Why should I beta-test the new NZCALNE online with Pathways Awarua and ALEC…?

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Graeme Smith

What do I get out of it?

Well… it’s a fair question.

Here are some reasons why you might wanna have a look at the new NZCALNE online as a beta-tester. A beta-tester is someone who tries out a brand new product and provides feedback.

One great reason might be that you are actually enrolled anyway and you’re working on one of the first three assessment tasks. We’ll have the rest of the content up and live soon.
Or perhaps you are a manager and you’re looking at professional development options for your staff. Have a look and then get back to us with questions.
Another reason might be because you didn’t like the old NCALNE or Unit Standard 21204 and you want to see if we’ve been able to fix any of the issues. We are locked into the new NZQA unit standards, but we’ve also been able to deal with a lot of what we didn’t like about the old system.
Perhaps you just love either Pathways Awarua or ALEC. Great, we love you too…! Go on… have a play and tell us what you think.
You dislike what others are doing. There is at least one other competitor product to the NZCALNE out there. We’d love to know if ours is better. We think it is.
You want to learn something new. Good for you. This content includes a bunch of new stuff as well as our current thinking on everything else. We’re biased of course, but this is the best work we’ve ever done.
You just love the literacy and numeracy space. Nice one. So do we. It’s great to stay current.

Now get amongst it.

Ring Graeme on 0800-ALEC-1-2 or email assess@alec.ac.nz for more information

Getting started on assessment 1 of the NCALNE (Voc) with ALEC: 2015 Update

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Graeme Smith

This is part one of a two part special care package of extra supporting material that you can dip into as you need to relating to Assessment 1 and the New Zealand Context for Literacy and Numeracy.

This post updates any earlier support information relating to Assessment 1 the NCALNE (Voc).

Saving trees by not printing the NCALNE (Voc) Unit Standards

First though, just a quick note: we have stopped printing some items like the NZQA unit standards that we assess you against as well as some of the readings. The reason for this is that we found that people weren’t actually reading these resources.

Skip this short section if you don’t care about the unit standards. If you want them we’d encourage you to go to the links below and download them. Just read them on your computer.

Think about whether you need to print them out as the details are reproduced in a more useable format in your ALEC Assessment Guide.

The National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Vocational/Workplace) has 40 credits at level 5. Unit Standards 21204, 21196 and 9685 make up the 40 credits of the NCALNE (Voc).

Template for Assessment 1: NZ Context

We can send you the Word Doc template for the report which is Assessment 1. This is the same as the online template in Pathways Awarua. If you want to use it you should do a “save as” onto your computer and type straight into it.

Here are a few other bits and pieces. Some of this will take you to Pathways Awarua or this blog which is where the most up-to-date information is at the moment. Here you go…

Pathways Awarua

Make sure that you are registered to use Pathways Awarua. The latest version of our entire ALEC course for the NCALNE (Voc) is now online in the Pathways Awarua platform. It’s free to register if you haven’t already.

There are instructions here on what to do to register. Contact assess@alec.ac.nz to use our ALEC join code and go straight to Step 2 of this process. Once you’ve registered may have to complete a couple of short modules on how to use the Pathways platform and then you’ll have access to all of the content modules for the NCALNE (Voc) as well as two of the Assessment modules. If you want to know more about how the NCALNE (Voc) works on Pathways watch this short YouTube Clip.
Remember: You can complete Assessment 1 via the word template OR via the online assessment template for Module 1. If you’re working on in Pathways Awarua for your assessment tasks, if you haven’t already you will also need to complete the online ENROL module before you can submit your work to us through Pathways Awarua.

Don’t forget the printed matter

Don’t forget to review what’s in your ALEC Study Guide and Assessment Guide if you have the printed versions. It’s easy to overlook this, but your Study Guide, Assessment Guide, and any readings that we’ve sent you contain everything that you need to complete the assessment for this part of the course.

Take notes or highlight while you skim the section relating to the NZ context.

Assessment 1 requirements

Familiarise yourself with the requirements for Assessment 1. You can listen to me talking through the assessment tasks in short audio-only podcasts here on his blog.

All the assessment podcasts are on the same page on the blog so scroll down to the audio for Assessment 1, click it and listen to it. If you have a smartphone these podcasts will run on your phone if you have a data plan or are in Wi-fi. These audio files are also in the Pathways Awarua Assessment Modules.

Questions to ask yourself while you’re reading and thinking

Good readers always have good questions when they’re reading. Ask yourself the following questions as you work your way through the material.

Definitions: What are the established definitions for adult literacy and numeracy? What’s an embedded approach? What about from a Maori perspective?
Initiatives: What are some of the historic and current initiatives that are relevant to your training and learners?
Reasons and impact: Why do we have low levels of adult literacy and numeracy? And what’s the impact of this on learners, study, work, communities, industry, and the nation?
Resources and organisations: What resources are out there to help strengthen adult literacy and numeracy? What organisations?
Recommendations: What do you think would make a difference? What would you suggest to address the issues around low adult literacy and numeracy in relation to your work?

Getting started on Assessment 1

Remember you’ve got two choices: EITHER you can click on the Assessment Module 1 in Pathways Awarua and do it online. The Assessment modules are below the orange ribbon (the content modules are above the ribbon). OR you can work from the template in the ALEC Assessment Guide and attached below.

If you’re not sure what to do then get in touch with us. Hit reply and send an email to assess@alec.ac.nz or ring or txt Graeme. Email us if you need Graeme’s mobile number.

We can support you further with:

Guidance around how to write a report
A model in terms of what we’re expecting for your response
Extra information as needed

When you’re finished

When you’re finished, make sure you do a final proof read. Then send your completed assessment task to us at assess@alec.ac.nz. Well… that’s all for now. Stay in touch.

TEC Literacy and Numeracy Update

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Graeme Smith

Just in from the TEC the other day from their TECNow email:

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29 January 2015

Literacy and numeracy update

This TECNow provides updates on the following:

Consultation on the TEC’s Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Strategy
Information on the qualification requirement for foundation-level tutors
The list of qualifications that meet the qualification requirement for foundation-level tutors
The TEC’s review of other qualifications to determine whether they also meet the qualification requirement for foundation-level tutors
Request for your feedback on how the TEC intends to apply the qualification requirement to guest educators
An update on the TEC’s methodology for determining Assessment Tool usage
Advance notice that the Department of Corrections is seeking the supply of literacy and numeracy support services

Consultation on the TEC’s Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Strategy

The TEC is refreshing the TEC’s Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Strategy (Strategy). As part of the refresh, we would like your feedback on what needs to be done to lift adult literacy and numeracy skills, achieve the government’s goals, and to improve economic and social outcomes from foundation-level education.

The refreshed Strategy will guide the TEC’s work in adult literacy and numeracy from 2016 to 2020.

The consultation paper and more information are available on the TEC website.

Please send your feedback on the consultation paper to sectorhelpdesk@tec.govt.nz by 5pm Friday 27 February 2015.

Feedback received during this consultation period will be used to develop a draft refreshed Strategy, which will then be released for consultation in April and published in final form by July.

Information on the qualification requirement for foundation-level tutors

2015 is a transitional year for the new qualification requirement for tutors who teach foundation-level courses in the Student Achievement Component (SAC) levels 1 and 2 (competitive and non-competitive, including the Māori and Pasifika Trades Training initiative), Intensive Literacy and Numeracy (excluding ILN ESOL), and Workplace Literacy. More information on this requirement is available in the TECNow of 10 November 2014.

The list of qualifications that meet the qualification requirement for foundation-level tutors

Currently, the list of qualifications that meet the qualification requirement is as follows:

National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Vocational/Workplace) (Level 5)
National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Educator) (Level 5)
National Diploma in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Level 6)
Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Adult Literacy and Numeracy) (Level 7)
Master of Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Level 9).

Tutors who have achieved any of the qualifications listed above have met the qualification requirement and do not need to take any further action.

The TEC’s review of other qualifications to determine whether they also meet the qualification requirement for foundation-level tutors

Several tertiary education organisations (TEOs) and individual tutors have asked that the TEC consider other qualifications to fulfil the qualification requirement. These requests are being considered and will be advised through an updated list at the end of February. The list of approved qualifications will continue to be updated as required.

We will also establish a confirmation process for TEOs and individual tutors who would like their qualification individually considered. Details about this confirmation process will be made available in late March so that TEOs and tutors have time to prepare through the transition period.

Request for your feedback on how the TEC intends to apply the qualification requirement to guest educators

The TEC has considered how the qualification requirement may be applied towards guest educators and subject-matter experts who have limited student teaching contact. Based on initial feedback from the sector, the TEC intends to use the following approach:

The requirement applies to educators and tutors who are responsible for the delivery, oversight, and/or management of an entire programme of study.

This requirement does not apply to:

subject matter experts, guest educators, or guest tutors with specialised knowledge, skills, or expertise who deliver a specific part of a programme of study, where the specific part makes up no more than 10% of the theory-based component of the entire programme of study; and
guest speakers or lecturers.

If you have feedback on the TEC’s intended approach for guest educators please email sectorhelpdesk@tec.govt.nz by 20 February 2015.

An update on the TEC’s methodology for determining Assessment Tool usage

In October, the TEC published a guide to assist tertiary education organisations with understanding the TEC’s methodology for determining Assessment Tool usage. Based on feedback from the sector, the TEC has updated this guide to clarify that the methodology will be used for the Student Achievement Component, Intensive Literacy and Numeracy, Workplace Literacy and Youth Guarantee funds. We have also removed references to industry training organisations (a separate publication on the methodology for Assessment Tool usage for ITOs will be published by the TEC later in 2015).

The updated guide is available under the ‘Methodology for calculating Assessment Tool usage’ section on the TEC website.

Advance notice that the Department of Corrections is seeking the supply of literacy and numeracy support services

The Department of Corrections has published a Notice of Intent to advise the market of its intention to release a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the supply of Prison-based Literacy and Numeracy Support Services.

The Department of Corrections is seeking the supply of literacy and numeracy support services that will address the high-level of literacy and numeracy needs present within the prison population that act as a barrier to prisoners successfully engaging in higher-level education, vocational training and other rehabilitative interventions.

You can read the Department of Corrections’ Notice of Intent on the GETS website.

From the TEC: Update for foundation-level providers (Assessment Tool and Qualification Requirements)

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Graeme Smith

I’ve pasted in below in full the update from the TEC website today regarding Assessment Tool usage and Qualification Requirements for foundation-level providers.

10 November 2014

Updates on the Methodology for Assessment Tool Usage; requirements for assessing literacy and numeracy; and transitioning to the 2015 tutor qualification requirements.

Methodology for Assessment Tool usage published

The TEC has recently published the updated Methodology for Assessment Tool Usage on its website. The document defines the methodology for calculating tertiary education organisation (TEO) usage of the Assessment Tool, as usage of the Tool is a condition of funding. This methodology takes into account sector feedback about previous versions.

A template is available for TEOs that would like to have learners assessed through the Step Two Threshold Assessment or the Starting Points Assessment Guide excluded from usage indicator calculations.

Requirements for assessing literacy and numeracy

A change has been made to a number of funds in 2015.

Foundation-level learners need to be assessed in both literacy and numeracy through the Assessment Tool for:
• Youth Guarantee levels 1 – 3
• Student Achievement Component at levels 1 and 2 – Competitive
• Student Achievement Component at levels 1 and 2 – Non-competitive

The Intensive Literacy and Numeracy ESOL fund requires usage of an effective assessment process for identifying a learner’s literacy and numeracy gains agreed by the TEC, for example, the use of the Starting Points.

The Intensive Literacy and Numeracy Fund and the Workplace Literacy Fund have different requirements. Tertiary education organisations receiving these funds must have an effective assessment process, such as the Assessment Tool, to identify a learner’s literacy and/or numeracy.

See the relevant Ministerial Determination for more detail.

Transitioning to the 2015 qualification requirements and information on appropriate qualifications

From 2015, the TEC will be transitioning to requiring tutors who teach foundation-level courses to hold an appropriate qualification, such as the National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Vocational/Workplace) which is known as NCALNE (Voc).

More information is available in the Questions and Answers which were updated 7 November 2014.

Questions and Answers (PDF, 68 Kb)

The initial list of appropriate qualifications includes:

National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Vocational/Workplace) (Level 5)
National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Educator) (Level 5)
National Diploma in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Level 6)
Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Adult Literacy and Numeracy) (Level 7)
Master of Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Level 9).

If you represent a TEO that delivers a teaching qualification or an educator who holds a qualification that is not currently on the list and you would like it considered for inclusion, please complete the Request for qualification consideration form by 1 December 2014 and send to skills.highway@tec.govt.nz.

An updated list will be published in December 2014 based on input from providers and educators.

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