This is the introduction to the document that I’ve been grinding away at all day. Had to post something…

Introduction

Adult Literacy Education & Consulting (ALEC) Limited is a small private training establishment (PTE) with a focus on delivering high quality adult literacy and numeracy education (ALNE) professional development. This happens via the National Certificate in Adult Literacy & Numeracy Education (Vocational/Workplace).

This qualification, which we abbreviate to the NCALNE (Voc), is a 40 credit level 5 national certificate that we have delivered since 2007.

Significant changes since our last External Evaluation & Review (EER) in 2010 include the following:

• The further establishment of a national infrastructure for adult literacy and numeracy by the Tertiary Education Commission. This infrastructure includes the Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool (LNAAT), the Learning Progressions for adult literacy and numeracy, and Pathways Awarua. The NCALNE (Voc) that we deliver has become the vehicle by which the TEC infrastructure is now disseminated. This qualification is part of the TEC’s Adult Literacy & Numeracy Implementation Strategy.
• Our decision in early 2014 to discontinue our TEC funded intensive literacy and numeracy (ILN) programme that we were delivering at our Taupo-based premises previously at 57 Kaimanawa Street, Taupo. The programme has always struggled to meet its outcomes and we decided in early 2014 that it was time to bring our focus back to the professional development of the sector. At this stage, we don’t intend to run this course again. We’re happy to discuss this in the EER, but it’s not a major focus in this summary or part of our vision moving forward.
• Interest from the TEC and others in developing further professional development pathways including an open online version of our current NCALNE (Voc) and support to begin development of the level 6 Diploma in this field. We have worked on both of these in partnership with Pathways Awarua, an online literacy and numeracy learning platform. Opportunities for ALEC moving forward include further work in this space especially including the development of the Diploma framework and content.
• A major contribution to the NZQA’s working group on the ALNE qualifications as part of the Targeted Review of Qualifications (TRoQ) in 2014. The ALNE review is underway at the time of writing this summary and will result in major changes to the way the qualifications are delivered as well as the systems that we have in place to support learners through their professional development journey.