Category Archives: Information

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Conferences! WA, Interstate, or International?

WAALC Conference • 11-12 July, 2012

Central Institute of Technology Perth

At the heart of the matter – identity and trust in adult learning

As the OECD becomes convinced that the best performing education systems are those that strive for equity and quality, Australia continues to put its faith in the power of measurement and accountability to deliver ‘market changes’ that will improve outcomes in all our education sectors. This conference will place people – teachers and learners – at the heart of educational quality.  We want to move away from framing debates around policy imperatives, economic outcomes and abstractions such as ‘core skills’ or ’employability skills’.  We are asking the question: what makes learning work for people?

What causes a person to be able to learn? How do people develop resilience? What does it take to build confidence? What is it that teachers need to know and understand about their adult learners and their learner’s lives? How do differences between the identities of teachers and those of their learners impact on relationships and learning? How can teachers develop relationships with learners that enable them to understand how a person thinks and feels and does things? How will they use this understanding to create environments in which people can more successfully learn?

And what of the people who are teachers? What do teachers need from the system so that they can continue their own learning? What skills and knowledge do beginning teachers need – does initial training provide these? How can teachers use the variety of strengths they find in their students to harness learning energy? How can teachers consciously build social capital in their learning environments as a basis for and outcome of learning? How can teachers get support from their peers?

Develop a proposal now if you have information to share that will renew our focus on the heart of the matter: ways of working that meet the needs of learners and, as a natural result, achieve better outcomes for the wider society as well.

Call for papers closes 24 April 2012

http://www.waalc.org.au/12conf/callforpapers.htm

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ACAL Conference – Joining the Pieces: Literacy and Numeracy – one part of the picture

19-21 Sept • Hobart

The 2012 ACAL conference will explore three key questions about adult literacy and numeracy. These questions are about how we connect, co-operate and create.

Submit a proposal for a session that will:

  • stimulate thought and discussion on relevant issues and practice
  • be interactive and encourage dialogue
  • display innovation and flexibility in practice/research
  • demonstrate effective practice in a range of settings
  • exemplify adult learning principles
  • critique changes in state and federal government policies and priorities
  • communicate developments and findings in research and research practices.

Proposals are due by 12 May, 2012

http://www.tcal.org.au/12conf/index.htm

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VALBEC Annual conference  ‘Read the word, Read the world •  May 25 2012

Venue: William Angliss Conference Centre Melbourne

The program offers plenary sessions and a choice from fourteen workshops. Keynote speaker is Rowena Allen ACFE Chair.

Registrations are now open

http://www.valbec.org.au/2012conf/index.htm

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Australian Council of TESOL Associations International TESOL Conference (ACTA) •  Cairns •  3rd to 5th July 2012

‘TESOL as a Global Trade – Ethics, Equity and Ecology’

http://www.astmanagement.com.au/acta12/

Pre-conference symposium Monday 2 July 2012 at the Cairns Convention Centre

‘Teaching and learning pronunciation: Local and global perspectives on research and practice’

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION CLOSES 20th APRIL 2012

Complete your registration and payment now to be eligible for the Early Bird discount registration.
Registration fees will be increased by $100 after the 20th April.
Registration to the Pronunciation Symposium held on the 2nd July is an
optional extra. Special discounts are offered to those attending the
conference.

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International Conference of Adults Learning Mathematics

The 19th International Conference of Adults Learning Mathematics – A Research Forum (ALM19) is to be held in Auckland, New Zealand, from Tuesday June 26 to Friday June 29 2012.

ALM is an international organisation which brings together practitioners and researchers who are involved in mathematics and numeracy education for adult learners in order to inform policy and practice. Information about the conference, the call for papers and registration are available at: http://literacyandnumeracyforadults.com/Professional-Development/Conferences/2012-ALM19-Conference

 

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Supporting the ALaN Network

Are you an ideas person? Do you always have the latest goss that others need to know? If the “goss” includes information about the adult literacy and numeracy field, you might be just the person we are looking for as a ALaN Network facilitator.

Proposals are sought now to provide ongoing support during the 2012 calendar year for the Adult Literacy and Numeracy (ALaN) Network in Western Australia. You could be  paid to keep up to date and share what you find with others.

A number of roles are required, each advertised separately with unique responsibilities and selection criteria. provision of advice about resources, curricula, teaching strategies and professional development as relevant to members of the Network.

The application forms are on the CGEA Network  Google Documents (members only) or  contact Cheryl Wiltshire on cheryl.wiltshire@ dtwd.wa.gov.au  (remove space in address)

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Numeracy professional development resource

Do you know the sorts of numeracy and Mathematics needed by your students in the workplace?  A new resource designed by Manufacturing Learning Victoria offers you a way to check your knowledge.

The publication is a free download: Numeracy. A professional development resource for WELL practitioners 

It is a professional development resource designed for Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) practitioners. You can also use it to  support the development and recognition of numeracy training and skills and knowledge consistent with the requirements of the Vocational Graduate Certificate in Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice.
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Fitness & Sports resource

This week, I received the publication: Fitness & Sports A Resource for Literacy Teaching from the Southern Grampians Adult Education.  (NB if you are using Firefox the sidebar links may not work). This is the seventh in a series of learning resources developed for the 2007-2012 version of the CGEA.

Fitness & Sports contains 72 worksheets about sports in eight sections: Netball, Tennis, Cricket, Basketball and four types of “football”. These are developed at 3 different levels so mixed-level classes can share a common topic but do literacy and numeracy activities that develop and extend their current skills.

I am not a big fan of worksheets as the core of adult literacy programs. In my view, Death by Worksheet is as risky as Death by PowerPoint.  However, both worksheets and PowerPoint have a valuable place if not overdone; this resource models how experienced adult literacy practitoners weave them into a diverse program.

As all the worksheets are photocopiable (legally), this is an ideal resource to allow the sports mad student to demonstrate and extend their knowledge while providing evidence of competence against any part of the CGEA needed (including all of the core units and several electives). It also provides a range of ideas for class activities such as guest speakers, debates, and Internet research. A student who is really keen on this topic could complete a substantial chunk of any CGEA certificate using ideas included in this resource.

It cost me $75.00 plus pack and post. Order form here – if it doesn’t open then email sgae@sgae.vic.edu.au for an order form.

Other topics also available from South Grampians Adult Education include DIY Housing and DIY Cooking. See samples here.  These also demonstrate how a topic can be shared across the full range of CGEA certificate levels.

Cheryl Wiltshire

ALaN Network Coordinator

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CGEA extension to end 2012

The Victorian Curriculum Maintenance Managers (CMMs) advised in their December 2011 Newsletter that the Certificates in General Education for Adults (CGEA) has been formally extended for 12 months.
The following qualifications now expire on 31 December 2012:

  • 21770VIC Course in Initial General Education for Adults

  • 21771VIC Certificate I in General Education for Adults (Introductory)

  • 21772VIC Certificate I in General Education for Adults

  • 21773VIC Certificate II in General Education for Adults

  • 21774VIC Certificate III in General Education for Adults

Keep an eye out for opportunities to participate in a review of the CGEA this year.
We are still waiting to hear whether the changes proposed as a result of the review of the Mathematics units late last year have been accepted.
If you have an idea for a change to the CGEA, please add it as a comment on this article so we can discuss.
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Introduction

Thanks to the work of the Adult Literacy and Numeracy Network (ALaN Network ), it is my pleasure to launch the first issue of the ALaN WA Edublog. Thank you to all contributors and especially to Jo Hart and Dani Murray for your additional work in the background.

The ALaN WA Edublog follows in the footsteps of a number of publications that have provided a source of news to adult literacy and numeracy practitioners in the west, with the support of  the WA Department of Training and Workforce Development. The most recent of these was The Circular which was replaced by the generic Training Matters in 2008. However, Training Matters can’t provide the detailed level of information that target our particular needs, so this Edublog will fill a gap.  We have tried to keep up to date using our discussion board on the CGEA Network Google Group but it doesn’t quite fill the bill.

The ALaN WA Edublog  is exciting in that we avoid all the delays and costs of printing and mailing in a print format. We hope to be able publish more regularly than the 3 or 4 per year that The Circular managed.

I commend the ALaN WA Edublog to you.  Make it your own.  If something is missing, please suggest it or even better write it for us.

I wish you all a relaxing holiday and look forward to working with you in the new year.

Cheryl Wiltshire

ALaN Network Coordinator

 

 

 

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ALaN Network Google Group and Google Docs

Other ALaN Network  services

The ALaN WA Edublog is the public face of the ALaN Network in Western Australia – available to everyone on the net.  Our other services require you to be have a Google account and an invitation to be a member of our group. Membership is free and we encourage everyone who teaches adult literacy and numeracy in Western Australia to join.  People from other locations can apply to join as a guest.

If you aren’t already a member, see below.

CGEA Network – Google Group

The Certificates of General Education for Adults (CGEA) is one of the most used courses for adults and adolescents developing their literacy and numeracy skills in Australia.  The course was implemented in WA in 1994 and there has been a network to support teachers right from the start, known as the CGEA Network.

Since 2007,  the CGEA Network Google Group has been our key method of collaboration.  The Google Group offers a discussion board where members of the CGEA Network can post questions (e.g. relating to the curriculum, to moderation of anything to do with Adult Literacy and Numeracy) or comments. All members can add to the discussions or give their opinions on questions raised.  This year for the first time, we have some funding for  ALaN Facilitators to encourage participation in our online activities.

Messages are saved according to the date of the message, but if you are looking for information on a particular topic (e.g. accreditation), you can type this into the search box and all messages regarding accreditation will be displayed.

All members can access the membership list to see if there are any other teachers in their area and can email them directly if they wish to.

All members can invite new members, or you can ask an ALaN facilitator to help you with it.

CGEA Network Files – Google Docs

Your membership of the CGEA Network Google Group also provides access to some collections of files saved in Google Documents.  Files that were created in the first three years of the Google group have been moved here to a collection called 2008-2010 files. ALaN Model Activities contains a colelction of moderated atsks

Current files are being loaded to the 2011 CGEA Network Files. This contains individual folders (collections) for

  • Resource Ideas (contains lists of useful websites and resources developed and shared by CGEA teachers. We are encouraging teachers to use the VBQU number in the title to make it easier to identify units.
  • Professional Development (details of forthcoming PD and files from events)
  • Moderation
  • Teaching and Assessment Tools
  • Integrated Resources

All members can access these files and can download and upload documents.  If you save files in Google format, joint editing online is possible. The files are copyright free but we encourage you to upload new versions you create so others can benefit.

In 2011, no moderation samples were shared among members, but we hope that in 2012 moderation samples will start to be uploaded and that members can share more issues form their internal organisational moderation activities.  We also have access to webconferencing via BlackboardCollaborate (Elluminate Live!) to resolve  issues or to bring together people who are isolated.

Problem Solving

If anyone is having any issues joining or accessing the Google Group, they can contact any of the ALaN facilitators, who will help them.

Some members have experienced problems with uploading documents. Sometimes this results from using Internet Explorer.  If you are having problems, first try using a different browser (e.g. Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox).  If this doesn’t help, ask for help in the CGEA Network Google Group.

If you would like to become a member of the Google Group then please complete and submit the form on the How to Join the GoogleGroup page

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Review of numeracy in CGEA

The ACFE Board owned CGEA is currently accredited with Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority until December 2012 (Note: this was extended from December 2011).

In 2010 the ACFE Board approved a recommendation from the Curriculum Maintenance Manager (CMM) that the Numeracy component of the CGEA be reviewed and updated during 2011.

Dave Tout has created a draft of some new units and we are awaiting their approval by ACFE.   See the Skills Victoria website if you want to look at the draft units .

 

 

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Certificate 1 in Entry to General Education Moderation

The Certificate 1 in Entry to General Education (EGE) was recently reaccredited.

Moderation meetings will be held for this curriculum in semester 1 and 2 during 2012. They will be coordinated by the Department of Corrective Services via teleconference and held in February and August. Specific dates are yet to be set.

Please contact Helena Zielinska on 08 6250 9214 if you would like to attend.