Managers: Let's talk about your road map

Managers…..

Are you keen to consolidate your #2022NVC key takeaways?

Over the past two days, you have attended sessions that have provided some food for thought, given you some ideas, or validated your current practice.

Before you leave, take this 45-minute opportunity to jot down your thoughts, plans, concepts you might implement and the tools you will need to do that!

Walk away from the National VET Conference with a road map to your chosen destination.

Got a burning question you would like answered?

These freestyle facilitation sessions are not structured; however there will be a presenter on hand who is an expert in Management to prompt conversation or answer questions you might have.

Would you like the opportunity to network with other like-minded professionals and share contact information?

This session is designed to help you connect with others who have similar experiences working in an RTO.  Don’t miss this chance to make new contacts or catch up with existing colleagues!

Trainers/Assessors: Let's talk about your road map

Trainers and Assessors

Are you keen to consolidate your #2022NVC key takeaways?

Over the past two days, you have attended sessions that have provided some food for thought, given you some ideas, or validated your current practice.

Before you leave, take this 45-minute opportunity to jot down your thoughts, plans, concepts you might implement and the tools you will need to do that!

Walk away from the National VET Conference with a road map to your chosen destination.

Got a burning question you would like answered?

These freestyle facilitation sessions are not structured; however there will be a presenter on hand who is an expert in Training/Assessment to prompt conversation or answer questions you might have.

Would you like the opportunity to network with other like-minded professionals and share contact information?

This session is designed to help you connect with others who have similar experiences working in an RTO.  Don’t miss this chance to make new contacts or catch up with existing colleagues!

Administrators: Let's talk about your road map

Administrators, Operational Managers, those responsible for administrative process in your RTO

Are you keen to consolidate your #2022NVC key take-aways?

Over the past two days, you have attended sessions that have provided some food for thought, given you some ideas, or validated your current practice.

Before you leave, take this 45-minute opportunity to jot down your thoughts, plans, concepts you might implement and the tools you will need to do that!

Walk away from the National VET Conference with a road map to your chosen destination.

Got a burning question you would like answered?

These freestyle facilitation sessions are not structured; however there will be a presenter on hand who is an expert in Administration to prompt conversation or answer questions you might have.

Would you like the opportunity to network with other like-minded professionals and share contact information?

This session is designed to help you connect with others who have similar experiences working in an RTO.  Don’t miss this chance to make new contacts or catch up with existing colleagues!

Compliance Personnel: Let's talk about your road map

Compliance Personnel

Are you keen to consolidate your #2022NVC key take-aways?

Over the past two days, you have attended sessions that have provided some food for thought, given you some ideas, or validated your current practice.

Before you leave, take this 45-minute opportunity to jot down your thoughts, plans, concepts you might implement and the tools you will need to do that!

Walk away from the National VET Conference with a road map to your chosen destination.

Got a burning question you would like answered?

These freestyle facilitation sessions are not structured; however there will be a presenter on hand who is an expert in Compliance to prompt conversation or answer questions you might have.

Would you like the opportunity to network with other like-minded professionals and share contact information?

This session is designed to help you connect with others who have similar experiences working in an RTO.  Don’t miss this chance to make new contacts or catch up with existing colleagues!

Afternoon Tea and Networking

What Do You Get When You Mix LLN and VET?

What do you get when you mix LLN and VET?   A bad rhyme but great outcomes!  

In this interview-style session, LLN and VET will merge as literacy specialist Jo Medlin chats with VET practitioner Chemène Sinson.  In their conversation, they’ll answer some of the questions they most often hear VET practitioners ask about LLN and other foundation skills, and bust some myths in the process.

If you’ve ever wondered how to tell if a student needs LLN support, looked for ways to help students without adding to your workload, or had a question about dyslexia or other LLN issues, you’ll find the answers here!  Jo and Chemène will base most of their conversation on pre-prepared questions, and there will also be some time for live audience questions.

This session has been identified by the presenters as suitable for those who have some experience but still want validation of their knowledge/understanding.

Scaffolding Strategies for Learning

Are you ready to transform your necessary delivery content (Units of Competency, Standard Operating Procedures, etc.)?  You can do this by creating a learning journey that supports both vocational knowledge and improves literacy.

In this session, using ready-made websites, resources, and templates, trainers will leave with learner-centric activities and ideas combining online and ready-for-print (hard copy) resources contextualised to their own needs, units or training material.

Using your own keywords, John will introduce you to practical delivery strategies to structure scaffolded learning activities and ensure greater engagement and retention rates of learners.

Identified by the presenter as suitable for those fairly new to VET or who are looking for a fundamentals refresher, use this session to boost your facilitating skills, and knowledge development specific to your environment.

Implementing Systems for Quality Self-assurance and Continuous Improvement

This is a session that will deep dive into how to actually develop quality systems, implement self-assurance and adopt continuous improvement to set your RTO up for success. 

This is a masterclass designed with hints and tips for taking your existing, traditional processes and implementing strategies around autonomy, accountability and transparency.  

This session has been identified by the presenter as being suitable for those who have worked in VET for more than 5 years and who do not require fundamentals.

Designing Assessments Appropriate for the AQF Level

Designing assessments for Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a complex task which involves deep knowledge and experience in competency-based assessment, the subject matter, and compliance requirements. Designing assessments is not a one-size-fits-all exercise, and we need to ensure there is an appropriate amount of complexity applied to assessment tasks.

Whilst there are many methods for collecting sufficient and valid evidence to confirm competency, this advanced session will take a deep dive into the most appropriate methods for collecting evidence and applying an appropriate amount of complexity commensurate with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) requirements.

This session will be interactive, getting participants to do exercises in forming appropriate questions and selecting the most appropriate forms of evidence collection for assessment. It is identified by the presenter as being suitable for those who have worked in VET for more than 5 years and do not require fundamentals

Join Kevin Ekendahl, CEO of Audit Express, as he takes you through an interactive session on designing assessments, collecting evidence and asking the right type of questions for the AQF level.

Networking Lunch

Unleashing Leadership: Creating a culture of brilliance

As leaders of our respective businesses, we cannot deny the toll these last few years have taken on us all. Whether we are business owners, executives, senior managers, department heads or front-line staff, it has been a taxing endeavour to push forward with so much uncertainty.

If left unchecked over time, our company culture can begin to shift in a direction that no longer aligns with our vision, mission or strategies - in turn leading to long hours of “human heart recovery”. This might be in the form of losing staff, the time and money lost in the hiring and training process, or performance management due to the learnings of “bad habits” in work-from-home environments which according to a study conducted by Plugable in 2021, have impacted 5 in 6 workers (quite the interesting read!).  

As we “build our roadmap” for the coming years ahead, our people are going to be a fundamental piece to our success and we all know we need them and our culture back in A1 condition to innovate, execute, and deliver on that journey with passion once more. And that’s where we come in: The Maven Effect’s CEO and Founder, Jason Blinman, is an Executive Coach and Leadership Master who will take you on a journey to help you prepare, recover and re-invigorate your most important assets of your road map to success; your people.  

Unleashing Leadership – Creating a culture of brilliance will bring you to the forefront of your organisations culture and equip you with a new sense of vulnerability to assist you in looking at your business - openly with heart. This session will help you to recover the essence of collectiveness and boost your business culture to defy all odds (hell yeah that’s a commitment!).

So if you are an experienced manager, courageous enough to get a little uncomfortable in comfort at Velg Training's  National VET Conference 2022, and are prepared to “create a culture of brilliance”, be prepared to re-learn how to:

• Foster true resilience from your people
• Inspire infectious innovation and creativity
• Create courage through vulnerability and honesty

Unleashing Leadership – Creating a culture of brilliance is designed to be hands on and hands up with lots of opportunity to get comfy with vulnerability and as leaders, be open and honest about our workplace cultures.

Joseph Campbell once said “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek”. Only through truly courageous leaders will brilliance thrive; are you ready to shine?

Leverage the Power of Gestural Animation

Research shows that people who gesture when they speak are easier to understand than those who don’t. Discover the practice of gestural animation - a skill that anyone can master to improve their communication expertise. All you need is practise and self-awareness.

Gestural animation primarily involves using hand gestures to paint a clear picture of what you are saying. With its power lying in our evolutionary neural architecture, building a wide vocabulary of gestures should be the aim of every presenter, trainer and facilitator.

In this session, Tony will draw on evolutionary psychology to explain the link between gestural animation, communication and comprehension, highlighting why your presentations will benefit when you focus on mastering this skill. We will explore a range of gestures you can use to build your own gestural vocabulary, identify some gestures of your own and have some fun practising them in the session.

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

1. Understand and explain the neurobiological link between gestural animation, communication and comprehension.
2. Use a range of gestures that suit your presentation and delivery style.
3. Improve your ‘vocabulary of gestures’ into the future.

This session is for trainers, presenters, and facilitators looking for ways to make positive improvements to their presentation style that will deliver a big impact.

Bring your internet-enabled device to fully participate in the session.

The presenter has indicated that this session is suitable for those who have some experience but may wish to have their knowledge/understanding validated.  However, an abundance of research shows that most people do not employ this skill when they speak so, even experienced presenters will find this session of value!

Embed the Learning and Build Confidence: Secure the road map

Demonstrating competency is vital during assessment, but building in lifetime retention of knowledge is a true gift. Demonstrating skills in an assessment is fine, but actually having students use these skills confidently and accurately in the workplace is the goal of a dedicated trainer.

Being able to subtly use simple, effective retention and recall exercises with your students, will give you the satisfaction of knowing that your efforts in planning and research will not be wasted; students will recall, and will intuitively use the skills you have been teaching.

There are various ways you can help this recall and retention without your students even realising that is what you are doing, and it absolutely works!  It is a lot of fun for you and them! In this workshop, expect to experience these methods for yourself and realise how much it improves your own memory recall.

In this session, using a variety of engaging tools, you will experience how to design effective information recall  using regularly spaced recall activities. Be prepared to actively participate and experience the results.

In the process of sharing how to USE these strategies, you will learn ABOUT:

• Understanding the importance of ongoing, built-in retention and recall activities throughout your sessions so your efforts are not forgotten by the learners
• A host of FUN, tried, tested and true activities designed to cement and recall information; easily and for the long term
• How renowned educator, Tony Buzan, the inventor of the term 'Mind Maps', believes symbols and drawings can vastly improve retention and the good news that your drawing skills don’t have to be brilliant to be effective
• The importance of music in learning to help with memory retention
• Effectively using both hemispheres of the learner’s brain with Clustering, Storyboarding, Brain Dumping and Mind Mapping to build retention
• How vital it is to record the success stories of your students to build their confidence (and that of other participants) so that your material is real and relevant
• Looking at how you currently review, recall, revise or revisit – and making it more effective
• Fun ways to stretch minds and extend the consolidation of learning
• Training delivery skills, interwoven with engaging, brain-targeted focus, to build retention and confident implementation of the skills you have been teaching

Suitable for those who have some experience but still want validation of their knowledge/understanding

Creating a Compliance Program

One simple activity can sometimes have the greatest impact!

In the world of VET there is one that has a profound effect on both the compliance and confidence of RTOs.

Developing a Compliance Program can be extraordinarily beneficial – taking compliance from an annual, mammoth, panic-project to a manageable set of weekly activities that involves everyone.

The best Compliance Program is one that is designed specifically for your RTO.

In this session, together with Paul Pellier, you’ll workshop the foundations of your very own compliance program.

Discuss and share ideas with attendees, use the example provided to work through step-by-step and customise your own program with the supplied template.  You will receive other useful tools and templates to take away and adapt.

This session will assume a basic understanding of the Standards for RTOs 2015 and has been pitched by the presenter as suitable for those who have some experience but are looking for ways to gain confidence in their approach to compliance.

Better Data Faster: VET Data Streamlining Program

The VET Data Streamlining program will introduce significant changes to the way the VET sector reports student activity data. Led by the new Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, in partnership with the National Centre for Vocational Education Research and the state and territory governments; the program will gradually introduce changes to what student and training data is collected and how it is managed.

As the world emerges from a global pandemic, Australia’s economic recovery will be powered by a skilled and educated workforce. The VET sector is the engine room powering this recovery, providing opportunities for individuals and the nation to thrive. 

If we are going to deliver on this potential, better data faster will be key. Quality, timely information has the potential to transform the way we work now and shape the way the sector responds to future challenges and emerging trends to support businesses, workers and learners across the nation. 

In short, world leading education and training must be supported by quality information and data, enabled by contemporary technology. 

The VET Data Streamlining program will support this objective by modernising the way student and training activity data is managed by introducing a new VET information Standard; and clever technology to allow providers to submit data progressively while streamlining the collection and submission processes.

Join Melissa Bennett, Assistant Secretary, VET information Branch from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations who will provide an overview of the program, followed by a question-and-answer session.

Walk the Talk: Practical assessments for knowledge evidence

ASQA confirmed that Knowledge Evidence can be assessed by practical activities. But how can this work? This session discusses this approach and looks at examples to apply it. Can it be done in a way that is reliable, sufficient and valid?

This session is a discussion about the approach to use practical assessments to assess knowledge. Can it be done? Should it be done? And whether a student demonstrating a skill really means they have the underlying knowledge.

This session has a practical component. Participants will work with provided units of competency or can use a unit they regularly deliver. In small groups they will identify the Knowledge Evidence points that can be assessed in practical activities and draft a suitable checklist.

It has been identified by the presenter as suitable for those who have some experience but are looking for validation of their knowledge/understanding, and also for those more experienced practitioners who have been working in VET for more than 5 years who do not require fundamentals.

A Road Map for Structuring Sessions

Structuring sessions is a high impact teaching strategy!

In this session, Karen will unpack the fundamentals of structuring a session, including how to get your students engaged from the get go, the importance of clarity in establishing what the class will learn in the session (as opposed to do!), and how to scaffold the learning so you gradually release the responsibility to the learner and get them to do the thinking. 

This session will be highly interactive and fun - because it's fun when you learn!  

It has been identified by the presenter as suitable for those fairly new to VET or who are looking for a fundamentals refresher.

Life-long Learning Through Verifiable Credentials

In the session, 'Life-long learning through verifiable credentials', we explore the global megatrends in education - Micro-credentials and Digital Badging.

Explore this  thought-provoking topic, that touches on current trends as well as looking into where education is going, incorporating some of the early research, use-cases, and experimentation that is taking place globally in blockchain technology adoption.

The session looks at how the rise in blockchain-enabled applications are now able to enhance learning and career opportunities through verifiable credentials. The term blockchain technology may be a new or unknown concept to many, so one of the aims of the session is to break this down into easy-to-understand language, along with providing scenarios to give this new technology understanding and context.

Toby will introduce the concept of 'the complete learner', and how education institutes can now empower students to receive recognition of skills and achievements, not only for formal education but also meaningful non-accredited and extra-curricular activities, all of which are of great benefit to students, institutes and employers alike. He will share the discoveries gained in this field over the last few years and how this new wave of thinking is creating truly meaningful outcomes.

The intention of this session is to provide practical ideas that could be implemented tomorrow along with introducing concepts that will help educational institutes to think about their role in the future.  It has been identified by the presenter as suitable for those who have some experience but still want validation of their knowledge/understanding.

Morning Tea and Networking

Motivational Speaker

Minister's Address

Welcome Back to Day 2

Coffee and Networking

WELCOME FUNCTION!

Let's talk about Compliance

What is Freestyle Facilitation? 

Your feedback has helped shape this concept!  Delegates of past events have identified they would love the opportunity to attend a less structured session that allows them to network with others , share hints and tips and ask questions. As an attendee YOU get to help shape this session!

This NOT a:

• Pure Q & A/Panel session
• Formal PD session
• A platform for airing grievances

This IS an opportunity for:

• Positive discussions
• Sharing ideas, thoughts, concerns with like-minded practitioners
• Participating in a facilitated networking opportunity to help inspire your innovative thoughts, or plans around Compliance
• Making positive connections with others
• Idea generation

Let's Talk About Training

What is Freestyle Facilitation? 

Your feedback has helped shape this concept!  Delegates of past events have identified they would love the opportunity to attend a less structured session that allows them to network with others , share hints and tips and ask questions. As an attendee YOU get to help shape this session!

This NOT a:

• Pure Q & A/Panel session
• Formal PD session
• A platform for airing grievances

This IS an opportunity for:

• Positive discussions
• Sharing ideas, thoughts, concerns with like-minded practitioners
• Participating in a facilitated networking opportunity to help inspire your innovative thoughts, or plans around Training
• Making positive connections with others
• Idea generation

Let's Talk About Administration

What is Freestyle Facilitation? 

Your feedback has helped shape this concept!  Delegates of past events have identified they would love the opportunity to attend a less structured sessionthat allows them to network with others , share hints and tips and ask questions. As an attendee YOU get to help shape this session!

This NOT a:

• Pure Q & A/Panel session
• Formal PD session
• A platform for airing grievances

This IS an opportunity for:

• Positive discussions
• Sharing ideas, thoughts, concerns with like-minded practitioners
• Participating in a facilitated networking opportunity to help inspire your innovative thoughts, or plans around Administration
• Making positive connections with others
• Idea generation

Let's Talk About Assessment

What is Freestyle Facilitation? 

Your feedback has helped shape this concept!  Delegates of past events have identified they would love the opportunity to attend a less structured session that allows them to network with others , share hints and tips and ask questions. As an attendee YOU get to help shape this session!

This NOT a:

• Pure Q & A/Panel session
• Formal PD session
• A platform for airing grievances

This IS an opportunity for:

• Positive discussions
• Sharing ideas, thoughts, concerns with like-minded practitioners
• Participating in a facilitated networking opportunity to help inspire your innovative thoughts, or plans around Assessment
• Making positive connections with others
• Idea generation

Afternoon Tea and Networking

Top Trends in Digital Learning

The one thing we have all discovered about digital learning is that it is always evolving. As soon as we learn one digital tool, it changes or a new and improved version takes its place. A huge part of keeping up to date is our own digital and information literacy as educators.

This session will take you through the latest top trends in digital learning, and how this will affect:

• The future of training,
• Engaging our learners, and
• The future of work.

The presenter has identified that this session is suitable for anyone who is working in the digital learning space – regardless of experience.

Self Assurance – Building Confidence in Quality Outcomes

In 2021 ASQA commenced working with the sector to co-design a working model for provider self-assurance. The model received strong support from providers, key stakeholders and others involved in the design phase. The model has since been published and ASQA will continue to publish insights, research and training materials to support the sector to continue building capacity to self-assure against the standards. 

The presentation will explain the co-design process that was used to develop the model and how providers can start using the model to inform their self-assurance practice. Current and planned activities that ASQA is undertaking to support provider self-assurance of the standards will also be outlined. This conversation is particularly timely and important in the lead up to a transition to revised standards, which will have a focus on quality outcomes and continuous improvement.

Ad-hoc Learning Design - Lessons from 12 Years in Instructional Design

Like most people in the VET sector, you have probably been asked to design, develop or update a training course at some point in your career.

Whether it is something as ‘simple’ as preparing a PowerPoint presentation for a course or information session, designing student learning materials, or even putting together an e-learning program, most of us are familiar with this challenge.While designing training courses, or ‘Instructional Design’ is a specific discipline and very narrow field of study, knowing some of the basic principles can make your work stand out.

Tony will show you how to enhance the training courses, presentations, or e-learning programs you are asked to create to be outcome-focused, engaging, and based on sound, evidence- based instructional design principles. He will walk you through a range of instructional design principles that he wishes he knew when he started designing training programs more than 12 years ago.

You will explore:

• some of the key evidence-based principles used by instructional designers to design great courses
• tips for clarifying the client’s needs and understanding the brief before you start designing
• things to remember to keep your content engaging
• common pitfalls and learning design myths that you should disregard.

Get ready for an interactive session full of practical ideas you can apply the next time you are asked to “update this course please”.

Bring your internet-enabled device to fully participate in the session!

Playing your Key Assessment Instruments … the Right Way

This session will break down how to apply and use assessment instruments, as the interchangeable components within our assessment tools, correctly.

During the 45 minutes, the session will focus on explanations and examples that:

• Explore how assessment instruments enable the understanding of the user/reader
• Consider how assessment instruments enable the correct gathering of evidence, and
• Understand the importance of aligning assessment instruments to contextualised unit requirements

Effectively using and applying valid and reliable assessment instruments begins with having a clear understanding of what they are about, their purpose for being there, the audience they are directed towards, and the responses and results returned.

With this essential understanding in mind, this session will unpack the documented assessment instructions that communicate well interpreted expectations to both students and assessors, the benchmarks and decision-making rules used to effectively gather evidence and return judgements, and the mapping practices we apply to represent a full ‘gap free’ alignment between our assessment practices and unit expectations.

The presenter has identified this session as suitable for those who have some experience but are still looking for validation of their knowledge/understanding.

Individual Support Needs: Identifying and responding

Clause 1.7 requires that an RTO determines the support needs of individual learners and provides access to the education and support services necessary for the individual learner to meet the requirements of the training product.

But what does that actually look like?

Based on feedback from 2021 NVC attendees requesting student support needs are covered in this year’s program, this session is focussed on the obligations of an RTO for identifying and responding to individual support needs.

It is for anyone who plays a role in the administrative processes around learner support and is suitable for those looking for a refresher or validation that they are on the right track.

Master of Administration, Angela McGregor, will unpack the legislated requirements and record-keeping obligations, but will also explore what kind of support needs we are talking about that go beyond language literacy and numeracy.

This session has been identified by the presenter as suitable for those who have some experience but would like validation of their knowledge/understanding.

10 Ways to Boost Your Facilitation Skills

Good facilitation should aim to maximise learner engagement and involvement. But this doesn’t come without its challenges. Even the most experienced trainers can be thrown off balance in difficult moments. As a facilitator, you can avoid “deer in the headlights” moments by developing the capacity to stay cool and think on your feet. This session explores 10 ways to boost your facilitation skills that will directly influence learner engagement and retention during training.

Outcomes:

• Explain the role of facilitation
• Examine factors that impact effective facilitation practice
• Identify 10 ways to boost facilitation skills

The presenter has identified that this session is suitable for Trainers looking for some hints and tips  - those who might be looking for a refresher or who have some experience and are looking for validation of their practice.

Dynamic and Profitable Financials

Organisational change will have financial impacts and a business case should be made for the change; what are the long-term outcomes and benefits?

The RTO is a business with a profit motive and therefore the business case needs to prove a sustainable increase in profits from the change.Change for the sake of change just creates stress for all and affects the motivation of all for the long term. For example, changes in training delivery will change the costs of delivery; less staff and more investment in IT, how will this affect your bottom line?

Changes in the short term will be different to the financial impacts in the long run. Initially, change means costs, time and disruption which are all short-term costs; how will these short-term costs be recouped? Modelling or forecasting in the short, mid, and long term on the financial impacts to the RTO should be considered.

The level of modelling and forecast is dependent on the RTO size, complexity, and changes. No RTO or business should shy away from some level of analysis of the business case for a change.

David will explore this subject matter with some dynamic theory and user-friendly examples of modelling the changes.

This is a session for the RTO owner, director, CEO and CFO who have been in the industry for more than 5 years (not requiring fundamentals)

The Big Shift - Designing for Virtual Classrooms

It's way more than shifting to Zoom.

Live online learning environments have their own specific strategies and tactics for design and delivery. In this session, we'll learn the principles that you need to know for success and the practical skills and tools to make it happen. You'll learn how we designed a multi-award-winning Accredited Course and an Intensive Online Program with a 92% completion rate!

We'll cover:

• Entering the environment
• Shifting your language
• Engagement and interaction tactics
• Creating safe psychological space
• Integrating social learning
• Knowing your tools

If you want to maximise student engagement and improve outcomes in virtual learning environments, shift yourself into this session.

This session has been identified by the presenter suitable for those who have some experience but are looking for validation of their knowledge/understanding.

Networking Lunch

Risk-based responsive regulation – our 2022-23 program of work to address risk priorities with the sector

ASQA is taking a data-driven and proportionate approach to addressing its regulatory risk priorities, a key part of this is developing an annual program of work. 

Sean Heffernan (Director, Program Implementation, ASQA) will be presenting the approach and what this may look like for different areas of the sector utilising our range our regulatory tools. 

Academic Integrity in Online Learning

Academic integrity is fundamental to learning and teaching. At an institutional level it is essential for preserving the reputation of online course offerings and for protecting student interests and the authenticity of results. 

As many programs have entered the world of online learning, the threats to academic integrity are increasing due to the ease of accessing contract cheating - including commercial essay services and identity fraud. 

To combat this, trainers, assessors, and program managers must promote academic integrity and address contract cheating within their organisations. This session will present a whole-of-institution approach to address issues of academic integrity in learning and assessment. 

This will include strategies for best practice in teaching students about the importance of academic integrity from an educative standpoint. It will include strategies to prevent academic misconduct and strategies for the detection of academic misconduct.  

This session has been identified by the presenter as being suitable for those who have some experience in VET but who may be looking for validation of their understanding/knowledge.

Help Your RTO Grow and Glow

This session will provide case studies of how Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are using Vocational Education and Training (VET) applied research to grow and glow.  Participants will reflect on the key areas of their RTO which would benefit most from incorporating VET applied research so they too can continue to grow and glow, as well as be provided with steps on how to get started incorporating VET applied research in their selected areas.

RTOs within the VET sector need to be very resilient and agile, however, RTOs only have limited time, resources and funding.  

In order to remain resilient and agile with finite resources, an RTO needs to foster a growth and continuous improvement mindset, while staying true to its organisational values and goals. This means making informed decisions which challenge assumptions and eliminate unconscious biases.  

VET applied research - a tried and tested mechanism for solving problems and realising opportunities - supports all of this.  RTOs using VET applied research are strengthening their self-assurance processes, as well as, growing their industry and community ties, and improving their training and assessment practices.  By developing and nurturing VET applied research capability within their organisations, these RTOs are also increasing their staff's data analysis literacies; skills, which are greatly needed, and sought after, in a data-driven world.  

This session has been identified by the presenter as suitable for those who have worked in VET for more than 5 years who do not require fundamentals.  It is designed to provide managers with strategies to make informed business decisions to effectively manage their RTO (or department within an RTO).

Implementing the Rules of Evidence: A close look at issues and how to avoid them

Clause 1.8 of the Standards for RTOs 2015 continues to be one of the most problematic compliance issues identified by ASQA at audit. The rules of evidence are one of the most fundamental principles of assessment in the VET sector, and while every assessor has covered these in their TAE, far too often these rules are not fully understood or implemented in the real world.

The session will explore each of the rules of evidence, unpacking each rule in plain English. It will review common issues identified within ASQA audits, including both assessment design issues and inadequate implementation practices. It will provide learners with a clearer understanding, beyond simple definitions, so that assessors are better able to ensure they are implementing the rules in their daily practice.

Coleen will also cover some common non-compliances and poor practices seen regularly.  The aim is to put a quick spotlight on some of these common issues, and get assessors thinking about the quality of assessment evidence upon which they base their assessment decisions.

This session has been identified by the presenter as suitable for those who are fairly new to VET OR who are looking for a fundamentals refresher.  While it is great for new assessors, it also aims to refocus experienced assessors back to the fundamentals which are the basis of compliant assessment practice.

Working Towards Compliance: How to not be scared of audits

As we emerge from a global pandemic that has seen many people re-consider their priorities in life, it’s time for training providers to stop being scared of audits and get back to focussing on providing the best service to their students. This session will explore the benefits of letting go of the fear of audits and their consequences, in favour of maintaining quality, with compliance in second place.

As providers once again face the spectre of new Standards for RTOs, changes to the ESOS Act and possibly a new National Code, it is timely to re-consider how compliance is viewed and managed.  

Would you like to be freed from the shackles of having to update every single procedure and form when regulatory or funding frameworks change?  Let’s talk about how you can do that.  

Have you built a compliance framework completely tied to the Standards for RTOs? Let’s talk about how you can stop doing that!

This session will provide a practical framework for removing the compliance monkey from your back once and for all.  It has been identified by the presenter as suitable for those who have some experience but still want validation of their knowledge/understanding.

Putting Creative Training Techniques into Practice

In a world where we are increasingly competing for the attention of our audience, learner engagement has never been more important. Using a participant-centred approach, this interactive session examines how trainers can use involvement, interaction and collaboration to maximise learning outcomes and help learners to stay focused and ‘present’ in training. It will also explore specific examples aimed at boosting interactivity and with share innovative techniques for reinforcing key content, through the use of object lessons and props.

Outcomes:

• Explain how participant-centred training can be used to drive engagement
• Identify the building blocks for creating engaging learning both online and offline
• Discuss the importance of C.O.R.E. (Closers, Openers, Revisiters and Energisers)
• Explore 12 C.O.R.E. examples that can be applied to boost interaction
• Explain how to implement object lessons to powerfully reinforce key training messages
• Identify props that can be used to effectively anchor content.

The presenter has identified that this session is suitable for trainers looking for a fundamentals refresher, or those who have some experience but are looking for validation of their understanding/knowledge.

Planning and Managing Self-Assurance Activities

This session is a Deep Dive into the crucial processes of administratively planning and managing your RTO’s Self-Assurance Activities.

It has been designed for 'Veterans' of VET who have been in the industry for more than 5 years. Skip the fundamentals and dive right into it!

When RTO uses good self-assurance techniques it will:

• detect and resolve problems as they emerge
• manage quality-outcomes risks and, as a result, assure high-quality student outcomes
• have assurance that it will continue to meet regulatory obligations (including quality standards) in the future.

As the self-assurance model continues to evolve, it is important that critical examination of performance and student outcomes occurs on an on-going basis (and that there are systems and processes in place to enable such examination).

Using case study discussions and inviting audience participation, Angela McGregor will explore using a risk-based approach to planning to identify areas of focus and frequency of self-assurance activities.  She will focus on preparation for success and the creation and implementation of a plan to help you build your roadmap for self-assurance.

10 Quick-Fire Findings from Research

Vocational educators have always been a type of people who don’t shy away from continuous-learning. Conscious or not, formal or not, most VET educators do put energy into evolving their practice to meet changing teaching contexts and the changing needs of learners. But let’s face it … the past two years has taken our natural inclinations toward continuous improvement out into a whole new stratosphere. For many, the shift to online education has brought new platforms, new tools, new expectations, and new ways of engaging students with ourselves and our content – so much is new and different!

This means that it’s important we stay up-to-date with current online VET research as it too keeps up with the changing landscape. But who’s got the time? Or the access to all the great research that’s happening? What strategies really have been tested and which ones simply seem like a good idea in a lab-perfect setting?

This interactive and engaging session has been developed just for you.

In this action-packed 90 min session, our favourite online VET researcher - Dr Deniese Cox from TeachingOnline.com.au - will share with you 10 quick-fire findings from research. She is handpicking learnings especially for this session that are relevant, timely, and varied so there’ll be something for everyone.

This is not a session to be missed!  It has been identified by the presenter as being suitable for anyone who works in online delivery or development; from those fairly new to it, to those who are experienced.

Morning Tea and Networking

Housekeeping and Message from our Platinum Sponsor

Update from the Australian Skills Quality Authority

This plenary session will provide attendees with an update from ASQA.

Official Open and Welcome

Registration