Getting Results in Literacy and Numeracy

Transcription

1 Getting Results in Literacy and Numeracy Contributing to the vision that all New Zealanders enjoy a level of literacy and numeracy that enables them to participate fully in all aspects of life September 2010

2 Executive summary 1. Strong literacy and numeracy skills are increasingly essential for full participation in a complex global world. The vision for a more literate New Zealand was laid out in the 2001 New Zealand Adult Literacy Strategy More than Words. Over the long term, all New Zealanders should enjoy a level of literacy which enables them to participate fully in all aspects of life including work, family and the community and the opportunity to achieve literacy in English and Te Reo Māori In 2008, the Tertiary Education Commission published an Action Plan for Literacy, Language and Numeracy outlining a tertiary education sector programme of work focused on contributing to this vision. The Action Plan aimed to improve the workforce literacy and numeracy skills of adults by increasing learning opportunities, improving sector capability and building a national infrastructure. 3. The Action Plan took a systemic approach to building tertiary education sector capability that would ensure a progressive increase in the number of literacy and numeracy learners. Since 2007, the number of adults who participate in programmes that include literacy and numeracy, through the tertiary education system, has more than doubled. 4. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update of what has been achieved since the Action Plan and to outline the next steps for the tertiary education sector. 5. The capability to include literacy and numeracy in tertiary education programmes is now more widespread across all tertiary education sectors. The components of a national, professional, literacy and numeracy infrastructure are in place: quality assurance teaching and learning resources qualifications and professional development opportunities for educators assessment tools and funding systems with a strengthened focus on results. 6. Between 2007 and 2010, over 2,200 educators have enrolled in national qualifications in teaching literacy and numeracy for adults and many more participated in professional development opportunities. 7. Participation alone is not an indicator of improved literacy and numeracy. From 2011, with the exception of Adult and Community Education, all TEC-funded tertiary education learners whose courses include literacy and numeracy will be assessed using the Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool or the Starting Points Assessment Guide. This will provide, for the first time, robust comparative information on learners literacy and numeracy levels and evidence of their progress. Providers will be able to use the results to inform and improve their teaching. Improving performance is a key priority and further work is required to continue building capability 1 More than Words: The New Zealand Adult Literacy Strategy Ministry of Education (2001). 2

3 and, in particular, to ensure that provision meets the needs of Māori and Pasifika adults. 8. The next stage, from 2011, will mean most entry-level tertiary provision will include literacy and numeracy. By ,000 tertiary learners will participate in programmes that include literacy and numeracy. This will be achieved within current funding levels using the Investment Planning process. 9. Traditional tertiary education programmes alone cannot address the literacy and numeracy challenge. Innovative new ways to support adults improve their literacy and numeracy need to be found. Self-paced learning through online systems, and supporting employers and other agencies to include literacy and numeracy in their training systems, are two options being considered. 3

4 PART ONE Background to the vision for a literate New Zealand What is literacy and numeracy? 10. Literacy is the written and oral language people use in everyday life and work; it includes reading, writing, speaking and listening. For example, people want to be able to read documents, engage in conversations with their colleagues or friends, read safety notices and fill in forms (at the bank or hospital as well as at work). Literacy skills are essential for good communication, critical thinking and problem-solving. This definition of literacy includes the language needed to communicate for speakers of other languages. Literacy provides an essential foundation for acquiring qualifications. 11. Numeracy includes the knowledge and skills needed to apply mathematics to everyday life: family and financial matters; work and community tasks. Historically numeracy has been treated as a subset of literacy. It is notable that the vision outlined in the Ministry of Education s More than Words Strategy was silent on numeracy. The literacy and numeracy work programme outlined in the Action Plan views numeracy as a distinct learning area requiring tools, professional development and deliberate teaching and assessment Literacy and numeracy, like any area of skill, has a continuum of competence from beginner to expert. The literacy and numeracy work described in this paper focuses on those at the beginning of the continuum who have very low or low literacy and/or numeracy levels (Levels 1 and 2 on the Adult Literacy and Lifeskills (ALL) survey measure). To achieve the vision of a literate New Zealand, adults need to raise their literacy and numeracy from Levels 1 and 2, to Levels 3 or above: Fig 1 The Literacy and Numeracy continuum 2 A full description of the skills that make up these definitions of literacy and numeracy are laid out in the Learning Progressions for Adult Literacy and Numeracy. 4

5 New Zealand literacy and numeracy levels 13. The 2006 ALL survey showed that 1.1 million New Zealanders (43 percent of adults aged 16 to 65) have literacy and numeracy skills below those needed to participate fully in a modern, high-skilled economy, i.e. at Levels 1 and 2 of the ALL classification (see diagram above). Māori adults have lower literacy and numeracy skills, as measured by the ALL survey, than the general population for all reported age groups. More than half of Māori adults in 2006 had skills at Levels 1 or 2. Pasifika adults are also over-represented in the low and very low literacy and numeracy groups New Zealand ALL survey results show that approximately 14 percent of the population has very low literacy and about 20 percent has very low numeracy (Level 1 ALL). Approximately 318,000 people have very low skills in both literacy and numeracy. Migrants make up 38 percent of those with very low skills in both literacy and numeracy. As well as this, there are significant numbers of people born in New Zealand who are currently at Level The ALL benchmark (Level 3) for assessing adequate literacy is widely accepted internationally, and reflects the skills required for full participation in a modern high skill economy 4. It reflects not only the increasing demands of modern workplaces but also the increasing complexity of everyday life. 16. Comparable countries have responded to similar statistics with significant investment 5 in initiatives aimed at raising literacy and numeracy skills. Why does low literacy and numeracy matter? 17. There are strong social and economic benefits in ensuring that adults have good literacy and numeracy skills. 6 Higher levels of these skills contribute to the personal well-being and social development of individuals, whānau and communities. They are associated with higher earnings and increased chances of being in stable employment. Literacy and numeracy skills enhance access to higher level qualifications and workplace skills. They are also associated with better health, better parenting and greater levels of engagement and participation in family and social life. By contrast, it appears that low levels of literacy and numeracy are associated with social exclusion and poverty. There also appears to be a strong intergenerational component to low levels of literacy and numeracy, which perpetuates such disadvantage. 3 For a full description of ALL survey results for New Zealand see: 4 Similar literacy and numeracy levels have been reported in Australia (44 percent below Level 3) and Canada (40 percent below Level 3). 5 Skills for Life Revisited: Leitch report 2006, UK. 6 See for example Economic Impact of Education in Basic Skills: Summary of Evidence. John Vorhaus. October 2009 NRDC, UK. 5

6 Whose responsibility is it? 18. Making progress towards the vision of a more literate New Zealand requires action from many different sectors. Adults with low literacy and numeracy skills need to have access to learning experiences that are affordable and relevant. Employers, unions, voluntary organisations, iwi, media and many Government agencies have a part to play. Schools are addressing the flow of young people entering adult life with insufficient literacy and numeracy. Tertiary education providers and industry training organisations (ITOs) need understanding and knowledge about effective solutions for literacy and numeracy. Researchers and education specialists need to build knowledge about how to engage different groups of adults in learning that builds relevant and transferable skills in a sustainable way. The tertiary sector contribution 19. The work programme to improve the contribution of the tertiary sector to the goal of a more literate New Zealand has progressed through several staged phases of action, each focused on achieving better results for more New Zealanders: Staged phases of action for the tertiary sector to contribute to achieving the vision More Than Words Exploration, trials and proof of concept focused on building capability; Draft Learning Progressions for Adult Literacy and Numeracy; Qualifications for educators; Quality assurance Literacy, Language and Numeracy Action Plan Double the number of learning opportunities; Build a national infrastructure for funding, quality and monitoring; Train over 2,200 educators in literacy and numeracy education; Build organisational capability to expand the number of providers who can teach literacy and numeracy; Sustained professional development for tertiary educators; Build the knowledge base, including teaching and learning resources Getting Results in Literacy and Numeracy Further expansion of learning opportunities through embedding literacy and numeracy in all entry level provision; Robust evidence of learners entry levels and progress in literacy and numeracy to inform further policy, advice on where to best target funding, and improvements in teaching; More specialised development of knowledge base for Māori, Pasifika and young people; Continuous improvement. Beyond 2013 Next Steps Using the evidence from Getting Results in Literacy and Numeracy to establish next steps. 6

7 The Literacy, Language and Numeracy Action Plan The Literacy, Language and Numeracy Action Plan 2008 sought to raise New Zealanders literacy and numeracy skills to enable full productive participation in economic and social life. 21. The development of the 2008 Action Plan considered the demographics of those who need to improve their literacy and numeracy skills and the international evidence about how adults acquire these skills. Alongside this, the existing sector capability was examined. It was found there was limited knowledge about literacy and numeracy across the tertiary education sector. In addition, there was little common understanding about the components of literacy, no way of reporting progress or assessing quality and few qualified educators. Only a small group of tertiary education organisations accepted that improving literacy and numeracy should be part of their provision. 22. The Action Plan outlined a period of development for which would build provider and educator capability and a national infrastructure. At the same time there would be a progressive increase in the number of learners who would improve their literacy and numeracy. This period of development would lay the foundation for embedding literacy and numeracy in many more entry-level programmes across the tertiary education sector from A key focus of this stage was to take a wholesystem approach to build an infrastructure that could make an ongoing contribution to the literacy and numeracy challenge: Increase number of learning opportunities that include literacy and numeracy Capability building for providers and educators TEC builds infrastructure 2011 Significant increase in the number of learning opportunities which include literacy and numeracy delivered across the tertiary sector Figure 2: Literacy and Numeracy Action Plan 2008 Progress in increasing the number of literacy and numeracy learning opportunities 23. Funding systems have been revised and streamlined to reduce compliance and improve performance. The Tertiary Education Commission uses two approaches to funding literacy and numeracy for adults. Intensive programmes, in workplaces or communities, reach those adults with the lowest levels of literacy and numeracy and provide learning focused on raising those skills, within a meaningful context. Embedded programmes, on the other hand, aim to raise the literacy and numeracy skills of learners while they are engaged in a programme leading to a specific qualification such as an Industry Training vocational certificate. These include Student 7

8 Achievement Component (SAC)-funded programmes including Youth Guarantee, Industry Training, Training Opportunities and Youth Training (targeted programmes). 24. Both intensive and embedding programmes recognise that adults are motivated to improve their literacy and numeracy when it is directly linked to a personal goal. The Learning Progressions provide a common framework. Within this framework, teaching professionals have a high degree of autonomy to deliver programmes to their learners in relevant contexts, such as intergenerational programmes, programmes focused on resettlement, or programmes focused on achieving vocational goals. 25. Budget 2008 provided additional funding for new literacy and numeracy learning opportunities (intensive) and to encourage the inclusion of literacy and numeracy in entry-level 7 tertiary provision (embedded). The number of literacy and numeracy opportunities funded by the Tertiary Education Commission has more than doubled, from less than 15,000 in 2007 to 35,000 in 2010 (see Graphs 1 and 2) below: Graph 1: Increased learning opportunities that include literacy and 8 numeracy from Embedded Intensive Learner numbers 7 New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) Level 1 and Levels 1-3 programmes. 8 In addition an estimated 9000 Adult and Community Education (ACE) adults will participate in literacy and numeracy ACE programmes in Some adults in Training Opportunities and Youth Training also have the opportunity to improve their literacy and numeracy but outcomes from this are not yet reported and available. 8

9 Graph 2: The mix of literacy and numeracy learning opportunities in 2010 Youth Guarantee, 2000 Intensive Literacy and Numeracy Fund, 6000 ITO Embedded Projects, Workplace Literacy Fund, 4500 Workplace Literacy - Employee Targeted, 1700 ITP Embedded Level 1-3, Embedded Intensive 26. This increase in learning opportunities reflects the efforts of many stakeholders including employers, unions and ITOs, as well as tertiary education providers. Adult learners have shown a willingness to improve their literacy and numeracy skills if programmes are relevant to their goals. 27. While the number of programmes that include literacy and numeracy has increased, evidence about literacy and numeracy learning gain is limited has been a period of intensive capability building and, while providers have been required to assess learner progress, their results have not been rigorously monitored. 9 Small scale evaluations, qualitative feedback and provider reports using Tertiary Education Commission templates all point towards progress in improving learners literacy and numeracy. Now that the core elements of the national infrastructure are in place the emphasis will shift from capability building to demonstrating learner results. This is the focus of the next section of this paper. Progress in capability building for providers and organisations 28. The capability programme sought to make teaching literacy and numeracy core business for a wide range of entry-level tertiary education organisations (TEOs) that had hitherto largely ignored literacy and numeracy. TEOs reaching 80 percent of entry-level tertiary education learners are now engaged in support for embedded literacy and numeracy. 29. Direct capability funding was provided to all institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs) and wānanga and to the largest 38 Private Training Establishments (PTEs). ITOs were funded to build their capability through embedded projects. The organisational changes necessary for including literacy and numeracy in entry-level tertiary education provision include changes in: attitudes, leadership, understanding of workplace requirements and embedding, skills for teaching staff at various levels, curriculum development, course materials, learning resources, review of learning hours and business systems. 9 The infrastructure to enable a common approach to assessing literacy and numeracy progress was completed in 2010 (Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool and Starting Points Assessment Guide). 9

10 30. The systemic nature of this work takes time and in some cases depended on working through, and influencing, employers, providers, organisations and others to first understand the necessity for the changes and then to implement and embed the necessary infrastructure. 31. Organisations are at different stages on this journey. The expectations of the 2011 planning round and the subsequent monitoring of results will raise challenges for the sector. Those organisations that were early adopters and participated in the numerous opportunities available are better positioned to increase the pace of embedding and achieve results in their provision from Progress in building capability of educators, trainers and tutors 32. An essential component of success in embedding literacy and numeracy into entrylevel tertiary education provision is a trained teaching workforce. The development programme reached vocational tutors, industry trainers, tutors in communities and institutions, leaders and champions. The response from educators has been positive, with reports that they better understand their learners, that their teaching has improved, and that the inclusion of literacy and numeracy has improved their learners results. Some examples of the level of engagement: The National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults run by the University of Waikato s School of Education has been established and offers a wide range of professional development opportunities, linked to qualifications and research; Over 2,200 educators have enrolled in national qualifications in teaching literacy and numeracy; Over 1,500 educators participated in sustained professional development on embedding literacy and numeracy in their programmes; Three universities now offer higher level qualifications in teaching literacy and numeracy to adults, supported by study grants; NZQA has developed a diploma in teaching literacy and numeracy to accompany the national certificate level qualifications, contributing to a formal career pathway for educators; A number of organisations have included teaching literacy and numeracy in their in-house tutor training and professional development programmes; Hundreds of workshops have been attended by tutors, resource writers, and trainers. These cover an introduction to the national frameworks and specialised tuition in particular content areas. Progress in building a national infrastructure 33. The infrastructure work programme included quality assurance, funding and assessment systems. The programme sought to provide teaching and assessment tools that could be used by educators in different contexts that would avoid the duplication effort that would result from every provider investing time and resources in developing tools. The infrastructure programme sought to establish a national system which would ensure that funded programmes were of high quality and focused on 10

11 teaching the competencies in the Learning Progressions books in a context relevant to the learner The Learning Progressions and other teaching and learning resources have been well received. A website for adult literacy and numeracy educators provides access to the resources, online discussion and updates on professional learning opportunities. 35. The funding frameworks for all literacy and numeracy investment has been streamlined and simplified, using international and New Zealand evidence about best practice. Changes include a stronger focus on the skills outlined in the Learning Progressions, rather than on broader related outcomes. 11 Quality assurance 36. NZQA has included key indicators (based on international best practice in literacy and numeracy teaching) in the relevant evaluation processes, both for self-assessment and external evaluation and review. This moves the quality assurance of literacy and numeracy provision into the mainstream quality assurance system and will raise the profile of literacy and numeracy in the quality assurance processes. Assessment 37. Government investment in literacy and numeracy has been hampered by the lack of objective evidence of learner results, or any way to compare progress between programmes. The Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool (the Assessment Tool) has been developed for a New Zealand context and more than 2,000 assessment items have now been trialled on thousands of adults. The Assessment Tool is designed to demonstrate the added value of programmes, regardless of where learners begin. The sophistication of the item development and calibration means that assessments are rigorous and comparable. 38. The Assessment Tool provides educators with reliable information about their learners reading, writing and numeracy skills and will also allow providers to monitor and report learner progress and review their performance. This information is expected to contribute to improved teaching. The Assessment Tool will also provide the ability to create a national database to analyse overall progress in raising reading, writing and numeracy skills. 39. For those adults whose reading skills fall below the level of the Learning Progressions, a Starting Points Assessment Guide has been developed. This is shown in the following diagram: The competencies laid out in the Learning Progressions were developed from OECD frameworks identifying the skills needed to participate fully in a modern high-skilled economy. They include reading, writing, speaking, listening and numeracy. This is not intended to undermine the importance of providing good pastoral care and a focus on building confidence and learning to learn, but recognises that these outcomes alone will not achieve the goal of the TEC s literacy and numeracy strategy. 11

12 The components of a coherent infrastructure to effectively support the teaching of literacy and numeracy are now in place Funding system Quality assurance Assessment tools to inform teaching and measure learner progress National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults - University of Waikato Professional development opportunities for educators Information for TEOs, educators and employers Support for leadership and organisational change Learning resources Teaching resources Teaching qualifications for educators A common framework Learning Progressions for Literacy and Numeracy Progress in building awareness and demand 40. Raising the literacy and numeracy skills of significant numbers of adults depends on a level of awareness and acceptance from a range of contributors: adults with low levels of skills, employers, unions, organisations that provide or arrange learning and tutors / trainers and educators to name a few. Consistent communication from government about the importance of literacy and numeracy (e.g. in the Tertiary Education Strategy ), together with support and engagement of key players such as Business New Zealand and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, have contributed to increasing awareness, and acceptance, that raising literacy and numeracy levels is a tertiary education priority. 12

13 PART TWO Getting Results in Literacy and Numeracy: Building on progress 41. The components of a national infrastructure are now in place. Literacy and numeracy expertise is no longer confined to a few providers. Educators across all sectors have embraced the opportunities provided to build capability and include literacy and numeracy in entry-level tertiary education provision. 42. This section looks at the next phase of the tertiary education sector s contribution to the vision of a more literate New Zealand will see further expansion in the number of adults participating in programmes that include literacy and numeracy, and a strengthened focus on learner progress. However, raising adults literacy and numeracy skills is not easy, and it will take some time for TEOs to make the necessary long-term changes so that the literacy and numeracy effort remains sustainable. Commitment to the building of sector capability and knowledge needs to continue. 43. The work outlined in this paper for focuses on what can be achieved within current levels of resourcing. The pace of change could be hastened and more learners could be reached with greater resourcing. Tertiary Education Strategy Raising levels of literacy and numeracy will contribute to several Tertiary Education Strategy priorities: increasing the number of young people (aged under 25) achieving qualifications at New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) Levels 4 and above, particularly degrees; increasing the number of Māori students enjoying success at higher levels; increasing the number of Pasifika students achieving at higher levels; and improving literacy and numeracy skills outcomes from NZQF Levels 1-3 study. Increasing the number of young people achieving qualifications at NZQF Levels 4 and above 45. Strong literacy and numeracy skills are an essential prerequisite for success at higher levels of study. Embedding literacy and numeracy in entry-level tertiary education study will better equip young people to successfully progress to higher level qualifications. Learning opportunities that include literacy and numeracy should form a coherent pathway of opportunities which enable young people to move to higher level qualifications. More Māori students enjoying success at higher levels 46. To achieve this priority All tertiary education organisations need to take responsibility for strengthening Māori education, creative activity and research outcomes. 12 The Tertiary Education Strategy also identifies that tertiary providers and ITOs must 12 Page 12, Tertiary Education Strategy

14 improve their pastoral and academic support and adopt teaching practices that are culturally responsive to Māori students. 47. In response to this priority, a dialogue has commenced on how to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of Māori learners. Of particular note is the increased interest and discussion across the sector to define more clearly the concept of Māori literacy and indigenous literacy in relation to the current literacy and numeracy work programme. There is a role for Māori to lead and facilitate initiatives that will contribute to improvements in lit eracy and numeracy for Māori learners. More Pasifika students achieving at higher levels 48. The Tertiary Education Strategy identifies the need for tertiary education providers and ITOs to focus on how they can assist Pasifika students to progress to and achieve at higher levels of study. It identifies involvement with Pasifika community groups and improving pastoral and academic support, learning environments, and pathways into tertiary education as key approaches. 49. The Literacy and Numeracy work programme has a number of initiatives underway which focus on improving the literacy and numeracy skills of Pasifika learners. In 2010 a DVD for educators focused on engaging Pasifika learners was released. A number of ITP initiatives are also underway to assist in understanding the needs of Pasifika learners. There is a role for Pacific people to lead and facilitate programmes of work that will contribute to improvements in the literacy and numeracy of Pasifika learners. Improving literacy, language and numeracy and skills outcomes from levels one to three study 48. Over 135,000 learners engage in entry-level tertiary education programmes every year. Evidence from the ALL survey indicates that many of these learners have low levels of literacy and numeracy. The progress that has been made in building sector capability to teach literacy and numeracy means that the TEC can now expect entrylevel provision to include literacy and numeracy. 14

15 Getting Results in Literacy and Numeracy Actions Increase the number of learners who access literacy and numeracy in their courses 49. By 2013, 100,000 students will have literacy and numeracy included in their courses. The TEC will ensure that Investment Plans set numerical targets showing a progressive increase in the number of learners who improve their literacy and numeracy skills in courses at New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF) Levels 1-3. This includes SAC-funded programmes in ITPs, Wānanga, PTEs, and Industry Training and targeted programmes. 13 All TEOs delivering or arranging courses and programmes at NZQF Levels 1-3 will be required to identify courses that include literacy and numeracy and, over the next three years, show a progressive increase in the proportion of courses that include literacy and numeracy: Graph Three: Potential learner numbers for embedded literacy and numeracy in NZQF Levels 1-3 provision Levels 1-3 provision 2010 Training Opportunities /Youth Training Industry Training Youth Guarantee PTEs Wananga ITPs contains embedded literacy and numeracy total learners 50. The numbers in Graph 3 are broadly indicative and need to be interpreted with caution. 14 In particular the numbers include a mix of student numbers and Equivalent Full Time Students (EFTS), and many learners in ITPs and Wānanga study less than full time. Despite its limitations, the above graph shows the ongoing scale of growth that can be achieved by including literacy and numeracy in entry-level provision Further policy work is required if Youth Training and Training Opportunities are going to report literacy and numeracy outcomes. Different funding streams collect information in different ways, and for some, 2010 numbers are not yet available. Training Opportunities and Youth Training both include literacy and numeracy but there is no requirement for them to report on this, so there is no information on how many learners improve their literacy and numeracy. Industry Training numbers and Youth Guarantee numbers represent individual learners. The PTE, wānanga and ITP SAC numbers are EFTS. Many learners participate less than full time and, therefore, the learner numbers may be much higher. For example, 12,000 learners in ITPs will receive literacy and numeracy embedded in their 2010 programmes. Some PTE and wānanga programmes may include literacy and numeracy, but they have not yet reported on this. 15

16 51. The pace of embedding literacy and numeracy into entry-level programmes will vary by sector, but the Investment Planning process should ensure progress. Some sectors may need to make further changes in their training arrangements and capability if they are to achieve learner gain in literacy and numeracy. Those providers and organisations that are not willing to include, and report progress on, literacy and numeracy should be aware that their provision will be considered a lower priority. Strengthen the focus on learner results in literacy and numeracy 52. From 2011, all programmes that include literacy and numeracy will be required to report on, and be monitored for, learner progress in literacy and numeracy. This shift in focus from capability and participation (inputs) to evidence of learner results is consistent with changes in other parts of the tertiary education sector where student performance, including course and qualification completion rates, are becoming increasingly important. 53. Quality and success for all programmes that include literacy and numeracy (whether embedded or intensive) will be measured by evidence that learners made progress in reading, writing and numeracy. Improved literacy and numeracy can also be expected to also contribute to course and qualification completion rates and progression to higher level qualifications. 54. All tertiary education programmes (embedded and intensive) that include literacy and numeracy will use the Assessment Tool (or the Starting Point Assessment guide). 15 This is laid out in the TEC Investment Guidance published in May Using a well designed and robust approach to assessment will enable comparisons between programmes and approaches. Over time, performance benchmarks will be established for different types of provision. 55. Effective programmes which include literacy and numeracy will also contribute to a range of other outcomes for learners. These will vary with the context and learner characteristics. Raising confidence, learning to learn, digital literacy, supporting children s education, completing qualifications and improving workplace practices can all result from programmes that include literacy and numeracy. They are sometimes prerequisites for successful progress. They are the goals that motivate adult learners and they provide the context for learning. 15 The Starting Points Assessment Guide provides templates for assessing progress in reading for those learners who do not yet have sufficient reading skills to use the Assessment Tool. 16

17 56. The key focus for reporting, however, rests on the evidence of improvement in literacy and numeracy. 16 The case to raise adults literacy and numeracy skills is based on the evidence that higher levels of literacy and numeracy will contribute to a more inclusive society with improved family and health outcomes, a skilled and competitive workforce with higher earnings, greater attachment to work and many others benefits. These associations have been well established by international research. 17 In an intervention logic framework, the measurable output is the improvement in literacy and numeracy, while the medium and longer term outcomes are the wider economic, family and social benefits of improved literacy and numeracy. Monitoring framework to support continuous improvement and policy review 57. The Assessment Tool will enable analysis of the reading, writing and numeracy levels and progress of learners in all funding streams. The focus on results means a stronger monitoring role for the Tertiary Education Commission. The monitoring framework will identify progress for particular priority groups, such as Youth, Māori, Pasifika and speakers of other languages. It will also provide information (not previously available) about the literacy and numeracy levels of tertiary education participants when they first enrol. This will answer important policy questions about access to learning and inform analysis of the relative cost of improving literacy and numeracy across different levels of literacy and numeracy. 58. It is likely that in the current capped funding environment, adults with very low literacy and numeracy skills may find it harder to access embedded programmes, as some providers could select the students who have the most likelihood of succeeding. This will increase the demand for other ways of accessing learning such as intensive programmes, Adult and Community Education (ACE) and supported on-line learning. 59. The expansion of literacy and numeracy into all entry-level tertiary education provision raises questions about the mix of provision. There is ambiguity between the role of intensive provision, targeted programmes and embedded NZQF Levels 1-3 programmes which needs to be addressed. This work will form part of a larger review of NZQF Levels 1-2 tertiary education programmes which will seek to ensure a coherent pathway of opportunities is available to assist people with very low literacy to progress to achieving higher level qualifications. 60. Workplace literacy, and its connection to embedded literacy in Industry Training, will be included in the NZQF review. One challenge with workplace literacy is that it contributes to dual objectives: improved literacy and numeracy of employees, and business benefits. The Assessment Tool will provide better comparative information about the contribution of this approach to raising literacy and numeracy skills. If workplace literacy is to remain a viable option, providers need to be able to demonstrate results on the Assessment Tool and evidence of employer satisfaction and business benefits Like other performance measures in the tertiary education sector, this is not intended to limit the scope of learning. Education providers will continue to teach in contexts that engage learners and include a range of course content and other assessments. Literacy and numeracy progress will be one of several measures of learner progress, especially in embedded programmes. See for example 17

18 Continuous improvement to achieve learner results 61. Emerging capability in literacy and numeracy is still fragile and will need ongoing support. In a changing tertiary education landscape, it will be important to ensure that the literacy and numeracy priority does not become overwhelmed by new priorities. TEOs will need an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement. 62. Better diagnostic information about students reading, writing and numeracy skills, from the Assessment Tool, together with good teaching resources, qualified teaching staff and ongoing professional development are all ingredients that will contribute to ensuring learners make progress in literacy and numeracy. The Assessment Tool will provide information that informs class, cohort, provider and sector comparisons of learner results, by learner characteristics. For the first time, providers will be able to show what their programmes are achieving and compare their performance with others. Continue developing a skilled teaching workforce 63. A qualified teaching workforce is an essential component of success and remains a priority. A skilled workforce requires a culture which values continuous improvement and encourages educators to reflect on their results, review research evidence and try new approaches. A skilled workforce needs educators and vocational tutors with a range of qualifications, including higher level qualifications that support leadership and research and the ability to deliver highly specialised teaching for different groups of learners. 64. There are some risks associated with the continued development of a skilled teaching workforce: i. the funding that has supported access to qualifications in teaching literacy and numeracy is reducing from 2011; ii. the scale of government s direct investment in professional development is also reducing; and iii. staff training and professional development will progressively become a provider cost, as it is in other parts of tertiary education. Continue building the knowledge base 65. There are complexities in teaching adult literacy and numeracy. There is growing awareness, nationally and internationally, of the need to better understand how to engage adults in literacy and numeracy and also ensure they persevere and make progress that can enhance their lives. Solutions have not been straightforward or rapid, with the knowledge base around making literacy and numeracy affordable and effective still emerging. Some priority issues: i. There is a gap in understanding between using the Learning Progressions and understanding workforce literacy and numeracy requirements. Educators need to better understand learning in the workplace and the workforce tasks that require literacy and numeracy and how these relate to the Learning Progressions. Employers (and those working with them) need to better understand why teaching is structured and assessed using the Learning Progressions, and how this relates to actual workplace literacy and numeracy tasks. Learners need to understand how what they are learning can contribute to achieving their goals. 18

19 ii. iii. Teaching literacy and numeracy in a way that develops transferable skills that can be used in different contexts. With the basic infrastructure and tools now complete, more specialised expertise (drawing on research evidence) needs to be developed for priority groups, i.e. Māori, Pasifika, youth and those with learning difficulties. Expand literacy and numeracy solutions beyond TEC-funded programmes Encourage employers and other agencies/groups to include literacy and numeracy in their training systems 66. Making a serious impact on the literacy and numeracy skills of the New Zealand workforce will require looking beyond what can be achieved by the tertiary education sector alone. Other agencies, employers and interested groups (such as iwi and health organisations) that already provide training should be supported to include literacy and numeracy for their clients, or their employees. 67. Several organisations are making good progress in including literacy and numeracy in their training using the national infrastructure. For example, the Department of Corrections already contracts the delivery of intensive literacy and numeracy education to prisoners. It has also used the professional development and access to teaching qualifications to train Corrections employment instructors in embedding literacy and numeracy into their on-job training programmes for prisoners. Consequently Corrections will have the capability to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of successive cohorts of prisoners. 68. Demand for both employer-led and provider-led workplace literacy surged in 2009 and 2010 as a number of New Zealand employers recognised that low levels of workforce literacy and numeracy were impacting on business productivity. Employers reported that low literacy and numeracy skills have negative impacts, including staff retention, attendance, workplace communication, product quality, and health and safety. Large employers have the potential to reach significant numbers of workers with low literacy and numeracy levels, and many have demonstrated a commitment to contribute. 69. Employer-led workplace literacy and numeracy is still in an exploratory phase. Projects have needed long lead times for planning and development. Employers have reported challenges with recruiting training staff that understand the business and understand teaching literacy and numeracy. Scheduling learning at work around production demands is also difficult. There is a tension between employers meeting their immediate business needs and developing transferable literacy and numeracy skills. 70. Although challenging, further exploration of better ways to support employers and other agencies to include literacy and numeracy in their training systems seems warranted. Government funding might be required for initial projects but, once capability is developed and the return to the business is demonstrated, the need for government input could be expected to reduce. 71. The Tertiary Education Commission will actively support employers and other organisations to examine ways to raise the literacy and numeracy skills of either their workforce or their clients. Encouraging the use of the national infrastructure, i.e. grants to access teaching qualifications; professional development opportunities; teaching and learning resources; and the Assessment Tool will reduce entry costs and help support successful interventions. 19

20 Smaller interventions 72. Not all industries or workplaces are able to put in the time and commitment required to raise workers literacy and numeracy skills. Not all adults have the time or inclination to attend a formal tertiary education programme. There may be scope for encouraging innovative smaller interventions using a range of technologies in workplaces and communities. ACE programmes may be a useful vehicle. Online activities, perhaps with coaches or sponsors, media events, making signage and workplace document design more accessible may help, and better understanding of cross-cultural communication by public agencies, are all possibilities. Small interventions could assist people with relatively low literacy skills to engage with print and better access information when they need to. However, while there would likely be benefits from such interventions, the more difficult task of teaching literacy and numeracy in a way that makes a lasting impact remains the focus. Online learning 73. The Tertiary Education Commission is developing an online learning system, linked to the Learning Progressions and the Assessment Tool. Pathways Awarua will be available for managed trials in This is a relatively low cost investment in a basic system which enables learners with low levels of literacy and numeracy to work through modules of learning independently, or with support, accessed via the internet. It is expected that on-line learning will have strong appeal to some groups of learners, i.e. those who want to learn in private; those with limited time or resources to attend classes, and those whose literacy and numeracy skills are in need of refreshing. 74. The trials of on-line learning in 2011 will explore the effectiveness of Pathways Awarua through different routes: a) As a teaching aid for learners who are already in a programme: ACE, intensive and embedded. Tutors will be able to select particular modules relevant to their class work for some, or all, of their learners. They will be able to monitor the level of engagement, and progress of, their learners. In an ACE environment, a group of learners could work through the programme at their own pace, with the ACE tutor providing mentoring, support and encouragement. b) Pathways Awarua could also be available to learners who are not currently in tertiary education programmes. A number of options are being considered including: an e-tutor might provide online support and encouragement; sponsors or coaches might assist learners to persist with the learning; iwi, companies or industries might fund the development of their own modules and provide tailored support for their learners. 75. Online learning can employ high levels of teaching expertise in the development phase and then reach large numbers of learners for a small additional cost. The response and results of the trials will be carefully monitored and, if sufficiently successful, further investments in enhancing the system may be considered. 20

21 Conclusion 76. The scale of the literacy and numeracy challenge is significant and will take many years to address. Changing technology, international competition and globalisation mean the demands for a highly literate and numerate population are constantly increasing. Demographic trends and continuing migration mean a continuing flow of people into the cohort of those needing higher levels of literacy and numeracy if they are to reach their full potential. 77. There is evidence of progress towards the vision of a more literate New Zealand. Many more TEOs are now able to include literacy and numeracy in their entry-level programmes. In 2007, 15,000 adults participated in programmes which included literacy and numeracy. In 2010, 35,000 adults will participate. The system is now in place to reach 100,000 learners by 2013, within existing levels of funding. 78. From 2011, the focus will shift from participation to learner results. Monitoring data from the Assessment Tool will be used to examine whether programmes are reaching priority learner groups and are getting results in literacy and numeracy. TEOs now have the opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of their various approaches. Evidence that they are reaching high priority learners, achieving learner progress in literacy and numeracy and providing value for money will all contribute to the case for further investment beyond