Adult learning, basic skills provision and the professional development of adult teaching staff in Norway

Margrethe Marstrøm Svensrud Director of Basic skills department Vox, Norway margrethe.svensrud@vox.no PLA Cyprus 05.12.13

Vox, Norwegian Agency for Lifelong Learning • Agency of the Norwegian Ministry of Education

and Research • Established in 2001 • Purpose: Serving adult learning within and

outside working life Main goals: • to contribute to supporting active citizenship, • improving employability and • increasing participation in education

PLA Cyprus 05.12.13

What is the situation in Norway?

• 5 million people • Low unemployment rate • Above OECD average in

PIAAC

• Many on benefits • 400 000 very low

reading skills • 500 000 very low

numeracy skills

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Adult learning – what is on offer? • basic skills - and

formal competences • further and continuing

education • learning for its own

sake - learning for joy • learning for active

citizenship and democracy

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Experience-based VET Certification

• Gives adults the right to pass VET examination upon proof of long and relevant practice

• Recognition of prior learning • Combination of in-service training, tutoring and

classes

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Reading

Writing

Digital skills Numeracy

Oral skills

Literacy and digital competence 25.11.13

Use digital tools

efficiently and

responsibly to solve practical

tasks

Express oneself understandably and appropriately about different topics in the written mode.

Create meaning from text in the widest sense

Apply mathematics in different situations

Create meaning through listening and speaking

Explain why you are late!

• You have been in a car accident, and because of that you are late for your appointment.

• You will need to make a phone call or send a message to explain why.

• What would you say?

1. You are late for a job interview 2. You are late for dinner with your family 3. You are meeting some friends at the pub

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Towards a more flexible system

• Many adults with low basic skills do not need a full primary or lower secondary school course

• They need a possibility to attend flexible education geared towards basic skills

Support for Basic Skills provision

• competence goals in digital skills, numeracy, reading, writing and oral communication

• guidelines for providers • teaching resources and didactic

models • mapping tools and tests • a model for teacher training

Areas of Basic skill provision • Primary and secondary education • The workplace - BCWL • The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service

(NAV) • The Norwegian Correctional Services • Vocational Rehabilitation Enterprises • Libraries • Other learning arenas

The Basic Competence in Working Life Programme (BCWL) • Financed by the Norwegian government • Concentrates on reading, writing, numeracy and

digital skills • Cooperation between enterprise and learning

provider • Learning in the workplace environment • Competence goals for Basic Skills for Adults

In what concrete situations will you need basic skills to work as a health care assistant?

Literacy and digital competence 25.11.13

Reading

Writing

Verbal communication

Basic maths

Computer skills

Individual plan: Health care assistant

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Competence areas

Reading

Written communication

Learning goal I know this I need to practice this

• Signs • Messages • Menus • Duty rosters • Personal care plans • Weekly plans • Shopping lists • HSE instructions on hygiene

and fire • Simple reports

Written communication

Write short and simple messages Write about personal experiences or happenings

Read and understand short and simple texts from your workplace. Find particular information in simple written material

Use real life material

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The adult teachers • Teachers trained to teach

children or young people • Adult educators with no

competences in teaching basic skills

• People with no formal teaching qualifications

Quality of provision????

How do we provide teachers and trainers with a deep understanding of the workplace learning approach? • The PIAAC results states that there is a positive

relationship between proficiency and labor force participation and employment. This might be seen as an argument for more embedded learning also in adult education and second chance schools.

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Professional development for teachers • For teachers who teach basic skills to adults • Formal and non-formal further training • Purpose:

•Ensure the quality of the learning provision •Support the teachers in their role • Improve the teachers’ competence in mapping participants’ need for adapted training

• Focus on both theory, practice and attitude • Will provide teachers and trainers with a deep

understanding of the workplace learning approach

Non-formal teacher training

•Annual series of seminars for teachers and trainers •Free of charge •Has been implemented since 2007 •Get input and ideas •Share experience with other teachers

Formal teacher training

•30 ECTS points

•Part-time study

•Are implemented from the autumn of 2009

•Are given in cooperation with Norwegian Universities and University Colleges

The model for formal training

Adult learning 1 (5 ECTS)

Teaching reading and

writing to adults 1

(10 ECTS)

Teaching numeracy to

adults 1

(10 ECTS)

Teaching digital

competence to adults 1 (10 ECTS)

Teaching reading and

writing to adults 2

(10 ECTS)

Teaching numeracy to

adults 2

(10 ECTS)

Teaching digital

competence to adults 2 (10 ECTS)

Adult learning 2 (5 ECTS)

30 ECTS

Teacher training is crucial

• Adult learning • Basic skills for adults • Embedded learning

• Need for a spesific training programme for teachers • Need for a system for accreditation of providers • Need for co-ordination across areas of provision

• The European Commission’s Guidelines for Basic Skills

•The importance of the professional competence of teachers as a condition for better quality of provision

Road Map: Towards a Quality Framework for Basic Skills Training Provision in all sectors of Norwegian Adult Learning

• establish a consensus among all relevant sectors and stakeholders

about the need to focus on the quality of BST provision • identify the most urgent issues and the possibilities for synergy

between initiatives in the different sectors; • co-ordinate the efforts of all stakeholders with the aim of creating a

Road Map called “Towards a Quality Framework for Basic Skills Training Provision in all sectors of Norwegian Adult Learning”.

Access to teacher training?

No formal requirements

saying the teachers

HAVE TO do the training

Teacher A: YES!I really like to do the training

Teacher B: NO! I do not want

to. I do not have

time. I have other

priorities

School owner: ???

Priorities Finances

Politiciens and policy

makers: ??? Knowledge about AEL Prioriteis Finances

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How can we ensure access to teacher training to everybody? • Recognition of the need for specific training for adult

educators in general as well as training with a sector-based approach is important to ensure quality in adult education. How can we promote this and ensure access to such training to everybody?

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For more information

www.vox.no/english

margrethe.svensrud@vox.no