DAY 2 - Australian Council for Educational Research
Transcription
DAY 2 - Australian Council for Educational Research
NALLNAC 2015 Programme DAY 2: Morning - 15 May 2015 9.15 - 10.00 Keynote - Investing in the future: Equipping workers through foundation skills Anthony Kittel: CEO and Managing Director of REDARC Electronics and one of the National Foundation Skills Strategy Project Workplace Champions. 10.00 - 10.30 Morning Tea 10.30 -12.15 Breakouts Stream 1 90min workshop 45min presentation 45min presentation Assessment practices What is FSAT? 10.30 -12.15 The development and implementation of the Foundation Skills Assessment Tool(FSAT) Martin Burdis & Dave Tout Stream 2 10.30 -11.15 Embedding LLN in VET Training Panel discussion with: Jen Zhao, Linda Are, and friends. The new online Foundation Skills Assessment Tool, commissioned by the Australian Government and designed to assess an individual’s foundation skill levels? The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) won the contract to develop the comprehensive Foundation Skills Assessment Tool to identify and assess an individual’s foundation skill levels. The FSAT will be based around the theoretical underpinnings of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) and the Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework (CSWF). Why was FSAT developed and what will it support us to do? Will FSAT be useful or will it be yet another imposition? Hear a bit about the FSAT story, and what it could mean for you and your work. Nearing completion, this presentation will offer insights and information about not only what is included in FSAT, but how such assessment tools are developed so they are valid and reliable and how some skills can be assessed online using computer adaptive features to target the assessment appropriately. Working with VET Trainers The main purpose of the proposed session is to share the knowledge and experiences gained by lecturers who have worked in the TAFESA Applied Learning Model delivery in partnership with VET trainers in TAFESA. The panel of four will include LLN lecturers and VET trainer(s) to inform the audience of the delivery methodology and outcomes from the different perspectives. This model has been operating since 2012 and the presenters will share their stories. The session will be a facilitated conversation where delegates can understand the effect on VET teachers of moves to embed LLN in VET teaching. We will explore the implications for learners and for policy implementation. 11.30 - 12.15 SIHHCLS201A + TAELLN411 + FSKNUM08 = A simple sum for a VET teacher? Dr Carolyn Johnstone Stream 3 10.30 -12.15 Lessons for disengaged youth: a fresh start Carla Harvey, Boystown Introduction (6 minutes) - Recent LLN initiatives in VET; the VET teachers; developing teachers’ skills Video Clips 1 (7.5 minutes) – A chance to hear from VET teachers Explanation of activity (2 minutes) – Handouts to be distributed and whole group ‘shout out’ Video Clips (7.5 minutes) – Repeat of the VET teachers Group activity (10 minutes) – Structured discussion of what delegates heard and understood from the VET teachers Q&A (7 minutes) - Opportunity to raise questions about the role of the VET teacher, the support they need and the manager’s role in implementing LLN policy. Conclusion (5 minutes) – Presenter review of the session, with implications for future management of changes to LLN policy implementation Youth programs This workshop will explore reasons why learners disengaged from classrooms, as well as practical ways to motivate and engage learners. 1. Understanding why students disengage 2. Developing learner resilience 3. Building positive classroom relationships 4. Practical student engagement activities BoysTown is a registered charity which specialises in helping disadvantaged young people who are at risk of social exclusion. BoysTown provides a range of youth counselling, family support and employment support services across Australia. Our services are located in some of the most disadvantaged Australian communities. Many of the young people receiving BoysTown services have low levels of literacy and numeracy skills. This inhibits their life and work opportunities. BoysTown employs trained educators to develop customised support to young people to assist them to improve their functional literacy and numeracy skills. This work is supported by volunteer mentors in some of our sites that provide further support to young people in improving their LLN skills. These programs are integrated with our employment and school reengagement programs such our Youth Engagement Program and Flipside. Stream 4 10.30 -11.15 Appreciating the value of language, literacy and numeracy training. Michelle Ingley-Smith & Jenni Oldfield 11.30 -12.15 Foundation Skills Assessment within ACE Delivery Paul Mulroney & Allison Harker Stream 5 10.30 -11.15 Quality assessments: practice and perspectives Dr. Josie Misko, NCVER Adult programs In 2012 ForestWorks received WELL Strategic Funding to build awareness of the LLN skills gaps that exist in the forest and forest products industry and their ongoing effect on business productivity and development. Further, the goal is to build strategies to address these skills as an integral part to what is called ‘innovation skills’ or ‘skills for greater businesses’. These skills also include leadership skills, teamwork skills, creative and critical thinking, problem solving, personal skills and skills to implement organisational policies, workplace health and safety policies, environmentally sustainable work practices. As part of the project, ForestWorks have developed an online hub, packed with examples of typical LLN skill gaps that exist in workplaces, how those skill issues affected the workplace, and the solutions that workplaces put in place to build the LLN skills required for effective work. The hub includes sample activities and resources that can be used in various settings. Come along and take a look at how it works and what’s included! The presentation will detail the significance and purpose of targeting Foundation Skills in ACE delivery. It will address the requirement for ACE practitioners to interpret learners' demonstration of Foundation Skills within ACE Foundation Skills are not as standardised as they are within specific, vocational qualifications which align to industry standards and workplace requirements. ACE is broad in its range of delivery and vocational content is secondary to Foundation Skills development. As a result there is a need for ACE practitioners to be able to interpret learners' comprehension and demonstration of Foundation Skills to enable effective practice, mastery and assessment of the Foundation Skills embedded within their delivery. The presentation will address the above content, specifically: what are Foundation Skills continuous assessment of Foundation Skills within ACE deliver - practice, mastery and assessment documentation of assessment of Foundation Skills practitioner skills associated with assessment of Foundation Skills within ACE delivery Research The issue of quality in assessments has implications for the credibility of qualifications and the competence of graduates who hold them. This study investigates quality in assessments (including recognition of prior learning) by speaking with practitioners and students about assessment practices used in public and private RTOs delivering Certificates III and above qualifications in electro-technology, aged care, and business administration. It finds that although practitioners understand the need for validity, fairness, and consistency in making judgements they are challenged by a range of theoretical and practical issues. The terms validation and moderation provide some confusion and close employer involvement in external assessment and validation is difficult to achieve. Other challenges include: customising and pitching assessment items to the right level; achieving consistency among assessors; keeping abreast of regulatory requirements and addressing issues of student motivation, preparation and level of language, literacy and numeracy skills . Nevertheless students in the study as well as those responding to the national Student Outcomes Survey say they are satisfied with their assessment experiences, and believe their assessment is a fair test of skills, and a good test of what has been taught. The research suggests a stronger emphasis on professional development for trainers and assessors. The main purpose of this NCVER funded research is to provide insights into the capacity of the VET workforce in relation to addressing workplace numeracy skills needs with a focus on the process manufacturing industries. It is a small study, the first of its kind in Australia, and it raises questions and highlights areas of limited understanding and needing further research. 11.30 -12.15 Seeking the N in LLN Tina Berghella This report is important because numeracy skills are a key driver of economic growth and yet nearly eight million Australian adults lack the numeracy skills to cope with everyday life and work. The VET sector is one part of the solution, but it is acknowledged that the VET workforce may be limited by its own skills gaps and skills shortages. Based on the findings, it appears that there is a mismatch between the understandings, qualifications, skills and experience of VET practitioners and what is needed to address workplace numeracy skills needs. Stream 6 Policy and programs Taking the lead from Tasmania 10.30 -11.15 The Tasmanian Adult Literacy Action Plan 2010 2015 Jennifer Dunbabin & Philippa McLean Tasmania is the first state to put in place an action plan to improve adult language, literacy and numeracy levels. In response to 2006 Adult Language and Life Skills survey results, the Tasmanian Government developed and implemented the Tasmanian Adult Literacy Action Plan 2010 - 2015. It is now in its fifth year of operation. In this session you will be given an outline of the Action Plan, insight into how the various actions that form the plan have progressed, what has been learnt, and some possible next steps. This workshop will look at some of the recent adult LLN work in Tasmania which includes: 12.15 - 1.00 Lunch and exhibition Research into finer gradations of progress using the ACSF. Under one of their grants, Skills Tasmania commissioned Escalier McLean to investigate the feasibility of using the ACSF in a finer grained way to capture progress occurring within ACSF levels rather than across ACSF levels. This workshop will outline this research, share the outcomes of the project and will allow time for discussion about the feasibility of using the ACSF in this way, and for those who see the possibilities, to canvass how they envisage it could work. Year Of Numeracy 2015 – why is Numeracy such a need and what activities are occurring in Tasmania to meet this need? DAY 2: Afternoon - 15 May 2015 Panel - Employer views on pre-training assessment 1.00- 2.00 Chair: Michael Taylor, AiG. Speakers: Kim Moore, Unitywater & Ro Coroneos, Community and Social Stratgey, Barangaroo South Breakouts Stream 1 LLN Lessons for Assessment in VET 2.00 - 3.45 Dave Tout & Juliette Mendolovits Stream 2 2.00 - 3.45 90min workshop 45min presentation 45min presentation Assessment practices This presentation will address a range of questions and issues related to the role of assessment in VET with a focus on adult language, literacy and numeracy (LLN). The presenters will draw both on knowledge of teaching and learning and on knowledge about assessment processes and quality requirements. Questions to be addressed include: Why do we need to assess in VET and why do we need to assess LLN skills? What are some of the LLN challenges in assessing validly, reliably and fairly in VET? What processes are involved in developing quality LLN assessments? The session will include the opportunity to go through a (brief) process of how to develop and write a literacy or numeracy assessment. Working with VET Trainers This workshop aims to help VET and LLN practitioners Explore Moments to Bring Explicit LLN Development seamlessly into vocational teaching and learning. The session will focus on how to recognise and act on small moments of opportunity within vocational training to develop learners’ core skills, whether in workplace, classroom or technology-assisted learning Within VET training, where environments. The interactive workshop will embrace strategies suitable for class-based face to face, as well technology are the opportunities to assisted approaches. Participants will be encouraged to share ideas and strategies as we consider variables such as; does the EMBED (Explore Moments support strategy support Adult learning or an LLN skill development, and which learners to support. to Bring Explicit LLN The session will interest VET and LLN practitioners alike, both experienced and new to their field. This includes RTO Development)? managers who provide guidance to their teaching team, as well as LLN and VET teachers interested in practical suggestions Ann Leske & Chemène to incorporate LLN skill and knowledge development within vocational instruction. This workshop is also useful to people Sinson enrolled in TAE LLN units of competence. Stream 3 2.00 - 3.45 Stories from Red Dirt Country – Novice practitioners 4 novice learners Ros Bauer, Bec and Dave Stream 4 2.00 - 3.45 Sharing Understandings on Foundation Skills: A NSW Community of Practice Kath Hinton & Anita Roberts Stream 5 & 6 2.00 - 3.45 Assessing Core Skills for Work Sue Goodwin & Kate Perkins Youth programs Ros Bauer will facilitate a session with two practitioners new to the field, who are both working in a remote NT community. This will be an interview style, ‘on the couch’ presentation with Dave Bauer (youth worker) and Rebecca Toll (transition pathways) talking about they engage learners in the respective roles. This session will also provide an opportunity to discuss their work in supporting the Foundation Skills and Warlpiri literacy of learners; as well as an opportunity for workshop participants to suggest some strategies they feel would support Dave and Rebecca in their work. Adult programs The Foundation Skills Community of Practice is an initiative of the National Foundation Skills Strategy Project to support the priorities of the National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults. The Community of Practice brings together a diverse group of individuals from across the country to share and build knowledge about foundation skills. Community of Practice members and their colleagues will present information on the individual and collaborative actions they are taking to raise awareness of the national Strategy and build workforce capacity to address foundation skills. The workshop session will include an opportunity for practitioners to explore ideas for extending the reach of the Community of Practice and building sustainable networks for knowledge sharing. Research, Policy & Programs The Core Skills for Work Developmental Framework (CSfW) focuses on ten essential skills that employers have identified as being critical for effective work performance. The framework draws on relevant research to provide specific descriptors of what an individual knows, understands and can do at each of five stages of development, from novice to expert. It is designed for use in diverse contexts with individuals who may be at any of these stages, and is applicable for people with or without experience of paid or volunteer work. In this practical workshop, you will have the opportunity to meet the framework’s authors and explore ways in which the CSfW can be used for benchmarking, monitoring and assessing learners’ skills development. Topics will include: • pinpointing critical core skills for work in a unit of competency • discussing ways of identifying an individual’s initial stage of development in these skills, • designing training and work based experiences that will actively support a learner’s skills development • monitoring and reporting on progress. Panel and summing up End Conference 3.45 - 4.30