TAFE Qualifications
The Department of Education and Training made a recent decision, without warning or consultation with the field, to reduce the minimum qualification needed for teaching in TAFE from a graduate teaching qualification to a Cert IV. The Council is most concerned about this move which is only likely to undermine the quality of provision and exacerbate teacher shortage rather than easing it.   The Cert IV qualification can be obtained in a couple of weekends and focuses on training, assessment and reporting.  It does not even begin to address issues around learning, pedagogy or classroom management.
Whilst at present TAFE Institutes also require a professional qualification (such as a BEd) in addition, it is not unlikely that in future this may change as the central curriculum unit is removed by the TAFE restructure. This is likely to make teacher salary rates vulnerable, which will make the field even less attractive to new entrants. In the UK unqualified assistants are already being used because of the teacher shortage.
If there was a shortage of doctors, would the government respond by dropping the qualification to a FirstAid certificate? Obviously not! What is required is attractive salaries, career paths, working conditions, research, PD, and professional status to attract young educators into the field and rebuild the adult literacy/numeracy infrastructure.
It should be noted that this debate in no way diminishes the value and contribution of the large numbers of volunteers working in adult literacy.  Volunteer tutors bring a different and special approach to literacy provision; but a supposedly professional teacher with only a pseudo-qualification in training and assessment is surely the worst of both worlds.

So much for an “Education “Revolution”……
Adult literacy and numeracy has been ignored by the Rudd Government’s much-publicised education revolution.  With the usual focus on school literacy, adult literacy and numeracy issues have not figured on the Federal government agenda, despite powerful recent data from the international ALLS survey.
Both ACAL and the NSW council have written to minister Julia Gillard to raise adult literacy issues such as:
•    the need for a national adult literacy policy
•   the literacy/numeracy needs of people who are not jobseekers
•    the renewal of the ageing LN workforce
•   the massive issues around the LLNP program, its coercive nature and its reporting requirements
•   the dire implications for programs and provision if sustainable recurrent funding is removed and made contestible.
The response has been extremely disappointing to date. Council hopes that discussions with Senator Ursula Stephens at the upcoming ACAL forum in October may help to start a more productive dialogue with the government, and some real progress and development in the field.

When I started out in adult literacy in the early 90s you required not only a B.Ed but also post-grad quals in adult literacy. Now it seems you need no more than to sit through several days (of often tortuous) training in the most basic training techniques. We used to teach this stuff to adults wanting to run hobby courses. It’s pretty much a case of “well I can read and write so I can teach others to do it too”.

Having said that though the ELLN field certainly needs to evolve and embrace new methodologies. But what its all about is having an effective kitbag of tools and techniques to draw on to tackle some of the toughest teaching anyone will ever do.

It happens where individuals transect multiple paradigms. To the front, their primary motivation; to the left, the systems they must influence to achieve this; to the right, the mavericks; behind, their own well-being. They filter, interpret, influence, negotiate and advocate, making new ways of thinking palatable. They’re patient and multilingual brokers, continually look lengthwise along their shoulders for windows of opportunity to enable change to occur. And slowly, slowly they move the juggernauts forward.

[image of a David Reekie sculpture 'A Captive Audience? by Ayres no graces]

Others croak from their lilypads to their pond of adoring fans, calling for revolution, uniting the fold. Without the support of those on the intersections their sphere of influence is narrow. The intersects are points of refraction.

Critics are spurned and outcast – right-wing, gutless, do-gooders – although in many cases they’re the causes greatest advocates. Energy is wasted with non-productive time spent forcing people to take sides.

This was the case when the ripples of influence stopped at the edge of the edupunk pond . While the ideal -  DIY, anti-authority, share and share alike – remains the goal for many on the intersections, the metaphor simply did not resonate. It may have acted well as a kick up the bum for the pond dwellers who were becoming complacent, but there was potential to undo years of progress. There’s plenty written on the topic; I’m not going to replicate that here.

‘Edupunk is dead’ says Alex Hayes. Thank goodness.
Let’s stop the rhetoric and get things happening.

[image: Steve Wampler]

Unfortunately for our BMI the game of tag chasey has moved online.

Messages are now received that indicate that I have been ‘memed’. Now, it’s stretching the point a bit to label these memes.

meme  …. “a unit or element of cultural ideas, symbols or practices; such units or elements transmit from one mind to another through speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena. The etymology of the term relates to the Greek word mimema for mimic.” (Wikipedia)

At best they’re a chain mail game requiring me to answer questions (be careful what content you are asking people to reveal online oh memers) or take a photo of myself that very instant for online exposure. The only gratification being that I can (supposedly) gain 5 times the pleasure in return by passing on this fulfilling activity to 5 “friends”.

Now, I don’t mind engaging in online games if I have time and yes, the prospect of something creative enticed me into the 1st handwriting ‘meme’ I received.
And I’m patient with my contacts who I have watched for 54 days religiously placing a daily image on FlickR (only 311 days to go guys and then you can enjoy your photography again), but I’ve got to tell you that I don’t DO chain letters. Somehow I’ve managed to survive years of deleted emails despite threats of life threatening consequences and I’m happy enough without the promised angels on my shoulder.

So now, despite the prospect of a public flogging for not participating, I’m simply opting out. At least 5 of my friends might appreciate it.