Towards a culture of scholarly practice in mixed sector institutions

Abstract

Scholarship is readily seen as a requirement in higher education and is not commonly associated with vocational education and training (VET) institutions. However, the increasing prevalence of VET institutions delivering higher education qualifications has raised questions as to the place of scholarship in these institutions. This report uses Boyer's four forms of scholarship--delivery, integration, application and teaching--to explore how scholarship is implemented across the different tertiary education sectors. Whilst the VET sector may not use the term "scholarship", aspects of these four forms are being practised. The authors conclude with a number of strategies to enhance scholarly practice in VET institutions. Appended are: (1) Limitations of the research; (2) Professional versus scholarly practice; and (3) Areas for further research. (Contains 3 tables and 2 footnotes.)