In addition to past experience, there is excellent work being done
currently on the topic of career pathways and the integration of basic
skills with technical training -- as well as research such as the
"Perfect Storm" report that focuses on the importance of this type of
training for our economic vitality.  It could be that the time is right
for another national initiative.

I am enjoying seeing some familiar names in these postings from our
workplace literacy days!

Donna Miller-Parker
Director of Essential Skills
Shoreline Community College
(206) 546-4788

-----Original Message-----
From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Lloyd David
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 3:01 PM
To: 'The Workplace Literacy Discussion List'
Subject: [Workplace 719] Re: A national push for worker education?

Paul,
When the National Workplace Literacy Program ended, it was as if someone
had stuck a pin in a balloon. I really think the NWLP was a good model
although little was done to really disseminate the results and
methodologies developed. I think the problem might have been the fact
the Department of Education was funding this endeavor and had few if any
relationships with business. If I recall correctly the Department of
Labor was never involved.
There is evidence that these programs work and we could use the past
experience to try to get Congress to consider this kind of funding
again. I am willing to be part of this endeavor. 

Lloyd David, EdD.
Creative Workplace Learning
311 Washington Street
Brighton, MA 02135
Tel :  617-746-1260
FAX: 617-782-0136

-----Original Message-----
From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of JURMO at ucc.edu
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 10:03 AM
To: workplace at nifl.gov
Subject: [Workplace 718] A national push for worker education?

 
Donna,

Thanks for sending us your Thursday Resources.  

In reviewing the most recent one below, I see many examples of good work
being done in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the U.K.   

I remember a time when people from those countries would say how the
U.S. was a leader in this field and that the rest of those countries had
a lot of catching up to do.  Now I think this relationship has tipped
the other way:  Other countries are investing in developing resources
(e.g., research, curricula, guidelines for practitioners, etc.) while
the U.S. has stagnated.  

Though there are some encouraging exceptions to this (e.g., a few states
still have workplace education initiatives, there are attempts underway
to develop workplace basic skills assessment and curriculum tools), I'd
ask my colleagues on this list: Do you think we need a new national
worker education initiative and, if so, what would such an initiative
include and where should leadership come from?   

Paul Jurmo, Ed.D.
Dean, Economic Development and Continuing Education Union County College
12-24 West Jersey Street
Elizabeth, NJ  07202
908-659-5103 telephone
908-965-6010 fax
Jurmo at ucc.edu 

-----Original Message-----
From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Brian, Dr Donna J G
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 9:32 AM
To: The Workplace Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Workplace 717] Thursday Resources

Colleagues,

Here's what I get (and, by extension, what you get) for skipping a week
of Thursday Resources!  And I still have some in reserve to start out
next week's list!  There are some really great resources included here,
but if this is just too much for you to deal with today, remember that
you can always just delete the message and access it later in the
archives of the list.  To access the list archives, go to
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/workplace/2007/date.html.

Enjoy!

Donna

Donna Brian, Moderator
Workplace Literacy Discussion List
Center for Literacy Studies at The University of Tennessee
djgbrian at utk.edu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


>From PEN (Public Education Network) Weekly NewsBlast for April 6, 2007

[To read anonline version of the complete NewsBlast with a larger
typeface, visit:
http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_current.asp]

BIRTHRIGHT: MAKING COLLEGE ACCESS COMMONPLACE FOR ALL All across the
U.S. this spring, students are making graduation plans. Their
institutions will soon send names to be printed on diplomas. According
to the Census Bureau, a diploma really matters. On the average, during
an adult's working life, college graduates earn nearly one million
dollars more than those who only finish high school. They will be more
engaged as citizens, will contribute much more to the general good
through their taxes and philanthropic efforts, and be less reliant on
government services. Moreover, they also enjoy a higher quality of life,
putting aside more savings, enjoying more leisure time and career
flexibility. In this month's Carnegie Perspectives, Ray Bacchetti puts
all these statistics into a much more personal context. He reminds us
how recently access to college became commonplace for so many Americans.
In a moving account, he tells the story of his family's educational
experiences over three generations. Bacchetti reminds us that access to
hig  her education is one of the blessings that every American should
expect as a birthright, not a special privilege. As we continue to be a
nation of immigrants, those doors must remain open. In past years,
government invested heavily in the education of youth, whereas today
most support comes in the form of loans.
http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/perspectives/sub.asp?key=245&subkey=23
15

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following resources have been brought to our attention through the
New Zealand Literacy Portal http://www.nzliteracyportal.org.nz/  

Culture at work: How to train and assess in a culturally inclusive
way: A resource kit for trainers and assessors - 2004 (Aus) This
Australian resource kit is intended to provide thought provoking
information and practical activities for use in a culturally diverse
training and assessment environment. It is based on practical experience
and research into community services workplaces.
<http://www.nzliteracyportal.org.nz/imsdirector.php?resid=2911&ruid=2182

>

_________________________________________________________

Literature review to inform a work programme for lifting literacy,
numeracy and language skills - 2007 (NZ) This literature review (118
pages) is intended to inform the Department of Labour's Upskilling the
Workforce programme.  The report draws on both New Zealand and
international research to look at the role of government in encouraging
employers to engage in skill development and the barriers for employers
investing in training to lift literacy, numeracy and language skills.
<http://www.nzliteracyportal.org.nz/imsdirector.php?resid=2955&ruid=2182

>

_________________________________________________________

Skills builder - 2007 (Aus)
This Australian resource is aimed at supervisors in a range of
construction, road and rail industries, so they can develop their crew's
literacy skills as well as give better instructions themselves.  The
section on spelling is very comprehensive.
<http://www.nzliteracyportal.org.nz/imsdirector.php?resid=2964&ruid=2182

>

_________________________________________________________

Want the competitive edge? Literacy in the workplace - 2007 (Can) This
Canadian booklet explains and draws links between literacy,
employability, essential skills, emotional intelligence and plain
language, all essential components of effective workplaces. It includes
information, free tools, case studies and best practice examples.  It
also has a good description of the different levels in IALS.
http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2007/03/25/514162/ResourceManual2007.pdf
_________________________________________________________


>From Teaching and Learning Research Programme (UK) http://www.tlrp.org/


Basic skills and workplace learning: what do we actually know about
their benefits?
This UK paper (20 pages) reviews the literature on the impact of
workplace basic skills training on individuals, as measured by their
effects on wages and employment probability.  In addition, it also
examines studies on the returns to individuals of general training at
the workplace. http://www.tlrp.org/dspace/retrieve/128/contedart.pdf

Early career learning at work
This longitudinal study observed the workplace learning of 92
professional accountants, engineers and nurses during their first three
years of full-time employment.  Its main focus was on informal learning
and short semi-formal learning episodes.  Previous research had shown
that these are the major source of mid-career learning.  It found out
what was being learned, how it was being learned and the factors
affecting learning n a wide range of work settings.
http://www.tlrp.org/pub/documents/Eraut%20RB%2025%20FINAL.pdf

Improving learning in the workplace
This briefing comes from an interdisciplinary network of research
projects which investigated a diverse range of contemporary
organisations.  The findings show that complex interactions between
government policy, workplace regulation and individual worker
dispositions contribute to the uneven quality of learning environments
and learning opportunities. To improve learning at work it is important
to understand such interactions.
http://www.tlrp.org/proj/phase1/documents/RBno7.pdf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


>From NCVER (National Centre for Vocational Education Research)

(Australia) http://www.ncver.edu.au/

Education and training that meets the needs of small business: A
systematic review of research Small businesses account for the great
majority of businesses and half the private sector employment in
Australia, but only one third provide structured training for their
employees. This study, a systematic review of existing research, set out
to find clear evidence of intervention strategies that meet small
business needs in relation to the provision of information, skills and
knowledge in the training arena. The review shows that strategies which
match the way small business learns are more successful than direct or
formal training. Small business learns 'through doing', with the focus
on real issues in the workplace and learning through social networks.
http://www.ncver.edu.au/publications/1737.html 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


>From Workforce3one    [Note: the following resources are available from

Workforce3one on their website at http://www.workforce3one.org/.  You
must register to access them, but registration is free.]

Solutions for STEM  [Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics]
MentorLinks: Advancing Technological Education: The American Association
of Community Colleges created this program with support from The
National Science Foundation to develop and strengthen training programs
in the science, technology, engineering and mathematical fields. 

Changing the Culture of Math and Science: This report investigates the
challenges confronting math and science education from the perspective
of culture change and a call to action to implement a plan that will
increase student "demand" for and achievement in mathematics and science
and demand occupations. 

In Pursuit of a Diverse Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics Workforce: Recommended Research Priorities to Enhance
Participation by Underrepresented Minorities: This report focuses on the
shortage of talent to fill jobs in global science, technology,
engineering and mathematics. It examines the development of educational
diversity programs to tap underutilized labor pools and identifies
research priorities. 

Dakota County Technical College Nanoscience Technology Degree Program:
Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) became the first Minnesota
program to award an AAS Degree in Nanoscience Technology in 2004. The
program was developed in response to local employers need for skilled
technicians. 

Growing the Nation's Bio Science Sector, State Bio Science Initiatives:
This report presents data that measures the size, composition, and
geographic distribution of biosciences across the country. Findings
indicate that industry employment is geographically dispersed across the
states, but that states vary greatly in the composition of their
biosciences bases. 
 
 
Webinar Invitation: Technology-Based Learning Forum
Description:  The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is
advancing the use of technology for training within the workforce
investment system. The use of E-learning is an important strategy to
help address the talent development needs in regional economies across
the country. The goal is to use E-learning to move workers into high
growth, high demand occupations and meet the needs of industry for
skilled employees. In order to increase the number of people trained and
to further broaden opportunities for skill and competency development
made available through E-learning methodologies, ETA is convening three
regional forums and one virtual forum via Webinars. 
Date:  05/09/2007
Time:  2:00pm Eastern (1:00pm/Central, 12:00pm/Mountain,
11:00am/Pacific)
Length:  90 minutes
Registration for this Webinar is limited and seating is on a first-come,
first-served basis. Please click the link below to login to Workforce3
One and register today!
http://www.workforce3one.org/public/skillbuilding/webinar_info.cfm?id=19
7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


>From MDRC

How Much is a College Degree Worth? (Fast Facts)
http://www.mdrc.org/area_fact_33.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


>From Literacy Works (New Zealand) http://www.workbase.org.nz/


REFLECT for ESOL
This is a set of materials intended for anyone teaching or working with
refugees, asylum seekers, or long-term immigrant groups.
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/?mod=1&dok=1271

E-learning for the Trades (Aus)
Six case studies which show how vocational tutors, mainly from the
construction trades, have developed e-learning approaches to improve the
flexibility and impact of their teaching.  Other excellent resources as
well include a model for e-learning, tools and examples.  Literacy is
discussed in relation to ESOL, computer use and 'digital literacy'.
http://trades.flexiblelearning.net.au/index.html

The Learning Edge - Online Newspaper
The Learning Edge is an online newspaper for adult learners.  Most of
the issues include workforce or workplace-related articles.  The last
few issues are particularly rich in work-related basic skills areas.
http://thewclc.ca/edge/

Embedded Materials for Construction
Here are a range of numeracy worksheets - some of which relate to the
construction context

Ratio and Proportion
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/embedded%20ratio.pdf

Choosing the best buy
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/Choosing%20the%20Best%20S
upplier.pdf

and accompanying spreadsheet
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/Copy%20of%20Choosing%20th
e%20Best%20Supplier.xls

Why you should fix dripping taps
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/Don't%20be%20a%20drip.pdf

Capacity
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/How%20much%20will%20it%20
hold.pdf%20.pd

The cost of bottled water
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/The%20Great%20Water%20Rob
bery.pdf

Using a scale ruler
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/Using%20a%20Scale%20ruler
.pdf

Volume problems
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/Volume%20Problems%20for%2
0Const.pdf

Water Costs
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/Water%20Costs.pdf

Percentages Worksheet
http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/files/temp/Percentages.pdf



 

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----------------------------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to lloyd_david at ceilearn.com

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Email delivered to dmiller at shoreline.edu