Adult Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Strategy. September 2012

Transcription

1 Adult Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Strategy September 2012

2 Contents Executive Summary 3 Section 1 Strategy Why Adult Literacy and Numeracy is a Priority 6 The Tertiary Education Strategy 7 Funding Context 8 Workstreams 9 Section 2 Educational infrastructure to support provision Links to the Tertiary Education Strategy 10 Strategic Outcomes 11 o Learning Progressions 11 o Assessment Tool 13 o Pathways Awarua 16 Section 3 Learning Opportunities for Adult New Zealanders Links to the Tertiary Education Strategy 19 Strategic Outcomes 20 o Workplace Literacy and Numeracy 21 o Intensive Literacy and Numeracy 23 o Embedded Literacy and Numeracy 25 o Skills Highway programme 27 o Learning Representatives programme 29 Section 4 Professional Development of the sector Links to the Tertiary Education Strategy 30 Strategic Outcomes 30 o National Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy 31 o National Qualifications 33 Section 5 Future Workstreams Addressing Māori and Pasifika needs 35 Strategic Outcomes and Proposed Initiatives 36 Cross-government Engagement 37 Strategic Outcomes and Proposed Initiatives 38 Appendix A: Intervention Logic linking Strategy to TES 39 Appendix B: Compilation of Next Steps 41 Appendix C: Summary of feedback received 48 Page 2

3 Executive Summary Background to Literacy and Numeracy Strong adult literacy and numeracy skills deliver significant economic and social benefits to New Zealand. Work on improving New Zealand s adult literacy and numeracy skills started in 2001 with the publication of the New Zealand Adult Literacy Strategy. Successive governments have recognised that a significant proportion of adults have literacy and numeracy skills below that which are considered necessary to participate fully in a modern, highskilled economy. Literacy and numeracy is a priority in the Tertiary Education Strategy , particularly raising the skills of learners in levels one to three provision. In recent years, the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has received significant government funding, enabling it to invest in both the development of a high quality national infrastructure to support educators and directly in delivery to learners through a range of funds and grants. These initiatives are now well-established. This means it is timely to establish strategic directions for the TEC s work in adult literacy and numeracy that prioritises interventions within current funding levels. Background to Strategy The TEC s Adult Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Strategy reinforces the current directions set in the Tertiary Education Strategy by: Outlining initiatives that have been developed and delivered to date; Identifying how they have contributed to achieving the government s objectives; Acknowledging changing resource constraints; and Setting out key strategic directions for the TEC s future work in lifting adult literacy and numeracy. The Strategy starts with an overview of the strategic context and then gives more detail about each workstream and their associated initiatives. Some of the proposed future directions for the work streams and initiatives are significant, while others continue the current approach where interventions are established and working well. The TEC s workstreams The Strategy groups the TEC s existing initiatives into three work streams and proposes establishing two new work streams, as outlined below and within this diagram: 3

4 Educational infrastructure to support provision New Zealand now has a standardised national adult literacy and numeracy environment for educators and learners to work within, including a theoretical framework for literacy and numeracy skills, as well as tools and resources to support for learners and educators. Specifically, this covers the Assessment Tool, Pathways Awarua, and the Learning Progressions (the standardised framework of literacy and numeracy skills). This infrastructure will continue to be a vital part of helping improve literacy and numeracy skills. In particular, the Assessment Tool is a key educational and data asset. There are opportunities to harness the value of this infrastructure in appropriate contexts without restricting access by any adult New Zealander who needs it. Learning opportunities for adult New Zealanders The TEC operates a series of funds and grants providing and encouraging access to adult literacy and numeracy programmes. This workstream also includes the Skills Highway programme and Learning Representatives programme which both encourage increased uptake in provision. Desired strategic outcomes for the TEC s literacy and numeracy funding include ensuring investment decisions are informed by evidence about effective provision especially for priority learners (as identified by the Tertiary Education Strategy), and that targeted funding increasingly contributes to more sustainable training environments and increased contributions from business. For example, the TEC will consider how to best use data gathered from the Assessment Tool and how to maximise value from the Workplace Literacy Fund. Recent funding changes also strengthen the requirement that the tertiary sector fully and properly embeds literacy and numeracy in all foundation-level provision. 4

5 Professional development of the sector This workstream remains a key ongoing priority to ensure organisations and educators are well equipped to understand and apply best practice for the optimal benefit of their learners, especially Tertiary Education Strategy priority learner groups. The TEC has supported developing qualifications pathways for literacy and numeracy educators, and contracts the National Centre of Adult Literacy and Numeracy to provide professional development and act as a focal point for the sector. While the literacy and numeracy infrastructure and funding opportunities are in place, continuous improvement through professional development is needed to drive further success. Addressing Māori and Pasifika needs A targeted work programme will be established to provide a stronger response to address the needs of Māori and Pasifika learners and educators. Literacy and numeracy skills are a key enabler of Māori and Pasifika achieving at higher levels of tertiary education but their perspectives risk being overshadowed in some of the TEC s current literacy and numeracy initiatives. This work programme will aim to increase Māori and Pasifika learner and educator participation and representation in provision, as well as increase the community profile of adult literacy and numeracy learning opportunities and increase provider accountability and responsiveness towards Māori and Pasifika learning needs. Cross-government engagement The government s interests in adult literacy and numeracy extend across a range of Ministers, and the TEC will strengthen its commitment to engage closely and collaboratively with other government agencies with literacy and numeracy responsibilities and interests. Collaboration across government, the education sector, and industry is essential to ensure a co-ordinated approach that will maximise both economic and social outcomes. 5

6 Section 1 - Strategy Introduction 1. This Adult Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Strategy ( the Strategy ): a. Outlines the initiatives that have been developed and delivered to date and identifies how they have contributed to achieving the government s objectives for adult literacy and numeracy; b. Acknowledges changing resource constraints; and c. Sets key strategic directions for the TEC s future work in lifting adult literacy and numeracy. 2. The Strategy starts with an overview of the strategic context of adult literacy and numeracy, and then gives more detail about each workstream and their associated initiatives. Why Adult Literacy and Numeracy is a priority 3. Strong adult literacy and numeracy skills deliver significant economic and social benefits to New Zealand, for example: a. Higher literacy and numeracy skills are associated with higher earnings, improved workplace productivity, better workplace safety and increased chances of stable employment. The skills support success in higher level qualifications and attainment of other workplace skills; and b. The social benefits can include improved personal well-being, social development of individuals, whānau and communities, better health and better parenting. Conversely, low literacy and numeracy skills can be associated with low workplace productivity and safety concerns, social exclusion, poverty and intergenerational disadvantage. 4. The government has recognised that New Zealand s literacy and numeracy skills require improvement. In 2006, the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey showed that 1.1 million New Zealanders (43 per cent of adults aged 16 to 65) had literacy or numeracy skills below the level deemed necessary to understand and use information contained in the texts and tasks that characterise our emerging knowledge society and information economy. It showed Māori and Pasifika adults are also over-represented in having lower literacy and numeracy skills than the general population. 5. Increasing literacy and numeracy skills is essential for the achievement of the government s Better Public Services target of increasing the proportion of 18 year olds with NCEA level 2 or equivalent qualification 6

7 to 85% by 2017, and the implementation of the Skilled and Safe Workplaces area of the Business Growth Agenda. Strengthening foundation-level provision will assist more learners to achieve the qualifications needed to succeed and progress in further education or the workplace. The Tertiary Education Strategy 6. The government s Tertiary Education Strategy (TES) includes a priority to improve literacy, language and numeracy skills, with a particular focus on delivery through levels one to three study. 7. Adult literacy and numeracy skills help achieve the government s broader vision for the tertiary education sector in the TES, including: a. Vision statement 1: providing New Zealanders of all backgrounds with opportunities to gain world-class skills and knowledge; b. Vision statement 2: raising the skills and knowledge of the current and future workforce to meet labour market demand and social needs; c. Vision statement 3: producing high-quality research to build on New Zealand s knowledge base, respond to the needs of the economy and address environmental and social challenges; and d. Vision statement 4: enabling Māori to enjoy education success as Māori. 8. Adult literacy and numeracy initiatives are designed to implement and achieve the government s priorities under the TES. In particular, they are intended to: a. Achieve TES Priority 5: improving the literacy, language and numeracy and skills outcomes from levels one to three study, b. And support achievement of other TES priorities: i. TES Priority 1: increasing the number of young people (aged under 25) achieving qualifications at levels four and above, particularly degrees; ii. TES Priority 2: increasing the number of Māori students enjoying success at higher levels; iii. TES Priority 3: increasing the number of Pasifika students achieving at higher levels; iv. TES Priority 4: increasing the number of young people moving successfully from school into tertiary education; and v. TES Priority 6: improving educational and financial performance of providers 7

8 9. The TES identifies that improving the literacy, language, numeracy and skills outcomes from levels one to three study is necessary because: a. Many level three certificates are essential qualifications for trades and vocations and offer the people in the workforce the opportunity to up-skill; b. Levels one and two certificates offer people with low school qualifications, or with literacy, language and numeracy needs, the chance to re-enter the education system. Improving literacy and numeracy skills is a priority as they provide a foundation for further study or employment; c. Informal education provided by the adult and community education sector can play a key role in literacy and numeracy learning, in particular by targeting people whose initial learning was not successful; d. Intensive literacy training in the workplace engages hard-to-reach learners and provides productivity benefits to employers. Including literacy and numeracy education in industry training, apprenticeships and training for unemployed people improves their success; and e. For tertiary study to be effective for second-chance learners, the quality of teaching and learning needs to improve to raise completion rates. Students who need to improve their literacy and numeracy skills should be supported to do so. Informal and lowerlevel certificate study needs to offer clear pathways through to higher-level tertiary study and skilled employment. 10. This Strategy reinforces the current visions and priorities set in the TES The Ministry of Education helps determine the government s overall adult literacy and numeracy policies, and the TEC is responsible for policy implementation and delivery of funds and initiatives. 11. The Strategy should also be read alongside the TEC s operational documents (such as the Initial and Supplementary Plan Guidance) and the TEC s other priorities and frameworks for the TES priorities, including Māori, Pasifika, and Youth and Transitions. Funding context 12. The TEC operates an adult literacy and numeracy programme comprising a range of strategic and operational interventions, funded through both funds and grants, and operating expenditure. 13. TEC-administered funds and grants, primarily for adult literacy and numeracy provision, totalled approximately $45m in 2011/12. More details about this expenditure are detailed later in this Strategy. 14. More generally, the TEC administers funding for foundation-level education where there is an expectation that literacy and numeracy will be embedded. This includes levels one to three Student Achievement 8

9 Component-funded provision, levels one to three industry training, and Youth Guarantee fees-free places. 15. Operating expenditure funds third party contracts for educational infrastructure delivery, support programmes and tools for educators and providers, and TEC capability. 16. Reduced future operating expenditure means that the TEC prioritise its investments in tertiary provision to maximise sector performance and ensure maximum returns to learners and government. Workstreams 17. To date, the TEC s initiatives for adult literacy and numeracy are centred under three key work streams: a. Educational infrastructure to support provision; b. Learning opportunities for adult New Zealanders; and c. Professional development of the sector. 18. This strategy also establishes two new work streams: a. Addressing Māori and Pasifika needs; and b. Cross-government engagement. 19. The following diagram provides an overview of these work streams, and an intervention logic model is in Appendix A showing how the work streams and their initiatives contribute to the TES. Section 2 - Educational infrastructure to support provision Literacy and Numeracy Overview Diagram of Key Workstreams Stream Educational infrastructure to support provision Learning opportunities for adult New Zealanders Professional development of the sector Initiatives Learning progressions Assessment Tool Pathways Awarua Funds and Grants for Literacy and Numeracy provision Skills Highway Learning Representatives National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults National qualifications New Streams Addressing Māori and Pasifika needs Cross-government engagement 9

10 20. Developing educational infrastructure has been a specific priority since the adult literacy and numeracy programme started, because it is essential to deliver high quality provision. Standardised literacy and numeracy infrastructure have been developed for the sector to use, and comprise: a. The Learning Progressions; b. The Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool (and the Starting Points Assessment Guide) and c. Pathways Awarua. 21. The adult literacy and numeracy infrastructure is a standardised national adult literacy and numeracy environment for educators and learners to work within, including a theoretical framework for literacy and numeracy skills and resources to support for learners and educators. Links to the Tertiary Education Strategy 22. This workstream supports the TES in the following ways: TES vision or priority Vision Statement 2: Raise the skills and knowledge of the current and future workforce to meet the labour market demand and social needs TES Priority 5: Improving the literacy, language and numeracy and skills outcomes from levels one to three study TES Priority 6: Iimproving the educational and financial performance of providers Supported by Providing a comprehensive framework for employers to identify the literacy and numeracy needs of their workplaces. Helping employers communicate skill needs to educators. Measuring learner gain over time. Having a common language and framework which makes it easier for educators to assess, deliver and monitor adult literacy and numeracy skills. Having common understood performance expectations. Allowing the tertiary sector, learners and government to use commonly shared and understood frameworks and terminology, so that references and standards in adult literacy and numeracy can be developed. Supporting better educator and organisational understanding of the needs of learners. Developing the capability of literacy and numeracy educators. Monitoring the successes of institutional/organisation literacy and numeracy initiatives. Supporting educators and learners with nationally available resources that are pedagogically robust. 10

11 Strategic outcomes 23. The expected strategic outcomes for the TEC s educational infrastructure are that: a. The educational infrastructure is free to, and accessible by, all adult New Zealanders who require literacy and numeracy support; and b. The TEC harnesses the fiscal value of the educational infrastructure where appropriate. 24. The literacy and numeracy infrastructure is a valuable and internationally renowned asset which supports the government s vision for accessible opportunities to raise the literacy and numeracy skills of adult New Zealanders. The TEC will seek to better understand the market value of the educational infrastructure while maintaining access by any adult New Zealander who needs it. 25. For example, the Assessment Tool will continue to be a free resource to the sector and funded through annual investment by the TEC. Similarly, Pathways Awarua will become a literacy and numeracy training opportunity for all New Zealanders, including those not affiliated with a tertiary education provider. The Learning Progressions 26. The Learning Progressions are a framework that have been in place since 2008 that shows what adult learners know and can do at successive points as they develop their skills in literacy and numeracy. A group of subject matter experts developed the Learning Progressions based on robust pedagogical advice and research. Individual steps from one (lowest) to six (highest) are identified within the progressions to more specifically identify competency. The Learning Progressions cover listening, speaking, reading and writing. 27. The framework is a useful guide to identifying the next steps for adult learners. They help establish a picture of skills and identify the demands of a workplace, community or specific tasks, and what learners need to achieve to progress. The Learning Progressions also provide a framework for informing government at a high-level on the literacy and numeracy skills of learners, in order to inform future policy and investment decisions. Successes and challenges 28. The Learning Progressions are now the backbone of understanding and discussing adult literacy and numeracy skills. They are: a. Uniformly recognised as the competency grading structure for adult literacy and numeracy; 11

12 b. Used by educators in assessing skills, developing curriculum and identifying and reporting on improvements; and c. Fostering clarity within the sector and educators for the purposes of professional development and improving the learning environment for learners. 29. A number of risks were identified as potentially impacting the success of this initiative. For example it was possible that not all adult literacy and numeracy providers would understand the Learning Progressions, or have sufficient training to use them appropriately. Also, there was a risk that educators did not recognise the Learning Progressions as the definitive competency scale. This would mean that TEC investment was not maximised. To mitigate these risks, work was undertaken to ensure adult literacy and numeracy initiatives used and leveraged the value of the Learning Progressions. For example, the TEC: a. Developed comprehensive resources for educators and learners that explain the Learning Progressions, expected competencies against the steps they include, and disseminated these broadly; b. Included promoting and training in the Learning Progressions as central components to the professional development contract, delivered by the National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults; c. Ensured the Learning Progressions became the framework for training under the National Certificate in Adult Literacy Education; and d. Used the Learning Progressions as the basis for the Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Tool for Adults (the definitive assessment of literacy and numeracy competency) and for Pathways Awarua. Learning Progressions: Next steps 1. The TEC will continue to maintain the production of these resources. The demand for these resources is likely to increase as the number of providers and users of the Assessment Tool increases, including the new Youth Guarantee providers, initial teacher education programmes, and if there is increased interest from the secondary school sector. 12

13 2. It is important that the Learning Progressions remain the single definitive framework for adult literacy and numeracy competence. This will be achieved by: a. Continuing to require educators to have professional development and literacy and numeracy qualifications to use the Learning Progressions as their framework; b. Developing reports on learner profiles, for the information of the sector, government and research, premised on the Learning Progressions; and c. Ensuring that monitoring and evaluation of adult literacy and numeracy provision includes consideration of the Learning Progressions, including Assessment Tool reports on learner improvement. The value of the Learning Progressions will be particularly important where learner improvement may impact the TEC s funding decisions. The Assessment Tool (Literacy and Numeracy For Adults Assessment Tool ) 30. The Assessment Tool is a predominantly online diagnostic assessment which helps learners and their tutors/educators know where their literacy and numeracy competencies align with the Learning Progressions. A paper-based version is also available where computer access is limited. The Assessment Tool was developed in 2009 with the support of robust pedagogical and assessment expertise. It was trialled by the sector in 2010 then rolled out in 2010 and Several enhancements and additional capabilities have been added to the Assessment Tool, including a paper-based snapshot assessment option in The Assessment Tool is a valuable TEC asset which analyses adult learner needs, tracks their progress, and provides results that can be compared at a national level. The Assessment Tool: a. Is a valuable resource to help learners and their educators track their progress towards literacy and numeracy goals because it is based on the Learning Progressions. Both the Assessment Tool results and the Learning Progressions are helpful in assisting educators adjust their teaching where necessary to respond to learner needs. This is particularly useful for learners in foundation level education, and for tailoring literacy and numeracy training to workplace needs. b. Was also designed to be able to generate nationally consistent measures on learner skill levels and skill gain over time. This 13

14 data is important to help assess the effectiveness of provision and overall skill levels, and prioritise funding where necessary. 32. The Assessment Tool is also supported by the Starting Points diagnostic assessment guide. This was particularly designed for learners with English as a Second Language (ESOL) and those with language skills insufficient to be on the Learning Progressions or navigate the Assessment Tool. It can also be used by domestic learners with very limited literacy skills. The vocabulary assessment strand has also been introduced to help assess the skills of learners who may be limited by their knowledge of English words and their meaning. Successes and challenges 33. The Assessment Tool has become the key diagnostic tool of literacy and numeracy competency for adults in New Zealand and is is gaining a sound reputation for its effectiveness. There was no nationally recognised diagnostic assessment for literacy and numeracy before the launch of the Assessment Tool. This means that as a significant investment and new resource for the sector, it has presented some unique challenges. For example: a. A key challenge has been ensuring educators use the Assessment Tool and use it properly to help inform their teaching, and that information can be retrieved about how the Assessment Tool is used and the results it produces. To facilitate this, use of the Assessment Tool (and Starting Points for learners below the Learning Progressions) has become a mandatory requirement within all literacy and numeracy funds. In particular, TEC usage guidelines state that all learners are required to undertake an initial assessment, and 90 per cent of learners who complete relevant courses are required to undertake a progress assessment. This ensures initial assessments can inform educators and their provision, and progress assessments can show how a learner progressed. b. Professional development has been and continues to be central to helping educators know how to use the Assessment Tool appropriately with learners and make use of the data provided to inform their teaching practice. To assist this: i. The TEC has published guidelines about implementation and proper administration of the Assessment Tool, including at what points learners no longer require assessment. ii. The TEC contracts the National Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy to provide professional support, and contracts the New Zealand Council for Educational Research to provide helpdesk support on the Assessment Tool. 14

15 c. It is also important that the content of the Assessment Tool be culturally and age appropriate for the TES priority groups. The TEC has sought to support enhancements that better reflect cultural responsiveness to Māori and Pasifika contexts, as well as specific youth-focussed assessment items. The Assessment Tool: Next steps Ongoing maintenance and development 3. Ongoing service support and maintenance of the Assessment Tool will require continued TEC investment. This maintenance specifically facilitates use of the Assessment Tool for tertiary funding. Strengthened foundation-level funding requirements and increasing interest outside the tertiary sector means consideration will be given, together with the Ministry of Education, to appropriate management and funding arrangements into the future. 4. The TEC will continue to support Assessment Tool enhancements and development of assessment items with greater relevance to Māori, Pasifika, and youth learners. Increasing uptake 5. The obligations on providers to use the Assessment Tool in foundationlevel provision have been strengthened. Although the TEC requires providers to use the Assessment Tool in all levels one to three provision and in specific literacy and numeracy provision, this requirement will be better enforced through TEC funding levers and monitoring of progress. 6. The TEC will work with the tertiary sector and other government agencies to increase student engagement with the Assessment Tool, ensure full and proper usage of the Assessment Tool, and ensure full and proper embedding of literacy and numeracy. This will build upon past and current interventions to increase the embedding of literacy and numeracy throughout the tertiary sector. Cost recovery 7. Ongoing development and maintenance of the Assessment Tool incurs substantial ongoing costs and the TEC will investigate options to help offset costs. Possible opportunities include: a. Exploring whether stakeholders could purchase a licence from the TEC to adapt the Assessment Tool for their own contexts. These could include certain industries interested in funding customised items in the Assessment Tool to better suit industry-specific needs, or overseas governments interested in adapting or purchasing licences to parts of our educational infrastructure. 15

16 b. Exploring licensing arrangements for domestic stakeholders (who are connected to, but not within the education sector) which see value in using the Assessment Tool as part of whole-of-client service arrangements. i. The Tool may be a valuable resource for recruitment agents, corporations or career services in developing holistic jobseeker profiles, identifying training needs and individualising development pathways. ii. The Assessment Tool could be accessed under a licence (with specific conditions for the proper usage of the Assessment Tool and in conjunction with other components of the literacy and numeracy infrastructure) and for a fee by those with a business interest outside the education sector, while still keeping the Assessment Tool free to tertiary providers. Pathways Awarua 34. Pathways Awarua is a fully online learning programme in adult literacy and numeracy. It comprises a series of modules of increasing difficulty for learners to complete at their own pace, based on competencies set out by the Learning Progressions. In essence, learners who have been granted access can log onto the programme at any time, at any location with an internet connection, and undertake training privately. Learners can commence the programme at various steps on the Learning Progressions. The commencement point is often informed by their score on the Assessment Tool. 35. The vision for Pathways Awarua is that it becomes accessible at no cost by any adult New Zealander who wishes to improve their literacy and numeracy, regardless of whether they are enrolled in tertiary education. At present, Pathways Awarua is only accessible to tertiary education providers and their enrolled learners. 36. The development of Pathways Awarua commenced in mid-2010 and the programme was released in mid This has been managed under contract with Maths Technology Limited. Successes and challenges 37. Although Pathways Awarua has only been operational since mid 2011, it is well-received by the tertiary sector and learners. By the end of July 2012, 694 educators and 3660 learners were registered. The key challenge is ensuring that the sector and its learners know and understand the programme so they can use it as a supplementary educational resource. A range of measures are in place to support this. For example: 16

17 a. The current contract includes training to educators on using the programme, including workshops, webinars and online communities for educators, as well as information for learners. An e-educator service was also piloted to support learners not in formal provision. By the end of July 2012, around 790 people had attended webinars or showed an interest in using Pathways Awarua, and 406 educators had completed training in the programme; and b. The TEC has marketed the programme to the sector and encouraged ways to incorporate Pathways Awarua into their curriculum. This has included marketing it through the National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults; discussions with providers, and with employers as a resource for in-house literacy and numeracy training. 38. A key challenge is ensuring that the content of Pathways Awarua appeals to the broad range of learners it targets. For example, Maths Technology has worked with industry training organisations to develop specialised modules and has also created specialised modules relevant to a Māori cultural context. b. This may be particularly relevant to businesses that see value in amending Pathways Awarua to focus on specific industrial Pathways contexts Awarua: and Next then steps making Pathways Awarua a key component of any in-house training programmes. Continued maintenance and development c. Similarly, there may be international interest in purchasing 8. The TElicences C s current to access investment and adapt will continue Pathways so that Awarua. Pathways Awarua is maintained primarily for tertiary providers and their learners. Further consideration will be given to making any enhancements to increase its value and usage, such as enhancements that are relevant to Māori, Pasifika, and youth learners. This will help ensure that Pathways Awarua remains relevant to tertiary providers and responds to the needs of educators and learners. Broadening public access 9. Further investment will be made in coming years to pursue the original policy intention of releasing Pathways Awarua for general public access. This would support the vision that any adult New Zealander, including those not affiliated with a tertiary education provider, should have the opportunity to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. Cost Recovery 10. A number of cost-recovery options will be explored to help off-set the costs related to broader public access and ensuring the programme is appropriately supported to deliver as required. For example: a. Some stakeholders may be interested in purchasing a licence from the TEC to adapt Pathways Awarua for their own contexts (this is also applicable to the Assessment Tool). 17

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19 Section 3 - Learning opportunities for adult New Zealanders 39. In addition to overall funding for foundation-level provision, the TEC operates a series of funds and grants providing access to adult literacy and numeracy programmes to New Zealand residents and citizens. These funds are available to institutes of technology and polytechnics, industry training organisations, private training establishments, wānanga, community providers, and individual workplaces. The initiatives under this work stream comprise: a. funds and grants for literacy and numeracy education; b. funding for the Skills Highway programme; and c. funding for the New Zealand Council of Trade Union s Learning Representatives programme. Links to the Tertiary Education Strategy 40. This work stream specifically contributes to the TES in the following ways: TES vision or priority Vision Statement 2: Raise the skills and knowledge of the current and future workforce to meet the labour market demand and social needs TES Priority 5: improving the literacy, language and numeracy and skills outcomes from levels one to three study TES Priorities 2 and 3: increasing the number of Māori students enjoying success at higher levels and Pasifika students achieving at higher levels TES Priority 4: increasing the number of young people moving successfully from school into tertiary education Supported by Addressing literacy and numeracy needs in the workplace, meaning employees are better able to meet the demands of their jobs and raise firm productivity. Embedded literacy and numeracy into levels one to three provision, therefore ensuring foundation learners finish with a solid skills base. Making embedded literacy and numeracy core to all levels one to three provision as a condition of funding, meaning that all such graduates have had opportunity to improve their literacy and numeracy skills if needed. Offering Māori and Pasifika learners opportunities to develop literacy and numeracy skills. Facilitating the entry of Māori and Pasifika learners into higher level study and more rewarding work. Requiring youth-focussed provision from levels one to three study to include embedded literacy and numeracy education. Embedded literacy and numeracy can give youth learners further opportunities to progress into higher qualifications, and to be more work-ready and workresilient. 19

20 41. The TEC recognises that students with English as a Second Language have specific needs. The Adult Literacy and Life Skills found that 12% of the population aged between 16 and 65 (about 300,000 people) mainly spoke a language other than English at home. This was one of the main factors associated with low literacy scores (when assessed in English). 42. Provision funded through Intensive Literacy and Numeracy fund caters to these needs and assists ESOL learners to gain English language proficiency. Requirements for appropriate diagnostic assessments such as the Starting Points Assessment Guide will be reaffirmed and monitored. The TEC will also engage with providers and educators as necessary, when implementing policy with particular implications for ESOL learners. The TEC also assists, where possible, with implementing the government s Refugee Resettlement Strategy. Strategic outcomes 43. The desired strategic outcomes for the literacy and numeracy funds are that: a. Investment decisions are informed by evidence about effective literacy and numeracy provision, especially for TES priority groups; b. Embedded literacy and numeracy provision is business-as-usual in levels one to three provision across all sectors; and c. The targeted literacy and numeracy funds increasingly contribute to fostering and implementing sustainable literacy and numeracy training environments and attract increasing contributions from business. 44. These strategic objectives refine the TEC s investments to maximise learning opportunities and to help foster durable economic and productivity benefits. For example, the operational framework for the Workplace Literacy Fund will be revised to place more focus on building a sustainable approach to literacy and numeracy training. 45. Recent funding changes (such as the expectation of embedded literacy and numeracy without additional top-up funding, and the introduction of competitive processes to increase performance in levels one and two provision) support the government s priorities of ensuring greater performance and better learner outcomes from TEC-allocated funding. 46. A key priority is evaluating how effective all specific literacy and numeracy funds are in raising literacy and numeracy skills. There are opportunities to make funding decisions that are more strategically informed by performance. Information about learner uptake and performance from the Assessment Tool, coupled with other relevant measures of learner success, can be harnessed in an appropriate way to shape the TEC s investment decisions. 20

21 47. The TEC will be considering how learner gain can be used to inform future funding decisions, while acknowledging that the national-level Assessment Tool data is still relatively new, and more work is required to ensure full and proper usage of the Assessment Tool by the tertiary sector. The TEC has conducted significant work and consultation on indicators to measure and interpret statistical information about individual learners based on results from using the Assessment Tool on at least two occasions. This information could be later used to inform investment decisions, because it will provide an insight into the effectiveness of literacy and numeracy courses. 48. Programmes which encourage and champion literacy and numeracy upskilling, such as the Skills Highway programme and the Learning Representatives programme, will be leveraged to ensure more workplaces adopt sustainable literacy and numeracy provision by increasing engagement at an employer and worker level. Workplace Literacy Fund 49. The Workplace Literacy Fund provides support for employees to increase their literacy and numeracy skills in a context that is relevant to their employment. Contextualised learning carries significant pedagogical benefits because it allows students to identify the skills they need to acquire and the practicality of learning them. The Workplace Literacy Fund comprises three sub-funds: a. Employer-led sub-fund. This contestable fund allows businesses with over 50 employees to apply for funding to deliver literacy and numeracy training. Individual contracts are established with each employer to fund training of a minimum of 40 contact hours, at least one hour per week. This programme responds to the needs of larger employers who can coordinate larger-scale literacy and numeracy training. Employers are required to develop sustainable literacy and numeracy training environments that extend beyond the duration of TEC funding. In 2011 this sub-fund totalled $3.2 million; b. Employee-targeted provision sub-fund. This allows smaller employers to refer individuals in literacy and numeracy provision provided by third parties, mostly by private training establishments. In 2011 this sub-fund totalled $2.8 million; c. TEO-led sub-fund. This fund allows providers, mostly private training establishments, to deliver literacy and numeracy training to employed individuals who refer themselves. In 2011 this subfund totalled $10.9 million. 21

22 Successes and challenges 50. The reach of the Workplace Literacy Fund is increasing as it matures. In 2010, around 6,200 learners received training under the fund at a cost of around $19 million. In 2011 this increased to 6,893 at around $18 million. In 2012, it is expected that around 7,140 learners will be enrolled, and the fund amounts to about $17 million. 51. Interest from employers continues to grow, and recent funding rounds have been oversubscribed. A key success of the sub-fund is that it empowers businesses to identify their own literacy and numeracy needs and coordinate individualised responses that are relevant to their own workplaces. Increasing interest in the fund has been due to the TEC s work, as well as the Skills Highway programme and other upskilling initiatives across government which promoted literacy and numeracy to employers. 52. The Workplace Literacy Fund has, however, presented unique challenges. For example: a. At first, there was a significant risk that employers did not know about the programme, see value in it, nor know how to make proposals for funding that would meet the TEC s criteria. To mitigate this, the TEC contracted two literacy and numeracy fieldworkers who liaise with and engage businesses on the programme and its purpose. They act as an interface between the TEC and employers and assist in contract development and negotiation; and b. It is difficult to measure the success of the programme, other than through Assessment Tool data. The objectives of employers when seeking funding vary considerably, meaning a uniform evaluation of programmes is impractical. For example, some programmes seek to develop skills that will measurable increase productivity, while others may focus on developing enough literacy and numeracy to transition to other training, improved health and safety, or professional development. For this purpose, greater emphasis was placed on more rigorously ensuring educators are well-qualified, that programmes respond directly to workplace demands, and that programmes are subject to monitoring and reporting. 22

23 Workplace Literacy: Next steps Sustainable training environments 11. Consideration will be given to how the employer-led sub-fund can be strengthened to place more emphasis on employers contributing to and implementing sustainable literacy and numeracy training environments that last beyond the duration of TEC funding. This is because the dual focus areas provision and sustainability require careful balancing to ensure TEC investment is maximised and because sustainable training environments are key to long-term literacy and numeracy improvements. 12. There is interest across government and in the business sector in the future of the Workplace Literacy Fund from a policy and an operational perspective. The TEC s operational review of this Fund (as opposed to a policy review by the Ministry of Education) will consider business and industry needs. Focusing on those with greatest need 13. Consideration will also be given to how the sub-funds could be greater focussed to ensuring they provide a first priority to those with greatest relative need of literacy and numeracy training. This could include, for example, those with the lowest proficiencies on the Learning Progressions. This would assist to ensure the programmes are targeted where they may have greatest impact. Expanding employer-led sub-fund 14. Consideration will be given to expanding the size of the employerled sub-fund, because there is more employer demand than funding available and because the policy aligns with the government s business growth and productivity goals. This is a significant achievement of the work undertaken to promote the programme, because it shows employers are rapidly seeing the value of supporting literacy and numeracy training. Intensive Literacy and Numeracy 53. The Intensive Literacy and Numeracy (ILN) Fund invests in over 40 providers to offer intensive programmes. Programmes are for a minimum of 100 direct learning hours in a five to 20 week period, and are provided in regions of highest literacy and numeracy skill needs. At present, providers must deliver to a minimum of 80 students per year in areas of high need and high population density and 30 students per year in areas of high need and low population density. 23

24 54. From 2012, there are two additional sub-funds under ILN: a. ILN Targeted English for Speakers of other Languages subfund: This is for adult refugees and migrants who are New Zealand citizens or permanent residents who are pre-literate learners or learners with very low levels of English language and literacy; and b. Refugee English Fund: This helps refugees who are now New Zealand residents or citizens to transition into higher level study through English language education. Successes and challenges 55. The ILN Fund enables providers to respond to the needs of the community. Each year, over 5,000 learners receive English language provision under the fund. This means that the number of learners who have accessed intensive literacy and numeracy assistance has grown significantly from year to year. 56. One key challenge for the ILN fund was that its funded places became increasingly used by people with an ESOL background. This showed there was a clear demand for ESOL-specific provision in the tertiary sector. However, it also meant that ILN-funded places were not necessarily being filled by the intended second-chance learners of the fund. The government s Refugee Resettlement Strategy also identified a need to provide higher-level English training to assist refugees to progress into higher education, particularly after the removal of Refugee Study Grants. The two new sub-funds were created within the ILN fund to cater for this need. Intensive Literacy and Numeracy: Next steps 15. It will be important to identify how successful the recent changes to the ILN fund have been, whether the specialised ESOL and Refugee English streams are responding to the anticipated need, and whether the policy objectives of these funds are being met. 16. It will also be useful to review and strategically consider how the TEC s funded provision supports and compliments the broader government investment in ESOL. This will ensure that future considerations for the ESOL and the Refugee English sub-funds are couched within a broader government direction for ESOL. 17. Consideration will also be given to how ILN could be greater focussed to ensuring it provides a first priority to those with greatest relative need of literacy and numeracy training. This could include, for example, those with the lowest proficiencies on the Learning Progressions. This would help ensure the programmes are targeted where they may have greatest impact. 24

25 Embedded literacy and numeracy 57. A key mechanism for addressing adult literacy and numeracy, and a key component of the government s strategy, is to embed literacy and numeracy education in all levels one to three provision. By doing this, courses and qualifications can teach the literacy and numeracy skills needed for New Zealand workplaces, and particularly for specific industries. The key advantages of embedding are that it allows literacy and numeracy training to be contextualised and relevant to learners, and that it reaches, by default, a broad range of learners before they enter their target trades and workplaces. This approach is based on research that improving literacy and numeracy skills is best achieved in contexts that are relevant to the learner. 58. Up until 2012, providers received a Student Achievement Component top-up (previously capability funding) for levels one to three courses which have embedded literacy and numeracy. In 2011, a total of $7.4 million was provided to the sector via these top-ups. These top-ups finish at the end of the 2012 calendar year, and the government expects tertiary education organisations to embed literacy and numeracy as business-as-usual. 59. Competitive allocation for levels one and two provision will also underline the importance of full and proper usage of the Assessment Tool, as well as full and proper embedding of literacy and numeracy at all levels of the organisation and in all foundation-level course provision. 60. Assessment Tool usage is an important part of embedding literacy and numeracy, but that embedding literacy and numeracy effectively does not only mean using the Assessment Tool. Successes and challenges 61. Overall the tertiary sector has responded positively to embedding literacy and numeracy and has made progress in transitioning their courses. The number of learners in courses with embedded literacy and numeracy in levels one to three has grown five-fold from 12,000 in 2010 to more than 65,000 in There are some difficulties in quantifying the exact impact this particular funding has had. However, we know that as of late 2011: a. Eight institutes of technology and polytechnics and one wānanga have committed to 100% embedded literacy and numeracy at levels one to three provision; seven ITPs have committed to 85 99% embedded literacy and numeracy, and four ITPs and two wānanga have committed to 70 84% embedded literacy and numeracy; 25