Recruiting the graduate voice: informing higher education initiatives to underpin an emerging,veterinary paraprofession in Australia

In Australia, the inception of veterinary technology, as a higher education discipline underpinning an emerging, mid-tier paraveterinary field, reflected global trends for more highly educated veterinary paraprofessionals to meet changing societal demands. In this study, veterinary technology graduates were surveyed about their experiences in the workforce and reflections on their education. Seeking feedback on how well a new programme has prepared graduates for the workforce is a useful quality assurance tool. Clinical veterinary practice was the primary employment sector with the majority of respondents in full-time employment. Career advancement, professional recognition and salaries were identified as key career challenges. The important roles of the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions, the university, government and graduates in the development of this mid-tier, veterinary paraprofession were elucidated. Graduates’ feedback on criteria that underpinned ‘work-readiness’ revealed seven key domains: communication skills, research skills, knowledge, critical thinking/problem-solving, employability, practical skills and professionalism. Veterinary nursing skills, work placement, practice management and production animal health were flagged as areas for curricular improvement. This study illuminated facilitators and barriers critical to establishing a mid-tier veterinary paraprofession, bridging the divide between the vocational and higher education sectors in Australia.

Abbreviations: AUD: Australian dollar; AVA: Australian Veterinary Association; AVBC: Australasian Veterinary Boards Council; AVMA: American Veterinary Medical Association; BVNA: British Veterinary Nursing Association; CSU: Charles Sturt University; DAF: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries; FWC: Fair Work Commission; GCA: Graduate Careers Australia; HE: Higher Education; NHMRC: National Health and Medical Research Council; QLD: Queensland; RCVS: Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons; UK: United Kingdom; UQ: University of Queensland; VN: Veterinary nursing; VNCA: Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia; VSB: Veterinary Surgeons Board; VT: Veterinary technology; WIL: Work-integrated learning.     

THE CONTRIBUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN EUROPE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHANGING SOCIETIES ‐ CEPES ROUND TABLE

The aim of the CEPES Round Table on The Contribution of Higher Education in Europe to the Development of Changing Societies (Bucharest, 21‐23 September 1976) was to exchange ideas and experience on the role of higher education in Europe in view of the general changes in present‐day society, and also with regard to the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference on Security and Co‐operation in Europe. The following eleven participants took part in the meeting:

• Professor György Adam (Hungary), Rector of Budapest University;

• Professor Gunnar Adler‐Karlsson (Sweden), Roskilde University;

• Professor Hélène Ahrweiler (France), President of the University of Paris I;

• Professor Johan Galtung (Norway), Director General of the Inter‐University Centre of Post‐Graduate Studies in Dubrovnik;

• Dr. Stefan Kwiatkowski (Poland), Deputy Director of the Institute of Science Policy and Higher Education in Warsaw;

• Professor Mircea Malita (Romania), Bucharest University,’ Counsellor to the President of the Socialist Republic of Romania;

• Professor Manfred Nast (GDR), Secretary to the Council of Higher Education Institutions of the German Democratic Republic;

• Professor James A. Perkins (USA), Chairman of the International Council for Educational Development (ICED);

• Professor Branko Pribicevic (Yugoslavia), Belgrade University;

• Professor Ludwig Raiser (FRG), President of the Standing Conference of Rectors and Vice‐chancellors of the European Universities (CRE);

Professor Yuri Zhdanov (USSR), Rector of Rostov University.

Also at the meeting were observers and representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Council of Europe, International Association of Universities (IAU), the European Cultural Foundation and Association des Universités Partiellement ou Entièrement de Langue Frangaise (AUPELF).

The meeting was opened by the Representative of the Director General of UNESCO, Mr. René Ochs, Director of the Division of Higher Education and of Training of Education Personnel.

H.E. Mrs. Suzana Gddea, Minister of Education and Learning of the Socialist Republic of Romania, addressed the meeting during the inaugural session on behalf of the Romanian Government.

We give below a summary of the discussions. This is not an official report of the meeting. (For further information on this meeting and its follow‐up see page 32 in this issue.)     

Wade Madsen: Teaching Choreography

ABSTRACT

Professor Wade Madsen has been teaching at Cornish College of the Arts since 1985. This article serves as a window into his educational approach to teaching advanced choreography.     

La formation des enseignants du secondaire: la formule belge

The author, drawing upon 37 years’ experience of the training of Secondary teachers in Belgium, offers a critical view of the present situation. His remarks bear upon training for the lower‐Secondary cycle, the system for which—though apparently simple— is in fact complex.

A 1981 reform extended the period of training to three years, but lower‐ and upper‐Secondary training, at University level, are still separate. A greater unity is desirable.

Three principles which should underpin all training are: a planned continuation into in‐service training, the development of practice‐oriented research, and (to allow of flexibility) a unit‐based approach. The length of study is important, since it has implications for maturation.

Finally, the author examines in turn each element in the range of skills, aptitudes and attitudes needed by the student teacher.     

Teaching Psychobiology at a Distance

Psychobiology is an area of knowledge that deals with the biological basis of behaviour. Its concretion as a specific area of study originates in the confluence and development of other areas such as physiological psychology, experimental and comparative psychology, ethology, biology and the neurosciences. For some, psychobiology would be that part of the neurosciences that deals with the study of the processes of emotion, motivation, cognition and learning. Others are of the opinion that it covers a much wider area, and that its objective is rooted in the study of all biological mechanisms that govern behaviour — and these, undertaken from a philogenetic and ontogenetic perspective.

In the last decade, we have witnessed the creation of psychobiology departments throughout the world. These departments participate in the teaching of faculties of medicine, psychology, biology and zoology. In some universities, these departments even contribute to the teaching imparted by the faculties of philosophy and educational sciences. Sooner or later, the universities teaching at a distance had to consider the creation of departments of psychobiology to attend to the up‐dating of the curriculum of diversive faculties.

In the National University of Education at a Distance, U.N.E.D. (Madrid, Spain) the teaching of psychobiology is entrusted to a department of the same name which started during the academic year of 1982–83. Even though the experience is very short to be able to advance a complete evaluation, the difficulties encountered in the organization of the form and content of different courses imparted by the department of psychobiology (D.P.) could be useful to the reader. Therefore, these difficulties must be understood within the educational model of teaching at a distance at U.N.E.D.     

10th CONFERENCE OF THE MINISTERS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OF SOCIALIST COUNTRIES

The 10th Conference of the Ministers of Higher Education of Socialist Countries was held in Moscow from 16 to 18 November 1976. The 8th and 9th conferences were held in Ulan‐Bator (Mongolia) from 12 to 14 September 1973, and in Havana (Cuba) from 19 to 22 November 1974 respectively.

Ten countries ‐ Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, USSR and Vietnam participated in the work of the Conference.

The forthcoming issue of the international journal of the socialist countries Sovremiennaja Vysza Shkola (Contemporary Higher Education) published in Warsaw will be devoted to the works of this Conference.

We give below information on the main problems discussed during this meeting.     

THE DECLARATION OF HELSINKI AND THE UNIVERSITIES OF EUROPE

The 13th Bi‐annual Conference of the Standing Conference of Rectors and Vice‐Chancellors of European Universities (CRE), held on 21‐22 October 1976 in Athens, discussed the problem of co‐operation between European universities in view of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The participants put more emphasis on the removal of obstacles to existing forms of links between universities than on seeking new ways of inter‐university co‐operation.

Two papers were presented during the conference:

• “Necessity and evolution in the European Scientific Community” by Professor Zygmunt Rybicki, Rector of Warsaw University;

• “Difficulties in European Inter‐University Co‐Operation” by Professor Jean Tuscoz, President of Nice University.

The Bureau of CRE prepared a report “The Declaration of Helsinki and the Universities in Europe”, on which the information below is based, It gives an idea of the present state of development of relations between universities in Eastern and Western Europe.     

Some Aspects of Special Education in Singapore

The Special Educational provision in Singapore for children with disabilities has progressed considerably since the first voluntary group began in 1947.

By mid-1986, there were 12 special schools catering for some 2,000 pupils; intellectually disabled, educationally subnormal, hearing impaired, visually handicapped, cerebral palsied and multiple handicapped. All these schools are run by Voluntary Associations with Government support in terms of funds, buildings and some teachers.

However, an analysis of prevalence figures indicates a possible shortfall in the numbers of disabled children actually attending special schools, and an over-concentration of these schools in one part of Singapore which might deter some parents from sending their children to the appropriate special school.

One major improvement in the quality of Special Education has been the systematic training (since 1984) of the unqualified Association teachers at the Institute of Education on the Certificate in Special Education Programme.

However, there would still seem to be a need for more therapists and para-professionals to support the services offered in the special schools.     

STAFF DEVELOPMENT OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS IN USSR

Staff development of university teachers has become one of the important issues facing higher education today, especially in the context of present scientific, technological and cultural changes, and is even considered imperative to lifelong education. It is also increasingly drawing the attention and interest of the staff concerned as well as of planners and decision makers in higher education.

In this context we present the following article, written for “Higher Education in Europe” by Professor Vladimir N. Siomin of the USSR's Ministry of Higher and Specialized Secondary Education.     

Academics’ Views of the Relative Roles and Responsibilities of Teachers and Learners in a First‐Year University Course

University teachers often see first‐year as a training ground for students, acculturating them to university expectations and requirements following their secondary school experience. By later years, students are typically expected to know what is required of a ‘university student’. However, the assumption behind this is that different academic staff hold similar views of university teaching and learning and that those teaching first and later years would be in agreement on what is expected of a student at different levels — an assumption which was implicit in the university department described in this article.

The aim of this article is to present the range of views shown by academic staff within one department about the relative roles and responsibilities of staff as teachers and of students as learners at first‐year level. This is of interest because, at least in this department, the degree of variation which was found was unexpected, generating unrealistic expectations and assumptions about students. This led‐to‐the generation of departmental strategies for improving communication about such issues amongst staff, with the intention of making differing views explicit. The lesson which may be of general value is the importance of ensuring structured opportunities for staff within departments to share their views and expectations about teaching and learning.     

CO‐ORDINATION OF THE CONTENT OF PRE‐UNIVERSITY EDUCATION WITH THAT OF POST‐SECONDARY EDUCATION

An Expert Committee Meeting an the Co‐ordination of the Content of Pre‐University Education at School with that of Post‐Secondary Education in Europe was convened by UNESCO in Paris from 19 to 24 June 1978.

We give below information based on those parts of the draft final report of the meeting concerned with relations between secondary and higher education.     

CREATIVE WRITING: FOSTERING VERBAL GIFTS IN YOUNG PEOPLE

In the context of German educational projects for gifted youth, an interdisciplinary model of identification and fostering of verbally gifted adolescents in an out of school course ("creative writing") was developed and carried out at Hamburg University from 1984 to 1990. The present paper offers an introduction to its main objectives and to the identification and selection process, the curriculum and the results of an evaluation, with concluding remarks on redefining the concept of giftedness.

     

Communication Skills and Veterinary Education

Veterinarians require effective communication skills for interacting with clients, colleagues and other people, but very little emphasis has been placed on these skills either in the professional literature, or in the curricula of veterinary schools.

In this study questionnaires were used to assess attitudes of Queensland veterinary students and recent graduates to various aspects of communication. These revealed that students entered the veterinary course with a relatively low appreciation of the importance to a veterinarian of the skills needed to interact effectively with people, but placed high importance on skills for dealing with animals. As the students proceeded from first to fifth year, they became increasingly aware of the relative importance to veterinarians of understanding and communicating with people.

Formal teaching of communication skills to veterinary students has recently been pioneered at the University of Queensland. This involves a sequence of subjects in the first, third and fifth year of the veterinary course. Emphasis is placed on factors that help and hinder both spoken and written communication, and on the desirability of adopting a critical, analytical approach to (veterinary) scientific literature. Surveys have indicated that the students appreciate the value of these subjects in relation to their future career, and feedback from employers of recent graduates has been positive.     

Graduate Capabilities: a Framework for Assessing Course Quality 1

Three propositions about quality learning when linked to the concept of graduate capability provide a framework for examining the extent to which learning outcomes are embedded within the provision of authentic learning environments, a focus on global issues, and the development of skills to support life‐long learning. A case study in nursing at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is used to illustrate a student learning experience that addresses graduate capabilities, develops an authentic learning environment, addresses global issues, and fosters the development of skills to support life‐long learning.

     

ADMINISTRATION STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN FRANCE

The design and management of higher education systems are important factors in discussions on planning organization and financing of higher education.

We present below information on the administration structure and management of the French higher education system based on part of the study “Systems of Higher Education: France” written by Professor Alain Bienaymé of the University of Paris‐IX Dauphine, which was sponsored by the International Council for Educational Development (ICED).     

Are We Neglecting Real Analytical Skills in Engineering Education?

The writer expresses concern with what he claims is the present overemphasis on computational work in engineering education. He argues that there is an over-emphasis on numerical questions in undergraduate examinations in engineering, and that mastery of concepts is not necessarily tested by this type of question. He attempts to demonstrate, and to confirm by means of research which he has carried out in his own department, that the introduction of problems which are not predominantly computational can lead to deeper overall comprehension by learners.

He concludes that quantitative and qualitative understanding are not comparable components of engineering education, since the latter involves and often depends on analysis whereas the former seldom requires more than understanding and application.     

SITUATION OF TEACHING AND RESEARCH PERSONNEL IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY ‐ REPORT PRESENTED AT THE CRE CONFERENCE

The information presented below is based on a report entitled “Maintaining the Vitality of the University in Matters concerning the Teaching and Research Personnel” written by Professor Rudolf Wildenmann, Rector of the University of Mannheim. This report was presented during the 16th Semestrial Conference of the Standing Conference of Rectors and Vice‐Chancellors of the European Universities (CRE), held from 27 to 28 April 1978 in Salamanca, Spain.

The Conference concentrated on “The Prospects for the Universities after a Period of Expansion”. Besides Professor Wildenmann's report, two other basic reports were presented. They dealt with the following issues:

• "Maintaining the Vitality of the University in the Field of Finance” by Professor Jean Touscoz, Rector of the University of Nice,

• "Maintaining the Vitality of the University in Student Matters” by Mr. James Drever, Principal of the University of Dundee.

     

Curriculum Policy,Values and Changes in Civics Education in Australia

Civics education in Australia has experienced a dramatic transformation in the past few years. This change has been driven by several educational policy initiatives at both federal and state levels in response to a perceived need for a more active, participatory citizenry. A key feature of the new policies has been the deliberate inclusion of a set of values based on concepts of democratic citizenship. This article examines these developments in Australia, with particular emphasis upon values initiatives, as a new form of civics emerges.

This article was prepared as part of a project funded by the Pacific Basin Research Center and Soka University.     

Vers l'intégration de la théorie et de la pratique dans la formation initiale et continue des enseignants du second degré

The article examines issues pertaining to the training of the ‘second degree’ in France—i.e. those who teach Secondary pupils aged 11 to 18. The different categories of suck teachers, and the different forms of training received, are identified, and the article focuses specifically on the situation of lycée (upper‐Secondary) teachers. Historically, the element of pedagogy has been undervalued in this area.

In‐service education is very important. Many courses are provided, although Secondary teachers do not have statutory rights to INSET release.

Recent examination of training for this sector has revealed a number of weaknesses, among them a tendency to compartmentalisation and the fact that university trainers themselves lack pedagogic background. The de Peretti Report is referred to.

The article concludes with a close examination of aspects of the theory‐practice issue, based on the writer's extensive experience.