BM TAFE - Information Technology Class Request

[Sam Asschers]

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From: sama...@hotmail.com
To: justin...@tafensw.edu.au
Subject: RE: BM TAFE - Information Technology Class Request
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2015 14:35:03 +1100

Good morning Justin,

 

Thankyou for your email dated Sunday November the 8^th.

I have read your response to Blair’s letter and our issue remains the same. We have been passed for units we did not do.
And so have quite a few other students from this class we have found out.

However, I feel that I should clarify things, so that we both have a clear understanding of the situation, as tafe may wish to rethink their position on this.

In semester 1, 2015 I attended the courses as listed in your email, but despite attending all the classes, I found that the course DID NOT include all of the appropriate material as listed in the course outline. Class time was spent on “routers and switches.” That was all the material covered in these classes. There was no teaching time that addressed installing and managing a server, or building a small wireless local area network.

The class was given material on both of these essential course components in the third last week of semester. This material consisted of approximately ten printed handouts, and was handed over in a single instance. This material was not discussed at any point, and we were informed at the same time that the teacher was being sent on holiday leave that required “using up”, and that he had been watching and we had demonstrated “enough skills to pass”.

The following semester the hours of teaching time were halved, by losing a whole day of material, and that the diploma class time was combined with the Cert 4, so that the teacher was required to teach two levels of course material at the time frame to around a dozen different course students. This has made it even more difficult for the teacher to actually cover the subject material we had paid to access.

I have paid for this course, and I am not happy that I have been passed on this topic, when no attempt was made to teach it. These handouts would not even constitute the information that I would get from buying textbooks on these subjects.

I would very much like to know on what basis the decision was made to pass me and others, when I was not required to actually do any classwork, or be assessed by a teacher on this material.

I have attempted to talk about this with Colin in the past, on multiple occasions, and his response was to insist that I simply lack confidence, the same thing he told Blair.

While I appreciate that Colin has been a sympathetic and supportive teacher in the past, I feel that derailing a very direct inquiry about a missing course component and dramatically reduced hours of face to face teaching time by continuously making it about my “confidence” is patronising and completely inappropriate.

I have no wish to discuss this matter with Colin again, as he has made it clear that he has no intention of addressing it.

I would like to you to ensure that TAFE will actually provide the tuition – in this case, tuition in how to install and manage a server, and in building a small wireless area network - that is listed as included in the course and for which they have received a payment for.

This problem has not been addressed and has been going since last semester, most of us have tried talking to colin,  directing me to take it up with a teacher who has completely failed to address my concerns in this matter over and over again isn't producing any results. 

Sincerely,

Sam Asschers

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From: Justin...@tafensw.edu.au
To: sama...@hotmail.com; sam.as...@tafensw.net.au
CC: Colin....@tafensw.edu.au
Subject: FW: BM TAFE - Information Technology Class Request
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2015 22:37:13 +0000

Good morning Samuel

I have received a request on your behalf from one of your fellow students Blair Kavanagh. This request is for you to repeat studies in two units ICANWK401A Install and Manage a Server, and ICANWK405A Build a Small Wireless Local Area Network.

 

As our system records indicate that you have completed these units I would kindly request that you do not attend these classes – this is to ensure the current students have every opportunity to complete these classes.

 

In regards to the concerns raised below about the delivery of ICANWK401A and ICANWK405A in Semester 1, I would ask you to speak directly with your Head Teacher, Colin Tyrrell about this matter.

 

If you have further queries you may contact me 02 9715 8450, or via email justin...@tafensw.edu.au.

 

Kind regards

Justin

 

 

Justin Thomas

Manager Education, Information Technology and Creative Industries

A 51 Wentworth Rd, Strathfield NSW 2135

T (02) 9715 8450  | F (02) 9715 8811 | E justin...@tafensw.edu.au

W ict.wsi.tafensw | W nadc.wsi.tafensw  | W entertainment.wsi.tafensw

 

 

 

 

From: Blair Kavanagh [mailto:blair...@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 4 November 2015 3:49 PM
To: Thomas, Justin
Subject: BM TAFE - Information Technology Class Request

 

Dear Justin,

 

I have been a student at Blue Mountains TAFE in 2015 studying Certificate IV ‘Information Technology Support (Service Desk – ICA40211)’.

 

In the first semester there were two subjects (ICANWK401A – Install and Manage a Server, and ICANWK405A – Build a Small Wireless Local Area Network) which I did not feel confident with once I had completed them.

 

I was looking forward to this semester being taught these units in a ‘real world’, office network environment by Dale Reardon, an excellent ‘hands-on’ teacher. These two units are crucial in getting students both ‘work-ready’ and/or adequately prepared to undertake the diploma course in Network Administration.

 

Dale Reardon has told students that he will be trying to teach these two units between now and the end of the academic year, in three weeks. Both me and 2015 classmate Sam Asschers (who also does not feel confident with server or wireless after the way he was taught these subjects in Semester one) would like to attend Dale’s possible upcoming lessons in these units.

 

Server and Wireless networks are very important in regard to getting a job and being competent in that job. Sam and I have been attending classes this semester (as we were holding on for the prospect of being taught well in these units) and are enrolled at TAFE from January 2015 to December 2015. Neither of us are ‘officially’ signed-off from TAFE as Sam has one unit to complete and I am yet to finalise my fees (which I will do at the end of this month – when I can afford to), therefore insurance should not be a barrier to us attending.

 

Both Sam and I seriously contemplated switching to Mt Druitt TAFE College this semester to enrol in their server classes. However, we were sure there would be some good lessons from Dale Reardon at Wentworth Falls, so we opted for that prospect.

 

I am looking forward to gaining work in the IT field but I would be much more confident seeking work with a couple of server and wireless lessons from Dale Reardon under my belt.

 

His classes are so practical, and skills and knowledge-based, that I leave feeling ready to face the challenges of the ‘real world’ and why not? His classes simulate a real-world, office network environment and if I can excel at that then I’m ready for the next challenge.

 

I look forward to your reply, and hope Sam and I can look forward to attending server and wireless lessons with Dale Reardon over the next few weeks.

 

Yours Sincerely,

 

Blair Kavanagh (and Sam Asschers)

 

blair...@yahoo.com

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[Sam Asschers]

To Whom It may Concern,

I am an IT student a Blue Mountains Tafe and have been studying IT and systems management.

Despite dramatic fee increases there has been a substantial drop in the quality of material provided and the hours of face to face teaching have been halved even though students were questioning their adequacy in the first place.

Both myself and fellow students have seen many excellent, qualified and helpful teachers have their hours cut almost to nothing while in previous years until fairly recently the TAFE continued to employ not one but TWO head teachers.

Many of my fellow students have now moved to other TAFEs to seek alternative courses, or simply dropped out in disgust.

I have persevered, along with other students, with attempts to address the failure of this course to provide adequate tuition and to find out WHY we have been passed on two subjects despite these subjects not being taught

As you can see from the attached correspondence, our attempts to gain access to classes where this material is currently being taught are being dismissed out of hand.

I have even been told I can’t attend classes as I am “an insurance risk” despite having paid TAFE fees that allow me to continue my studies till the end of this year.

I am attaching latest correspondence with TAFE management as I wish to bring it to wider attention. My primary aim is to be able to actually complete my studies, however I also feel that there are managerial decisions here that may bear further investigation, and it would seem that based on the response from Justin Thomas, I have nothing to lose in pointing this out to anyone who may be interested.

regards,

Sam Asschers

[Loren Hayes-Marshall]

Go Sam Go.
Have you sent this to Trish Doyle as well?
Loren
Write soon once I have finished these websites...

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From: sama...@hotmail.com
To: bluemo...@parliament.nsw.gov.au; tafecommun...@gmail.com; john...@parliament.nsw.gov.au; robin....@tafensw.edu.au; justin...@tafensw.edu.au; blair...@yahoo.com; colin....@tafensw.edu.au; web-design...@googlegroups.com; jeanie....@gmail.com; cross...@gmail.com; sylvi...@yahoo.com.au; djpa...@clubtelco.com; garypp...@gmail.com; craigs...@hotmail.com; eldred...@yahoo.com.au; madblon...@hotmail.com; coreyda...@gmail.com; rem1...@hotmail.com
Subject: [webdesign] FW: BM TAFE - Information Technology Class Request
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2015 16:13:30 +1100

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