Using Data to Enhance Skills for Learning,
Living and Working in the 21st Century
An Australian Perspective
Ralph Saubern
Director, Professional Resources
Ralph.Saubern@acer.edu.au
Outline
Introduction to the Australian Council for
Educational Research (ACER)
Brief Background to the Australian Vocational
Education and Training (VET) sector
Part 1: Using Data to Enhance Skills for
Learning, Living and Working in the 21st Century
Part 2: Measuring Student Achievement (if
time and interest!) or demo of the Core Skills
Profile for Adults (CSPA)
Australian Council for Educational
Research (ACER)
ACER was established in 1930 with a grant from the Carnegie
Corporation to promote 'the advancement and diffusion of
knowledge and understanding'.
ACER’s mission is to create and promote research-based
knowledge, products and services that can be used to Improve
Learning across the life span.
As a not-for-profit organisation, independent of government,
ACER receives no direct financial support and generates its entire
income through contracted research and development projects
and through products and services that it develops and distributes.
ACER has experienced significant growth in recent years and now
has more than 300 staff located in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth,
Brisbane, Adelaide, Dubai and New Delhi .
ACER Role
Data Gathering: A major aspect of ACER’s work is to assist
educational decision makers at all levels in their collection,
analysis, interpretation and use of reliable data. Our purpose is to
assist in the development of clearer pictures and understandings
of educational challenges, opportunities and progress over time.
Action Planning: A second major aspect of ACER’s work is to assist
educational decision makers at all levels in their identification and
implementation of evidence-based policies and practices. Our
purpose is to promote better outcomes for all learners through
the use of approaches that have been demonstrated to be
effective in practice.
Delivery: A growing part of ACER’s work is to work directly in
providing services such as specialised professional learning, quality
assurance and monitoring of educational providers and
certification and accreditation of professionals and learners.
ACER Research
ACER has two research divisions, each with a number of
programs.
Assessment and Psychometric Research Division
 Assessment and Reporting
 Psychometrics & Methodology
 Systemwide Testing
Educational Monitoring and Research Division





National Surveys
International Surveys
Higher Education
Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation
Teaching, Learning & Transitions
Examples of Major Research Projects
Program for International Student Achievement (PISA)
Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes
(AHELO)
Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE)
Australian National Assessment Program – Literacy
and Numeracy (NAPLAN)
Australian National ICT Literacy Assessment
UAE National Assessment Program
Financing TVET in the Pacific
ACER Services
ACER’s services division is called Professional Resources Division. It
includes six business units:






ACER Institute (professional learning)
ACER Press (publications and resources)
Cunningham Library
School Assessment Services
Higher Education Assessment Services
Vocational and Workforce Assessment Services
Through its Professional Resources Division, ACER seeks to support
and influence the work of professional practitioners and
educational organisations by providing research based tools which
support practitioners to analyse and understand the situations
they confront (e.g., through data collection, analysis and
reporting) and products and services to address identified needs
(e.g., professional resources and professional learning).
Examples of Major ACER Services
Professional learning, conferences and seminars for
educators and educational leaders
Publications and resources for educators and
educational leaders
Monitoring and certification of student achievement in
literacy, numeracy and science
Admissions testing for schools and university
Quality assurance and monitoring services for education
and training organisations
Vocational, Adult and Workforce Education
ACER works with governments, industry, educational providers,
trainers and learners on a wide range of vocational, adult and
workforce education research and assessment services.
ACER expertise includes:










language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) testing
youth and adult literacy and numeracy assessment and surveys
careers and vocational interest assessments
curriculum and standards development
quality and benchmarking services
teaching and learning consultancies
policy and program evaluation
surveys on pathways and transitions
psychometric and statistical analysis
selection testing.
Vocational Research
ACER undertakes a broad range of research and program consultancies in youth
and adult education, vocational and workforce education contexts in Australia
and globally for institutions, industry, governments and a wide range of
stakeholders:















Apprentice Retention Evaluation
Australasian Survey of Student Engagement
Deployment of AQTF Quality Indicators
Education and training and the avoidance of financial disadvantage
Equity in VET
Expectations, Transitions and destinations of NSW Youth
Funding for Tertiary Education and Training
Indigenous Youth Transitions
Investigations of Outcomes-based Auditing
Leadership Capabilities for Australian Vocational Education and Training
On Track Annual Student Surveys
NZ Tertiary Education Commission Adult Literacy and Numeracy Assessment
Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)
Providing support for disadvantaged learners in Australian VET
Youth Career Transitions
Vocational Services
ACER’s Vocational and Workforce Assessment
Services specialises in the design, development and
operation of testing programs and quality
benchmarking services for VET providers, government
and industry. This includes: large scale assessment
programs; secure, high stakes selection testing
services; and computer assisted, diagnostic and
workforce planning assessments.




AQTF Quality Indicator Support Services
Core Skills Profile for Adults
National Foundation Skills Assessment Tool
Vocational Selection Test
Background to the Australian VET
sector
The vocational education and training (VET) sector is the sector in
Australia responsible for education and training for work. VET in
Australia provides people with the skills and knowledge they require to:
•
enter the workforce for the first time
•
train or re-train for a new job
•
upgrade their skills
•
move into further study in VET or University.
The key elements of the Australian VET system that are designed to
ensure quality and national consistency in relation to qualifications and
the delivery of training are:
•
Australian Qualifications Framework
•
Australian Quality Training Framework
•
Industry skills councils
•
Registered training organisations.
Background to the Australian VET
sector - by numbers
•
There were 1.9 million students enrolled in the
public vocational education and training (VET)
system in 2011.
•
•
•
•
12.0% of people aged 15 to 64 years participated in
the publicly funded VET system
32.1% of Australians aged between 15 and 19 years
participated in VET (25.4% of all students were aged
between 15 and 19 years.)
The number of qualifications completed in 2010
was 443 500
Total expenditure on VET in Australia in 2011 was
$4.8 billion ($4.4 billion in 2010)
Background to the Australian VET
sector – training organisations
VET in Australia is offered by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). The
largest number of these are private, for profit organisations but the largest
providers are public providers (usually called TAFEs) owned and operated by
state governments. Many government and independent schools are also RTOs.
Part 1:
Using Data to Enhance Skills for Learning,
Living and Working in the 21st Century
From Inputs to Outcomes
How can notions of system quality in VET be refocused to drive outcomes crucial to
addressing the needs of individuals, employers and society in the 21st Century?
Inputs
Outputs
Outcomes
Enrolments
Module completion rates
Broader student learning
Funding levels
Certificates/qualifications
Staffing
Skills for Learning, Living and Working
in the 21st Century
What are the skills that have been identified as key to success in the 21st century
workplace and society?
Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) skills are now recognised as
fundamental to improved workforce participation, productivity and social
inclusion… International research shows that a one per cent increase in a
country’s literacy score leads to a 2.5 per cent increase in labour
productivity.
Skills Australia, 2010
The importance of strong foundation skills in a modern, knowledge-based
society is well established. These skills underpin workforce participation,
productivity and social inclusion. People with higher LLN skills are more
likely to be employed, participate in their community, experience better
health and engage in further training… [F]oundation skills are increasingly
important for effective participation in modern workplaces and
contemporary life.
Standing Council on Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, 2012
Skills for Learning, Living and Working
in the 21st Century
What are the skills that have been identified as key to success in the 21st century
workplace and society?
Australian Core Skills Framework
•
•
•
•
•
Learning
Reading
Writing
Oral Communication
Numeracy
Core Skills for Work Framework
• Cluster 1 - Navigate the world of work
• Manage career and work life
• Work with roles, rights and protocols
• Cluster 2 - Interact with others
• Communicate for work
• Connect and work with others
• Recognise and utilise diverse
perspectives
• Cluster 3 - Get the work done
• Plan and organise
• Make decisions
• Identify and solve problems
• Create and innovate
• Work in a digital world
Skills for Learning, Living and Working
in the 21st Century
What are the skills that have been identified as key to success in the 21st century
workplace and society?
Australia’s Core Skills Gap
What do we know about current levels of core skills in the Australian workforce and
general population? How does this compare with other countries?
ALL Scale (2006)
Number of adults with skill
levels 1 and 2
Percentage of adults with skill
levels 1 and 2
Prose literacy
7.0 million
46%
Document literacy
7.1 million
47%
Numeracy
7.9 million
53%
PIAAC Scale (2011-12)*
# adults with skill levels 1
and 2
% adult population with skill
levels 1 and 2
Literacy
7.3 million
44%
Numeracy
8.9 million
55%
PIAAC Scale (2011-12)*
Employed with skill levels 1
and 2
Unemployed, with skill levels
1 and 2
Literacy
38%
46%
Numeracy
48%
57%
* Preliminary results
Australia’s Core Skills Gap
What do we know about current levels of core skills in the Australian workforce and
general population? How does this compare with other countries?
Literacy
Satherley, P. et al (2008) The
Adult Literacy and Life Skills
(ALL) Survey: Overview and
International Comparisons,
NZMoE
Australia’s Core Skills Gap
What do we know about current levels of core skills in the Australian workforce and
general population? How does this compare with other countries?
Numeracy
Satherley, P. et al (2008) The
Adult Literacy and Life Skills
(ALL) Survey: Overview and
International Comparisons,
NZMoE
Implications and Impacts
What do we know about current levels of core skills in the Australian workforce and
general population? How does this compare with other countries? What is the
impact?
•
In Australia, those with a skill level of 1 had a median income
of $205 less per week than those with a skill level of 2. This
gap in income potential remained fairly steady as people
moved up the skill levels. (ABS, 2007)
In the UK, individuals who increase their literacy and
numeracy levels:
•
•
•
•
•
•
improve their chances in the labour market (better jobs, better
security)
suffer less from poor physical and mental health
more active citizens
more liberal and less discriminatory. (Bynner, et al, 2001)
If the UK met its literacy and numeracy targets it would
generate nearly £3 billion per annum (in 2001 prices) to the
taxpayer (Bynner, et al, 2001)
Using data to improve learning
outcomes
How can data be used to enhance 21st century skill development in VET?
• How can evidence of broader student learning
outcomes be collected?
• How can evidence of broader learning
outcomes be used to improve teaching and
learning outcomes for individual students?
• How can evidence of broader learning
outcomes be used to monitor progress and
evaluate program effectiveness at an
instruction and system level?
Using data to improve learning
outcomes
How can evidence of broader student learning outcomes be collected?
Using data to improve learning
outcomes
How can evidence of broader learning outcomes be used to improve teaching and
learning individual students?
* Preliminary results
Using data to improve learning
outcomes
How can evidence of broader learning outcomes be used to monitor progress and
evaluate program effectiveness at an instruction and system level?
•
Provider level:
•
•
•
•
Planning, resourcing and delivery
Monitoring outcomes of learning programs
Monitoring the impact of specific strategies
System level:
•
•
Assessing the success of policies and initiatives
Monitoring goals
Questions? Comments?
What would a VET system look like that
addressed broader learning and social
outcomes at the centre of its policy and
practice?