First annual report: 1981-1982

The concept of a national centre for research and development in TAFE was first raised in the 1974 Kangan report (indexed at TD/LMR 85.637) and again in 1979 in the Williams report (indexed at TD/LMR 85.677). Initially, it was to be called a 'Technology Centre' with an emphasis on researching the role of technology in vocational education. In 1979, the emphasis shifted to the need to broaden staff development programs for TAFE teachers and the need to maintain the industrial relevance of TAFE courses. The Williams Committee recommended a national centre for research and development in...  [+] Show more

The concept of a national centre for research and development in TAFE was first raised in the 1974 Kangan report (indexed at TD/LMR 85.637) and again in 1979 in the Williams report (indexed at TD/LMR 85.677). Initially, it was to be called a 'Technology Centre' with an emphasis on researching the role of technology in vocational education. In 1979, the emphasis shifted to the need to broaden staff development programs for TAFE teachers and the need to maintain the industrial relevance of TAFE courses. The Williams Committee recommended a national centre for research and development in TAFE to be jointly funded by the Commonwealth and States that would plan and produce teaching materials, analyse skills required for various occupations and the related educational courses needed to train for them, accreditation, classification of courses and nomeclature of awards, the use of technological aids in teaching, and the development of self-paced learning programs. The Centre was formally established on 2 September 1981 and began operations on 2 November 1981. This first annual report of the Centre contains the annual reports and financial statements of the TAFE National Centre for Research and Development and of the National TAFE Clearinghouse and outlines the objectives of the Centre, its background and the main activities of the Centre.