What are the six components of a quality assessment tool? How do they relate to the principles of assessment and rules of evidence?

Developing quality assessment tools #35

This podcast covers the elements of the TAEDES505 Evaluating a training program.

It is an audio version of the TAEDES505 narrated presentation. Sometimes it's easier to listen when you're on the move. So let us know if having the information presented in this format is helpful for you!

Evaluating a training program #36

‘Compliance’ is not a dirty word. The purpose of a set of regulatory standards and associated legislation is to ensure registered training organisations operate a sustainable business. In this sense, it is a smart idea for RTOs to operate within these frameworks, as they set a high standard, not only for the internal matters of running a training organisation, but for ensuring high quality, measurable and repeatable training outcomes.

Dan's Album

VEPodcast episode #45 VET compliance for trainers & assessors

Marc Miles and Dan Hill discuss the first part of the RTO standards to shine a little light on their interpretation and how they currently work to meet these standards. Part 1 covered 1.1 to 1.3 of the standards.

VEPodast Episode #57 - RTO standard 1 (part 1)

What have we done about the TAE40122? How did we decide to structure and run this program and what's in store for the future?

VEP Episode #60 - Talking about the TAE40122

We talk about digital literacy for vocational trainers and assessors- both existing and potential.

VEP Episode #61 - Digital literacy

We explore the current and future directions of AI in Vocational Education and Training. Some controversial ideas come up :-)

VEP Episode #62 - A.I. in VET

Interviews and news from the VET industry. I take a deep dive into 'accredited courses' and the legitimacy of those courses.

Vocational Education Podcast Ep#1

Interviews and news from the VET industry

Vocational Education Podcast Ep#2

Vocational Education Podcast Ep#3

Vocational Education Podcast Ep#4

Great talk with Jeffrey Lehrer representing Scouts Australia.

VEP Episode #65 - Jeffrey Lehrer

Meet Chemene Sinson, Vocational educator and designer.

VEP Episode #69 - Chemene Sinson

A great talk with Denise about her humble but important beginnings in education in schools through to the establishment of many of the things we've come to know and love in school-based vocational education and beyond!

VEP Episode #77 - Denise Archie

Dr. Denise Meyerson is a distinguished Board Member, CEO, and Management Consultant with over three decades of experience at the board level, particularly in the education, training, and workforce development sectors. Currently, she serves as a Subsidiary Board Member and Director (MCI) of APM. In her executive capacity, she is the Founder and Director of Management Consultancy International, an acclaimed education and training provider within the APM Group.

Following the acquisition of MCI by APM in 2020, Dr. Meyerson has taken on several key roles:

Board member responsible for setting strategic direction, ensuring financial governance, and driving innovation.
Strategic advisor to the CEO, contributing to the growth of MCI as a multi-million dollar consultancy and adult education business.
Consultant to ASX-listed companies such as Stockland, NAB, and QBE, as well as various private companies and non-profits like Anglicare.
Specialist in innovation, helping MCI achieve a top position on the AFR list of Australia's most innovative companies.
Additionally, Dr. Meyerson is the Founder and CEO of The Focus Learning Group. Her prior experience includes leading Corporate College International, an education company sold to a listed entity on the South African Stock Exchange.

Dr. Meyerson holds a Master's Degree and a PhD in English. She has been honored as an honorary member of City and Guilds, the largest examining body in the UK, for her significant contributions to vocational training and education. Her accolades include being named Learning and Development Professional of the Year by AITD and being among the first globally recognized master trainers of the LEGO Serious Play methodology.

VEP - Dr Denise Meyerson

It's obviously time to discuss something that’s at the cutting edge of learning and development. Your friend and mine, generative AI. Now, I know we’ve all heard the buzz around AI, but I want to dig into how this tech is reshaping education and learning, backed by the latest research and information shared at the numerous seminars and webinars published in the last few months.

VEP Episode #80 - The Progress of AI in Education

Marc and I chat about some of the new apps and applications of AI in developing learning content.

VEPodcast - AI for L&D production

VEPodast - Future uses of AI in L&D

Think you’re just a boss? Nah, you could be a mentor—and it might just change your team, your career, and even your bottom line. Let’s unpack why, with some important stats, real stories, and takeaways you can use tomorrow. Let’s take a look.
First off, mentoring isn’t just warm fuzzies—it’s can be a game-changer for all those involved. Research says mentees get promoted five times more often than those without mentors, and retention jumps by 22%. That’s from McCarthy Mentoring’s 2017 study, and it’s not just relevant, but growing in importance in in 2025. Imagine keeping your best people longer and seeing them climb the ladder—all because you took time to guide them. That’s power! Here in Australia, COX Architecture saw this firsthand. After growing fast, their Sydney team—500 strong—used mentoring to tighten bonds and set sharper goals. Staff started to redefine and focus on their career paths, and the resulting morale? Unbeatable. Check it out on Parlour’s site if you’re curious. I’ll include the links on the blog I’ve connected to this podcast. 
Now, let’s talk diversity. Mentoring lifts everyone. Cornell University found it boosts minority leadership roles by up to 24%. In Aussie terms, look at the Australian Business and Community Network—ABCN. They went digital with Accenture in 2020, mentoring disadvantaged kids, including Indigenous communities. Result? 42% felt more confident about their future. That’s not just feel-good—it’s building a pipeline of diverse talent. As a manager, you could do that too!
Okay, here’s a stat to chew on: 71% of Fortune 500 companies run mentoring programs. It’s not a trend—it’s a standard. Down under, AusIMM’s 2024 program hooked up over 100 mining pros. Mentors reported a 20% jump in job satisfaction—proof you don’t just help others, you grow too. And get this: Cox Automotive saved over $3 million in turnover costs since 2017 with mentoring. That’s cash you could keep in your budget!
So, real-world wins? Plenty. Avison Young pushed women into leadership with mentoring—diversity ticked up fast. Vertex Pharmaceuticals went global, mixing reverse mentoring with peer circles—genius for multigenerational teams. And Paychex? Their high-potential women hit 94% retention. These aren’t flukes; they’re proof mentoring works. Locally, ABCN’s online shift delivered 179 sessions in a year—regional kids got a leg up. That’s mentoring breaking barriers, right here in Oz.
Takeaways time! One: mentoring keeps talent and cuts costs—think millions, not pennies. Two: it’s your diversity secret weapon—lift up underrepresented voices. Three: you’ll grow as a leader—satisfaction and skills, sorted. How do you start? Assess your team’s needs, pair people smartly, and track the wins—engagement, retention, you name it.

VEP - Workplace mentoring facts

In today’s discussion, we’re opening up the complex and often misunderstood world of the business of vocational education, and the ominous signs and trends that can’t be ignored if the sector wants to continue to stay relevant and important in coming decades. 

This isn’t a hit piece on the sector or even on individual business owners trying to make a buck from educating others. Quite the contrary. I wanted to explore my own history in the sector, and that of others I know or have worked with, and how we’ve all dealt with the changes to date, and what risks and likely outcomes await us. In doing so, I hope to arrive at a few truths that can help you to pick the good opportunities from the bad and make decisions about your own future in the sector with your eyes wide open to the influences that have direct and indirect impacts. 

The global AI arms race is already being played out with even the early inventors of the technology collectively warning against the potential uncontrollable outcome with few upsides for individuals. But play out it will, and sideline observers we will become. 
I have mentioned in the past that there may be a point where those undertaking an education say enough is enough, and push back on the automation of everything to once again re-introduce real human interactions and feedback from experienced trainers and facilitators. We’re still a while away from that point in my opinion. Largely due, ironically, in the government’s slow reaction to providing legislative regulation to the tech industry. And also the generational influence of current trainers and assessors in the sector of whom there are a majority of generation X and millennials making up this cohort – thus still not what we’d readily classify as digital natives. 

It's indeed an exciting and terrifying time to be a vocational educator. Digital literacy is no longer a nice to have, and political muteness isn’t an option if you want the sector to be unbiased, fair and level. Find your voice, decide on your personal learning journey, and let’s all see where it takes us. Because trends don’t determine the future. Our actions are what determines that. 

VEP - AI arms race

On this episode we talk to Marc Miles about his new Facilitation Mastery Workshop, with some great value thrown in about further workshops in 2026!

VEP  - Facilitation Mastery Workshop

Discover the PEN principles all over again with this new series - we're kicking off with this program about the benefits of active recall for knowledge and skills retention - so strap in and enjoy!

Here's a link to the original video https://youtu.be/CkKXdft5qeE

VEP - Using Active recall to improve retention

Making mistakes isn't the end of the world - in fact, it can improve how well you learn something. Other than the research from the original video linked here:   https://youtu.be/RDa777HDWTo

 Here are the other tow pieces mentioned at the end: 

https://shorturl.at/TDmK6

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0361476X2500044X?

VEP - Making mistakes to learn better

In this episode of the Vocational Education Podcast, we dive into the power of interleaving as a learning strategy. Unlike traditional blocked practice—where learners focus on one topic or skill at a time—interleaving mixes different but related topics or skills within the same study session. Research shows this approach significantly boosts retention and recall, as the brain is forced to constantly retrieve and distinguish between concepts. For vocational learners, this means stronger problem-solving skills and a deeper ability to transfer knowledge to real-world tasks. We’ll explore how interleaving challenges the brain in positive ways, strengthens long-term memory, and prevents the “illusion of mastery” that often comes with rote repetition. You’ll hear practical ways trainers and assessors can embed interleaving into their delivery and assessment design, ensuring learners are better prepared for the workplace and more confident in applying their skills.

Here's a link to the original video: https://youtu.be/oNtT00YCu2U

VEP - Interleaving practice

In today’s episode, we explore the fascinating science of conceptual and perceptual priming—two powerful ways our brains prepare us to learn, decide, and act. Conceptual priming happens when exposure to a particular idea makes related concepts easier to recall. For example, thinking about “safety” can prime thoughts of “security” or “trust.” Perceptual priming, on the other hand, works through our senses—subtle visual or auditory cues that shape how we interpret what comes next. Together, these forms of priming influence memory, retention, and behaviour, offering trainers and educators valuable tools to create more effective learning environments.

Video link is here: https://youtu.be/VjfHw-jzBLs

VEP - Conceptual and perceptual priming

I chat with Julian Davis, the digital learning guy, about the fascinating technology of xAPI. How we can use I to track learner's interactions and progress outside of the typical LMS functionality. 

Enjoy the chat! I certainly did. 

VEP - Julian Davis

Marc and I share Ian interesting discussion on designing learning for impact and engagement. The type of learning that leads to real outcomes in real workplaces. Enjoy this session!

VEPodcast - Marc Vollmer

Aren’t you fascinated by the human mind? With its 100 billion neurons and trillions of connections, our brain is constantly trying to make sense of the world around us. But when it comes to learning, it’s not just about content or colourful delivery — it’s also about context.
In this episode, we explore Pen Principle 5: Leveraging Context, and uncover how the environment — both physical and psychological — impacts learning and memory. From temperature, lighting and noise to relationships, stress, and even the instructor’s tone, every detail can influence how well knowledge sticks.
Discover how context-dependent and context-independent learning affect performance, why learners often recall better in familiar environments, and what trainers can do to help students thrive in any setting.
Join us for a deep dive into neuroscience, motivation, and practical design tips for creating powerful, context-rich learning experiences.

VEP - Contextual learning

This is not only a new year - but a new commitment to you, the listener, to create and collaborate in ways that are more consistent and useful to you. I look forward to working with new and interesting people over the next twelve months and see where the VEP ends 2026!

VEP - Starting the new year

Finding space to run face to face courses can be expensive and difficult. Vickie and her team make use of vacant training rooms around the country to meet the needs of training organisations. It's an interesting talk about how the business has dealt with the last 12 months. Enjoy!

VEP Episode #29 - Vickie from Spacefinder

We chat with vocational educators, designers, influencers and students to hear what's happening at the sharp end of the sector. If you enjoy a good talk, or some interesting insights into training and education, then subscribe to the VEPodast!

VEPodcast

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