Saying what you mean and hearing what is said: issues in researching trainee and employee perspectives in industry training New Zealand Vocational Education and Training Research Forum 2011 Rose Ryan, Heather McDonald & Anne Alkema 27-28 April 2011 1

Background Undertaking research projects around industry training The challenge of ensuring trainee voices and experience are included and understood What are the logistical, methodological and ethical issues associated with this? Exploratory and work in progress! 2

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The challenges of qualitative research in workplaces Access To workplaces To trainees Reliance on interviews (rather than observations or documentation) Phone vs workplace based interviews Building rapport Lack of sufficient time Differences in age, gender, ethnicity Interpreting meaning Lack of context Communication styles

Current research interests in an industry training context: Literacy and numeracy Access to training and participation in training (particularly for Maori, Women) Completion Training pathways Assessment pathways Industry –specific studies Learner motivation

“ Research subjects have also been known to be people” (Halcolm) What does recent research tell us about learner perspectives on training? What leads them to participate? What helps them to learn? What helps them to complete? How has learner voice been gathered and analysed as part of the research process? 7

Why is a learner perspective needed? Literature identifies workplace, provider and ITO related factors – but workplace and provider related factors are only relevant to the extent that they impact on the trainee Essential part of this is understanding trainee perspective – to what do they ascribe effectiveness? How do our research methods and data collection methods influence (limit?) the range of perspectives that we are able to take into account?

Recent NZ research on industry training Reviewed 44 studies Of these only 27 had done primary research and of these only 10 talked to trainees Methodologies: case studies, interviews, assessments, observation, conversation Numbers talked to: most small (4-26), one large (500/380) 9

Learner perspectives Learning needs to be contextualised – theory is understood when it can be related to day to day work practices Trainees require support in the workplace to put the learning in to place and in some cases to undertake the learning itself Support is required at all levels from employers, co-workers and family and friends Finding time to learn outside work is problematic New knowledge leads to improved confidence and better workplace practices

Learner perspectives (cont) Regularity and quality of on-job training and assessment is often an issue Learners often do not distinguish between learning and “doing the job” Off-job training is readily accessible, relevant, applicable and utilised Written work is an issue Motivated by: Importance of a future career Knowledge and skills for the job Value the qualification 11

Methodological issues Access to workplaces and selection of employees Informed consent When and how is it best to interview trainees? Epistomological issues 12

Access to workplaces and selection of trainees Getting workplaces to participate Not a random sample, Often those that have an established training culture working around operational demands (including shift work) How are trainees selected to participate in research? Management selection Ease of access/who has their break next? Representativeness in relation to that workplace and trainee profile Trainees who are in dispute with management or the company

Informed consent and ethics in an industry training context? Informed consent – who gives it? Trainees are also employees – do they get to express their own view? Who decides who gets to be included in research (which workplaces and individuals)? When and where do interviews occur – on employer or employee time? Ethical assurances Power dynamics – resistance and control in the workplace Confidentiality – particularly in small workplaces

When and how to interview trainees? In paid work time? Limits to the depth of exploration due to time pressures Interviews outside of work time – privacy and intrusion How - Face to face – at workplace Phone – limits to phone access at work, home land-lines, use of mobiles for calls as opposed to text

Epistomological issues Communication across gender, ethnicity, ESOL and age boundaries Do researchers sufficiently understand the world of trainees, and how their experiences are set in a wider social context (eg; often in low-paid jobs, at bottom of workplace hierarchy, place of work in the rest of their lives etc) What do trainees understand about the process of research and how it will be used? (particularly confidentiality and being able to express views which may conflict with that of their employer?) 16

Keep your ears open, you never know when you will hear someone say "Ek kheeeech ke dena!" Hearing what is said Do we ask the right questions in the right way? Do we ask questions in the right settings? Do learners respond in the way that they believe is expected? How do we get to the heart of trainee experiences?

Summary Research on industry training often has limited understanding of trainee perspectives There is a need to ensure that learner voices are accorded greater priority These perspectives need to be understood within the context of trainee status as employees, and employees at the bottom of workplace hierarchy However – numbers are not enough …. Need to make sure that research methods are robust Development of an ethics framework for organisational research? 18