Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE Course Handbook for Learners 2015
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Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE Course Handbook for Learners 2015
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Course Handbook for Learners
© Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015
Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE Provider No: 3094
Author Candi Westney
Project Manager Jenny Jackson
This work is subject to copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 and its amendments, no part
may be reproduced without prior permission. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed
to:
Candi Westney
Educational development Services
Wallis St
Seymour, 3660
Phone: 57352405
Email: cwestney@gotafe.vic.edu.au
Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE has made all reasonable attempts to locate owners of third party copyright materials and
invites anyone from whom permission has not been sought to contact the Manager, Information Access, Goulburn Ovens
Institute of TAFE, 152-200 Fryers St, Shepparton Vic, 3630
Document: Course Handbook
Issued: 02/02/2015
File name: Course Handbook.docx
Template: Handbook simple.dotx
Version: 2015
Contents Welcome 5 Where can I find information? 5 Logging in to an on-campus computer 6 Using the GOTAFE website 7 Logging in to Learning Management Systems 8 Setting up your free Outlook email and SkyDrive 8 The AQF and learning pathways 9 Enrolment each year 9 Client feedback 10 Assessment 11 Skills Recognition 11 Assessment tasks 12 Reasonable adjustment 13 Special consideration 13 Submitting assessments 13 Requesting an extension of time 14 Assessment attempts 14 Assessment appeals 15 Foundation and employability skills 15 Graded assessment 15 Tips for getting good grades 16 What happens when you complete your course? 16 Student services 19 Careers counselling service 19 Career Voyage 19 General counselling service 20 Disability liaison service 20 Retention and engagement service 20 Student activities 20 E-counselling 21 yourtutor 21 Student focus group 21 Confidentiality 21 Study Guide 23 Support 23 Study tips 24 Guidelines for preparing written assessments 25 A checklist for written assessments 27 Plagiarism (copying) 28 Referencing 28 Policies and procedures 30 Assessment special consideration procedure [E2-P3] 31 Complaints and appeals from students or clients procedure [PRQM-170] 31 Emergency evacuation procedure [CS15-P78] 32 Student conduct procedure [E6-P27] 32 Withdrawing from a course or unit 33 Documents 35 GOTAFE forms and documents 35 Appendix 1 – GOTAFE APA Referencing Guide 36
Welcome
Welcome to Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE (GOTAFE).
You have made an excellent choice to study at GOTAFE. We are committed to
providing you with world-class education and training opportunities.
We are here to help you achieve your goals.
We encourage you to take advantage of the educational facilities and the support
services that are available to assist you with your study.
In this section, you will find the following topics:
Where can I find information?
Logging in to an on-campus computer
Using the GOTAFE website
Logging in to Learning Management Systems
Setting up your free Outlook email account
The AQF and learning pathways
Enrolment each year
Client feedback.
Where can I find information?
There are many ways to find information at Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE
(GOTAFE). Your Course Coordinator, trainers and campus Reception staff will be
able to answer many of your questions. You can also find a wealth of information:
in the Student Handbook
in this Course Handbook for Learners
on the GOTAFE website.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 5
The GOTAFE website
You can access the GOTAFE website either on-campus or off-campus.
From the website you can access a lot of information about GOTAFE and studying,
as well as online resources for your course.
Student Handbook
After enrolling, you should receive the GOTAFE Student Handbook. This little booklet
contains valuable information that all students and trainees should be aware of,
including Campus information, maps and a very handy A-Z guide.
Check with your Course Coordinator if you haven’t received one.
The Course Handbook for Learners
In this Course Handbook for Learners, you can find:
out about the GOTAFE website
out about learning pathways
information about assessments
a Study Guide including guidelines for written assessments
a list of policies and procedures that you need to be aware of
a list of forms and other documents that you might need. (Your trainer can
provide these.)
Logging in to an on-campus computer
To log in to an on-campus computer, you will need your Student ID number and
date of birth.
1. Enter your Student ID number as your
login name, for example, 123456789.
2. Enter your date of birth in the format
of DDMMYYYY for your password.
For example, if your birthday is the 9th of
January 1992, type 09011992
If you have any problems logging in contact your trainer who request help from the
GOTAFE IT Department on your behalf.
Notes:
You should not save any work to the computer desktop, as the desktop and login
profile get cleared daily. Instead, you can save your files to SkyDrive.
For more information, refer to Setting up your free Outlook email and SkyDrive later
in this section.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 6
Using the GOTAFE website
On the GOTAFE website, you will find information about courses, fees, Skills
Recognition, Student Services and many other things.
If you are off-campus, you can
search for “gotafe”
or
Type www.gotafe.vic.edu.au in
the Address field on your browser.
You can also access login pages, for example, for Moodle and Online Campus.
Your trainer will provide you with log in details if this is relevant to your course.
GOTAFE forms
To locate forms:
Navigate to and hover cursor
over STUDENT LIFE.
Click on GOTAFE Documents.
Click the Learning Assessment
link under Forms.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 7
Logging in to Learning Management Systems
Part of your course might be offered online via a Learning management Systems
such as Moodle.
From the GOTAFE Home Page, you
can log in to a range of Learning
Management Systems.
Click on the Students link at the top
of the page to access the log in
page.
This is the log in page.
You can click the links to log in to
our Learning Management Systems
eg. Moodle.
Once enrolled, your course coordinator or trainer will arrange access rights to your
online resources and they will explain how to log in.
Setting up your free Outlook email and SkyDrive
At GOTAFE you have access to a free Outlook email account and SkyDrive
document storage via Microsoft’s Office 365.
To set up your account, you will need the same
login ID details used to log in to GOTAFE
computers.
1. Open your web browser to
www.outlook.com/student.gotafe.vic.edu.au
2. Enter your login name (student ID number)
@student.gotafe.vic.edu.au
3. Enter your password (date of birth
DDMMYYYY).
Note: If you are using a shared or public
computer, make sure the options for “Keep me
signed in” is not ticked.
SkyDrive
SkyDrive is free online storage for your files that you can access from virtually
anywhere. When you save your files to SkyDrive, they're always with you. With the
SkyDrive desktop app you can sync your files to your devices automatically.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 8The AQF and learning pathways
The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single, coherent framework for
qualifications from senior secondary certificates through to doctoral degrees.
The framework links together all of these qualifications and is a quality-assured
national system of educational recognition that promotes lifelong learning and a
seamless and diverse education and training system.
The framework allows:
clear learning pathways and career choices
National (mutual) Recognition of qualifications between registered training
organisations.
http://www.aqf.edu.au – Australian Qualifications Framework July 2011
Enrolment each year
Each year of your course, you will need to:
complete and sign the Enrolment Form [FSA-21]
Note: If your training extends into the next calendar year, you will need to fill in
this form again for that year.
pay the tuition and materials fees at the enrolment centre or at reception
Note: Payment can be by cash, cheque (payable to ‘Goulburn Ovens
TAFE’) or credit card. Credit card payment can be made over the phone on
1300 733 111 (nationally) or by filling in the details on the Enrolment Form
[FSA-21].
keep your receipt for taxation, withdrawals and/or refund purposes.
Refer to the section on Withdrawing (under Policies and Procedures).
Details of your enrolment will be entered in the Institute’s system and you will be
issued with a student card for the current year. You will then be able to use the
computer facilities and the GOTAFE libraries.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 9Client feedback
During your course, if you have any comment to make about your experiences,
complimentary or otherwise please:
complete the online Client feedback form at
www.gotafe.vic.edu.au/feedback.cfm or available in hardcopy from Reception
Your comment will be acknowledged if you provide contact details. You will also
receive feedback on any action taken if you provide contact details.
During your course, you might also be asked to complete a:
Unit feedback [FLA-27]
Course evaluation [FLA-33]
Learner Engagement survey.
These evaluations form part of the GOTAFE Quality System through which we aim to
continually improve our delivery of training and services. It is not intended to
apportion blame to individuals.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development might also
request your participation in a survey or review of training. In the year following
completion of your course or units you might receive a request to complete a
Student Outcomes Survey, which is a national survey conducted by the National
Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 10Assessment
In this section, you will find the following topics on assessment:
Skills Recognition
Assessment tasks
Reasonable adjustment
Special consideration
Submitting assessments
Requesting an extension of time
Assessment attempts
Assessment appeals
Foundation and employability skills
Graded Assessment
Tips for getting good grades
What happens when you complete your course?
Skills Recognition
Have you ever worked in a job or several different jobs in an industry, but have
nothing to show for it other than a few lines on your CV?
Skills Recognition is the process of gaining formal recognition for skills and
knowledge that you have gained through your work history, previous study and life
experience.
Even if you have never formally studied or trained in a particular vocation, you
might have valuable knowledge and skills that can be converted into a part or full
qualification.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 11What is it?
Skills Recognition is an assessment only process – there is no formal training
involved, although you might choose to complete further training as a result of the
assessment process.
You can apply for Skills Recognition through one or both of the following processes:
Credit Transfer
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
Who is suitable for Credit Transfer?
Credit Transfer suits people who have formal training that might be equivalent to a
new qualification or partial qualification that they want to gain.
Who is suitable for RPL?
RPL suits people who have relevant and current skills and knowledge that they
have gained through:
paid or unpaid work experience
life experience
community or voluntary work.
How to find out more
To find out more about Skills Recognition, call 1300 GOTAFE (1300 468 233) or talk to
the Course Coordinator.
Assessment tasks
Assessments are conducted throughout the course. To progress to the next phase in
your course, you need to satisfactorily complete the assessment tasks for the
preceding phase. Your Assessments might be provided during training and/or at
the end of a module/unit.
Assessments tasks can include:
practical demonstrations
projects
written assignments
case studies
clinical experience or practical placement
essays
a journal
practical exercises
oral or written tests.
To complete an assessment task satisfactorily, you must:
perform all tasks to the required standards
answer questions using your own words
address all the questions - be relevant
not copy anyone else’s work word for word
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 12 write legibly or type, so that it is easy to read.
Note: Refer to the next section - Study Guide - Guidelines for preparing written
assessments for more information.
state your reasons and support them with evidence, where applicable.
Reasonable adjustment
We recognise that there might be a need to make reasonable adjustments to the
method in which evidence of your performance is collected. However, the
evidence criteria for decisions cannot be altered. That is, the standards expected
should be the same, irrespective of the group and/or individual being assessed.
Read and Write Gold
An example of Reasonable Adjustment - You can use Read and Write Gold to
convert text to audio (eg. for learners with language or literacy needs) or to
enlarge text (eg. for visually impaired learners). Read and Write Gold can be
installed on learner’s laptops and converted audio files can be uploaded onto MP3
players.
If you need to speak confidentially to someone about your individual needs, please
contact your trainer, Learning Support or one of the student counsellors.
Special consideration
There are circumstances where you might need special consideration when
undertaking assessment, for example if you are ill during the assessment period, or if
you have a disability or lack of familiarity with English.
Refer to the next section on Policies and Procedures for information about the
Institute’s Assessment Special Consideration Procedure [E2-P3].
If you require special consideration, you can apply on the Application for
assessment special consideration form [FLA-58].
Submitting assessments
All assessment tasks must be submitted by the due date, which should not be later
than two weeks after the end of a unit of competency as stated on the timetable.
Assessment cover sheet
For written assessments, you must attach a completed Assessment Cover Sheet
[FLA-24] or submit and sign-off in Moodle.
Submit the assessment task by the due date. Once your trainer has received your
work, you should be notified of your results within 10 working days.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 13Requesting an extension of time
If you think you will have difficulty in meeting the due date and need an extension
of time, you will need to:
talk to your trainer
complete and email, fax, post or hand in a completed Application for
extension of time form [FLA-23]. This is available on the GOTAFE website or from
your tutor.
Please note: For all courses (except Traineeships or Apprenticeship):
An extension of time can only be granted if requested in writing before the
assessment due date using the Application for extension of time form [FLA-23].
The maximum extension of time that can be applied is two weeks after the
original due date.
Only one extension of time is allowed.
If there are special considerations eg. illness, a longer extension can be
negotiated if applied for on the Application for assessment special
consideration form [FLA-58]
If the submission is late without an extension, or is submitted after an extended
deadline, you will be withdrawn from the unit, and you will need to re-enrol in
the unit or cluster.
If the due date for an assessment is after the end of the year, an AP
(Assessment Pending] will be recorded.
If a unit is approved for grading, a second submission (re-submission) forfeits
grading and will be resulted as CC (Competent) or NC (Not Yet Competent).
Fourth term assessments
As all results are required to be finalised by late November, fourth term assessments
need to be concluded by early November. You will need to make sure that all your
fourth term work is submitted early, so that any resubmissions can be processed in
time.
Assessment attempts
If you are assessed Not Yet Competent (NC), you will be given oral and written
feedback on areas that need improvement.
A final result of Not Yet Competent (NC) will be given to students who are unable to
demonstrate competency after two unsuccessful attempts.
If you are unhappy with the result you should refer to the Academic grievance
procedure [E2-P2].
Resubmissions
For each assessment task, only one resubmission will be accepted.
With resubmission, you must attach the original assessment also. Changes need to
be clearly distinct from the original work. Do not destroy your original work.
You have a maximum of two (2) weeks to resubmit your work. There are no
extensions for resubmissions. Resubmissions of assessments for Certificate IV or
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 14above will not be graded but can still be assessed Competent (CC) or Not Yet
Competent (NC).
Assessment appeals
You may appeal an assessment result and the Institute’s Complaints and appeals
from students and clients procedure [PRQM-170] provides an internal process for
this. Refer to the section on Policies and Procedures for more information.
Foundation and employability skills
All TAFE qualifications incorporate:
Foundation skills – language, literacy and numeracy skills that are essential to
performance, and
Employability Skills – skills that are considered essential for employment:
communication
teamwork
problem solving
initiative and enterprise
planning and organization
self-management
learning
technology.
The Employability Skills to be achieved are relevant to the specific Training Package
and qualification although the levels and requirements vary.
Graded assessment
At GOTAFE, assessments for Certificate IV qualifications or above might be graded.
Your trainer will let you know if any of the units in your course are to be graded. You
are only eligible for grading if you meet all the requirements of the relevant unit/s of
competency in your first submission. If you have to resubmit your assessment, you
will only be assessed as Competent (CC) or Not yet Competent (NC).
Grades
If the unit is being graded, and you have met the requirements on your first
submission, you will be awarded one of the following grades:
Competent Satisfactory (CGS)
Competent Credit (CGC)
Competent Distinction (CGD)
Competent High Distinction (CHD)
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 15Tips for getting good grades
This is what your assessors are looking for when grading your assessments.
Grading criteria What to do
Breadth of Make sure your information is accurate and clearly presented.
underpinning Demonstrate your depth of knowledge and understanding about
knowledge the subject – ie. show the how and the why.
Give multiple reasons.
Communication Demonstrate that you understand the written instructions.
Written work – use correct grammar and spelling; present well.
Oral work – demonstrate excellent speaking and listening skills
Cite references where required using the APA standards.
Present yourself well ie. well-groomed.
Show that you can communicate with a range of people.
Use appropriate language including industry terminology.
Techniques and Outline your ideas in a logical sequence.
processes Demonstrate your ability to use technology to access information.
Demonstrate your ability to follow policies and procedures.
Demonstrate how your learning links theory to practice.
Use examples and case studies.
Work organisation Show how you can plan and prioritise to meet deadlines.
Submit your work on time!
Set your work out clearly and logically.
Show initiative.
Show how you can organise yourself.
Demonstrate supervisory or leadership skills.
Level of Demonstrate that you can perform tasks independently.
independence Perform the tasks to an excellent standard.
Present assessment activities of a high quality.
Demonstrate that you can find information independently.
Demonstrate enthusiasm and a positive attitude.
Work safely, efficiently and effectively.
Demonstrate good decision-making ability.
Submit work that is your own or correctly attributed.
What happens when you complete your course?
When you have successfully completed your course, you will receive a:
Statement of Results
Course Award
Course evaluation form.
Statement of Results
You will be issued with a Statement of Results at the end of the calendar year or
early in January of the following year. The Statement of Results records the units that
you have completed. It is not a course award.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 16If you need a Statement of Results earlier, please contact your Course Coordinator.
There is a charge for re-issue of Statements of Results, so please keep them in a safe
place.
Progress reports (if relevant)
The Course Coordinator is responsible for forwarding progress reports to both
trainees and their employers, or to schools for VET programs, at least four (4) times a
year.
Course Award
When you have successfully completed all the units required in your course, your
Course Coordinator can submit an Application for Course Award. The Institute will
then issue your Course Award.
Note:
Your Course Award will be withheld if you have:
any overdue books from the library
any unpaid outstanding fees.
Course evaluation form
You will be asked to complete a Course evaluation form [FLA-33] once you have
completed your course.
This evaluation is an opportunity for you to contribute to the continuous
improvement of the course. Please return the form to your Course Coordinator.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 17Student services
In this section you will find the following topics:
Careers counselling service
Career voyage
General counselling service
Disability liaison service
Retention and engagement service
Student activities
E-counselling
yoututor
Student focus group
Confidentiality
Careers counselling service
All enrolled students or individual potential students of GOTAFE across our four main
campuses are eligible for free careers guidance by a qualified and experienced
GOTAFE careers advisor. Careers counselling can help you with Career planning
and decision making, Course choice, Preparation for the job market and
Applications including VTAC for further study.
Career Voyage
The Career Voyage software, used by a trained Career Voyage Adviser, takes you
through four steps to identify suitable career paths providing access and research
into those jobs. The program analyses your attributes and preferences and matches
these to suitable jobs, based on your likes and dislikes. Undertaking the Career
Voyage program can reinforce your existing career ideas, provide backup options
and can suggest job options you have not thought of.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 19Career Voyage is a Webb base program which may allow for distance learners to
check your eligibility please contact a career advisor nearest you on the below
number.
For further information or to make an appointment with a Career Adviser please
call 1300 GOTAFE (1300 468 233).
General counselling service
Sometimes life can be difficult and nothing seems to be working out. It can feel
even worse when we don't have anyone to talk to about our problems. Counselling
is the process of guiding you during a stage of life when reassessments or decisions
have to be made about yourself and your life course. Counsellors can help you with
a wide range of problems and issues. If the Counsellor cannot help you, then they
will refer you to another service that can help. Counsellors are available to talk to
you about Personal or family issues, Relationship issues, Grief and loss issues, Work
related issues, Student or study related issues, Time management and goal setting,
Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, Promotion of Health and
Wellbeing, Drug and Alcohol concerns and Other issues or General concerns.
Counselling is a free and confidential service for students with face to face or
phone counselling available.
Disability liaison service
GOTAFE provides disability supports to students with the necessary support they
need to access GOTAFE courses. If you feel you need support due to any of the
following Physical disability, Mental health condition, Visual or hearing impairment,
Intellectual disability, Learning disability or Medical or neurological condition.
GOTAFE is committed to providing equal access to learning opportunities to all
students with a disability through reasonable adjustments made in consultation with
yourself and your teachers. When applying for courses please make contact with a
Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) as early as possible prior to enrolment or information
sessions.
Retention and engagement service
Being a student can be tough and life doesn’t go on hold while we are undertaking
studies. GOTAFE recognises that the transition to education can be challenging for
the student, their families, friends and sometimes their community. Staying focused
on important goals such as education can be difficult. Retention Engagement
Officers (REO’s) are qualified and experienced welfare workers who can help
students with issues that may impact on their ability to study.
Student activities
On campus activities are often ran by students as part of their curriculum and are
aligned to action/awareness weeks such as Drug Action week, Mental Health week
and Harmony day. Student Services staff assist students in the planning and delivery
of events across its four main campuses. This allows students the opportunity to be
involved in community causes that they are passionate about. Providing a strong
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 20sense of a student connectedness, belonging and contributes to the student and
staff community of the campus.
E-counselling
GOTAFE is positioned in rural Victoria with campuses in Shepparton, Wangaratta,
Seymour, Benalla, Werribee, Warragul and Terang.
To meet the support needs of students who aren’t local to the above areas or near
a physical location we have e-counselling in place to provide support and
assistance. No matter where you are or what time of the day/night you can leave a
message for the e-counsellor.
E-counselling is run through the Moodle program and is easily accessible to all
GOTAFE students.
yourtutor
In our busy lives we often study when we can get a chance, usually this may be in
the evening when everything else is completed for the day. Studying outside of
business hours can be difficult if we don’t understand the question or don’t quite
know the formula or we miss one aspect.
This can be very frustrating and may eat into the study time you have managed put
aside, if only there was someone on demand you could access to help you work
through the point where you are stuck? The good news is there is, it’s called
yourtutor where tutors are available on demand where and when you need them.
Regardless of your student status, studying on campus, studying online or in the
work place, it won’t matter where you are it could be the CBD of one of our major
cities or out in the middle of central NSW if you have access to a computer and
internet you will also have access to a tutor six nights a week from 3pm till 11.00pm.
Student focus group
In 2015 Student Focus group will be run in the months of March and August, this
group will provide students with the opportunity to put across their ideas and
suggestions to enhance the overall student experience. Keep your eyes out for the
posters informing you of dates and times.
Confidentiality
Whatever you discuss with a Retention Engagement Officer, Careers Counselling
Officer, Disability Liaison Officer, e-Counselling Officer or General Counsellor
remains confidential except in situations where you or someone else is at significant
risk of harm. Your permission will be required before information can be given to
anyone else.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 21Study Guide
In this section, to help you get the most out of your study, you will find the following
topics:
Support
Study tips
Guidelines for preparing written assignments
A checklist for written assignments
Plagiarism (copying)
Referencing.
Support
Contact the Learning Support coordinator [1300 GOTAFE] if you need study skills
support.
Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LL&N)
Learning Support staff can help you meet the language, literacy and numeracy
requirements of your course.
Training Support Assessments
You trainers will assess whether you need support to be able to complete your
course.
Detailed Study Guide
There is a more detailed GOTAFE Study Guide [CPG-06] available from your trainer
or Course Coordinator. Please ask for a copy.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 23Study tips
To study effectively you need to consider:
your study environment
how you organise yourself
your approach to learning.
Study environment
Make sure that your study environment is:
comfortable
quiet
well lit
free of interruptions
a pleasant place to be.
Organise yourself
Organise yourself by:
setting goals and developing timelines to monitor your progress
setting yourself regular study times when you are not tired
breaking a large task into small manageable chunks
starting a task, if you have limited time. Don’t procrastinate.
Organise your work by using:
folders, files, a memory stick or CD’s to store your work
assessment marking guides monitor your own progress.
Your approach to learning
Use people around you as a resource to answer questions, discuss ideas and
provide relevant examples.
If your training course offers on-line discussion groups, use them to establish contact
with other learners and to discuss issues and problems.
Constantly check what you are currently learning against what you already know.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 24Guidelines for preparing written assessments
The following guidelines aim to assist you in preparing written assessments. Make
sure that you read the assessment questions carefully by looking for key words.
Reading the assessment questions
Key words indicate what action or type of information your assessor requires.
Key words used in assessments are:
Key word Meaning
Analyse Break the subject into its parts and examine each part in
detail.
Compare Look for similarities and/or differences.
Complete Add the necessary information to give full details.
Define Give the precise meaning.
Demonstrate Explain or describe by using experiments, examples or
reasoning, or by actually doing the task.
Describe Give a detailed account, use diagrams and sketches if
possible.
Develop Work out in full detail or reveal full detail.
Discuss Examine a topic or issue and give reasons for and against.
Evaluate Make an appraisal of the worth of something.
Examine Present an in-depth study.
Explain Give reasons for or causes of something: tell why or how it
came to be.
Illustrate Explain and make clear by the use of examples, figures or
diagrams.
List Itemise or place into categories.
Outline Give the main features of the subject; omit minor details.
Summarise Give a concise account of the main points.
Planning
Read the assessment question carefully and check the word limit.
Check the due date.
Brainstorm ideas with a colleague or small group.
Start to source information to assist planning your ideas.
Draw a mind map or plan of the topic of your choice.
(Look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mind_map for more on mind maps.)
Talk to your trainer if you are having difficulties.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 25Research
Read relevant information, this should come from a variety of sources:
books
journals
audio visual resources
newspapers
internet
personal communications (including interviews).
Remember to record your sources of information for later referencing and
bibliography.
Revisit your plan (mind map).
Refine your ideas and areas of emphasis.
First draft
Introduction
Say what you are going to say.
This is a general overview of the topic/case study.
Aim to involve the reader, stimulate interest. It should identify the key points which
you are covering.
Body
Break it into sections.
Sub-headings may be helpful to guide the reader.
Make sure you have a logical sequence of information.
Balance the amount of information – refer to the assessment guidelines.
Conclusion
Sum up the information which you have provided.
Note:
Check your word count.
Continuously refer back to your essay mind map/plan.
You may find it easier to write the introduction after you have planned the body of
the essay. A conclusion is always necessary, even in a case study.
The final draft
Read it aloud.
Spell check, edit.
Spell check with dictionary.
Ask for a second opinion (proof reading) - especially when it comes to spelling and
grammar.
Edit again.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 26Acknowledge information you have gathered by using correct referencing
conventions (refer to the section on Referencing.)
Complete your reference list and bibliography.
Finishing up
Now it’s time to format your masterpiece. Here are some suggestions:
Write on one side of the page only.
Use a simple, clear font and at 10 – 12 point in size.
Allow a two (2) centimetre margin on the left-hand side for comments by your
assessor.
Double-space your work and number the pages.
Prepare an Assessment cover sheet [FLA-24] and make sure you sign the
declaration.
Staple your work in one corner (do not use plastic sleeves or covers).
Submit your work to your teacher by the due date.
Note: Keep a copy of your work.
You must also provide an original hard copy if you are faxing or emailing your
assessment. Teachers will not be responsible for printing and collating electronic
copies.
Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for return of your corrected
assessment (unless you can collect your returned work at GOTAFE).
A checklist for written assessments
Use the following checklist to evaluate the presentation of your written assessment.
Have you included an Assessment cover sheet [FLA-24]?
Have you written on one side of the paper only?
Have you allowed a left-hand margin of at least 2 cm width for assessor
comments?
Have you used white space well? (Use blank lines or ‘white space’ to
separate paragraphs).
Is your writing neat and easy to read, or typed?
Does your writing convince the reader that you have pride in yourself and
your work?
Will your page appearance invite readers? (Have you set out your pages
attractively, using heading and subheading to help guide the reader)?
Have you checked your language and spelling?
Have you proofread your work to see that it makes sense and is saying what
you really mean?
Have you kept a copy of all your work?
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 27Plagiarism (copying)
If you use ideas from another person, you must acknowledge their work. Copying
the work of others without referencing the owner is cheating; it is called plagiarism,
and it is a serious point of misconduct.
If your work shows signs of cheating, you will be given a first and final warning, and
asked to resubmit your work using your own words. Further cases of plagiarism will
be given an NC result.
Please note from the Student conduct procedure [E6-P27]:
4.3.6 For academic purposes it is required that you reference any ideas taken from
another person (using APA Referencing). If submitted work shows any signs of
copying someone else’s work without acknowledgement, this will be seen as
plagiarism.
You will be:
given a first and final warning
offered tutoring by your trainer on what plagiarism is and how to avoid it
asked to resubmit your work.
If the resubmission contains evidence of plagiarism, you will:
be required to enter into a contract
be given an NC result for that unit
have to re-enrol in the unit.
Any subsequent cases of plagiarism will result in you being withdrawn from the
course for a semester, a year or completely (depending on Course Coordinator
and assessor decisions).
For further information and a guide to referencing refer to the GOTAFE APA
referencing guide in Appendix 1 of this Handbook.
Referencing
If your course requires you to submit written assessment tasks, you will need to know
about correct referencing of your sources of information. The following is a brief
guide.
Direct quotes
Direct quotes involve using the exact words that the author has written without any
changes. Inverted commas or quotation marks are used to show that the words are
the exact words used by the author. If the direct quote is more than three lines long
it is indented from the margins at each side of the page.
Paraphrasing
Written work using an idea without using the exact words of the writer is called
paraphrasing. Even though the text is written in a new way, but the key concepts
have been taken from elsewhere, you must reference the original author. This does
not require the quotation marks.
In text referencing
Referencing must be located in two places. In the first instance, the work is
referenced directly where it is written - in text referencing.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 28Reference list
The Reference list is located at the end of a document and provides full details of
any materials referenced within the document, using APA referencing.
Bibliography
The Bibliography is located after the Reference list and provides a listing of all the
materials that have been referred to in the development of the written material.
APA referencing system
GOTAFE recommends the APA (American Psychological Association) referencing
system. You can find a useful guide to the GOTAFE APA referencing guide in
Appendix 1 of this Handbook.
There is also an excellent tutorial at http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/brief-
guide.aspx
Assistance
Ask for assistance from the library or Learning Support staff if you need it.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 29Policies and
procedures
In this section, you will find information about the following important policies and
procedures:
Assessment special consideration procedure [E2-P3]
Complaints and appeals from students and clients procedure [PRQM-170]
Emergency evacuation procedure [CS15-P78]
Student conduct procedure [E6-P27]
The Student conduct procedure includes your responsibilities in relation to:
attendance
mobile phones
recording class lectures
smoking on campus
grievance
smoking.
There is also important information about what to do if you want to withdraw from a
course or unit.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 30Assessment special consideration procedure [E2-P3]
Special consideration is the formal process to deal with an application by a learner
in which he/she claims to be disadvantaged by an assessment.
It does not deal with a dispute concerned with the marks or grading given as a
result of an assessment process.
A learner may apply for special consideration on any of the following grounds:
illness prior to or during the assessment period or event
illness suffered during the year
any sight, hearing, physical or psychological impairment that affects
detrimentally the mobility or functioning of a student. a disability may be of a
temporary or permanent nature
suffering of serious hardship prior to or during the assessment; for example,
bereavement, illness in the family, accident etc.
mistakes contained in any written aspect of an assessment task, which were not
communicated to the student
lack of familiarity with the English language, where English is the second
language of the student
absence from assessment as a result of illness, or other serious and unforseen
cause.
Refer to the Assessment Special Consideration Procedure [E2-P3] for more
information. This is available from your Course Coordinator.
Complaints and appeals from students or clients procedure
[PRQM-170]
This procedure covers complaints relating to any aspect of GOTAFE’s operations,
including appeals on assessment results.
The GOTAFE complaints and appeals process comprises four stages:
Informal (Stage 1)
Complaint (Stage 2)
Formal Appeal (Stage 3)
External Mediation (Stage 4)
You can make a formal complaints to GOTAFE in writing, addressed ‘Confidential’
to the CEO, Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE, 152-200 Fryers Street, Shepparton,
3630 or made on an online client feedback form available at
www.gotafe.vic.edu.au/feedback.cfm.
A Client feedback form is also available from reception at each campus site.
External complaints or appeals
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a formal appeal heard by the Appeals
Panel, the final option is for the matter to be reviewed by an appropriate
independent third party. This external mediation process shall be arranged by the
Registrar or Manager: Quality & Sustainability, as appropriate, within five (5) days of
the request.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 31For full details of this procedure, refer to the Complaints and appeals from students
and clients procedure [PRQM-170].
Emergency evacuation procedure [CS15-P78]
If there is a fire or other emergency requiring the evacuation of a building, an alarm
will sound.
The evacuation procedure is:
1. Move in an orderly fashion and exit the building by the closest emergency safe
exit. Fire doors will shut. Do not attempt to open them.
2. All staff and students should assemble at the designated area, which you will
be shown during your course induction. Students are not to leave the area until
told to do so.
3. GOTAFE staff will ensure that all students are accounted for by checking names
against the roll.
4. Campus Fire Wardens will ensure that all rooms and buildings under their
jurisdiction have been evacuated before leaving the building themselves.
5. No staff member or student may re-enter the building/s unless instructed by the
Emergency Officers.
6. If it is deemed safe by the Fire Warden/Evacuation Officer to re-enter the
building, you will be informed. Otherwise you stay in the designated area.
Student conduct procedure [E6-P27]
Every student has the right to participate in Institute programs, free of inappropriate
behaviour that may impair the learning processes, or social well-being of individual
students or others.
Student conduct procedure [E6-P27]
You are responsible for your behaviour in the classroom. The basic rules are:
Do not disrupt the learning of others.
Allow teachers to teach without disruption.
Do not endanger the safety of others.
Do not to cheat during assessments.
Further details on student conduct can be obtained from the Course Coordinator.
Refer to the Student conduct procedure [E6-P27] for more information.
Attendance
For on-campus participants, punctuality is a courtesy. If you are sick or unable to
attend a class, it is courteous to inform the teacher or Coordinator.
You are also wholly responsible to see the teacher to obtain notes and information
regarding classes you have missed. Notes may be available on the Online Campus.
If you need to be absent for a long time, please let your Course Coordinator know,
so that your teachers can be informed, and so that you can be offered support to
finish your studies.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 32What is considered “misconduct”?
Use of mobile phones in the classroom
It is a common courtesy to turn off your mobile phone while in a classroom or
meeting. If there is a situation where you need to be able to be contacted, please
negotiate this with your trainer and change your settings to Silent.
4.3.24 Use of mobile phones and / or electronic communication devices during scheduled
class / workshop sessions without prior permission of the instructor / teacher.
Student conduct procedure [E6-P27]
Recording class lectures without consent
Students who want to record class lectures or presentations must seek approval from their
teachers to record class lectures and declare the purpose and intent of recording the
presentation prior to recording the session.
Appendix 2 – Guidelines for Recording Class Lectures - Student conduct procedure [E6-P27]
Smoking on campus
Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE has a policy of no smoking on campus. This policy
applies to both staff and students.
4.3.18 Contravening the Institute policy on Smoking in the Workplace by smoking in
premises or vehicles owned or leased by the Institute or by smoking in other than
designated areas.
Student conduct procedure [E6-P27]
Withdrawing from a course or unit
If you are thinking about withdrawing from your course or from a unit, talk to your
trainer or Course Coordinator first. There might be other options to withdrawing.
If you do decide to withdraw from a course or unit, your trainer can assist you to
complete and sign the Enrolment withdrawal or cancellation [FSA-80] form.
Note: You can get this from your Course Coordinator or from Student Administration.
At the end of the school year, your Statement of Results will include the units you
have withdrawn from.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 33Refund
You might be entitled to a refund, but this depends on the course and how soon
after the course start date you apply in writing to withdraw.
To find out whether you qualify for a refund, please refer to the current Fees and
Charges brochure, which you should have received prior to enrolment.
You can also find the Fees and Charges information on the GOTAFE public website
(under the Courses menu).
You trainer or Student Administration can provide a printed copy if you need one.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 34Documents
You might need some or perhaps all of the following GOTAFE documents during
your studies. You will find some of them on the public website
http://www.gotafe.vic.edu.au/about/documents.cfm
You can also ask your trainer, Course Coordinator or Student Administration to
provide you with the latest versions.
GOTAFE forms and documents
GOTAFE Documents
Application for assessment special consideration form [FLA-58]
Application for extension of time [FLA-23]
Application for refund [FSA-55]
Assessment cover sheet [FLA-24]
Course evaluation form [FLA-33]
Enrolment form [FSA-21]
Unit feedback [FLA-27]
Assessment special consideration procedure [E2-P2]
Complaints and appeals from students or clients procedure [PRQM-170]
Copyright procedure [E9-P30]
Emergency evacuation procedure [CS15-P78]
Student conduct procedure [E6-P27]
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 35Appendix 1 – GOTAFE APA Referencing Guide
General guidelines
The reference list appears at the end of the assignment, with entries listed
alphabetically by author, or by title if no author or two entries with same author.
Each reference item uses a hanging indent to list items with first line flush with
margin and next line indented.
A tutorial on the latest version of APA (6th ed.) can be found at
http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/brief-guide.aspx
Where to place italicised text within references
Book
Author, A., & Author, B. (year). Title of book (xth ed.). City: Publisher.
Author, year, city and publisher in plain font.
Title of book in italics.
Article/chapter in an edited book
Author, A., & Author, B. (year). Title of chapter. In C. Editor, & D. Editor (Eds.), Title of
book (pp. xx-xx). City: Publisher.
Title of book in italics.
All the rest of the citation in plain font.
Book, online
Author, A., & Author, B. (year). Title of book. [details about the format if available].
DOI OR Retrieved from web address.
Title of book in italics
All the rest of the citation in plain font.
If a digital object identifier (DOI) is provided then it should be given.
If no DOI available, then the web address is to be provided.
Date of retrieval is not required.
Journal article
Author, A., & Author, B. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number (issue
number), page numbers.
Capitalise only the first letter of the first work of an article title and subtitle, and
any proper nouns.
Capitalise the first letter of every main word in the journal title.
Include a digital object identifier (DOI) if provided.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 36Journal article, online
Author, A. (year). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number (issue number),
page numbers. DOI OR Retrieved from website.
Title of journal and volume number in italics.
All the rest of the citation in plain font.
Include DOI if provided; otherwise give the web address or URL.
Newspaper article
Author, A. (year, month day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, p. x.
Title of Newspaper in italics.
All the rest of the citation in plain font.
Newspaper article, no author
Title of article. (year, month day). Title of Newspaper, p. x.
Title of Newspaper in italics.
All the rest of the citation in plain font.
Newspaper article, online
Author, A. (year, month day). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, p. x.
Title of Newspaper in italics.
All the rest of the citation in plain font.
Document, online
Author, A. (year). Title of document. Retrieved from web address.
Title of document in italics.
All the rest of the citation in plain font.
Group or organisation as author
Organisation name. (year). Details of work as appropriate to its form.
The organisation name and year are in plain font.
The rest of the citation’s appearance should be set out as appropriate to its form.
Web page
Author, A. (year). Title of page. Retrieved month, day, year from web address.
Title of web page is not italicised.
Retrieval date is given if it is believed that the information could change over
time.
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 37Books
Books In-Text Example Reference List Example
Single author There are differences between Orbasli, A. (2000). Tourists in historic
urban conservation and towns: Urban conservation and
building conservation (Orbasli, heritage management. London: E
2000, p. 18) & FN Spon.
OR
Orbasli (2000, p. 18) claims
that...
2 authors Stein and Book (2006, p. 1)... Stein, S. J., & Book, H. E. (2006). The EQ
OR edge. Mississauga, Ontario: John
Wiley & Sons Canada.
“...emotional intelligence is not
a fad or a trend” (Stein &
Book, 2006, p. 1).
3, 4 or 5 authors Haralambos, van Krieken, Haralambos, M., van Krieken, R.,
Smith and Holborn (1996, p. Smith, P., & Holborn, M.
31) found... (1996).Sociology: Themes and
Cite all authors the first time perspectives. Australian ed.South
the reference occurs. Melbourne, Australia: Addison
Wesley Longman Australia.
Haralambos et al. (1996, p. 31)
found...
In subsequent citations,
include only the surname of
the first author followed by et
al. (not italicized and with a full
stop after “al”) and the year.
6 or more authors (Rodgers et al., p. 35) Rodgers, P., Smith, K., Williams, D.,
Conway, L., Robinson, W., Franks,
F., et al. (2002) The way forward for
Australian libraries. Perth: Wombat
Press.
No author (Employment the Professional Employment the professional way: A
Way, 2000) guide to understanding the
OR Australian job search process for
professionally qualified migrants.
the book Employment the
(2000). Carlton, Victoria: Australian
Professional Way (2000)
Multicultural Foundation.
Multiple works by University research (Brown, Brown, P. (1982). Corals in the
same author 1982, 1988) has indicated Capricorn group. Rockhampton:
that... Central Queensland University.
Brown, P. (1988). The effects of anchor
on corals. Rockhampton: Central
Queensland University.
Order chronologically in the reference
list.
Multiple works In recent reports (Napier, Napier, A. (1993a). Fatal storm.
published in the
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 38Books In-Text Example Reference List Example
same year by the 1993a, 1993b)... Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
same author Use a/b etc. to differentiate Napier, A. (1993b). Survival at sea.
between works in the same Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
year. Order alphabetically by title in the
reference list.
Editor (Kastenbaum, 1993, p. 51) Kastenbaum, R. (Ed.). (1993).
Encyclopedia of adult
development. Phoenix: Oryx Press.
Different Editions (Bullock and Manias, 2011, p. Bullock, S., & Manias, E. (2011).
166) Fundamentals of pharmacology
(6th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW:
Pearson Australia.
An edition number is placed after the
title of the work – this is not
necessary for a first edition.
Encyclopedia or The Oxford dictionary of plant Allaby, M. (Ed.). (2006). The Oxford
Dictionary sciences (2006, p. 55) defined dictionary of plant sciences. (Rev.
it as... ed.). Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
Article or chapter As discussed by Lautamo Lautamo, T. (2009). Assessing play in a
in a book (2009)... social setting. In K. Stagnitti & R.
Cooper (Eds.), Play as therapy (pp.
115-129). London: Jessica Kingsley.
Article or chapter (“Solving the Y2K Problem,” Solving the Y2K problem. (1997). In D.
in a book – no 1997) Bowd (Ed.), Technology today and
author tomorrow (p. 27). New York: Van
Nostrand Reinhold.
Brochure (GOTAFE, 2011, p. 2) GOTAFE. (2011). Library and bookshop
services [Brochure]. Shepparton:
Author.
The word ‘Author’ is used as the
publisher when the author and
publisher are the same.
E-book (Pettinger, 2002, p. 45) Pettinger, R. (2002). Global
organizations. Oxford: Capstone
Publishing. Retrieved from
www.directlink.com
Thesis (Jones, 1988, p. 89) Jones, F. (1998). The mechanism of
Bayer residue flocculation. PhD
Thesis. Curtin University of
Technology. Retrieved December
21, 2005, from Curtin University of
Technology Digital Theses.
Conference (Cutler, Frolich, & Hanrahan, Cutler, L. D., Frolich, B., & Hanrahan, P.
Proceeding 1997) (1997, January 16). Two-handed
OR direct manipulation on the
responsive workbench. Paper
As discussed by Cutler, Frolich
presented at the 1997 Symposium
and Hanrahan (1997)
on Interactive 3D Graphics,
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 39Books In-Text Example Reference List Example
Stanford, CA.
citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/downloa
d?doi=10.1.1.2.7620
Print journals
Print Journals In-Text Example Reference List Example
Image in a book “Problem behaviour chart” Warner, L., & Lynch, S. A. (2004).
(Warner & Lynch, 2004,p. Preschool classroom
149)Warner & Lynch management: 150 teacher-
tested techniques. Beltsville, MD:
Gryphon House.
Article As mentioned by Milanese and Milanese, S. & Grimmer-Somers, K.
Grimmer-Somers (2011)... (2011). Safety first: tactics for
OR maximising OH&S training. Training
& Development in Australia,
“...concluded that OH&S
February 2011, 38(1).
training was successful...”
(Milanese & Grimmer-Somers,
2011, p. 22)
Article – no It’s a growing problem in the Anorexia nervosa. (1969). British
author U.K. (“Anorexia Nervosa,” Medical Journal, 1, 529-530.
1969)...
Newspaper (Shanahan, 2011) Shanahan, D. (2011, May 4). Voters
article abandoning PM’s carbon plan.
The Australian, p. 1.
Newspaper (“Hip Fractures Fall,” 2011) Hip fractures fall. (2011, May 4). Herald
article – Sun, p. 16.
no author
Press release (Watersmith, 2000) Watersmith, C. (2000, March 1). BHP
enters new era, [Press release].
Melbourne: BHP Limited.
Full text from an (Herring, 2009) Herring, C. (2009). Does diversity pay?:
electronic OR Race, gender, and the business
database case for diversity. American
As Herring (2009) states...
Sociological Review, 74(2), 208-
224.
doi: 10.1177/000312240907400203
Full text from an The Internet has had a huge Internet economics and policy: an
electronic impact on the Australian Australian perspective. (2002).
database – no economy (“Internet Economic Record, 78, 343-58.
author Economics”, 2002)... Retrieved from
www.directlinkprovided.com.au
Course Handbook for Learners 2015 © Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE 2015 40You can also read
