In August 2018, AAIR sponsored Dan Jolley as part of the Early Career Researcher Scholarship to present at the 27th National VET Research Conference ‘No Frills’ in Sydney. Dan’s presentation, ‘Is vocational training failing to prepare fitness students for employment and future study?’ identified that although fitness students improve their knowledge during their course, the ability to think critically and choose high-quality sources of information is underdeveloped.
Five Questions with Dan Jolley
Curtin University, Australia
Dan chose to be interviewed on a cafe stool, where he is often known to work!
1. What is your current role and research focus?
I’m currently a PhD candidate in the School of Psychology at Curtin University. I also teach fitness students at South Metropolitan TAFE. My research interest (piqued by my professional practice) is in misconceptions in fitness knowledge that students, personal trainers and degree qualified exercise professionals might possess, and the role of critical thinking in correcting these misconceptions.
2. Briefly, what tools and resources do you use in your research/have used to-date?
To collect information about the fitness knowledge of our participants and their sources of information, we created a survey using Qualtrics, which was administered face-to-face using tablets. We also designed and delivered an online course to improve the critical thinking skills of personal trainers, using content specific to their needs and interests. This was hosted on MoodleCloud, as we found this easier for students to navigate than other LMSs.
3. From your perspective, what are the emerging areas of interest in institutional research?
The 27th National VET Research Conference ‘No Frills’ started with pre-conference workshops on Wednesday 15 August 2018, with the sessions I attended focussing on getting your research noticed and building research networks within the VET sector. The highlights for me from Thursday 16 and Friday 17 were the morning keynote addresses each day. Professor Lene Tanggaard discussed the value of creativity in VET learning, while Dr Andrew Charlton discussed the changing nature of job roles and the need for education providers to adapt to meet these changing demands. Other talks consisted of an interesting mix of reporting large sets of data (such as the LSAY – Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth), models of learning, research looking at qualifications of graduates, and the changing role of VET trainers. The varied nature of presentations was matched by the range of skills and backgrounds of conference attendees. The audience ranged from students and researchers, to VET trainers, to administrators and policy makers, which led to thought-provoking questions and lively discussions in workshops and presentations. The AAIR scholarship gave me the opportunity to attend all three days of the conference, which was an invaluable learning experience. I also had the opportunity to attend both the welcome reception and conference dinner, which were both entertaining evenings, and I had the chance to meet a wide variety of other attendees.
4. From your perspective, what are the emerging areas of interest in institutional research?
A recurring theme from this year’s conference, and recent research into employability, is the increasing importance of ‘soft skills’, such as effective communication, research, problem-solving and critical analysis skills. This was mentioned repeatedly throughout the event and highlights the importance of critical thinking skills in VET. Traditionally, VET has not focussed on these skills.
5. What do you believe will be the future priorities for institutional research?
It is difficult to assess critical-thinking skills in competency-based training, where the performance of job tasks is key. My research has shown that these skills are not well developed in VET fitness students, or personal trainers, but the research of others tells us how desirable and important these skills are! We need to look for ways to include these skills in lower levels of education and teach them explicitly. We will also need to re-examine VET training packages, and the skills of VET trainers, to make sure these skills can be taught. I’d like to express my sincere thanks to AAIR for providing this opportunity to attend the NCVER conference. It was a valuable experience that has helped me communicate my research to those who can make good use of its findings. I’m looking forward to attending again in the future to present more work and to continue to build professional relationships. Find Dan on Twitter
NCVER is the principal provider of research, statistics and data on Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) sector. Its services help promote a better understanding of VET and assist policy-makers, practitioners, industry, training providers, and students to make informed decisions.
Don’t forget to save the date for the 28th National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference ‘No Frills’, co-hosted with TAFE SA in Adelaide on 10–12 July 2019.
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