August 2016
In this issue
1. From the President
2. ACAL Committee election
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Position profiles
3. Adult literacy on SBS
3. Professional development
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Integrating digital literacy: upgrade, upskill, upload - SACAL 2016 Annual Conference Friday, 19 August
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Tackling foundation skills in the workplace webinar Thursday, August 18, 2016
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Research, Policy & Teaching Practice: building connections, December 8 and 9, 2016
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Building LLN assessment into VET Training (webinar), August 30, 2016
4. Reports
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Bigger or smaller, more or less
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Skills in New Zealand and around the world: survey of adult skills
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VET provider market structures: history, growth and change
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Indigenous Employment After the Boom
5. Dazzling Delightful Darwin
1. From the President
Welcome to ACAL's August 2016 newsletter.
News about ACAL's AGM will be released soon so please begin to consider your involvement and ACAL's position profiles.
Recently ACAL has been writing to relevant key stakeholders about strengthening adult literacy and numeracy provision across community, educational, vocational training and workplaces and building the capacity of the education and training workforces. ACAL has suggested the following ways to strengthen adult literacy and numeracy provision in Australia:
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The implementation of a coordinated State and Federal approach to the national Foundation Skills Strategy to provide community and family literacy and numeracy learning pathways to support better outcomes through schools and in adult training contexts and workplaces;
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ACAL has suggested the Government commence discussions with ACAL, AWPN (Australian Workplace Practitioners Network) and other appropriate stakeholders to develop a new workplace LLN program; a co-contribution program to replace the former Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) program;
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The provision of funding for further trials of the Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT) to assess its ability to be used as a self-assessment tool by jobseekers or learners in educational or workplace settings. This would support further development of the tool to better fit all contexts but especially those without qualified and experienced Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) educators and assessors.
The Adult Literacy and Numeracy workforce is distinct in their skills and needs so there is a particular need for professional development for Adult Literacy and Numeracy teachers in regional and remote areas where there are limited opportunities to continue to build their practical skills.
Please let me know if have any feedback, questions, suggestions or issues that you would like ACAL to consider addressing by emailing info@acal.edu.au.
Jenni Anderson
ACAL President
2. ACAL Committee election
Position profiles
The ACAL AGM will be held later in the year and the Executive positions (President, Vice-president, Secretary and Treasurer) become vacant and elections will be held to fill these positions. The position profiles are provided to assist members understand and undertake roles on ACAL committee.
State/Territory representatives are nominated to the ACAL committee by the local state or territory organisation.
More about Committee roles and position profiles
3. Adult literacy on SBS
Insight will be airing Reading Between the Lines: why do so many Australians have poor literacy? on Tuesday 23rd August at 8:30pm (AEST) on SBS ONE, if you would like to tune in.
You can also stream it live here: http://www.sbs.com.au/insight/article/index/id/557614/h/Live-Stream (this link will become active at the time of the show).
SBS would love you to share it with your networks and also jump on Twitter and take part in the discussion there, using the hashtag #InsightSBS
ACAL provided some input to SBS.
4. Professional development
Integrating digital literacy: upgrade, upskill, upload
SACAL 2016 Annual Conference Friday, 19 August
State Library of South Australia
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Opening Address: Alan Smith, CEO State Library
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Keynote Speaker: Kita Scott, SACAL past President, ACAL past Executive Committee Member, and TAFESA Foundation Skills Manager
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Ben Teoh, Go Digi/Infoxchange: A free program that helps individuals and communities improve their digital skills and confidence to do the things they want online + smartphone photography/Instagram
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Amelia Beatty, Public library Service Project Officer; Digital Literacy: Supporting Adult Learning
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Using apps, websites and iPads for teaching in the classroom
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Unpacking a Foundation Skills Training Package digital technology unit, including sample resources
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Using groups, videos and quizzes
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Library Tour
Tackling foundation skills in the workplace webinar
AWPN webinar Thursday, August 18, 2016 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM AEST (Check your time zone).
Tackling foundation skills in the workplace webinar - a fireside chat with Michael Taylor, Oenone Serle, Jodie Hummerston and Tony Lane
Fee: $50 plus GST.
Fee includes live participation plus access to audio and video recordings of the webinar.
Research, Policy & Teaching Practice: building connections
December 8 and 9, 2016
The Australian Council of Deans of Education Vocational Education Group (ACDEVEG) in partnership with the School of Education, University of Technology Sydney and Sydney TAFE is holding the 2016 National Conference - the theme for this year is Research, Policy & Teaching Practice: building connections.
The program is an important forum for VET practitioners, teacher educators, researchers and policy makers to share knowledge and to work collaboratively in the VET sector.
The first part of the conference December 8, 2-5pm at the Sydney TAFE campus.
The second part will be held at the University of Sydney Technology on the December 9, 9am-4pm.
Building LLN assessment into VET Training (webinar)
August 30, 2016
'Best practice' training methodologies encourage assessment throughout all stages of participant engagement - we assess needs before or at the start of training; we assess progress throughout training; and we assess achievement of outcomes at the conclusion of training. In this webinar we'll cover insights and strategies to help you incorporate a LLN focus into your current diagnostic, formative and summative assessment practices.
5. Reports
Bigger or smaller, more or less
Teachers poised to lose their jobs at Cessnock jail have called for the government to build a specialised learning facility on the site as part of its controversial 1000-bed expansion proposal.
NSW Teachers Federation representative Michael Falcioni said it made no sense for the government to proceed with plans to slash the 9.5 full-time teacher positions at Cessnock to four clerical roles, and introduce less-experienced trainers, as it prepared for an influx of inmates.
'If you're going to expand the centre you'll want to expand the education program,' Mr Falcioni said.
'Otherwise you're not going to give the inmates the opportunity to change their lives.'
Skills in New Zealand and around the world: survey of adult skills
This Ministry of Education (New Zealand) report looks at how the literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills of New Zealand adults compare to other countries and how they have changed over time.
VET provider market structures: history, growth and change
This National Centre for Vocational Education Research report considers the past and present structure of the Australian vocational education and training market and prompts important and fundamental questions about the current structure of the market and whether it is best placed to deliver the desired skills and knowledge that students and the Australian economy require.
Indigenous Employment After the Boom
By Matthew Gray and Boyd Hunter
Analysis of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Social Survey data on Indigenous labour force status highlights the impact that the recent economic slowdown on Indigenous employment trends. At an aggregate level, the trends in Indigenous employment mirror those of the Australian population as a whole. It is clear that aggregate demand is the key driver of changes in Indigenous employment, rather than individuals' desire to work.
Improving Indigenous employment outcomes requires that jobs are created and that policies support Indigenous people to acquire suitable skills so that they can work in those jobs. This latter challenge may be particularly pronounced in remote areas, where many Indigenous residents may not be able to comply with the 'activity requirements' for labour market programs.
6. Dazzling Delightful Darwin
September 2017