This document discusses a project that introduced Point of View (POV) glasses to assess sign writing apprentices in regional areas. POV glasses allow assessors to view video footage recorded by the apprentice during tasks to assess skills. The project aimed to develop flexible on-the-job assessment strategies using this technology. It provided benefits like capturing evidence in real-time, reducing travel costs, and improving relationships between training institutes and industry. Lessons learned included allowing more time and ensuring all stakeholders understand the project.

1. On-the-job Assessment for Regional Apprentices using Point of View (POV) glasses Kerry Emerson Southbank Institute of Technology

2. The project snapshot This project introduced Point of View (POV) glasses to the sign writing industry. POV glasses have the possibility of enhancing the ability of practical capabilities for on-the-job assessment to regional apprentices.

3. What are POV glasses? Basically POV glasses comprises any video camera which captures live footage of an individual performing an activity in such a fashion as the viewer gets to see and or hear the activity being performed from the perspective of the person filming. Typically POV glasses involves wearable cameras. However, they may also involve video cameras which are mounted on stands, in microscopes, medical equipment Laparoscopes, plumbing drain inspection cameras or cameras mounted on vehicles etc. POV cameras are typically small form factor, light weight and record to internal flash memory and or external SD or micro SD cards. Video/Audio is recorded in compressed format to the flash memory and can be easily accessed via a USB port for transfer, editing and publishing.

4. Features of POV glasses used in project DVR model Kanou model Both models include: 5 megapixel camera 4 GB storage AVI video format Plug ‘n’ play 30min = approx 1GB

5. Project objectives To develop strategies and tools to enable the use of Point-of-View (POV) glasses for on-the-job assessment of regional apprentices and trainees To deliver more flexible assessment practices for practical skills on-the-job To improve relationships with enterprises through the implementation of on-the-job assessment To improve the capabilities of SBIT staff who are involved in the delivery of on-the-job assessment

6. Implementation of project Industry Apprentices Australian Sign & Graphics Association Creative Industry Skills Council SBIT staff

7. Benefits of the project for the apprentice Industry current assessment It can capture the evidence as it happens Flexible timeframes for assessment Less block release training Recognition of workplace competence The possibility of accelerating quicker through their training

8. Benefits of the project for the industry Flexible timeframes to suit the enterprise Improved industry / institute partnerships, networks and channels of communication Less block release training for the apprentice Being cost effective Leaving a lower carbon footprint

9. Benefits of the project for SBIT Improved learner, staff and industry satisfaction Use of another e-learning tool to gather assessment task evidence Professional development for teachers Enhanced expertise in teaching and learning styles for on-the-job assessment New assessment tasks developed

10. Benefits of the project for the VET community Improved industry engagement Addressing industry needs and requirements Flexibility to be able to assess regional apprentices on-the-job Quality assessment suited to the enterprise, it is ‘fit for purpose’ Customisation of on-the-job assessment tasks Professional development opportunities through information sharing

11. Benefits of the project for the teacher Ref lection on the teachers pedagogical role Better understanding of e-tools Evaluation and experimentation Improved industry partnerships, networks and channels of communication More professional development opportunities

12. Benefits of the project for the environment Less vehicle / air travel to SBIT Less hard copy resources produced

13. What did we learn? Allow more time. It seems everyone is always busy and tend to put their own agenda ahead of any that they think are unimportant. These include both internal and external stakeholders, and tighten up your timeframes. Have extra participants ready to take on your project as some tend to ‘slacken off’ and loose motivation about the project when they get busy. Have your Industry Associations, Skills Councils and employers advertise your project in their newsletters to get your message out there. Finally, ensure everyone is kept ‘up to speed’ with your project as it develops. It’s all about information sharing, and also, don’t forget to inform them about your findings!

14. What did we learn? (advantages). Flexible Convenient Allowed for reflection Cost effective New resources developed Introverts step up

15. What did we learn? (disadvantages). Procrastination Lack of understanding Trying to do too much Skepticism Too novel Assuming that it will simply work

16. Where to from here? This project has been developed to assess regional apprentices in the workplace. It has been found that it has been successful for on-the-job practical assessment as long as the resources for assessment are available in the workplace. In regard to the assessment of the underpinning knowledge it is suggested that this be delivered through an online learning management system such as Blackboard or Janison. It is also suggested that the apprentices view their recording of assessment before submitting it, as it needs to address the assessment tasks and include clear and concise video of the task being assessed. Further to this, this project could also be utilised for Recognition of Prior Learning applicants to demonstrate their competence as well as gathering workplace evidence. Likewise, teachers could also use it to give detailed instructions of the task they wish to see demonstrated and teachers could also use the POV glasses to introduce themselves to their students.

17. Feedback on project ‘ I found it to be a unique and certainly cost effective way to view the experiences of an apprentice that may be in a remote location or situation where it is not practical to travel to college’ – Travis Rodd ‘ My staff were excited to be involved in the recent trial of the video glasses because the intended results of this new technology were useful for rural-based apprentices’ – Danny Sinclair ‘ We were sceptical of recording footage with the glasses at first, but we were pleasantly surprised when viewing the finished recorded product’ – Graham Clayton & Andrew Weeks

18. The evidence

19. Confirmation?