What would I know?
March 4th 2009 22:10
The processes and requirements of job applications have become sophisticated and streamlined. But is something getting lost along the way?
I just saw an advertisement for a professional writer and editor to teach part-time at tertiary level. I ponder. Interesting way to earn some spare cash, I think. And after 35 years working on three continents as a writer and editor, I think I qualify as a professional.
Experience and professionalism, however, aren't enough. I also require, the advertisement informs me, a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
Sorry?
A little research was called for so I found a web site for an 'open learning education network' which offered the certificate course.
Under the heading 'Who will benefit from enrolling in this course' it offered, amongst others, the following: persons who are directly responsible for the provision of competency based workplace training; training consultants and competency based workplace educators; corporate and managers of businesses offering competency based training programs in the workplace.
Competency training? How does that differ from ordinary training? The sort of training which, in my case, suggests the word 'competency' is redundant in this sense.
I would have thought the tertiary institutions would welcome older people with long experience - sorry, competency - to pass on to those starting their careers. People who, when asked a practical question, can turn to personal knowledge rather than a text book for the answer. People who don't need a certificate to prove they can be of use to students.
But how many older people will be turned off, as I am, by the red tape and obfuscation of the application process?
Oh, take no notice of me. I don't even have a Certificate IV.
image: by Michael Mucci at smh.com.au
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Comment by alt_ed
Alted Opinion
ArtCombat
The Inner Saintdom
The reason you require a Cert IV in Training and Assessment is pretty simple. If you're going to teach at a tertiary level, lets say TAFE for example. The Training and Assessment qualification teaches you how to apply your professional knowledge in a learning based environment.
I'm not saying that you don't know a great deal about writing, editing etc, but when it comes to training people you probably don't have the experience... right? And that's where this course comes in to play.
The course also teaches you how to interpret training packages, and in turn create your own assessments that will lead to your students gaining their desired qualification within the vocation you teach.
-sigh- even someone who completes an education degree, say to become a High School Teacher has to complete a cert IV if they wish to teach adults in a territory institution.
hehe- sorry for the barrage, but I scored pretty well in my Cert IV and have worked for a tertiary education provider for some time
Comment by Chris Champion
Vyoos
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Newly Old
Money Whither
Thanks for your comment. I can see the thinking behind all that, and obviously it's a system which I'm not about to change.
But it doesn't stop me thinking that it's all about homogeneity and conformity. You may teach, but only if you teach the way we tell you to teach, the way which has been shown to suit an objective cross-section of average student-to-success ratio paradigms.
University should be learning about life, and life's not like that.
Comment by alt_ed
Alted Opinion
ArtCombat
The Inner Saintdom
The downside is, that is someone is marked as not yet competent the trainer is blamed as it is their duty to facilitate a students learning... which can be a little tricky.
The good thing about the course is though, that you learn skills to help you apply what you know within a learning environment, and also ways to help students with difficulties etc. You learn how to identify needs based training, and also how to build your own training packages.
At the end of the day, life is generally about the majority. So yep, competency based training is about making everyone equally 'competent' even is some people are a little behind or in front of the rest.
Keep in mind, you can still teach the way you like, design your own assessments, exams, tests or what ever you want as long as you observe your students and deem them to be competent.
Comment by Chris Champion
Vyoos
Zoomies
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Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Alt_ed is correct. I have done some research into this myself. It basically replaces the old "Diploma of Education" that many teachers had to do if they chose to complete their studies as degrees.
In NSW anyway, you can do the course online and at your own pace. That won't help you for the job you want right now. Sorry about that.
It's all about teaching adults and being able to put courses together. You need them if you want to teach adults ANYTHING.
It won't hurt to check it out.