Embedding Literacy and Numeracy

Otago Polytechnic 2011

Literacy 43% below level 3, Numeracy 51% below level 3

Document Literacy

1,076,70038%

538,35019%

396,68014%

821,70029%

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5

Numeracy

935,03033%

453,35016%

566,69020%

878,37031%

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5

International Adult Literacy Survey 1996 (IALS) Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey 2006 (ALLS)

Resources

Embedded courses must have:

• Explicit learning outcomes for literacy and numeracy

• A literacy and numeracy diagnostic assessment

• Deliberate teaching of literacy and numeracy

• Assessment of learner progress in literacy and numeracy

Our approach:

• Developed literacy and numeracy module in Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning (GCTLT)

• Developed a bank of resources for staff to access in Moodle

• Created L&N Champions in every school

• Provided further professional development opportunities

Embedding L & N Module

• http://wikieducator.org/Embedding_Literacy_and_Numeracy_Module

Staff Support in Moodle

The Assessment Tool

Possible reasons for incorrect response

Learner’s response highlighted

Possible reasons for incorrect response

Learner’s response highlighted

Reports in the Tool

I am pretty comfortable calculating with whole numbers as long as

they are not too big.

I don’t do fractions, decimals and percentages

Step Three Profile

Learner Profiling

Number Triangle

Costing Exercise in Cookery

Using a Visualiser

• http://play.op.ac.nz/video/Calculating-MER-for-dogs---understanding-how-to-find-and-use-the-right-formula/3a971578ea2e292f6a8c3681edf57879

Learning file

Teaching

Scaffold

Practice & application

Choice

Gains in numeracy in some courses

Negative gains?

Vocational Course

Vocational course with extra numeracy

Gains – Whole Polytechnic

Gains!!

Issues

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gluglondon/4768190942/

Students not turning up for assessments and reassessments

Issues continued…

• Students not making an effort for the reassessment.

• Results in negative gains – students going backwards?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/familymwr/4928600773/

Conclusions

• On average about 15% of students make gains in L&N (regardless of deliberate attempts by us?)

• We are yet to find out what TEC expect from us. Is this figure acceptable to them?