Upgrade to TAE10 for just $100! Our guarantee!

April 13, 2010 in Training and Assessment (TAA) News by Brent Rogers | No comments

Hi Guys,

Great news!  Inspire Education has decided to offer all of it’s clients the new TAE10 (or whatever the new package ends up being called once it is endorsed) Certificate IV in Training and Assessment for just $100 extra if enrolling in our current Cert IV in TAA from 13th April 2010 indefinitely into the future. They will have 12 months to take advantage and convert their TAA40104 qualification that they compete now to the newer qualification from the launch date of the new TAE10 (or whatever name the new packages is finalised with) training package.

This means all of Inspire’s Learners can enrol in our TAA course now in confidence, regardless of what the new Certificate IV in Training and Assessment entails, irrespective of when it is launched. Enrol @ Inspire today and you can live in confidence that your qualification will remain current well into the future!

To enrol in our Cert IV TAA course with this TAE10 guarantee, visit www.inspireeducation.net.au, or phone 1800 506 509!

Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104)

April 1, 2010 in Training and Assessment (TAA) News by Brent Rogers | No comments

Like many Australians, you may already be working in a training capacity, or perhaps you are considering a career as a trainer?  The wonderful thing about working as a trainer in Australia is that you are able to back up your working experience in whatever industry that you are in with vocational qualifications such as the Cert IV in TAA, potentially opening up many new career opporuntunties that were perhaps previously unavailable before being qualified.

In my own training organisation, Inspire Education (www.inspireeducation.net.au) the primary reasons people cite  for wanting to do their Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA) are:

  1. A new role has become available that requires them to have their Cert IV in TAA
  2. Their employer requires that that attend and/or complete a TAA course for their present role, or for a new role that they will be undertaking
  3. A desire to teach at an Australian TAFE (The Certificate IV in Training and Assessment is ESSENTIAL for this)
  4. They wish to change from their current role to work as a trainer
  5. They want start their own registerd training organisation (RTO)  

The primary source of the knowledge and skills (and in many cases a requirement of the job) is of course the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment  (TAA40104).  This is Australia’s leading, nationally accredited and recognised ’train the trainer’ qualification and is actually a requirement if any trainer wishes to train within an RTO or TAFE environment. 

You can find out about the course outline and about costs for the Cert III Childcare course here >>> http://www.inspireeducation.net.au/certificate-iv-in-training-and-assessment.html

For your convenience, I have also included the course outline and basic information below in case you were thinking of undertaking the course yourself:

What is the Cert IV in TAA all About?

The Cert IV in Training and Assessment the latest Australian Train the Trainer qualification.  It is already considered a valuable qualification to many employers and organisations, and absolutely essential if you wish to become a teacher at an Australian TAFE.  This qualification will enable you to develop the competencies required to perform the role of a skilled trainer, facilitator, and assessor in the workplace, as well as in a Vocational Education and Training (VET) environment.

What Will you Learn?
The Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA) training course replaces the previous Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment qualification, and is now the standard in becoming a qualified trainer in Australia.  Training and Assessment will teach you to develop and train groups and individuals, as well as how to develop assessment tools and procedures within a workplace or VET environment. It will enable you to pass systematically and professionally pass on the valuable skills and knowledge you have acquired across your lifetime to others.

Course Outline & Structure
Provided you gain your Cert IV in TAA through a reputable training organisation, a TAA course will provide you first-class training as a means to gaining your Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. It is a full Nationally Accredited and Nationally recognised training course designed to meet the needs of trainers, students/trainees, businesses and industry.

Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104) Course Units
The TAA40104 Cert IV in Training and Assessment comprises 14 course units, including 12 core units plus 2 elective units. It is a nationally recognised qualification for anyone who is operating in a training
and/or assessing capacity within their organisation, or anyone wishing to become a lecturer at an Australian TAFE.  Inspire’s TAA courses is comprised of the following:

Core Units include (12 total):
TAADES401B—Use Training Packages to meet client needs.
TAADES402B—Design and develop learning programs.
TAAENV401B—Work effectively in vocational education and training.
TAAENV402B—Foster and promote an inclusive learning culture.
TAAENV403B—Ensure a healthy and safe learning environment.
TAAASS401C—Plan and organise assessment
TAAASS402C—Assess competence
TAAASS403B—Develop assessment tools
TAAASS404B—Participate in assessment validation
TAADEL401B—Plan and organise group-based delivery
TAADEL403B—Facilitate individual learning
TAADEL404B—Facilitate work-based learning

Electives (complete 2 of 2):
TAADEL301C—Provide training through instruction and demonstration of work skills
TAADEL402B—Facilitate group based learning

Prerequisites - Cert IV in Training and Assessment (TAA)
There are no formal prerequisites to the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, however it does require that you have sound language and literacy skills.  To support your studies your training organisation should provide you with with qualified trainers, all learning materials, flexible delivery options, and telephone and email support.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
RPL is offered to any Learner who can provide evidence of competency for the units offered within the qualification.  During the enrolment process a potential Learner may discuss any prior evidence they will need to put together to apply for RPL.

Training Schedule
The Cert IV in TAA is usually offered as either a blended-delivery course or through distance-learning( or online).  The blended-delivery could be  comprised of anything from a 2 – 10 day face-to-face workshop + home study, while distance/online typically takes place 100% at home.

So What Now?  Would you really would like to do this course?
If you have a passion for training, visit Inspire’s Certificate IV in Training and Assessment course page and enquire to receive the latest pricing and course info.  My company Inspire aims to provide you first-class training and support as you engage your goal of becoming a nationally accredited trainer.

Call us on 1800 506 506, or go here to get more info! >>> http://www.inspireeducation.net.au/certificate-iv-in-training-and-assessment.html

 

Top Ten Study Tips and Techniques

March 29, 2010 in Uncategorized by Anne Lynch | No comments

Hello Again,

I thought I would share with you some study tips and ideas to assist you with getting yourself organized for the task of undertaking a course and meeting your assessment task goals.

The thought of completing a course of study can be daunting if you are unsure of how to organize your time and meet your own personal goals for assignment completion.

I have researched some study tips and techniques and have found these to be really effective and practical.  So even if you have your study techniques fairly well refined, it doesn’t hurt to add some others to assist you to become even better,

Top ten study tips

Here are my top ten tips to help you study.

1. Find your study space

Everyone has their own idea about the best place to study. Find a space that works for you and stick with it.

  • Do you prefer to study in silence or listen to music?
  • Do you work better alone or with other people?
  • Do you like to study at home or at school/uni/TAFE/library?

 2. Be organised

Make sure you have all the materials you need in your study space before you start studying. Getting up to look for a pencil sharpener or ruler will break your concentration and waste your time.

3. Clear your mind

If you’ve got a lot on your mind take a moment to write yourself some notes about what you’re thinking about before you start studying. This will help to clear your mind you focus all your thoughts on your work.

It’s also a good idea to keep some spare paper next to you while you’re studying so if you think of anything you need to do later you can write it down and put it out of your mind, then get on with the studying.

4. Get motivated

Think about what it will mean for you if you do well in your studies. How will it make you feel? If you keep the end result in mind it will help you stay motivated.

You might like to find a quote or an image or something that represents success for you and put it somewhere you can see it while you’re studying.

5. Plan your time (and use it well)

It helps to plan when you will study and how you can make the most of your study time.

Use a calendar or a list of dates or a wall planner to keep track of assignment due dates or your own goals for finishing your assignments. Plan ahead. Space out your study time each week for the whole term/semester.

Do the hardest work when you’re feeling your best. Save the easy stuff for when you’re tired.

Set yourself a time limit for each task and follow it.

6. Know your learning style

Most of us have a preferred way of learning. Get to know your learning style and study in the ways you learn best.

Auditory learners learn by listening. If you’re an auditory learner you could try reading your notes aloud and discussing them with other people. You might like to record key points and play them back.

Visual learners learn by seeing. If you’re a visual learner you could use colours in your notes and draw diagrams to help represent key points. You could try to remember some ideas as images.

Tactile/kinesthetic learners learn by doing. If you’re a tactile/kinesthetic learner you could use methods like role-playing or building models to revise key points.

7. Use your notes

Taking detailed notes will save you heaps of time later. Re-writing and adding to your notes is a great way to revise what you’ve learned.

8. Make your own study materials

Think up some practice questions or create your own flash cards to help you study. This way you learn it all twice: once when you make the study materials and twice when you use them to revise.

9. Test yourself

Get a friend or family member to quiz you on key concepts or offer to help other students with their work. It’s a great way to get confident with what you do know and find out what you still need to learn!

10. Take time out

You study better when you’re feeling good. So make sure you eat well and get enough sleep. Exercise is great but don’t overdo it.

It’s also a good idea to schedule regular breaks when you’re studying and keep hydrated. You’ll learn better if you take care of yourself.

Come up with your own strategies

Remember – these tips are only some of the things that you can do to get the most out of your studying. There might be other things that work even better for you.

Ask around – find out what your friends do when they’re studying – maybe some of their tricks will work for you too! Maybe your traimers / co-workers have some good recommendations too?

Whatever it is, whatever strategy you come up with, when you find something that works for you, put it into practise and go for it!

Australia’s New National Quality Framework for Child Care is on its Way!

March 22, 2010 in Childcare Course News by Anne Lynch | 3 comments

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my Children’s Services news blog.

My name is Anne Lynch and I have taught children for 20 years. I thought I would start out in an official capacity, and include a portion of the letter I received from Kate Ellis (minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth). This letter was received in early December, and outlines the huge changes that the Federal Government has outlined for the Child Care industry across Australia.

The changes can only be met with a big sigh of “Oh Yes, finally!!!” as the industry has been in dire need of an overhaul for many a long year. Her letter states:

“Research shows us that positive experiences in a child’s early years have a significant impact on their future health, development, learning, wellbeing and potential achievement throughout their life.”

That is why the Australian Government, in partnership with all state and territory governments, is making important changes to early childhood education and care in Australia to ensure that our children get the best possible start in life. This is being done through the introduction of a National Quality Framework. The National Quality Framework will put in place a new National Quality Standard to ensure high quality and consistent early childhood education and care across Australia. The new National Quality Standard will cover long day care, family day care, outside school hours care and preschool services…

The new National Quality Standard will deliver:

• Lower staff-to-child (great for those wanting to enter into a career of childcare!) ratios so each carer has more time to spend with each individual child.

• New qualification requirements for all early childhood education workers so staff can lead play-based activities that help children learn and develop.

• A new transparent quality rating system,which will allow families to easily compare the quality on offer at different child care services so informed decisions can be made about the best care for your child.

• A new national body established between the Australian Government and the states and territories to oversee the new standard.

Lower staff-to-child ratios will mean each staff member can give more care and attention to each chil, ensuring that there are more highly qualified staff is also important as research shows that staff with higher qualifications are usually better able to get improved outcomes for children and are more able to guide each child’s individual learning.

The new quality rating system will provide parents with transparent information about the level of quality a service is providing.

All services will be required to comply with the new framework by 1 January 2012, with staff-to-child ratio and staff qualification changes occurring gradually over a period of time, to give the sector time to adjust…

In total, the Australian Government is investing $16 billion in early childhood education and child care over the next four years, including more than $13 billion to assist families with the costs of child care through the Child Care Rebate and the Child Care Benefit.

For additional information on these changes you can telephone 1800 181 088; email ECECQualityReformEnquiries@deewr.gov.au; or visit www.mychild.gov.au

The staff-to-child ratios, listed below, will be put in place across Australia:

  Age Group Staff-to-child ratio Timeframe for Compliance
Long Day Care and Preschool Birth to 24 months 1 staff member to 4 children 1 January 2012
Long Day Care and Preschool 25 to 35 months 1 staff member to 5 children * 1 January 2016
Long Day Care and Preschool 36 months to school age 1 staff member to 11 children** 1 January 2016
Long Day Care and Preschool Mixed Age Groups A proportional formula will be applied based on the above ratios 1 January 2012

*A staff-to-child ratio of 1:4 for children 25 to 35 months will be retained in Victoria where this ratio currently applies, instead of 1:5 under the National Quality Standard.

**A staff-to-child ratio of 1:10 for children 36 months to school age will be retained in New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania where this ratio currently applies, instead of 1:11 under the National Quality Standard.

Family Day Care Mixed age groups of children 1 staff member to 7 children with a maximum of four children not yet attending school 1 January 2014
Outside School Hours Care See below    

The National Quality Standard and ratings system will also apply to Outside School Hours Care but at this stage no changes to staff-to-child ratios or staff qualifications are proposed.

The new framework will be in place by 1 January 2012, with changes to staff-to-child ratios and qualifications being phased in over a number of years.

More Highly Qualified Staff

Another key change under the National Quality Standard is the introduction of new requirements for early childhood education and care services to have more highly qualified staff.

The following qualification requirements for staff will apply:

By 1 January 2014:

  • An early childhood teacher will need to be in attendance all of the time when long day care and preschool services are being provided to 25 children or more.
  • An early childhood teacher will need to be in attendance some of the time when long day care and preschool services are being provided to less than 25 children.
  • Within each long day care centre or preschool, half of all staff will need to have (or be actively working towards) a diploma-level early childhood education and care qualification or above, and the remaining staff will all be required to have (or be actively working towards) a certificate III level early childhood education and care qualification or equivalent.
  • All family day care coordinators will need to have a diploma-level early childhood education and care qualification or above.
  • All family day carers will be required to have (or be actively working towards) a Certificate III level early childhood education and care qualification, or equivalent.

By 1 January 2020:

  • A second early childhood teacher, or another suitably qualified leader, will need to be in attendance all of the time when long day care and preschool services are being provided to more than 80 children.
  • A second early childhood teacher, or another suitably qualified leader, will need to be in attendance at least half of the time when long day care and preschool services are being provided to 60 children or more.

So what does all this means for Australia’s child care industry and early childhood education on the whole?

Lower Staff ratios + greater staff qualification requirements = Increased demand for childcare workers (great for those about to study child care!) + better qualified staff at childcare centers (and greater opportunities in the future for those wanting to go on to do their Diploma of Children’s Services) = better quality care for Australia’s children overall!  A win for the childcare industry and parents right across the country!

Ted10 the newest Train the Trainer training package? Nope! The name “TAE10″ has been chosen for Australia’s new trainer/assessor qualification!

March 19, 2010 in Training and Assessment (TAA) News, Useful Tools & Documents by Brent Rogers | No comments

Many of you already know that a new Train the Trainer qualification is on its way set to replace the present Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.  Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) orginally proposed the name “TED10″ for the new training package, however have decided that this does not convey the “serious intent” of the new package.  Instead they have decided on “TAE10″, an aconym for “Training and Education”, 2010’s newest “train the trainer” package which is presently in to be endorsed later this year.

Full details of the TAE10 training package proposal, including access to the revised Certificate IV in TAA units can be found here >>> http://www.ibsa.org.au/news-and-projects/news/tabid/112/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/98/Development-of-new-Training-Package-Training-and-Education-TED10.aspx.

This web page will give you insight into the final case for endorsement for the TAE10 training package, information pertaining to both the new Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and the Diploma of TAA, as well as some new TAE training package qualifications to be endorsed. 

Pretty interesting stuff for anyone interested in the evolution of Australia’s leading training and assessment qualification.  Be sure to check out the new Cert IV TAA units and get a “sneak peek” into the future of Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, as the greater qualifications offered in the new TAE10 training package!

Till next time, over and out.  :)

Free Developing Innovation Guide for Trainers and Faciliators

March 5, 2010 in Useful Tools & Documents by Brent Rogers | No comments

There is little doubt that innovation is one of the cornerstones of the Vocational Education & Training (VET) system.  In fact, our industries framework, the AQTF  standards constantly emphasise the importance of continuous improvement as a registered training organisation (RTO), so developing innovation skills in learners for any trainer or facilitator should not only be a consideration, but actually a priority in helping them to continue their professional development.

On this note, the Innovation and Business Skills Council (IBSA) have recently released a free document, “Developing Innovation Skills: A guide for trainers and assessors to foster the innovation skills of learners through professional practice”.  If you are a trainer or facilitator I would recommend you get yourself a copy. 

It’s not often you get information like this for free!  You can download your copy directly from the IBSA website FREE, or buy a copy for ‘next to nothing’ here >>> http://www.ibsa.org.au/products-and-services/tabid/57/txtSearch/INN01/List/0/productid/1764/Default.aspx?SortField=DateCreated+DESC%2cProductName

Hope you find it useful!

Should you Study your Course through Distance-Learning, Online, or Face to Face?

January 15, 2010 in General Info by Brent Rogers | 2 comments

One thing my course advisors are frequently asked by potential students is, “which method of course delivery is best?”   The answer to this question is not straight forward, because each learner has different needs in terms of preferred learning style, time contraints, and lifestyle.

RTOs around Australia typically offer either one or more choices when it comes to course delivery of their most popular courses.  Most commonly, these are online-learning, distance-learning (or correspondence), and face to face (usually called “blended-delivery”, a 5 or 10 day workshop, usually requring additional homestudy – completing many of the major assessment at home). 

So…one is best?..  Well, that’ depend on the individual completing the course…

Distance-Learning/Online Course Delivery
Distance-learning/Online delivery are easily the more popular methods of delivery for clients of my training organisation (www.inspireeducation.net.au).  This is typically because it means learners can start straight away while they are motivated to complete their course, rather than having to wait for face-to-face course intake dates.

Distance/Online delivery normally involves receving either hardcopy, or electronic copies of training course materials and Learner Guides from the registered training organisation via post and/or email, or through an online gateway, and working through your course, unit by unit.  Because you are working through the units at your own pace, this can be a fabulous way to complete your training, because rather than having all of the course units crammed into a 5 or 10 day workshop, you can give yourself time to really consolidate the material, completing assessments as you go and building upon your new skills and knowledge bit by bit.

Interestingly, I was speaking with a auditor contracted by the Department of Education and Training (DETA) just last month, whom expressed a preference for distance and/or online learning because it enabled students to deepen their knowledge of the training course material without having the problem of ‘in one ear, out the other’ than can come from receiving too much course information too quickly in too short a space of time, without the time to really consolidate the information.

When studying your Certificate of Diploma course through distance/online-learning make sure that the Registered Training Orgnanisation (RTO) you choose gives you good access to your Trainer.  Ask them if you will be able to contact your Trainer via telephone as well as through email.  Call the RTO and see how quickly they can respond to your enquiry, ask lots of questions and see that they can find out anything you would like to know in a timely manner.  This is a great way to preview the ongoing support you are likely to receive from that organisation.  Besides, the last thing you want to do is pay your course fees and start your course and then find out you don’t have the support you need to complete your course!

All in all, distance/online delivery suits a lot of students.  It enables you to start straight away while you are motivated to complete your Certificate or Diploma training, and by working through units and assessment items step by step, you are likely to gain a solid understanding of what being a good Trainer is really about.  After all, students undertake a course because they want to develop and deepen their training skills.  Make sure whoever you choose is going to make this happen!

Face to Face Workshop (including Blended-Delivery)
Some clients choose to undertake their chosen course by attending a workshop.  This may be due to the company policy, or preference if clients are being put through training by their organisation, or it may be because learners prefer to learn through face-t0-face contact, or in classroom setting.  Really, it is a preference thing, because some people may not feel comfortable working through the material at home, or simply find they learn best in a classroom environment.

Face-to-face workshops durations can vary from course to course, from 1 day through to 30 days or more, depending on the registered training organisation and the course being completed.  The term “Blended-Delivery” is typically used to communicate that completing a workshop does not instantly qualify learners with the Certificate of Diploma qualification.  In fact, a large proportion of  course assessment items are frequently completed by students at home, after the workshop, or between two workshop clusters (e.g. some courses may have a 5 day workshop, and then another 5 day workshop one month later, with students completing assessment items between clusters at home).

While blended-delivery can be a great way to have the course material presented and provide learners with a classroom environment, it is worth examining, how short or long is the course?  How is the course broken up over time?  Shorter workshops may mean that you have a large amount of information delivered in a very short space of time.  For some students, this suits and they have a great experience.  For others, they would really prefer to work through their Certificate of Diploma at a slower pace, therefore distance/online learning may be more appropriate.

Conclusion
Ultimately, which course delivery method learners should choose is a personal choice.  These days, most prefer the flexibility of distance/online learning because it allows them to start immediately and work the training around their lifestyle.  Additionally, because students are working through the material at their own pace it may mean they have a better grip on the skills and knowledge by the end of the course, however this is by no means always the case.  Some prefer having a face-to-face element because classroom interaction is appealing to them, and as a learner the feel they are best taught through this method.  Whatever the choice, if you are looking at studying any course, make sure your chosen RTO delivery qualitys training, good learning materials, and timely student support.  Your success may depend on it!

Thanks for droppping by to our blog.  Take Care!

Brent

Welcome to Inspire Education’s Blog

January 9, 2010 in General Info by Brent Rogers | No comments

Welcome To Inspire Education’s Blog Site!

My name is Brent Rogers, one of the directors here at Inspire Education, and I will be using this blog site to keep YOU up to date on the latest ‘happenings’ in the vocational training course sector.

My company, Inspire Education is a leading provider of vocational training course, with a huge emphasis on Australia’s flagship Train the Trainer qualification, the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104).  Additionally, Inspire is proud to be be providing the Australian community leading courses across a broad range of industries including Workplace Training and Assessment Courses, Occupational Health and Safety Training, Childcare Courses, Management Training, Human Resources Courses, and that is just for now!  We are planning on rolling out an additional 10 courses over 2010, so feel free to visit our company page www.inspireeducation.net.au to check in and see what new training courses we have on offer.

Anyhow, that is not what this blog is all about!  I am going to use this space to provide you the latest news, updates, and information on the vocational training sector, changes to any courses and training packages, as well as letting you know of any other useful resources that will help keep you informed on the vocational training sector.

I have to go for now but WATCH THIS SPACE!  I have lots I want to share with you! 

Bye for now!

Brent