A TAFE NSW plan to implement "virtual learning" for components of two engineering courses has been criticised as "the thin edge of the wedge" and a change that could eventually lead to campus closures.
Unions, students, teachers and politicians gathered outside TAFE's Newcastle campus on Wednesday to protest the plan, which the NSW Teachers Federation said involves teaching North Region apprentices studying the Certificate III in Engineering - Mechanical Trade (Fitting and Machining) and the Certificate III in Engineering Fabrication Trade (Welding and Metal Fabrication) the first term of their courses virtually from next year.
Federation post-schools organiser Annette Bennett said the plan struck at the heart of TAFE's focus on the delivery of "hands-on" practical skills and its "educationally effective methodology" of integrated theory and practical learning in a simulated workplace environment.
She said the proposal would also cut the course hours from 864 to 720 and put students in classes of up to 100, instead of the current 15.
A TAFE NSW spokeswoman said students would be on campus for the first week of classes for "orientation and initial training".
"Claims that online and/or virtual learning are not a pedagogically sound method of learning is incorrect," the spokeswoman said.
"Virtual classroom delivery, which is where students actively learn and interact with their peers and their teachers using a variety of educational technologies, is supported by significant international educational research and practice, as outlined in Australian Standards Quality Authority and Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency guides.
"As a result of planning by head teachers, TAFE NSW will provide a small amount of virtual classroom training for four of the 32 units in the Certificate III Engineering - Mechanical Trade, and Certificate III Engineering - Fabrication Trade in semester one, 2022. [Students study four units in their first term.]
"This virtual classroom training will be complemented by face-to-face training and assessment for the practical components of these units.
"By providing training for some theory units by virtual classroom delivery, TAFE NSW is providing options which better meet the needs of students, employers and industry."
Shadow Minister for Skills and TAFE and Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp said he was "very worried and deeply concerned" about the plan.
"Keep the tradies on the tools is what I'd say and there's nothing better than face to face learning," Mr Crakanthorp said.
"We're talking about trades, students who are getting out of schools because they don't want to be on computers, they want to use their hands and brains and do practical stuff, so it flies in the face of what they want. I can see a lot of drop outs and that's tragic because we've got a skills shortage."
Mr Crakanthorp said the government had "taken advantage" of teachers who had helped students transition to online and virtual learning during the pandemic.
"I think it's the thin edge of the wedge, they'll get as many courses online as they can, cut the costs, get rid of campuses and add more money to the coffers," he said.
Third year mechanical engineering students Stuart Shipway and Paul Clift said face-to-face training, especially in the first term, was crucial to helping students build relationships and stay engaged.
"The teachers see when you're losing track of where they are and then ask you 'Have you lost that? I'll repeat myself' and you don't get that with a filmed lecture," Mr Shipway said.
Mr Clift said students learned trades best when they could combine theory and practice.
"If you don't have that exposure, you've got your head in your book, then three months later you come in and you're like 'What was that again?'" he said.
AMWU organiser Tim Jackson said Hunter-based first and second year boilermaker and fitter apprentices told him a year ago "they didn't have enough time as it was" face to face with their teachers.
