3. Provision of Flexible Learning Programs in Australia
3.2 Findings
In order to capture a wide range of types of flexible learning programs, while meeting the criteria outlined in 3.1 above, the database included three structural arrangements for flexible learning provision: within a high school, within a TAFE or Community College, or as a separate program (either entirely ‘stand-alone’ or as an annex or campus that is connected with a school or college). These are identified through the three different colours of dots on the map (see Figure 3.1). The distribution among these three types is fairly even, although with somewhat more programs in the third category (see Figure 3.2).
Figure 3.2: Structures of flexible learning programs
There are 913 programs in the database (July 2014). These programs educate, at a conservative estimate4,
70,000 students per year. The development of the database was highly systematic and as a result it offers the best available data about the number of flexible learning programs and students in Australia. Nevertheless, the database is unlikely to have captured all programs, since some programs would not have been visible through the search methods used and new programs have been established since 2012. This means the numbers above are likely to be an underestimation of the true size of the flexible learning sector in Australia.
“There are over 900 programs in the database that educate, at
a conservative estimate, 70,000 students per year.”
Credentials and Activities
The programs included in the database indirectly or directly enable achievement of a school-level credential. Programs operating within a TAFE or Community College as well as stand-alone programs usually lead directly to the award of one or more qualifications. Programs operating within a high school (such as Beacon, Clontarf and Hands On Learning) support young people’s learning and engagement and thus (indirectly) their completion of junior and/or senior levels of secondary education
Figure 3.3 provides an overview of the credentials the flexible learning programs help their students to attain. The first three columns (in yellow) refer to sites that offer credentials at junior secondary level.
347
285
Within a high school
Within a TAFE/Community College
Separate Program
281
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3 PROVISION OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING PROGRAMS IN AUSTRALIA
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Automotive 0 20 10 40 30 60 50 80 70 Building &Construction Business &AdministrationCommunity/Childr en’s/ Health Services
Creative/
Graphic/Media Hospitality Horticultur e/
Agricultur
e/Animal Sport & Recreation Information &
Communication
Low level certificates (‘low Cert’) include Statement of Attainment, Certificate I and Certificate II5. Year 10
includes equivalent qualifications, such as the Certificate in General Education for Adults. The middle three columns (in orange) reflect the number of sites that offer credentials at senior secondary level. High level certificates (‘high Cert) include Certificate III and Certificate IV. Year 12 includes equivalent qualifications, such as the Tertiary Preparation Certificate. The final three columns (blue) indicate the number of sites that offer credentials at both junior and senior secondary level. These make up just over one-third of all sites.
Figure 3.3: Credentials
The number of flexible learning programs that offer certificate qualifications indicates that about half of the programs offer some level of formal, accredited Vocational Education and Training (VET) as part of their curriculum. Not all of these provide details about the specific industry, while others give students access to more than one vocational area. Based on the available data, Figure 3.4 indicates the nine most popular VET industries in which certificates are offered.
Figure 3.4: VET Industries
Low Certs 0 50 100 150 200 250 Year 9/10 9/10 &Year Low Cert High
Certs 11/12Year 11/12 &Year High Cert Low & High Certs Year 9/10 & 11/12 Year 9/10, 11/12 & High Cert
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3 PROVISION OF FLEXIBLE LEARNING PROGRAMS IN AUSTRALIA
5 According to standard international conventions, Certificate II qualifications are classified as lower secondary qualifications and Certificate III qualifications as the
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“Flexible learning programs offer many activities to engage
young people with meaningful learning and support them
to achieve credentials. In the category of general learning,
literacy and numeracy activities are most common.”
In order to engage young people with meaningful learning and support them to achieve various credential, flexible learning programs offer many activities. The database comprises 12 categories of activities, which includes accredited and non-accredited VET (yellow columns in Figure 3.5), as well as activities for learning (orange) and for life (blue). The vast majority of programs offered a wide range of these activities.
In terms of learning, the most common are literacy and numeracy activities. The strong level of attention for students’ life outside and beyond the program is evident in the large numbers of programs providing life skills, mentoring and job seeking skills. Most programs offering cultural activities specify that these are focussed on Indigenous culture. Figure 3.5 provides information about the number of programs offering each category of activity.
Figure 3.5: Program Activities
Student Population
Most programs cater for both male and female students, with only 3 per cent being for females only and 5 per cent for males only. Very few programs are targeted exclusively at the younger (age 11-14) or older (20 years and older) age groups. Instead, programs tend to cater for one or both of those age groups in combination with the 15-19 year old age group, which is the fundamental cohort that flexible learning programs work with (see Figure 3.6). More than 40 per cent of programs target only the 15-19 group.
Formal/ Accr edited VET 0 200 100 400 300 600 500 800 900 700 Non-Accr edited VET
Literacy/NumeracyComputer/IT/Media Creative
(Arts/Music) Outdoor/
EnvironmentHomeworkSupport Life Skills Mentoring Job Seeking Cultural
Parenting
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Figure 3.6: Age GroupsIn terms of students’ background, the database includes 15 types of program target groups. Two of the options are at risk of non-completion and early school leaver. Exploring the data demonstrates that one or both of these apply to over 97 per cent of programs. Other substantial general categories are suspended/expelled from school, and unemployed. These generic categories are shown as yellow columns in Figure 3.7.
These results reinforce the programs’ shared mission of providing education opportunities for young people who may otherwise miss out on crucial secondary schooling. In some ways, this is the closest we come to a definition of flexible learning programs. Many programs catered for (almost) all categories listed, but some had a more specialised focus, for example, on Indigenous young people, homeless young people, or pregnant and parenting young people (shown as blue columns in Figure 3.7). Figure 3.7 shows the total number of programs that cater for each group of students.
“Almost all programs cater for young people ‘at risk of non-
completion’ and/or for ‘early school leavers’. This is the closest
we come to a definition of flexible learning programs.”
11-14 plus 15-19 (combined) 15-19 (only) plus 15-1920+ (combined) 11-14 plus 15-19 plus 20+ (combined) 0 100 50 200 150 300 250 400 350
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Figure 3.7: Program Target Groups