eVALBEC
February 2009
This
is the electronic newsletter of VALBEC, the Victorian
Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council, and is
sent to about 850 practitioners on the first of each
month (other than January). It is also available in
the ‘News’ section of our web site http://www.valbec.org.au
Disclaimer: The activities, goods and services mentioned
in eVALBEC are not endorsed by VALBEC in any way. People
should make their own judgment about the suitability
of each item.
How to submit items: http://www.valbec.org.au/05/news.htm
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IN THIS ISSUE OF eVALBEC:
1. “Navigating
Laneways” Call for Presentations for the 2009
VALBEC Conference
2. VALBEC Strategic Planning Day - January 16
3. Future Fine Print
4. Fine Print - Special Student Writing Edition
2008
5. Loss of funds for the Adult Literacy National Project
6. ACAL conference 2009 – From Strength to Strength’
7. VALBEC membership fees
8. Additional Fine Print
9. Information Sessions – Australian Flexible
Learning Framework - Victorian E-Learning Innovations
10. Women's empowerment through literacy
11. ACFE region merger
12. New NCVER wiki
13. Teacher needed
14. Update your course details
15. Subscribe to eVALBEC?
16. Unsubscribe?
17. Contact VALBEC
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Welcome to the first
eVALBEC for 2009!
1. “Navigating
Laneways” Call for Presentations for the 2009
VALBEC Conference
May 8, 2009 at William
Angliss College
Already we have had
much interest and would particularly like to hear from
teachers who would like to present examples of teaching
practice or projects that have been successful with
diverse learners. The conference provides a great opportunity
to share and affirm your practice with colleagues so
step up and put forward a proposal.
The proposal form can be completed online at http://www.valbec.org.au and
should be submitted by February 23, 2009
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2. VALBEC Strategic
Planning Day - January 16
The VALBEC committee
spent a very productive day reviewing our operations
and achievements and planning for the years ahead.
We revisited our focus and core activities affirmed
the following:
Vision: Active Committed Practitioners
Mission: To lead the theory and practice of adult literacy,
language and numeracy in Victoria.
Goal: To build and maintain VALBEC’s role as
a leader in adult education
Goal: To be actively involved in the changing policy
environment in which VALBEC operates
Goal: To support and advocate for adult literacy, language
and numeracy learners and practitioners.
We have submitted a proposal to ACFE for funding for
a program of professional development that will include
Good Practice and Twilight forums, the annual conference
and pre conference workshops, Fine Print, eVALBEC and
an upgrade to our website.
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3. Future Fine Print
After input from the
Fine Print Editorial Committee and much discussion
it was decided that from 2009 we will move to three
editions of Fine Print each year. This was a difficult
decision as we do not want to compromise on the content
and high quality of Fine Print and acknowledge the
history of Fine Print as the flagship of VALBEC over
30 years. However, the decision has come in response
to changes in the adult literacy and numeracy sector
with the demise of research funding and activity and
pressures of time for the editor and volunteer editorial
group.
We are confident that the Semester 1 & Semester
2 editions will exceed expectations and the Student
Writing edition to be published for Adult Learners
Week (September) will become a regular and much valued
opportunity to celebrate our learners.
Student Writing Edition
There was a large and enthusiastic response to the
2008 Student writing edition. More details in the next
eVALBEC but the deadline for submission will be June
26 which allows it to be part of the celebration
of Adult Learners Week in September.
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4. Fine Print -
Special Student Writing Edition 2008
VALBEC members and
Fine Print subscribers will have seen the recent edition
of Fine Print with some inspiring examples of student
writing.
Additional copies can be purchased for $5 per copy,
including postage and GST (within Australia).
Payment or purchase order is required in advance. Only
available while stocks last.
Go to http://www.valbec.org.au and
follow the links to see some extracts and get purchase
details.
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5. Loss of funds for
the Adult Literacy National Project
VALBEC recently wrote
to the Federal Minster for Education, Julia Gillard,
expressing concerns about the loss of funding for the
adult literacy national project which includes the
Reading and Writing Hotline and ACAL.
You can see the response at http://www.valbec.org.au then
follow the links.
We encourage members to write to their state and federal
politicians asking about the fate of funding for adult
literacy and in particular, ACAL and the Reading and
Writing Hotline and give examples from your experience
of the service putting learners in contact with programs.
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6. ACAL conference
2009 – From Strength to Strength’
The ACAL conference
will be held in Fremantle in October 2009
You can register your interest and keep an eye on developments
at http://www.waalc.org.au/09conf/
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7. VALBEC membership
fees and additional Fine Print
There will be no change
to the membership fees which fall due on March 1.
Invoices will be sent to members in the next few weeks.
The fees are
Individual membership
- Employed Full Time (or on a time fraction 0.6 or
above) - $90
Individual membership - Part time and Sessional - $56
Full time tertiary student or unemployed teacher - $40
Institutional membership - Small Organisation (less
than 3 EFT staff) - $140
Institutional membership - Base rate - $180
Institutional membership - Multi-Campus (includes 5
copies of ‘Fine Print’) - $335
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8. Additional Fine
Print
Members will now be
able to subscribe for extra copies of Fine Print. Currently
all categories, with the exception of Multi-campus,
receive one copy of Fine Print as part of the membership
fee. Renewal invoices going out soon will allow members
to choose additional copies of Fine Print posted to
the same address.
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9. Information Sessions – Australian
Flexible Learning Framework - Victorian E-Learning
Innovations
RTOs are invited to
apply for funding to develop innovative e-learning
solutions that will develop strategic solutions tailored
to meet local education and training priorities.
Funding will be awarded to projects that focus
on either of the following: business–training
provider partnerships or empowering individual learners
through stimulating demand, providing greater choice,
or responding to the needs of disadvantaged learners.
To assist you in building a business case for your
applications, e-Works will be conducting the following
E-learning Innovations information sessions in Shepparton
(2 February), Traralgon (4 February) Melbourne (6 February),
or via Elluminate (9 February)
Applications for Victorian E-learning Innovations funding
close on 5 March. For more information on Briefing
Sessions and funding guidelines, visit:http://flexiblelearning.net.au/VIC
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10. Women's empowerment
through literacy
‘Fancy
Footwork’ written by a group of women adult educators
was launched at the VALBEC conference in 2007. An article
with extracts from this book is now a chapter in ‘Empowering
Women Through Literacy: Views from Experience’ by
Mev Miller & Kathleen P. King, editors.
This is the first comprehensive collection of writing
from the field by everyday educators who experience
the joys and challenges, creativity and barriers to
acknowledge or integrate innovative solutions to support
women's learning needs in adult basic education and
literacy settings. It reveals the many ways in which
addressing women's empowerment through literacy continues
to impact lives.
Copies of these publications are now available
Purchase ‘Fancy Footwork’ http://www.valbec.org.au/05/fancyfoot.htm
More details and how to
purchase ‘Empowering Women Through Literacy:
Views from Experience’ at http://www.valbec.org.au/05/docs/WLEmpowerflyer1.pdf (PDF
125KB)
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11. ACFE region merger
The ACFE Northern
and Western Metropolitan Regions are being merged and
expressions of interest are sought for Council membership.
EoI close on February 6 and see http://www.acfe.vic.gov.au for
details.
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12. New NCVER wiki
Generating and sharing
ideas within the adult language, literacy and numeracy
community is the aim of new new 'wiki' developed by
the National Centre for Vocational Education Research
(NCVER).
http://www.adultliteracyresource.edu.au brings
together key messages from the Adult Literacy Research
Program (ALRP), a comprehensive body of research that
explores a wide range of literacy and numeracy topics.
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13. Teacher needed
Adult Literacy Teacher
needed for sessional teaching in Reservoir. Thursdays
12.30-.3.30 and Fridays 9am to 1pm. Phone Libby at
PRACE for more info 94626077. or email libby@prace.vic.edu.au
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14. Update your course
details
One of the most visited
parts of the VALBEC website lists the courses offered
by organisations in the TAFE and ACE sector.
You can see your listing or update it at http://www.valbec.org.au/05/contacts/contacts.htm
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15. Subscribe to eVALBEC?
Click this link <mailto:info@valbec.org.au?subject=eVALBEC_Subscribe> and
we’ll put you on the list to receive this monthly
enewsletter.
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16. Unsubscribe?
Just click this link <mailto:info@valbec.org.au?subject=eVALBEC_Unsubscribe> (no
typing required!) and hit Send or,
send an e-mail with the word Unsubscribe in the subject.
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17. Contact VALBEC
eVALBEC is the monthly
electronic newsletter of (VALBEC) the Victorian Adult
Literacy and Basic Education Council.
E-mail: info@valbec.org.au
Web: http://www.valbec.org.au
Postal: Box 861 Springvale South VIC 3172
Ph: 03 9546 6892
Fax: 03 9546 0421