Web version ACAL

October 2016

In this issue

1. From the President

2. Resilience: Stories of Adult Learning

Free download

Special member offer for print version

3. Validation of Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT)

4. Professional Development

Webinar on the Foundation Skills Professional Standards Framework

'English Language, Literacy and Numeracy: a time for action'

Strengthening foundation skills in Tasmanian workplaces

Postgraduate Studies in Education information session

5. Resources

NFPs Get Digital Toolbox to 'Win at the Internet'

United we read radio story-time

What I know now

Understanding statistics in social policy development and evaluation: a quick guide

1. From the President

Thank you to those who joined us at ACAL's 2016 AGM which was our first online AGM and a special thank you to Lindee Conway and Michael Chalk for their interesting presentations. We plan to include more chance for participants to interact in any future online AGMs.

The newly elected committee consists of:

State Representatives are:

This is our 40th Year so we will celebrate ACAL's work for literacy and numeracy education for adults in Australia. The committee will define the 2016-17 work plan and amongst things ACAL could work on over the next year, there is still a need for;

I am very excited that one of the first things I will do this year is head to the Indigenous Leaders Forum and the Pre-conference Workshop - Adult English Language Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) in the NT: A priority for action in Darwin in November.

Thank you to the previous ACAL Executive Committee for their participation and work this year in these activities: Keiko Yasukawa, Vice-President (retiring); Vicki Hartman, Secretar;, Lorraine Sushames, Treasurer; Ann Kelly QCAL Rep; Michele Sutcliffe from SACAL; Yvonne Webb seconded NT representative; Pam Osmond, NSW ANLC; Annette Griffin of TCAL; Rhonda Pelletier of VALBEC and Margaret McHugh of WAALC (retiring). Also thank you to Don MacDowall, ACAL Executive Support; Joyce Paliza-Benda ACAL Cadet, and Michael Chalk Project Officer.

Thank you to Margaret McHugh of WAAL and Keiko Yasukawa, Immediate Past Vice-President, who have both been involved in ACAL for many years and contributed in various roles as demonstrated this year, by Margaret through her involvement in the joint ACAL ACTA 2016 Conference, and by Keiko through the major Resilience and Foundation Skills Literature Review projects she has coordinated this year. ACAL will celebrate their input further during the year.

NCVER Foundation Skills Literature Review Project

During 2016, four foundation skills practitioners in the VET sector were selected to undertake literature reviews in different topic areas of adult foundation skills. The project was funded by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) and supported through a partnership between the NCVER, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL). The project was conceived as an initiative to build the practitioner research capabilities of the foundation skills workforce by mentoring practitioners to plan and write literature reviews of current international and grey literature pertinent to the field, and then disseminating their reviews through NCVER's public website. The four scholars selected to undertake the project were: Lynda Cameron (TAFE NSW), Daniella Mayer (Chisholm Institute, Vic), Jo Medlin (TAFE NSW) and Jane Newton (Manufacturing Skills Australia). They were supported by mentors Keiko Yasukawa from UTS and Michelle Circelli from NCVER. Their work is expected to be published on the NCVER website by the end of the year.

Resilience

When ACAL and our sister organisation in the UK, Research and Practice in Adult Literacy (RaPAL) started to explore the possibility of a joint project at the beginning of 2015, it did not take long to decide on a joint publication of adult learners' stories. One of the salient characteristics of many adult learners is their resilience, and this was decided to be the theme of what the learners would be asked to write about. Both ACAL and RaPAL, through their respective networks encourage adult literacy teachers to encourage and support their learners to write their story. After 18 months of collaboration between the RaPAL representatives Tara Furlong, Julie Furnivall, and ACAL representatives Ros Bauer and Keiko Yasukawa, we were able to compile a rich collection of stories. A key support for the project was Michael Chalk, our project officer, whose position ACAL was in a fortunate position to be able to fund, and this project would not have been completed without his tireless assistance. The publication will be available in various digital modes on the ACAL site, and a print copy will be available for order.

One of the interesting observations about the stories from the learners in the UK and the learners in Australia was the degree of similarities in the lives of many of the learners in the two countries and the benefits they experienced from participating in adult education programs.

The ACAL 2017 Conference in Darwin and the associated webinars are some of the ways ACAL is continuing to support adult literacy and numeracy practitioners across Australia. I look forward to seeing you there.

Jenni Anderson

ACAL President

Resilience cover2. Resilience: Stories of Adult Learning

Resilience: Stories of Adult Learning is an anthology of adult learner stories, a testament to the resilience of human lives, the critical role of lifelong learning, and how adult literacies weave through our journeys, visibly and invisibly.

This is a project of RaPAL (UK), ACAL and Festival of Learning.

The editors gathered the authentic voices of learners across many different adult learning environments in Australia and the UK, collecting over a hundred stories and publishing them in a collection in multiple formats, including paperback, e-book and PDF.

If you're working in adult education, you'll be very familiar with the themes of this publication. Some of the themes are challenging and disturbing, and will resonate strongly for adult learners you're working with. These stories could be used in class as models of personal narrative; they could also be used as potential inspiration for adult learners creating their own recount of overcoming adversity, or looking for reasons to persevere with their own learning

Free download

It's available as a PDF, ebook or Kindle version.

You can download and use 'Resilience: stories of adult learning' in any way you choose. We simply ask you acknowledge if you take extracts.

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Special member offer for print version

A print version will be available for pre-order with a special member discount to be sent to members in a separate email. The special offer will be sent to the person responsible for payment of membership.

3. Validation of Foundation Skills Assessment Tool (FSAT)

The Department of Education and Training have made FSAT available though it is important to note that the department is currently working with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to finalise and validate FSAT. ;Users such as RTOs are invited to use and test the tool as it is refined ahead of full implementation. During this process, results from this version of FSAT can be considered indicative of a participant's skills. This makes FSAT suitable for use for purposes where an indication of a learner or jobseeker's skills against the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) and the Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework (CSfW) is useful for purposes of personalising learning or for support and development.

By participating in this phase of FSAT development, RTOs will be helping to ensure that a final and free version of FSAT is available as quickly as possible. FSAT provides valuable information to trainers and educators such as registered training organisations (RTOs), enabling them to assess their client's foundation skill levels, and identify skills and knowledge where additional development may be beneficial. This, in turn, will assist students and job seekers, by targeting the areas where individuals may require additional support.

More information on FSAT, including answers to 'Frequently Asked Questions'

ACAL would be pleased to hear your feedback about the FSAT at info@acal.edu.au

4. Professional development

Webinar on the Foundation Skills Professional Standards Framework

Free webinars in November

This information is circulated by ACAL but as the webinar is not run by ACAL we are not in a position to answer any questions about it. We suggest you register using the link provided.

Learn about practical solutions for navigating the complex landscape of foundation skills provision in stand-alone and integrated delivery contexts.

The range of foundation skills provision – across education, workplace and community contexts, learner cohorts, skill levels and support needs – means that no one can be an expert in all aspects of foundation skills. There are multiple fields of expertise and many niche areas of specialisation.

The Foundation Skills Professional Standards Framework is being developed to allow practitioners and managers to consistently describe professional capability in a way that supports individual career pathways and targeted workforce development.

What will be covered in the webinar

The webinar will introduce participants to the Foundation Skills Professional Standards Framework and explore how it might be used to:

Date and time

Register your interest at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FSPSFwebinar

'English Language, Literacy and Numeracy: a time for action'

The annual Indigenous Leadership Conference 'Engagement and the Power of Choice' will be held at the Charles Darwin University in Darwin on the 10 -11 November this year.

A Pre-conference Workshop on Indigenous Adult Language Literacy and Numeracy 'English Language, Literacy and Numeracy: a time for action' will be held on the 9 November to enable a diverse and committed group of stakeholders to share knowledge and information and to consult about supporting positive change for adult language literacy and numeracy in remote, regional and urban locations in the NT.

The workshop will provide a space to:

Jenni Anderson, the President of ACAL will present at this event.

Strengthening foundation skills in Tasmanian workplaces

A fireside chat with Jennifer Dunbabin, Cath Ralston, Meagan Newton and Catherine Baker

Australian Workplace Practitioners' Network (AWPN)

Thursday, 24th November at 1pm AEDT

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Postgraduate Studies in Education information session

CDY flierCharles Darwin University in Perth

Come and hear about our coursework and postgraduate research studies in education, workplace and professional learning and preparing for the digital workplaces of the future.

Perth 8:30am to 10:00am on Monday, October 31, 2016 at St Catherine's College, UWA 2 Park Road, Crawley, Conference Room (use public transport as there's very limited parking)

Questions? igce@cdu.edu.au

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5. Resources

NFPs Get Digital Toolbox to 'Win at the Internet'

Not for Profits and social enterprises are being given a chance to harness the power of digital technology with the launch of Australia's first online toolbox for the social sector.

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United we read radio story-time

Heather Anderson | University of South Australia

This research project aims to explore how a story-time radio show might add value to the United We Read early-intervention book program. It investigates if such a radio show can further engage children in their love of reading, and assist parents' involvement, regardless of their own levels of literacy.

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What I know now

Heather Anderson, Charlotte Bedford, Seeds of Affinity Pathways for Women Inc. | University of South Australia

This webpage provides episode links to a unique and personal radio series designed to educate the community and raise awareness about the challenges faced by women when they are first released from prison.

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Understanding statistics in social policy development and evaluation: a quick guide

This paper attempts to provide some guidance for non-statisticians about the questions they might ask when presented with statistical information in order to assess how much reliance they can put on it.

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