EdTech'94 Proceedings: Sachsse - will it work for a 'brownfield' site? Tea Tree Gully three years on

But will it work for a "brownfield" site? Tea Tree Gully three years on

Michael Sachsse
Torrens Valley Institute of TAFE

The choice of the Tea Tree Gully campus as the venue for the Conference on Learning Environment Technology was a deliberate one. Tea Tree Gully represents an example of holistic planning in which every feature of its built environment, its organisational structures and its systems are the product of a clear vision of the sort of graduates which it wants to turn out. However, unlike Tea Tree Gully (now in its third year of operation), the vast majority of educational institutions in Australia are relatively old. It is, therefore, not surprising that the most frequent question asked by observers is, "could these innovations/ changes have been achieved had you been working with a "brownfield" instead of a "greenfield" site? The answer need no longer be hypothetical. As an outcome of the state wide organisational restructuring, the Tea Tree Gully College has been amalgamated with the Gilles Plains College to form the Torrens Valley Institute. The Gilles Plains campus of the Institute is a "brownfield " site in terms of its traditions, its architecture, its staffing structure, its practices and its methodologies. In his paper, "But will it work for a brownfield site?" the director of the Torrens Valley Institute will talk about the relevance of the Tea Tree Gully experience to more traditional learning environments.

At the time of its construction the Tea Tree Gully College, now a campus of the Torrens Valley Institute, was billed as, "a College for the 21st Century" . Although only in its third year of operation it has acquired a national and international reputation for its student centred methodologies, its flexible delivery systems, its progressive organisational structures and its use of advanced computing systems.

Whilst visitors to Tea Tree Gully are mostly impressed by the innovations, many make the observation that the planners had it easy, that they were fortunate in that they were working with a "greenfield" site. They say the planners did not have to contend with the constraints of old building stock, dated organisational structures and inflexible mind sets. The visitors go on to question the transferability and therefore relevance of the Tea Tree Gully experience to the vast majority of Australian educational and training institutions which were planned and built in the 70s, well before there was any talk of economic restructuring and certainly well before the writings of Finn, Mayer and Carmichael which collectively spell out what has come to be known as the National Training Reform Agenda (NTRA).

This paper entitled "But will it work for a brownfield site?", is a response to that question of relevance. The paper begins by providing an outline of the features which, in the view of the author, characterise a vocational educational institution for the 21st century. It also provides the rationale which underpins those characteristics. Drawing on his experience, both as a member of the Tea Tree Gully Planning Team and later as director of the Torrens Valley Institute, the author looks at the introduction of those characteristics to a more traditional vocational education institution. In doing so he makes reference to the desirable preconditions, to the problems encountered and to the management of the change process. It becomes clear that making the shift to the new paradigm touches on every characteristic viz, the physical environment, the organisational structures, the management and decision making process, the culture, the administrative systems and above all the role of staff. It becomes equally clear that the shift requires vision, courage, teamwork as well as great skill and patience.

Rationale for moving to a new paradigm

During the 80s Australia came to realise that its economy was in deep trouble, that the country's national debt and balance of trade deficit were growing at an unsustainable rate. There was also a realisation that Frederick Taylor's scientific model of workplace organisation had run its course, that no amount of fine tuning would help and that what was needed was a move to a more humanistic model of workplace organisation.

1987 saw the publication of a landmark report, "Australia Reconstructed", produced by a tripartite team of industrialists, unionists, and educators. This report provided a much needed blueprint for the reconstruction of Australia's economy, its industry and its work force. It also provided a clear indicator of the role to be played by education and training institutions in helping to bring about this restructuring. "Australia Reconstructed" was followed by numerous publications which further elaborated on these changes. Publications such as "Skilling Australia", "Wealth from Skills" and later still the seminal works of Finn, Mayer and Carmichael which recommend the far reaching restructuring of education and training provision in Australia. Collectively these recommendations, which have become known as the National Training Reform Agenda, include:

an increase in the skill level of the population by increasing the participation rates in education and training.
a greater flexibility within and between the education and training systems particularly in delivery arrangements. study pathways and credit transfer.
higher status for vocational education and training.
a merging of on the job and off the job training
a greater emphasis on developing generic competencies through the fostering of the Mayer Key Competencies[1]
a move to competency based education and training which is outcome based as opposed to time served.
increased industry participation in post compulsory education and training including a move to work based training.
a move to a single national credentialling system and the recognition of training.

The authors of the Training Reform Agenda focus on the product of education and training. They look at the "new look workplace" with its high level of automation, its flat management structures, its reliance on teamwork, its need for flexibility as well as the rapidity with which the technology and processes are changing and they ask themselves what does this mean for the profile of the graduates our education and training systems will need to produce. They also look at the "new look society" with its changing patterns of employment opportunities, its changing attitudes towards the role of women, its concern for the environment and its move towards pluralism and multiculturalism. Again they ask what does this mean for the graduates?

In short Finn's approach is to work back from what the world of work and society want from our education and training system and then to build the linkages back to the learning environment.

What then are the characteristics of a vocational education institution for the 21st century?

A guaranteed set of clearly stated learner outcomes which relate to the present and future life role of students as members of the "new look workplace" and the "new look society". Outcomes which are understood by all stakeholders (students, industry and staff).
A learner centred environment in which students have greater choice about what they learn, when they learn, where they learn, and how they learn.
The integration of vocational and general education, that is a convergence of industry specific and key competencies.
An organisational structure which itself models an independent and interdependent approach. That is an Institute broken up into multi-disciplinary, self managing teams each with its own mission statement, its own performance agreement, and its own budget.
A learning environment which emulates the world of work, which militates against lecturing and which facilitates individual learning, small group learning and experiential learning.
An Institute in which staff are empowered and in which they model the key competencies of team work. problem solving, communication, etc.
Where advanced technology is used in the development of learning materials, the delivery and assessment of educational material, in the tracking of students and in the management of the learning environment.
Where students have access to quality learning materials/ learning guides which are interactive and are designed to be in line with the principles of student centredness.
Where each self managing team has a mission statement which is in alignment with the mission statement of the Institute which in turn is in alignment with the National Training Reform Agenda.
An institute which is working in partnership with industry and business as well as working collaboratively with the growing number of private and public providers.
The final characteristic is that all this is accomplished at a cost no greater than that of running a traditional institute.

If we agree that the above characteristics are indeed those which will be required in order for vocational education institutions to be relevant in coming decades then what are the implications for the existing institutions? Will they be able to make the necessary changes to their methodologies, their organisational structures, their physical learning environments, their cultures, their staffing structures, their management styles and their systems?

Since writing this paper I have become increasingly optimistic in relation to that question. The fact is that vocational education institutions are making the changes so much so that it is becoming increasingly difficult to identify an institution which is truly traditional. With the deregulation of the education and training market we have seen institutes move, all be it slowly, from a closed to an open approach to learning or, to put it another way, they have moved from a less flexible to a more flexible approach to delivery. All around the country we are seeing the introduction of recognition for prior learning, open entry/open exit, accelerated learning and the use of technology. The move to flexible delivery is clearly illustrated in the following diagram.

Diagram I: Dimensions of flexible delivery (Diagram by Phoebe Palmieri,
Centre For Flexible Learning, Outer Eastern College of TAFE)

Preconditions for making the transition

There is nothing particularly surprising about the preconditions for the introduction for flexible delivery. They are much the same as those required to bring about any significant and complex change.

At an institutional level the preconditions are:

A climate for change. It helps to have a degree of chaos coupled with sufficient external pressure for staff and management to realise that the old belief systems and structures are no longer adequate and that things have to change.
A clear vision of where that change should lead to. That is, a vision of a preferred future.
An understanding by all staff of where they are now, where they want to be in say three to five years time as well as an agreement about the strategies required to get there.
A commitment by staff to make the change while at the same time having a viable and humane alternative for those staff who, for whatever reason, are unable to make such a commitment.
A recognition of the significant and comprehensive professional development required for managers and staff in providing the understanding and skill to implement the various dimensions of flexible delivery.
An acknowledgment of the critical role of management in providing the leadership and support to bring about the transformation.

At the systems level the preconditions are:

A set of clearly stated corporate objectives and strategic priorities which are in alignment with the objectives of the National Training Reform Agenda, coupled with the unambiguous support and encouragement from the Minister and the Chief Executive Officer.
A curriculum which is not only written in competency based terms but which incorporates reference to the key competencies.
A willingness to modify the current data collecting procedures and the productivity measures in order to ensure that they are in accord with the new methodologies and delivery systems.
Support for piloting of the various aspects of flexible delivery and undertaking action research in order to evaluate the outcomes of those pilots.
Development of State and National guidelines to assist with the introduction of the more complex features of the National Training Reform Agenda such as recognition for prior learning and the fostering assessment and credentialling of the Mayer key competencies.

The physical environment

One of the most neglected issues in the debate about flexible delivery is the physical environment. Yet it is the environment that has the potential to either greatly facilitate or be an enormous impediment to the introduction of flexible delivery. For example take a typical classroom in which you have 30 students sitting at desks which are all facing a lecturer standing in front of a white board. Chances are those students are in a lock step, teacher centred learning situation. A learning situation which includes fixed entry and exit dates, fixed delivery times, fixed exam times and fixed length of course. In short they are at the less flexible end of most of the dimensions within the flexible delivery continuum.

Diagram II: Traditional classroom layout

Contrast this with a learning environment in which students find themselves sitting in a large open space at work stations which are configured in small clusters and which bear a remarkable resemblance to a modern progressive office. In this environment students have access to quality learning guides, to a range of multimedia learning materials and to facilitators instead of lecturers. They are able to work on their own or in small groups. They manage their own time deciding when to take a break. Chances are that these students are well down the flexible delivery continuum enjoying the benefits of:

the flexible entry and exit dates
flexible attendance patterns
receiving recognition for prior learning
being able to progress at their own rate
being able to make choices about their preferred learning styles.

Diagram III: Open space, flexible delivery learning environment utilising systems built workstations configured in a way which provides for a range of learning zones.

It is our experience that the open learning environment described above actually militates against lecturing whilst facilitating individual and small group learning.

In moving to flexible delivery the changes required to the physical environment are no less important nor are they of a lesser magnitude than those required to change the curriculum, the methodologies and the organisational structure. You need to literally break down the walls to create large open spaces which can then be furnished with what are now affordable system built work stations of a type and configuration which facilitate student centred learning. The beauty of systems built furniture is that it will also take care of all the cabling (electrical, computing, telephone) which has become a feature of most modern work stations. Furthermore, because it is customised, systems furniture provides a choice about the nature of partitions and hence about the degree of audio and visual attenuation considered necessary for any particular learning zone.

The fact is the days of student desks with a sloping, lift-up lid and an inkwell in the corner are gone. Given the demands of flexible delivery and the associated use of computers the customised, flexible systems built work stations, configured to encourage individual and small group learning, are the solution for the foreseeable future.

Conclusion

In conclusion I would like to reiterate that the transformation from a traditional vocational education institution to one which will be relevant in the coming decades calls for a holistic approach. It will require new curriculum, new methodologies, new delivery systems, new learning environments and new organisational structures. To change one of these in isolation will simply result in dislocation and confusion.

Finally it is my belief that we have only a limited time in which to make the transition. Those institutions who do not will simply become irrelevant. They will end up as educational anachronisms and will go the way of the dinosaurs.

Endnote

A term used by Eric Mayer to refer to a range of generic skills such as problem solving, communication, working as a member of a team, accessing and processing information, etc.

Bibliographical References

Australian Science and Technology Council, et al. (1987). Wealth from Skills: Measures to raise the skills of the workforce: a report to the Prime Minister. AGPS, Canberra.

Bowen, A. (chair). (November 1992). Flexible Delivery - A National Framework f or Implementation in TAFE. AGPS, Queensland.

Carmichael, L. (1992). The Australian Vocational Certificate Training System. Employment and Skills Formation Council NBEET and AGPS.

Copa, G. & Pease, V. (December 1992). A new vision for the comprehensive high school - Preparing students for a changing world. Dept of Vocational and Technical Training, St Paul Minnesota.

Field, L. (1990). Skilling Australia. Longman Cheshire, Melbourne.

Finn, B. (chair). (1991). Young people's participation in post compulsory education and training, AGPS, Canberra.

Mayer, E. (1992). Putting general education to work: the key competencies report. AGPS, Melbourne.

Palmier, R. (June 1994). Why flexible delivery? The politics, the context, the substance. Outer Eastern College of TAFE.

Sachsse, M. (November, 1993). Open Learning: Its implications for students and teachers. Post compulsory education 93 Directions Conference, Torrens Valley Institute.

Wood, G. (chair) (1994). A change of course: Options for immediate post compulsory education and training pathways in South Australia.

Author: Michael Sachsse, Director, Torrens Valley Institute of TAFE. Telephone: (08) 207 8010; fax: (08) 207 2727
Please cite as: Sachsse, M. (1994). But will it work for a "brownfield" site? Tea Tree Gully three years on. In J. Steele and J. G. Hedberg (eds), Learning Environment Technology: Selected papers from LETA 94, 282-286. Canberra: AJET Publications. http://www.aset.org.au/confs/edtech94/rw/sachsse.html

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