How Dr Adam Bignold is breaking down barriers to learning at Federation University TAFE
Federation University TAFE teacher Dr Adam Bignold works to accommodate diverse learning styles while delivering IT courses
In regional Victoria, Federation University TAFE teacher Dr Adam Bignold is breaking down barriers to learning.
Adam, who won VET Teacher/ Trainer of the Year at the 2024 Australian Training Awards, has changed the way Fed Uni delivers vocational IT courses to accommodate diverse cohorts.
It started with offering blended learning and evening classes, which increased enrolment and retention for people with carer responsibilities, work commitments, neurodiversity and health considerations.
“Blended learning allows people to choose each day whether to come into the classroom or learn online,” Adam explains.
In finding ways to engage these diverse learners, Adam looked for methods to accommodate different learning styles. He replaced exams and long-form assignments with project-based assessments and implemented a modular approach.
By breaking down the training into smaller, manageable modules, learners could progress at their own pace, reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed and increasing their confidence and engagement.
Adam explains this was more engaging for students, reducing their anxiety as well as providing better preparation for taking on problems and projects at work during their careers.
“The jobs these students are going for don’t involve writing assessments or performing exams,” he says. “You’re presented with a problem, so we've brought project and problem-based learning into the classroom.”
Adam’s approach incorporates several principles of Universal Design for Learning principles, such as delivering content in multiple ways.
“We will have our Moodle shell, with text for students to follow, multiple choice questions for students to check their understanding and then in class, we have a discussion, walking students through it.”
Fed Uni also adds value by offering access to non-accredited industry certificates, including those offered by Cisco, Amazon and Google, allowing students to build specialised skills to add to their CVs.
“The students can get an intro and learn the basics from our class and if they like it, they can go off and do vendor certificates,” Adam says.
“Contributors to improved retention is the flexible learning options and the work we've done around breaking down barriers to learning.”
Our Towards effective ICT training: A needs and gaps analysis of the ICT Training Package identifies challenges and opportunities to strengthen vocational ICT training. This includes a focus on clear and accessible training.