No small change: proposals for a research and development strategy for vocational education and training in Australia

This project was carried out by the University of Technology, Sydney for the Vocational Education, Employment and Training Advisory Committee (VEETAC) Research and Development Working Party, to assist in the development of a national research and development (R&D) strategy. The report is designed to serve as a starting point in the process of changing the culture and organisation of vocational education R&D. It is argued that there is a vital need for the data, ideas and critique that good research provides, and effective mechanisms for making these available. The report looks in detail...  [+] Show more

This project was carried out by the University of Technology, Sydney for the Vocational Education, Employment and Training Advisory Committee (VEETAC) Research and Development Working Party, to assist in the development of a national research and development (R&D) strategy. The report is designed to serve as a starting point in the process of changing the culture and organisation of vocational education R&D. It is argued that there is a vital need for the data, ideas and critique that good research provides, and effective mechanisms for making these available. The report looks in detail at the need for a research strategy, and at the current state of research, including its organisation and funding. It outlines a number of principles with which an R&D strategy should comply. It recommends the establishment of a national body to oversee the setting of priorities for R&D in applied general research in vocational education and training, and suggests three options for such a body. The importance of dissemination is emphasised; it is argued that there is a lack of a ‘research culture’ at present, and dissemination strategies are proposed with the goal of developing such a culture in which there is a coalition of researchers, policy makers and practitioners.