Upcoming Webinar: Applied Research In VET: An International Perspective

 In About Tknika

Date and Time:
November 29, 2022 – 9:00 pm Victoria (Canada)
November 30, 2022 – 12:00 am New York, 6:00 am Madrid, 4:00 pm Canberra
Registration:  HERE

Our November 2021 Applied Research and Innovation Affinity Group of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics Webinar features a keynote presentation by two undergraduate students who have experienced the benefits of applied research during their educational and professional journeys. There will also be an update on our Applied Research Mapping Project: a landscape survey of how VET institutions approach applied research in terms of activities, collaborations, fields of study, knowledge transfer, methodologies, nomenclature, outcomes, resources, student learning, and technology adoption. As our members are the source of our strength and success, we will feature three case studies from Australian, Basque, and Canadian institutions showcasing their work in applied research and their visions for the future. Please consider joining us for this webinar, and for future activities.

The Applied Research and Innovation Affinity Group, a WFCP international community of practice, is devoted to sharing the ways and means of applied research in an international context. Led by Tknika in the Basque Country, the group supports collaborative excellence and a common understanding of Applied Research in VET from an international perspective through regular meetings, webinars and conference sessions, publications and presentations, and shared projects. This webinar is part of an ongoing series offering dialogue and insight focused on the conduct of applied research amongst members, ongoing projects, case studies of member institutions, and a keynote presentation focusing on an important aspect of the work we all share.

6:10 am (CET)  Keynote presentation: Applied Research: The Student Perspective

What is the experience of students engaged in applied research as part of their college curriculum?  How does this form of inquiry, learning, and pedagogy support their training, their vocational preparation, and their way of seeing the world?  In this keynote presentation, Lacey Reay and Paul Fuller, both students in the Camosun College Mechanical Engineering Technology Diploma Program, will talk about their introduction to applied research, their involvement in program capstone courses, and their insights into Canadian vocational education and training (VET).

Lacey Reay, Camosun College student 2019-21 – Lacey is a Mechanical Engineering Technologist by trade and tinkerer by nature. She has an affinity for materials science and motorcycles, bridging the gap between work and play by designing and manufacturing custom parts for her bike.

Paul Fuller, Camosun College student 2019-21 – Paul is a Mechanical Engineering Technologist, and an outdoor adventure enthusiast who enjoys snowboarding and surfing. Paul dreams of developing an avalanche prediction system for backcountry touring someday.

6:30 am (CET)  Mapping results of VET institutions doing Applied Research

Annemaree Gibson – Teaching and Learning Specialist & Research Integrity Advisor, Box Hill Institute (BHI)

Annemaree is a highly skilled Teaching and Learning Specialist who has facilitated teacher professional development, and researched and presented in Australia and overseas.

Annemaree has completed a Master of Education specialising in Work and Learning Studies at Monash University, a Diploma of Vocational Education and Training and a Diploma of Quality Auditing.  She is currently developing an Applied Research Community of Practice to support and champion VET educators new to research at BHI.

6:45 am (CET)  Applied research case study in the Basque Country

Pili Alonso – Applied innovation in strategic settings Area Director at TKNIKA, Basque VET Applied Research Centre.

Industrial Engineer, with extensive experience in management and coordination of innovation projects both in the industrial sector and in teaching. In a first professional stage as project manager at Mondragon-Assembly S.Coop, a company committed to innovation as a tool for progress and growth, promoting research and development of new products, and a second stage in educational training.

During the last 15 years within the Basque Vocational Training network, mechatronics teacher, high performance methodologies implementer in the Basque Country vocational training and in the last stage as director of applied innovation managing and leading teaching teams for the development of the TKgune programme (Applied innovation Projects for SMEs) and entrepreneurship programmes of FP Euskadi.

6:55 am (CET)  Applied research case study at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Canada

Dr. Susan Blum is the Associate Vice President Applied Research and Innovation at Saskatchewan Polytechnic.

Previously, she was the Director of Research Services and Ethics at the University of Saskatchewan and Director of Finance and Administration at the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation. She has spent over 21 years working in research administration. Prior to these roles, Susan had a strong research background in ecotoxicology and was polar bear biologist for the Government of Nunavut. Susan is currently a member of the National Research Council and the NRC sub-committee on Diversity , Equity and Inclusion, is Chair of Polytechnic’s Canada research group, and is a member of the Colleges and Institutes of Canada National Advisory Committee, the NSERC Prairie Advisory Committee, the NSERC Committee of Research Partnerships, the New Digital Research Infrastructure Organization National Service Delivery Model Stakeholder Committee, the CICan Mitacs Advisory Panel, the Tri-Agency Grant Management System External Advisory Board and serves as a Board of Director for the Refined Manufacturing Acceleration Process (ReMAP) and the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA).

7:05 am (CET)  Applied research case study in Australia

Shannon Baldock – TAFE South Australia

Prior to joining TAFE SA Shannon ran a successful electrical contracting business working in high risk environments. Since joining TAFE SA Shannon has spearheaded the trial of VR in the air conditioning and refrigeration work group. His passion for innovative training and assessment practices is rapidly spreading throughout TAFE SA.

John Flett, SWTAFE Director, Strategy and Research

Doctor of Philosophy, Bachelor of Agriculture Science (Hons), Graduate Diploma Education, Graduate Certificate in Organisational Change, Diploma of Business Management, Diploma of Business Administration, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

John has over 30 years senior management experience in educational and training design for the vocational and secondary education systems in Australia. He has been Executive Manager of Education at South West TAFE, and prior to that he was Head of Innovation and Strategy and Head of Education Development at Gordon TAFE Geelong. These roles have been responsible for educational reform, teaching innovation, online learning and educational delivery services. John’s other roles in the TAFE sector have been Centre Manager for Business Skills; and as a Regional Manager at Bendigo TAFE.

John has previously managed and led an Enterprise-based Registered Training Organisation in the natural resources sector, and been a member of several Industry/Service Skills Councils Industry Training Board advisory committees; and two State government Tech School planning committees. He is a Board member at South West Local Learning and Employment Network (LLEN), and past member of the Cohuna-Campaspe and Wynbay LLENs, and the Beacon Foundation.

7:15 am (CET)  Closing