Web version ACAL

July 2015

In this issue

1. President’s Report

2. Professional development

ACAL Conference • Early bird registration now open

3. Professional standards

VET sector benchmark for teacher standards

4. Reports

2014-15 National Foundation Skills Strategy • Professional practice in foundation skills final report

Raising higher education access and achievement of care leavers

Updating the adult and literacy life skills survey

5. Employment

Adult Literacy Skills Officer for 11 months (0.4 FTE)


1. President’s Report

Hi all,
I have a large pile of interesting reading on my desk. The research on building the capacity of the foundation skills workforce is now complete and available on the project’s website .

You can download research to identify and qualify professional practice in foundation skills, information gathered on VET qualifications, the NCVER report ‘Who is Delivering foundation skills? A survey of the LLN and education and training workforce’, and Stories from the field.

I look forward to some interesting discussions around these document when I see you all in Adelaide in the Zoo. Don’t miss the Early Bird Registration date of 31st July!

Jenni Anderson, President

2. Professional development

ACAL Conference • Early bird registration now open

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3. Professional standards

VET sector benchmark for teacher standards

Earlier this year the Queensland College of Teachers published three draft documents designed to set a benchmark for teachers in the VET sector and to assist them to come into alignment, to some extent, with the standards of the school sector. These documents are: The Draft Professional Standards, Draft Professional Standards Framework and Glossary and Uses of Professional Standards. In preparing these documents, The Council has been assiduous in involving a range of stakeholders. To this end, there was an initial Issues paper that was distributed for discussion and then throughout the development of the standards, there were drafts published for comment at regular intervals and forums were held so that teachers and others could comment in person on both the content and framework of the evolving standards.

In the Introduction to the Standards document, the QTU claimed that:

The Professional Standards represent what practitioners should aspire to know and do as professionals in Vocational Education and Training. Not all the statements within the Professional Standards may apply to all roles a practitioner may currently hold. The Professional Standards have been developed as the 'Gold Standard'. Developmental pathways will need to be developed so that practitioners are able to achieve and maintain these standards. (2015, p. 1).

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4. Reports

2014-15 National Foundation Skills Strategy
Professional practice in foundation skills final report

The National Foundation Skills Strategy Project (NFSS) 2014-2015 is a joint initiative by Australian governments to support priority action areas from the National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults.

The research on building the capacity of the foundation skills workforce is now complete and available on the project's website.

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Raising higher education access and achievement of care leavers

'Out of care, into university: raising higher education access and achievement of care leavers'

Andrew Harvey, Patricia McNamara, Lisa Andrewartha, Michael Luckman, Access & Achievement Research Unit (LaTrobe)

Three reforms are required to improve the access and achievement of care leavers into higher education.

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Updating the adult and literacy life skills survey

Updating the adult and literacy life skills survey: estimating change in skills distribution since 2006

David Earle, Ministry of Education (New Zealand)

This paper firstly estimates the effect of population changes since 2006 on the skills distribution of the population. Secondly, the paper estimates the reach of adult literacy and numeracy programmes by skills levels in the adult population.

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5. Employment

Adult Literacy Skills Officer for 11 months (0.4 FTE)

National Disability Services has been awarded funding by 26TEN to implement the Tasmanian Disability Sector Language, Literacy and Numeracy Action Plan.

To achieve the outcomes of the Plan, NDS needs to recruit a part time Adult Literacy Skills Officer for 11 months (0.4 FTE).

NDS are currently seeking expressions of interest from individuals or organisations. Email cath.ralston@nds.org.au to obtain a position description. Expressions of interest, addressing the key capabilities for the role (from the position description) and a current resume, must be submitted before 4:30 pm 14th July.