as pedagogy in the teaching and learning of science. In particular the emphasis is on students' perceived value of practical work in science courses offered from pre-degree to final year degree level courses at a university in Auckland, New Zealand. It seems a common assumption that the teaching of science will include a practical component. For instance, the School of Applied Sciences at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) offers a significant practical component within almost every course offered. This thesis explores the assumption that practical work should be included in the delivery of science courses. A range of views on the nature of science, the acquiring of knowledge and theories of learning are investigated, as well as the ways in which these may underpin the use of practical work as pedagogy in science education. The research described in this thesis took the form of a case study in which students in a range of science courses at AUT were asked to complete a questionnaire and a small number of respondents were then interviewed. Questionnaires were used to gather a large number of responses across a range of subject areas and a range of levels of study. Interviews were utilised to gather more in-depth responses. The data collated from the questionnaires and interviews was analysed thematically. Perhaps not surprisingly, the findings of this case study indicate overwhelming support by students for practical work. The dominant themes which emerged indicated that practical work not only supports learning and understanding in science, but also provides learning opportunities that classroom learning does not provide. The findings of this thesis would seem to support and justify the continued delivery of practical work in science courses. While the responses did not reveal how students believe practical work supports their learning and understanding, some respondents affirmed the less explicit aims of practical work in science education, such as the development of a sense of inquiry, the ability to problem solve and the ability to think critically. This then leads to the question as to whether practical work, as delivered in Applied Science courses at AUT, provides opportunities to potentially meet all of the aims which are expected and hoped for by students, the researcher and her colleagues. While this thesis establishes that students value highly the practical component in science courses, the need to further investigate the style of delivery of practical work to meet wider aims also emerged from this study.

Lave and Wenger's conceptualisation of communities of practice (CoPs) has had a profound impact on the way many think about learning at work. In universities, CoPs have the potential to meet the continuing professional learning (CPL) needs of academics in ways that formal structured programmes cannot. However, participating in CoPs can be a disempowering experience, depending on the way power is exercised within and outside of the community. Using narrative methods here, we explore the nature of CPL in a faculty-based teaching community of practice, paying particular attention to the links between the individual and extra-individual. Although all 15 CoP members interviewed for this study spoke of becoming more innovative and confident teachers since joining the community, noteworthy differences emerged in their descriptions of their engagement. Long-term and new members' stories were qualitatively different: old-timers told stories of praxis, of personally transformative CPL that involved them in collective action in the wider socio-cultural context of teaching, while newcomers spoke of a more individualistic and pragmatic approach focused on professional survival. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

To understand the nature of learning in workplaces and how this learning might be improved, it is useful to view the activities that learners engage in as key units of curriculum. These learning experiences, which workers engage in as part of everyday work practice, should be conceptualised as goal-directed activity shaped by the context and requirement of the particular community of practice in which those activities occur. This paper draws upon current theorising and empirical work in order to provide an initial model of a workplace learning curriculum. The model suggests that learning rather than teaching should be at the core of concepts of curriculum. Commencing with a review of goals for vocational expertise, learning through goal-directed activity and a synthesis of some recent research into learning in workplaces a tentative model of workplace learning is advanced. Features of this model include guided participation in the everyday activities of the workplace with explicit interventions aimed at providing access to forms of knowledge which remain opaque and also the development of procedures. The overall structure of the learning arrangements is referred to as the learning curriculum with activities being advanced as key components of the curriculum model. Although founded within workplace communities of practice, this model may well have wider applications.

The State Training Profile is designed to guide the development and delivery of vocational education and training (VET) in South Australia. The 1997 profile builds on previous profiles and is the means through which government priorities and the training needs of industry, regions and the community are brought together to inform the mix and level of training required to achieve common economic and social goals. The profile addresses the following areas: the planning framework; strategic directions including the national strategy; state, industry, regional, target group, students', and adult community education priorities; open training market; entry level training; language, literacy and numeracy; capital development plan and national projects and interstate cooperative activities. The appendixes for this document are indexed at TD/SA 48.06.