Accredited
Competency-based
Hands-on
Learner-directed
Nationally Recognised
On-line
Placement/Practicum
RTO
Self-paced
Short Course
VQA
Workshop
Accredited
Training
An 'accredited' course is one which has been endorsed
by the Australian National or relevant State Authority in which the course is being
conducted. National accreditation assumes endorsement through the Australian
National Training Authority and commonly carries the NRT
logo
State accredited courses assumes that the course is accredited by a State Authority only but may be conducted by RTOs, and TAFEs across Australia under the authority/permission of the State.
In general terms 'Accreditation' means that the course has a prescribed minimum standard of education/training that meets current industry requirements and is part of the Australian Qualifications Framework. As such the qualification must be recognised by all tertiary and vocational institutes.
Only organisations approved as a training provider by the State Authorities is permitted to conduct accredited courses. There are other organisations conducting 'non-accredited' programs who may claim to have 'industry accreditation'. This is quite different and usually denotes that the provider of the course is registered with an industry body or association. Only courses conducted under the Australian Qualifications Framework are 'nationally recognised' and can provide a direct pathway/entry to further training/study at TAFE and Universities.
Competency-based
Competency-based training refers to a type of
learning and teaching style. It assumes that we learn best
'learning-by-doing' and that we learn more effectively if we can learn in an
environment which offers us exposure to the 'work/function/task' we will be
expected to perform. This model assumes we can break down work functions
and tasks into a series of performance benchmarks or competencies, and that we
can break these down even further to a series of skills - competency
elements.
TAFE and other providers of Vocational Education and Training use this competency-based model. The learner is provided with an opportunity to develop the knowledge that underpins the skills they will be expected to carry out in the workplace (often through reading, lectures, demonstration etc). The learner is also provided with an opportunity to achieve in a trial and error environment (applied learning through practicums, placements, projects etc), a level of skill that is commensurate to industry standards. In other words, the student is given an opportunity to develop competency at a particular level of work operation. These levels of operation are established by industry and government and are set in the Australian Qualifications Framework, hence Certificates level II, III, IV, Diploma and so on.
Competency-based learning is more commonly offered though the vocational education and training sector (TAFEs, RTOs) and is very effective for students seeking skills and qualifications in health services where client diagnostic and treatment skills are important.
Hands-on
This is a term commonly applied in the Vocational Education and Training
Sector and by TAFEs and RTOs in the promotion of their courses. While
formal lecture-based learning still occurs, programs that offer a 'hands-on'
approach can be presumed to allow for extensive 'trial and error' learning
opportunities in a simulated or live work environment. The approach allows
students greater exposure to learning beyond the 'text-book' case, and is
consequently a common technique applied in 'competency-based' models.
Learner-directed
With the increased focus by the National and State Authorities on the
quality of education and training available to students, providers of vocational
courses are required to account for their ability to meet the needs of the
learner. TAFEs and RTOs are required to document their approach.
Nationally Recognised
Training
Any course of vocational education and training that has been approved by
the Australian National Training Authority is considered 'National recognised
training' and may be conducted only by approved and registered training
organisations and TAFEs. Courses and training of this nature usually carry
the logo
and will when completed successfully, result in a Certificate or Statement of
Attainment that is also nationally recognised. This means a graduate may
present their Certificate or Statement at any TAFE, University or other approved
training organisation and automatically receive credit standing in the subjects
completed.
On-line
Many training organisations are now offering 'on-line' or distance
education. This means a student may only need to actually attend the TAFE
or school for a set number of classes, lectures, workshops and of course
assessments. In this case, the training institution generally provides the
student with an ID and password to access the necessary learning resources via
the home computer and the internet. Students who do not have access to
this equipment may use their local libraries. Not all organisation's do a
good job with on-line learning programs and students can feel isolated. It
is a good idea to find a TAFE or organisation that provides a good mix of
on-line and class-based or workshop learning experiences. For massage
students it is essential to consider how the TAFE or training organisation
intends to provide you with enough exposure to demonstrations, workshops and
other group-based activities to ensure that you develop real skills in a very
practical, hands-on way.
Placement/Practicum
Students of health and alternative therapies can look forward to honing
their skills 'first-hand' in a clinic environment. Most qualifications will
require students to find a placement with an existing clinic or practice and
undertake further training with a qualified practitioner. For those who
participated in Year 10 work experience programs when in high school, this will
be a familiar experience. Placement hours and duties are managed as part
of your qualification and you can expect to submit reports and undertake some
supervised assessment activities during the placement.
(If you are having difficulty finding a placement - check out the participating members on this site)
RTO
An acronym for 'registered training organisation'. An organisation
seeking to deliver accredited training programs must be approved and registered
by the State Authority governing the region where the organisation's head office
is situated. The term RTO is applied only to approved and registered
organisations. Registration demands that the organisation meets the
quality regulations in training delivery and agrees to the auditing of its
programs and finances as requested by the Authority. RTOs for example have
to guarantee your course fees are safe, and protected against loss through
business failure or similar occurrences. If an RTO cannot continue to
operate as a result of malpractice, suspension or financial loss, all its
students who have paid their fees in advance will be able to recoup their fees
or finish their training with another approved provider. RTOs are required
to conduct their organisations under a 'code of practice' that guarantees a fair
and equitable approach for all students, solid grievance processes and
appropriately qualified staff.
Self-paced
This is another term frequently used by TAFEs and RTOs to inform intending
students that there is provision for students to work through some of the course
requirements at their own pace. In previous times, courses only offered a
fixed schedule for completion that ignored students who were experiencing
difficulties with some concepts and required more time to complete a subject or
unit. Under the current Australian Quality Training Framework, TAFEs and
RTOs may offer students a more flexible approach to learning and the opportunity
to present or participate in assessment tasks only when they are ready and
confident to do so. This self-paced approach underpinned the
Competency-based model of learning, but is still rarely offered to students in
its pure form. If promotional materials indicate that a 'self-paced'
approach is offered, ask about time-limits, which units or subjects this applies
to and what extra costs you might incur if you were not ready to complete a
unit. Some organisation's may charge the unit/subject fee again.
Short Course
Many organisations, including Colleges, Schools, TAFE and RTOs alike, offer
short courses in massage. These are generally conducted evenings or
weekends, and provide great 'general interest' introductory courses.
However, students should be mindful that not all short-courses provides credit
toward other accredited National or State Certificate or Diploma courses in
Massage, they can lack content necessary for a vocation or career in
massage. Even if the college or school offering the short-course states
that graduates can gain "recognition of prior learning" into
Certificate and Diploma courses at TAFE or an RTO, it is wiser to check this out
with a TAFE or registered college/school before undertaking the short
course. Getting recognition approved rests with the student not the
organisation delivering the short-course.
VQA
The
Victorian Qualifications Authority (VQA) is the statutory body in Victoria responsible for developing
and monitoring standards for education and training after Year 10 (excluding
higher education). The Authority accredits new qualifications, and is
responsible for approving the registration of education and training providers
who offer accredited courses in the state of Victoria. They also keep a
state register of all the qualifications and registered providers.
State accredited courses and providers usually display the VQA logo.
Workshop
Workshops are commonly used by colleges, schools and some massage practices
to deliver professional development for practitioners and students of
massage. While these are not necessarily accredited training they can fill
a valuable gap in industry knowledge and provide an excellent forum for
upgrading knowledge and skills. Some training providers and colleges use a
workshop environment over a weekend to deliver an intensive training series in
massage practice, first aid training or introduction to massage. Generally
a registered college, TAFE or RTO will underpin these workshops with
accredited units of study/learning. Ask them before you enrol if you will
get a Statement of Attainment or unit credits for completing the Workshops..