Martin Theresa EdD

8/13/2019 Martin Theresa EdD

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Doctor of Education Program: University of Western AustraliaThe Graduate School of Education

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Qualifications in Education for TAFE lecturers in Western Australia:

Background Functions and Concerns

Theresa MartinNovemer !""#

Su$ervisorsProfessor Tom %&Donoghue ' Associate Professor Marnie %&Neill


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TABLE OF CO!TE!TS

Astract (

P)%P%SED STUD*

The )esearch Aim +

,ac-ground +

Definition of Terms .

/onte0t #

Sustantial and %riginal /ontriution to 1no2ledge 3

4iterature )evie2 35uality 6ssues 3)ole of the 7ET Practitioner 8Education 5ualifications 9

)ESEA)/ P4AN AND MET%D%4%G* ;"

Theoretical


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ABSTRACT

This $ro$osed research 2ill focus on three closely interrelated as$ects of the 2orld ofTAWA?@


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PROPOSE" ST#"$

T%e Researc% Ai&The aim of this study is to generate sustantive theory regarding three interrelatedas$ects of the 2orld of TA


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mandatory education =ualifications for the 7ET sector@ TA


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lecturers@ The $olicy does not currently e0tend to e0isting lecturers or the large numerof $arttime and casual lecturers em$loyed y TA


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The four TA


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The conce$t of C=uality& is a multifaceted one@ Economic considerations the desire toim$rove the costeffectiveness of 7ET systems and the alance et2een 2ho enefitsfrom and 2ho $ays for training have $roved to e strong determinants in theformulation of $olicy $ertaining to the =uality of 7ET systems internationally >Meyers ',lom !""!?@

The degree of influence e0ercised y usiness and industry on 7ET =uality systems isstrong in countries such as Scotland England Ne2 ealand and Australia mostly dueto the formation of national training authorities that regard usiness and industry as their-ey sta-eholders@ Some Euro$ean Union countries along 2ith South Africa and theUnited States $lace a high degree of em$hasis on the re=uirement to meet roadcommunity needs in the formation in 7ET =uality systems >Meyers ' ,lom !""!?@

The maBor set of legislative =uality indicators in the 7ET system in Australia areemodied in the Australian 5uality Training A5T


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ohnson !""(?@ There is evidence of change fatigue and a decline in Bo satisfaction@7ET $ractitioners feel a tension et2een traditional activities of teaching and trainingand the $ressure to ecome involved in other 2or- functions such as com$liance 2iththe A5T< =uality standards >Australian National Training Authority !""+?@

7ET $ractitioners have a dual identity as oth an industry $rofessional and an

educational $rofessional >Dic-ie !""+?@ The conce$t of 7ET $rofessional $ractice isaout achievement and maintenance of high standards in teaching learning andassessment 2hich are matched y high standards of industry $ractice and industrycurrency@ A $rofession in 7ET is more com$le0 than the conce$t of a $rofession inschool teaching medicine or engineering@ There has een much discussion as to2hether 7ET $ractitioners should e memers of a $rofessional ody@ Dic-ie >!""+?suggests a shift of em$hasis from C7ET teaching $ractice as a $rofession& to thea$$lication of Chigh=uality $rofessional $ractice among 7ET $ractitioners&@

Education 5ualificationsProfessional image status and =ualifications are closely associated in all vocations@)oson >;998? found that most 7ET teachers retain strong allegiances to their first

occu$ational identity@ CThe vast maBority of 7ET teachers are $rofessionals in other fieldsand their $rimary identification is therefore unli-ely to e as a teacher&@ ,yrne >;99!?argues that CTA


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The changing economy and laour mar-et has highlighted the role of vocationaleducation and training in economic reform@ This has resulted in un$recedentedgovernment funding to su$$ort a national and state research agenda in 7ET@ Much ofthis research over the $ast decade has related to the effect of reforms in the 7ET sectorthe changing role of the 7ET $ractitioner and issues relating to =uality $ractices in

teaching learning and assessment@ This research has focused on s$ecific identifiedissues at a national or state level@ There has een minimal research at a local level2hich ta-es into account the $ers$ectives of 7ET $ractitioners@ The focus in recentresearch in 7ET has een driven y economic demands on the sector thus given thecurrent economic oom in Western Australia this $ro$osed study on the $ers$ectives ofTA


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through interaction of $ers$ectives and actions@ The follo2ing guiding research=uestions are the lin- et2een the theoretical $ers$ectives and the grounded theorymethods of data collection and data analysis@

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Researc% Questions

The aim of the study is to generate theory regarding three closely interrelated as$ects ofthe 2orld of TA


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What $rocedures have een estalished y TA


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The grounded theory $rinci$le of theoretical sam$ling 2ill e used >Punch ;998? initialdata 2ill e collected and analysed and the suse=uent collection 2ill e Kguided yemerging directions in that analysisL >$@;#3?@ ,eyond the decision concerning the initialcollection of data further collection cannot e $lanned in advance of the analysis of thefirst set of data@ Suse=uent $artici$ants 2ill e selected y searching for a full range of$ers$ectives as suggested y Taylor and ,ogdan >;98+?@ This $rocess 2ill continue until

ne2 data $roduces no additional insights 2hich 2ill mean Ctheoretical saturation& haseen achieved@ The $artici$ants 2ill have a range of ac-grounds age and=ualifications and teaching e0$erience@ Accordingly a 2ide range of $ers$ectives 2ill ecanvassed 2hich 2ill contriute to the =uality of data@ Thus the numer of $artici$ants2ill e determined y the achievement of Ctheoretical saturation&@

"ata CollectionData collection and data analysis are closely 2oven terms in grounded theory researchand are $art of an iterative $rocess rather than inde$endent activities@

6ntervie2sSemistructured inde$th intervie2s 2ill e the main form of data collection@ An

investigation on the ac-ground functions and concerns of TAMc/rac-en ;988F Minichiello

Aroni Time2ell ' Ale0ander ;99"F Patton ;989?

%$enended =uestions 2ill e $osed and an unstructured intervie2ing format 2ill eado$ted@ This 2ill allo2 the informants the o$$ortunity to e0$ress their ideas using theiro2n 2ords instead of having to fit their thoughts and understanding into $resetcategories determined y the researcher@

T2o im$ortant elements of intervie2 techni=ue 2ill e ado$ted@


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is regarded as the minimum time 2hich 2ould allo2 a ra$$ort to e estalished et2eenthe intervie2er and the $artici$ant and Crich& conversation to develo$@

6n the 2ee-s follo2ing a second tele$hone conversation 2ill occur to verify that theconsent forms have een signed and to arrange an intervie2 time 2ith each $artici$ant@6ntervie2s 2ill e ta$erecorded 2ith the $artici$ant&s $ermission@ The recorded

intervie2s 2ill e transcried veratim to $rovide the est dataase for analysis>Merriam ;988?@ Prior to analysis a co$y of the intervie2 2ill e $rovided to the$artici$ant for chec-ing and modification@ This 2ill allo2 an o$$ortunity for the$artici$ant to 2ithdra2 any $art of the intervie2 2hich they might deem ina$$ro$riate ortoo sensitive@

The attitude of the intervie2er is a critical as$ect of the $rocess@ The researcher 2ill aimto ecome a $artner 2ith the informant 2ith oth of them 2or-ing together to Cget thestory straight&@ >Wilson ' utchinson ;99;?@ The intervie2 is a com$le0 $rocedure andre=uires the researcher to e cognisant of the $rolems 2hich may arise and im$act theoutcomes of the $rocess@ Using a human as the research instrument rings in the$rolems of social interaction and in the intervie2 Kthe 2ay one res$onds to the

intervie2ee is much more im$ortant than the 2ording of your =uestionsL >/ars$ec-en;99#?@

%server Notes%server notes 2ill e made during the course of all intervie2s and used as a means ofcollecting data@ These notes re$lace oserver&s comments in the field as it 2ould eina$$ro$riate to oserve individuals in the conte0t of their everyday lives >Taylor ',ogdan ;998?@ These notes 2ill e $redominantly summaries of 2hat 2as said detailsof ody language and attitude and descri$tions of the environment of the intervie2@They 2ill $rovide clarification and sustance to the intervie2 transcri$ts@ These oservernotes 2ill su$$lement other comments such as those aout the $hysical a$$earance ofthe TAPunch ;998 $@;9!?@

Document StudyDocuments from the Western Australian De$artment of Education and Training and its$redecessors 2ill e used to inform this research on TA


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"ata Anal/sisThe intervie2 $rocess 2ill create a large amount of data@ The immediate challenge2hich 2ill egin after the transcri$tion of the very first intervie2 is to reduce the mass ofte0t to something manageale and meaningful@ 6n -ee$ing 2ith the $rinci$les ofgrounded theory the data analysis 2ill egin immediately ecause future intervie2s andfuture sam$ling is de$endant on the information 2hich emerges from the first set of data@

Glaser ;99!?@They are defined y Strauss and /orin as Klaels $laced on discrete ha$$eningsevents and other instances of $henomenaL >Strauss ' /orin ;99" $@#;?@ /once$tsare arrived at y selecting an element of data and as-ing KWhat is this an e0am$le of&&>Strauss ;983 $@#;?@ The conce$ts $roduced from the data are laelled 2ith code2ords@ 6nherent in this grounded theory coding $rocess are the t2o analytical$rocedures of ma-ing com$arisons and as-ing =uestions@ /onse=uently groundedtheory is -no2n as Kthe constant com$arative method of analysisL >Glaser ' Strauss

;9#3?@ The analysis of data in this study 2ill use the three levels of coding namelyo$en coding a0ial coding and selective coding >Glaser ;99!F Strauss ' /orin ;99"?@

/oding%$en coding re$resents the first level of coding 2hen ra2 data are sorted and $lacedinto conce$tual categories@ %$en coding is descried as the Crea-ing o$en of data& toidentify conce$ts >Strauss ' /orin ;99" $@#;?@ The intervie2 transcri$ts 2ill e codedlineyline and in some cases 2ordy2ord@ /ode 2ords 2ill e 2ritten in the marginsof the transcri$t sheets@ As similar conce$ts $resent themselves to the researcher they2ill e coded as categories for further investigation@ During the o$en coding $rocess thefollo2ing =uestion 2ill e constantly as-ed: KWhat category or $ro$erty of a categorydoes this incident indicateL >Glaser ;99! $@(9?@ Memos 2ill e used to assist the

analysis of the data@ These are detailed notes of ideas aout the data and the codedcategories >Glaser ;938 $@ 8(9!?@

The second level of coding a0ial coding or theoretical coding 2ill e used to ma-econnections et2een the categories of data identified in the o$en coding $rocess@ Thecategories 2ill e e0amined for logical lin-s and grou$ed into roader more astractcategories@ Some of the 2ays in 2hich these categories may e lin-ed includecom$arison and contrasts searching for cause and effect relationshi$s and other logicallin-s@


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Through this iterative $rocess of grounded theory data collection and analysis asustantive theory 2ill emerge@ This theory 2ill relate to ho2 TA;998 $ ;.? 2hen they state: Ktheory is a set of 2elldevelo$ed conce$ts related through statements of relationshi$ 2hich together constitutean integrated frame2or- that can e used to e0$lain or $redict $henomena&&

PROPOSE" T0,EL0!Eanuary J une !""3 %tain ethics a$$rovals %tain and analyse official records and $ulic documents from the various state

and national government de$artments /ontinue literature revie2 Draft ac-groundconte0t cha$ter Draft introductory cha$ter

uly J Decemer !""3

Draft methodology cha$ter /ontinue literature revie2 /ontinue analysis of documentary data /om$lete ac-groundconte0t cha$ter /om$lete introductory cha$ter

anuary J une !""8 /om$lete methodology cha$ter /om$lete literature revie2

uly J Decemer !""8 Send letter to MD&s at TA


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Sumit final thesis

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FAC0L0T0ESSu.er+isionProfessor Tom %&Donoghue EdD /oordinator and $rinci$al su$ervisor of the $ro$osedstudy 2ill ring significant e0$erience and -no2ledge $articularly $ertaining to groundedtheory research methods@

Associate Professor Marnie %&Neill cosu$ervisor of the $ro$osed study has e0tensivee0$ertise in =ualitative research@ er field of interest is teacher education and$rofessional develo$ment and in $articular teachers& $ers$ectives of $olicy change@

S.ecial E1ui.&ent6ntervie2s 2ill e recorded on an audio cassette recorder 2hich 2ill e the only s$eciale=ui$ment re=uired for this study@

EST0,ATE" COSTS 2

Printing !."/o$ying ;""Email ' do2nloads ;!"6T Su$$ort (""Miscellaneous soft2are ta$es etc (""Tele$hone ; !"

Total costs .er annu& 23345

Total esti&ated costs o+er 6 /ears 26785

CO!F0"E!T0AL0T$

/onfidentiality 2ill e assured to all $artici$ants@ All transcri$ts notes and audiota$es2ill e stored in a loc-ale cainet at the researcher&s home@ Names addresses andother identifying information 2ill e -e$t in a secured $lace ut se$arate to thetranscri$ts@ TA


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REFERE!CESAustralian National Training Authority@ >!"";?@Australian Quality Training Framework:

Standards for Registered Training Organisations@ Melourne: ANTA@Australian National Training Authority@ >!""+?@ The vocational education and training

workforce: New roles and ways of working@ Adelaide: Australian Government@,yrne P@ >;99!?@ TA;?

;;;.@/ars$ec-en P@ ;99#?@ "ritical Ethnogra#hy in Educational Research: A Theoretical

and $ractical %uide@ Ne2 *or-: )outledge@/ha$$ell /@ ' ohnson )@ >!""(?@ "hanging work: changing roles for vocational

education and training teachers and trainers@ Adelaide: National /entre for7ocational Education )esearch@

/ohen A@ ' ,ra2er ;99#?@ The American community college@ San ;999?@ )ediscovering the im$ortance of learning and curriculum invocational education and training in Australia@ &ournal of 'ocational Educationand Training () 9(;;(@

De$artment of Prime Minister and /ainet@ >!""#?@ Skills for the Future *inisterial

Statement to $arliament@ )etrieved ;! %ctoer !""# fromhtt$:222$mgovaune2ss$eechess$eech!;3.@html

Dic-ie M@ >!""+?@ Enhancing the ca#a+ility of 'ET #rofessionals: Final re#ort@ ,risane@Glaser ,@ >;938?@ Theoretical Sensitivity: Advances in *ethodology of %rounded

Theory@ /a: Sociology Press@Glaser ,@ >;99!?@ ,asics of %rounded Theory Analysis: Emergence vs Forcing@

/alifornia: Sociology Press@Glaser ,@ ' Strauss A@ >;9#3?@ The -iscovery of %rounded Theory: Strategies for

Qualitative Research@ /hicago: Aldine Pulishing co@GooHee G@ >;99.?@ The develo#ment of TAFE in Australia: An historical #ers#ective@

Adelaide: National /entre for 7ocational Education )esearch@Guthrie @ Per-ins 1@ ' Nguyen N@ >!""#?@ 'ET Teaching and .earning: The Future

Now@ Perth: Western Australian De$artment of Education and Training@arris )@ /layton ,@ /ha$$ell /@ Simons M@ /allan 7@ a2-e G@ et al@ >!""3 in

$ress?@ Su##orting vocational education and training #roviders in +uildingca#a+ility for the future fromhtt$:222@consortiumresearch$rogram@net@au

arris )@ Simons M@ ' /layton ,@ >!"".?@ Shifting mindsets: The changing work rolesof vocational education and training #ractitioners@ Adelaide: National /entre for7ocational Education )esearch@

arris )@ Simons M@ ill D@ Smith E@ Pearce )@ ,la-eley @ et al@ >!"";?@ The"hanging Role of Staff -evelo#ment for Teachers and Trainers in 'ocationalEducation and Training: Adelaide: National /entre for 7ocational Education)esearch@

Mc/rac-en G@ >;988?@ The long interview@ Ne2ury Par-: Sage@

Merriam S@ ,@ >;988?@ "ase Study Research in Education@ San


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Mitchell @ >!"".?@ Quality a critical issue in teaching learning and assessment invocational and further education 0 a three country com#arison @ )etrieved !%ctoer !""# from htt$:222@consortiumresearch$rogram@net@au

Patton M@ 5@ >;989?@ Qualitative evaluation methods@ ,everly ills: Sage Pulication@Punch 1@ >;998?@ /ntroduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative

A##roaches@ 4ondon: Sage Pulications@

)oson @ >;998?@ A Profession in /risis: Status /ulture and 6dentity in the ;998?@Strauss A@ >;983?@ Qualitative Analysis for Social Scientist4/amridge: /amridge

University Press@

Strauss A@ ' /orin @ >;99"?@ ,asics of Qualitative Research4 %rounded Theory$rocedures and Techni5ues4Ne2ury Par-: Sage@

Strauss A@ ' /orin @ >;998?@ ,asics of 5ualitative research: Techni5ues and#rocedures for develo#ing grounded theory@ Thousand %a-s /alifornia: Sage@

Taylor S@ @ ' ,ogdan )@ >;98+?@ /ntroduction to 5ualitative research methods4Ne2*or-: ohn )iley ' Sons@

Taylor S@ @ ' ,ogdan )@ >;998?@ /ntroduction to Qualitative Research *ethods: A%uide+ook and Resource>Third ed@?@ /anada: ohn Wiley and Sons@

Thomas @ >!"";?@ The 'ET $rofessional and TAFE Teacher Qualifications@ Melourne:7ictorian TA

Martin Theresa EdD

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