TAFE

NSW

Fou

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Who’s who in the Foundation Skills zoo?…examining the potential of the draft Professional Standards Framework

LouiseWignallNov 15

1. Raising awareness and commitment to action

2. Adult learners have high quality learning

opportunities and outcomes

3. Strengthening foundation skills in the workplace

4. Building the capacity of the education and training

workforces to deliver foundation skills

National Strategy Priorities

The National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults defines foundation skills as:

‘English language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) – listening, speaking, reading, writing, digital literacy and use of mathematical ideas; and employability skills, such as collaboration, problem solving, self-management, learning and information and communication technology (ICT) skills required for participation in modern workplaces and contemporary life.

Foundation skills development includes both skills acquisition and the critical application of these skills in multiple environments for multiple purposes. Foundation skills are fundamental to participation in the workplace, the community and in adult education and training.’

The methodologyThe methodology

Building the capacity of the education and training workforces to deliver foundation skills – •building the skills of specialist language, literacy and numeracy practitioners,•developing the workforce to enable the effective teaching of employability skills and, •supporting vocational trainers to better integrate foundation skills with vocational training.

Building the capacity of the education and training workforces to deliver foundation skills – •building the skills of specialist language, literacy and numeracy practitioners,•developing the workforce to enable the effective teaching of employability skills and, •supporting vocational trainers to better integrate foundation skills with vocational training.

Priority 4Priority 4

Specific elementSpecific element

From 2012, Australian governments will work collaboratively to:•strengthen and diversify the identity of the foundation skills practitioner field, and

•support professional expertise in foundation skills delivery,

including by exploring options for developing professional standards for practitioners.

National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults, COAG Standing Council on Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment (SCOTESE) Nov 2011, p24

Why?Why?

The 2014-15 work consisted of:•Desk-research on qualifications•National NCVER survey•Stories from the field narrative research•Focus groups

The 2014-15 work consisted of:•Desk-research on qualifications•National NCVER survey•Stories from the field narrative research•Focus groups

In total more than 800 people participated in the research:•683 respondents participated in the NCVER survey•30 people provided ‘stories from the field’ in full, and a further 35 people provided snippets of their story•51 people attended the national focus groups•13 people used the online platform to share their views.

In total more than 800 people participated in the research:•683 respondents participated in the NCVER survey•30 people provided ‘stories from the field’ in full, and a further 35 people provided snippets of their story•51 people attended the national focus groups•13 people used the online platform to share their views.

Research activityResearch activity

ParticipationParticipation

What?What?

•Defining foundation skills – need for broadened responsibility

•Range of roles and responsibilities in foundation skills provision

•Mixed qualifications of the existing field

•Strong support for continuous professional development

•A policy case to maintain existing practitioners as a a valuable resource (as active agents)

•A need to encourage new entrants

•Building team/organisational capability

•Defining foundation skills – need for broadened responsibility

•Range of roles and responsibilities in foundation skills provision

•Mixed qualifications of the existing field

•Strong support for continuous professional development

•A policy case to maintain existing practitioners as a a valuable resource (as active agents)

•A need to encourage new entrants

•Building team/organisational capability

The workforce delivering foundation skillsThe workforce delivering foundation skills

Not a single set of

practitioners

Not a single set of

practitioners

Growing acceptance of the term

of FS

Growing acceptance of the term

of FS

Professional identity

belongs more to some than

to others

Professional identity

belongs more to some than

to othersIdiosyncratic combination

of qualifications

Professional development as a way to

‘grow’ practitioners

Professional development as a way to

‘grow’ practitioners

Skill development occurs over

time

Skill development occurs over

time

‘…working with ‘the more knowledgeable other’.

‘…working with ‘the more knowledgeable other’.

•The need for a common language

It's the single hook we can hang our work on but people need to know about it.Sydney focus group member

•From awareness to accountability – a framework for everyone

So if the framework is built on a really clear understanding of the skills and knowledge of the field and the range of places where it is delivered and allows people to identify where they fit and where the pathways are - then it’s an empowering model too (a pathway model, bringing new people into the field in thin markets).Melbourne focus group

•The need for a common language

It's the single hook we can hang our work on but people need to know about it.Sydney focus group member

•From awareness to accountability – a framework for everyone

So if the framework is built on a really clear understanding of the skills and knowledge of the field and the range of places where it is delivered and allows people to identify where they fit and where the pathways are - then it’s an empowering model too (a pathway model, bringing new people into the field in thin markets).Melbourne focus group

A professional standardsstructureA professional standardsstructure

Strengthen and diversify

Support professional

expertise

Foundation skills as ‘a

complex field of practice’

Capability not

compliance driven

The focus should be on

pathways and

inclusivity

Clear purpose

Needs to be an empowering model

Physiological

Safety

Social

Esteem

actualisationHe

alth

sust

aini

ng

need

s

Life

sust

aini

ng

need

s

Com

fort

sust

aini

ng

Mucking around with Maslow

Mucking around with Maslow

self

To be able to recognise and make the most of one’s

unique abilities

Respect, recognition, have many ways to say you count

Networks, Mentors, Connection , Tailored PDbeing ‘kept in the loop’

Funding, Jobs, Resourcing, Policy settings

The broad policy environment

Tooling with taxonomyThe value of categoriesTooling with taxonomyThe value of categories

• Inclusive• Can be built upon• Support not constrain

• Inclusive• Can be built upon• Support not constrain

Three domains or contexts where foundation skills services may be provided

•education and training

•workplace and employment

•personal and community

Three domains or contexts where foundation skills services may be provided

•education and training

•workplace and employment

•personal and community

Framework structureFramework structure

Four areas of capability that divide foundation skills job roles into broad categories.

1.knowledge of foundation skills

2.capacity to provide adult education

3.experience in foundation skills teaching practice

4.skills in professional capacity building

Practitioners will generally have some capabilities in each of the four areas.

Four areas of capability that divide foundation skills job roles into broad categories.

1.knowledge of foundation skills

2.capacity to provide adult education

3.experience in foundation skills teaching practice

4.skills in professional capacity building

Practitioners will generally have some capabilities in each of the four areas.

Four stages of development that identify different ‘levels’ for each capability.

Practitioners will have a spiky profile indicating specialised skills in some areas and developing skills in others.

Four stages of development that identify different ‘levels’ for each capability.

Practitioners will have a spiky profile indicating specialised skills in some areas and developing skills in others.

Education and Training Workplace and Employment Personal and Community

Three domains or contexts where foundation skills services may be provided.Three domains or contexts where foundation skills services may be provided.

Practitioners may operate entirely within one domain or have capabilities across two, or all three domains. Practitioners may operate entirely within one domain or have capabilities across two, or all three domains.

Aware Developing Practitioner Specialised

Aware – captures ‘associate’ level capabilities where foundation skills are not the main focus of the job roleDeveloping – represents the capabilities of an ‘apprentice’ or practitioner-in-trainingPractitioner – describes capabilities for a competent foundation skills practitionerSpecialised – encompasses expert knowledge that may be used to mentor or guide others

Aware – captures ‘associate’ level capabilities where foundation skills are not the main focus of the job roleDeveloping – represents the capabilities of an ‘apprentice’ or practitioner-in-trainingPractitioner – describes capabilities for a competent foundation skills practitionerSpecialised – encompasses expert knowledge that may be used to mentor or guide others

Practitioners will not be at the same stage for all of their capabilities, they will have a spiky profile indicating specialised skills in some areas and developing skills in others. Practitioners will not be at the same stage for all of their capabilities, they will have a spiky profile indicating specialised skills in some areas and developing skills in others.

Four stages of development that identify different ‘levels’ for each capability. Four stages of development that identify different ‘levels’ for each capability.

Knowledge of foundation skills

Capacity to provide adult education

Experience in foundation skills teaching practice

Skills in professional capacity building

Four areas of capability in foundation skills job rolesFour areas of capability in foundation skills job roles

Practitioners will generally have some capabilities in each of the four areas. Practitioners will generally have some capabilities in each of the four areas.

• Recognise adult literacy demands

• Recognise English language demands

• Recognise numeracy demands

• Recognise employability skills demands

• Recognise adult literacy demands

• Recognise English language demands

• Recognise numeracy demands

• Recognise employability skills demands

1. Knowledge of foundation skills1. Knowledge of foundation skills

At 4 stages of development At 4 stages of development

Across 3 delivery contextsAcross 3 delivery contexts

• Recognise adult literacy skills

• Recognise English language skills

• Recognise numeracy skills

• Recognise employability skills

• Recognise adult literacy skills

• Recognise English language skills

• Recognise numeracy skills

• Recognise employability skills

Education and training

Workplace and employment

Personal and Community

Sample element from Knowledge of foundation skillsSample element from Knowledge of foundation skills

• Apply adult learning principles• Respond to learner needs• Collaborate with others to

deliver service• Provide advice to learners• Develop professional practice

• Apply adult learning principles• Respond to learner needs• Collaborate with others to

deliver service• Provide advice to learners• Develop professional practice

2. Capacity to provide adult education2. Capacity to provide adult education

At 4 stages of development At 4 stages of development

Across 3 delivery contextsAcross 3 delivery contexts

Education and training

Workplace and employment

Personal and Community

Sample element from Capacity to provide adult educationSample element from Capacity to provide adult education

• Deliver adult literacy

• Deliver English language

• Deliver numeracy

• Deliver employability skills

• Deliver adult literacy

• Deliver English language

• Deliver numeracy

• Deliver employability skills

Experience in foundation skills teaching practiceExperience in foundation skills teaching practice

At 4 stages of development At 4 stages of development

Across 3 delivery contextsAcross 3 delivery contexts

• Participate in delivery of integrated programs

• Contribute to assessment of integrated programs

• Access resources

• Participate in delivery of integrated programs

• Contribute to assessment of integrated programs

• Access resources

• Assess adult literacy

• Assess English language

• Assess numeracy

• Assess employability skills

• Assess adult literacy

• Assess English language

• Assess numeracy

• Assess employability skills

Education and training

Workplace and employment

Personal and community

Sample element from Experience in foundation skills teaching practiceSample element from Experience in foundation skills teaching practice

Skills in professional capacity buildingSkills in professional capacity building

At 4 stages of development At 4 stages of development

Across 3 delivery contextsAcross 3 delivery contexts

• Share knowledge with stakeholders

• Participate in professional development

• Identify own foundation skills

• Share knowledge with stakeholders

• Participate in professional development

• Identify own foundation skills

Education and training

Workplace and employment

Personal and community

Sample element from Skills in professional capacity buildingSample element from Skills in professional capacity building

1. As a self-assessment tool for practitioners to identify and describe their current capability

2. To identify existing skill gaps and focus areas for professional development

3. To consistently describe expected practitioner capabilities for job descriptions or program requirements

4. As a mechanism for mapping outcomes from current and historic qualifications for the purposes of comparison with individual or employer requirements

5. As the basis for describing and organising professional development options…..

1. As a self-assessment tool for practitioners to identify and describe their current capability

2. To identify existing skill gaps and focus areas for professional development

3. To consistently describe expected practitioner capabilities for job descriptions or program requirements

4. As a mechanism for mapping outcomes from current and historic qualifications for the purposes of comparison with individual or employer requirements

5. As the basis for describing and organising professional development options…..

How might the framework be used?How might the framework be used?

Can you think of any others?Can you think of any others?

Mapping to units, skill sets or qualificationsMapping to units, skill sets or qualifications

Where might each of these fit on the framework? Discuss in pairs….Where might each of these fit on the framework? Discuss in pairs….

C1/D1 Designing adult numeracy classes through a language filter

Beth Marr

The concepts of numeracy/mathematics are inextricably linked with the language that names

them. In mathematics, terms like volume, area and rectangle carry specific meanings, often

different from everyday usage. Imagine the difficulties for English language and literacy learners

when such language is not given specific attention. Even simple terms like quarter of an hour, odd

number, decimal point and reading numbers and fractions can confuse people from other

cultures. However, mathematics is traditionally taught as a silent subject: the predominant

classroom voice is the teacher. When students do speak, they are rarely encouraged to practise

numeracy language. This interactive workshop draws on issues encountered when designing

curriculum and teaching numeracy to LOTE adult learner groups in Melbourne and East Timor. It

will model a variety of numeracy teaching methodologies, including activities designed to

develop numeracy and language simultaneously. All strategies will be applicable in a range of

teaching situations, particularly with LOTE and literacy learners.

Mapping PD – an example from ACAL/ACTA 2016 conference….Mapping PD – an example from ACAL/ACTA 2016 conference….

What about this session? What capabilities does it cover? What level of capability might it suit? What about this session? What capabilities does it cover? What level of capability might it suit?

1. Clarification about the status of the draft framework

2. Validation with key stakeholders and professional associations

3. Further development of framework content

4. Mapping of qualifications, skill sets and PD

5. Information and dissemination – trialing and sharing of models

1. Clarification about the status of the draft framework

2. Validation with key stakeholders and professional associations

3. Further development of framework content

4. Mapping of qualifications, skill sets and PD

5. Information and dissemination – trialing and sharing of models

Next stepsNext steps

What else?What else?