literacy in the 21 st century 29 th september 2011 dr. alison cross, executive director, jamaican...

Literacy in the 21st Century

29 th September 2011Dr. Alison Cross, Executive Director,

Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning

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Our Vision

An educated, knowledge-based, adult population empowered through lifelong learning opportunities to take responsibility for their lives and contribute positively to the social moral and economic development of the country.

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Our Mission

To provide in partnership with other organizations, adult education programmes which will establish a culture of lifelong learning that will empower individuals and contribute to national development.

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Vision 2030 – National Goals

Jamaicans are empowered to achieve their fullest potential. The Jamaican Society is safe, cohesive and just. Jamaica’s economy is prosperous.Jamaica has a healthy, natural environment.

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Vision 2030 – Guiding Principles

Transformational LeadershipAccountability and TransparencyPartnershipSocial CohesionEquitySustainabilityUrban/Rural Development

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Workplace Literacy Facts:

Technological developments are occurring faster than we dreamed, dramatically altering the way we work.Developed nations are relying more and more on their capacity to innovate to drive economic growth. The ability to do this depends upon the skills and knowledge of their people.

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The 21st C is a Knowledge Economy.

In the 21st Century, our natural resource is our people – and their potential is both untapped and vast.Literacy and Skills will unlock that potential. The benefits – higher productivity, the creation of wealth and social justice.

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How is Jamaica placed to respond to this challenge?• Jamaica must become a world leader in literacy and skills development.

• Literacy is the most important lever within our control to create wealth and to reduce social deprivation.

• How do we deliver better on what we have rather than trying to invent many more new structures

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Where are we coming from with “literacy” in Jamaica?

The media characterize “illiteracy” as a crippling limitation, a barrier to individual and social advancement and as a problem to be fixed. There is substantial research to suggest that “literacy” is very complex. Low literacy proficiency is prevalent with many Jamaicans suffering from sufficient difficulty in reading or computation to be challenged by the ordinary tasks of everyday life and work.

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Theoretical perspectives on literacy to assess current policy and impact on programmes

School-based literacy – the view is that skills and competencies assessed in the classroom are directly transferable to other contexts.

Consequently, school-based literacy assumes that once literacy skills are mastered in the classroom, learners can apply the skills in any reading task whether that is in the workplace, the home, or any other settings of public and private life.

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A Working Definition of Literacy – a Competency/Functional Based Model

Literacy is more than just being able to code and decode text—it is the ability to comprehend, interpret, analyze, respond, and interact within the variety of complex situations in which youth and adults encounter various kinds of information. Each context—school, work, military, civic and family—requires a different kind of literacy competency .

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Jamaica’s current environment

In many of our schools less than 50% of the Grade 11 population sit CSEC exit exams and the pass rate for Math and English is below 40% (Holness, Back to School Message 2011)

Our 2008-2009 Grade 9 Achievement Exam National Avg Language 52%, Math 43%Our 2008-2009 Grade 6 Achievement Test National Avg Language 57%, Math 53% (MOE Ed. Stats. 2009-2010)

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Jamaica’s current environment

The 21st C economy is knowledge based.

Workers must have the ability to adapt, learn and master new skills quickly and efficiently.

Literacy is a set of skills that reflect the needs of the time. As those needs shift, then our definition of literacy shift.

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21st C Skills FrameworkWE MUST FUSE THE THREE “R”s

WITH THE FOUR “C”s.

The four “C”s Critical thinking and problem solving Communication Collaboration Creativity and innovation

The four “C”s are a student’s ticket up the economic ladder in the 21st century (Partnership for 20th C Skills, 2010)

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Changes in Literacy Demands :

•The magnitude of our competition is changing. We need to improve our ability to competitively participate within the global community.

•Workplace demands are changing.

•Student experience outside of the school day is ever changing.

•We need many more of our students to become effective 21st Century Citizens with lifelong teaching and learning skills.

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Requirements For Work Force Are

Changing

Accountant:

My Grandfather “did the books”

Must handle complex computer programmes

Research:

I used the Library to conduct “research” for my Undergrad studies

All learners from Primary to Tertiary use the internet.

Doctors

Used to “tell’ you what was wrong with you

Engage with you in a discussion based on the information you have already obtained from the internet

Banking

Used to interact face-2-face for every interaction

Use machines for most banking transactions

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20th Century Education Model

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21st Century Learning Model

(21st Century Partnership Learning Framework)

The Framework for 21st Century Learning describes the skills, knowledge and expertise students must master to succeed in work and life.

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21st Century Skills/Literacy Framework

Learning & Innovation Skills

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Creativity & Innovation Communication & Collaboration

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Information, Media & Technology Skills

Information Literacy Media Literacy ICT (Information, Communications & Technology) Literacy

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Life & Career Skills

Flexibility & Adaptability Initiative & Self-Direction Social & Cross-Cultural Skills Productivity & Accountability Leadership & Responsibility

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ICT LITERACYLearners should be able to:Apply technology effectively

Use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information.

Use digital technologies, communication/ networking tools and social networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate and create information in order to successfully function is a knowledge society.

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Information LiteracyAccessing information efficiently and effectively, evaluating information critically and competently and using information accurately and creatively for the issue or problem at hand:

5 years ago: information has doubled

2 years ago: technical information has doubled

1 hour ago: electronic information has doubled

(Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2007)

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Media or Critical Literacy

Understanding how media messages are constructed, for what purposes and using which tools, characteristics and conventions.

Examining how individuals interpret messages differently, how values and points of view are included or excluded and how media can influence beliefs and behaviors.

Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

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Literacy in the 20th CEvery Student Must be:Able to read and write

Time on TaskStandardization of teaching, learning & assessmentTransmission of knowledge Over-emphasis on controlBuilding learning from the part to the wholeLack of attention to diversity, individual differences, socialization, and collaborationNarrow view of effectiveness and efficiency

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Literacy in the 21st C Every Student Must be:•A critical thinker• A problem solver• An Innovator• An effective communicator• An effective collaborator• A self-directed learner• Information and media literate• Globally aware• Civically engaged• Financially and economically literate

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Literacy…in the 21st CA Major Shift away from Teacher- Centered to Child-Centered

Constructivist TheoryA Major Shift from Individualism to Collaboration

Social Learning Theory

A Shift from Skills only to Connecting Learners to our World

Global Awareness Technology and Media LiteracyCivic Literacy Financial and Economic LiteracyEnvironmental Literacy Information LiteracyCritical Literacy

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Purposes of Literacy

“Reading the word….…. and the world”

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Purposes of Literacy

The “illiterate” of the 21st Century will not be those who

cannot read and write

But those who cannot learn, unlearn and re-learn

Alvin Toffler

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Productivity Enhancement through Literacies

Workplace Literacy:- Lifelong Learning Environments- Focus on Continuous and Comprehensive

on-the-job and relevant learning- Learning for All- Collaborative Learning- Dynamic and Flexible Learning

Environments

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We must begin a newjourney to embed a culture

of learning…..

What will this look like in the workplace???

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JFLL Market / Impact Opportunity

Market Opportunity Impact indicatorsUnattached youth

127,000 (STATIN – 2008) Youth need basic and secondary education and life skills

Employability/ EmploymentReady for skills trainingGDP / productivityCrime & Violence

Literacy challenged adults

Workers with higher literacy levels impact productivity positivelyParents with higher literacies make better educational , health and business decisions

Improved employmentIncome tax revenuePoverty reductionEmpowered citizensChild Education PerformanceImproved health care

Workplace

70% of labour force (700,000+) have no formal training / certification (STATIN)

20% of labour force (200,000) are estimated to be “functionally illiterate”

GDP / ProductivityWorkplace safety (OSHA)Investment

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Literacy in the 21st Century

What Does This Mean for ….

YOU?

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References

www.21stcenturyskills.orgMOE Educational Statistics 2009-2010

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/

literacy in the 21 st century 29 th september 2011 dr. alison cross, executive director, jamaican...

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