eVALBEC
November 2008
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. Master Class with
Colin Lankshear
2. The Australian Core Skills Framework now available
3. EngageMe
4. VCAL: on the move
5. Study Circles Australia
6. Ice-Breakers and Group Games • Inspire workshops
7. Free double pass
8. Subscribe to eVALBEC?
9. Unsubscribe?
10. Contact VALBEC
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1. Master Class with
Colin Lankshear
Colin Lankshear will
be speaking at the annual Learning Matters Symposium
at Victoria University. VALBEC members are invited
to attend a late afternoon Masterclass on December
8 at VU. More details later.
Colin is a Professor at James Cook University and internationally
acclaimed scholar in new information technologies and
researching literacy. His current job in James Cook
University is half time and he is a part time Visiting
Scholar at McGill University.
He works in language and literacy research, with a
particular interest in ‘new’ literacies
associated with the explosion of the internet. His
doctoral thesis looked at freedom in education. In
the middle of his PhD he got interested in a conception
of freedom as liberation that had been developed by
the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. Colin spoke at
an Twilight Forum several years ago and interest was
high.
Registration will be required but there is no fee (Thanks
VU)
Colin Lankshear's blog with Michele Knobel at http://everydayliteracies.blogspot.com/
Colin Lankshear's
articles and book links at http://www.geocities.com/c.lankshear/
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2. The Australian Core
Skills Framework now available
The Australian Core
Skills Framework, ACSF,
(revised NRS) is now available. To order your
fee copy of the full document and the summary document
go to http://www.deewr.gov.au/well
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3. EngageMe
AMES have been commissioned
to facilitate – EngageME, designed to
support teachers working with young learners in ACE.
Open to all Youth Pathways Program (YPP) and Youth
Guarantee in ACE providers. Other ACE organisations
who deliver accredited programs to youth will
also be invited to participate.
The EngageME project will work closely with ACFE Regions
to identify and promote a range of relevant
professional development and support activities for
youth providers in their region. The program
managers will consult in the remainder of 2008 to ensure
that activities are integrated into curriculum planning
for 2009.
For teachers the project will broker a range
of professional development opportunities that will:
§ Improve
their capacity to deal with student welfare, student
support and classroom management issues;
§ Upgrade
teachers’ knowledge of tools/strategies to support
innovative delivery and assessment practices;
§ Provide
advanced ICT skills training, as requested by providers,
as part of a suite of sessions brokered though agencies
such as Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI).
For young learners the project will:
§ Provide
advanced ICT skills training and support for students
who would benefit from workshops offered by the Australian
Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and other similar
organisations;
§ Broker
the involvement of students in programs organised by
expert organisations such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award, Outward Bound etc or other organisations with
a focus on individual, teamwork and confidence building
programs for young people;
§ Showcase
the achievements of young learners in ACE.
Questions? How to get involved? Contact Josie Rose
at AMES on 9926 4741, rosej@ames.net.au or
Jan Aitcheson on 0427 732 369, or aitchesonj@ames.net.au
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4. VCAL: on the move
20 & 21 November
at the CAE 253 Flinders Lane Melbourne
Erica Frydenburg, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education,
The University of Melbourne, will be the Keynote speaker
discussing ‘Young people and their coping skills.
What to teach and how to teach VCAL students’.
A variety of presenters will be available on both days,
gearing their material around partnerships, themed
programs, engaging individuals and consumer materials.
$250 registration for both days (includes lunches).
Ph 9652 0732
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5. Study Circles Australia
Martha McCoy and Dr
Patrick Scully from Everyday Democracy, USA (Formally
the Study Circles Resource Center)
Thursday, November 6, 2008, 1.00pm – 3.00pm
Victoria University, Footscray Park
Booking is essential:
Email your name, position and organisation to coral.cara@vu.edu.au
Bookings close on
Monday 3rd November, 2008.
Martha McCoy, Executive Director and Dr Patrick Scully
Deputy Director of Everyday Democracy in Connecticut,
US have made significant contributions to the fields
of deliberative democracy and community problem solving
by organising community wide study circle programs.
In 1998, Everyday Democracy worked with President Clinton’s
Initiative on Race, which named study circles as one
of the top four “best practices” in race
dialogue.
The ultimate vision of Everyday Democracy is that local
communities create and sustain public dialogue and
problem solving. Strong local democracies are seen
as the cornerstone of a vibrant national democracy.
http://www.everyday-democracy.org/en/Page.Vision.aspx
Martha McCoy is a
Keynote Speaker at the Adult Learning Australia 48th
Annual National Conference 2008, October 30 to November
1, Fremantle, Western Australia.
Study Circles Australia http://studycirclesaustralia.blogspot.com/
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6. Ice-Breakers and
Group Games • Inspire workshops
OFFER #1: FREE
Activity Book
Would you like to
get your hands on the Ten Easiest & Most Successful
Ice-Breakers and Group Games Ever?
Go to http://www.inspireyourgroup.com/valbec.htm to
instantly download your FREE copy. Thirty pages of
the best group games ever!
OFFER #2: 'Soft Skills' Professional Development
workshops
http://www.inspireyourgroup.com/profdev.htm
• Are you looking
to develop or refresh your group facilitation skills?
• Do you want to add dozens of new and fun group
activities to your repertoire?
An innovative professional development workshop - 'MORE
THAN JUST FUN' - will inspire you to design and deliver
programs that produce great results. Mark's programs
are always 100% fun, this workshop will particularly
emphasise the critical soft skills that are proven
to engage groups in a safe learning environment.
Sunday 16 November 2008 • 9.30am – 4pm • Lady
Northcote Camp, Bacchus Marsh
Register at http://www.inspireyourgroup.com/profdev.htm
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7. Free double pass
"Nelly Thomas
is Not a Yummy Mummy: The Dance Spectacular Remix!".
Don MacDowall (who
provides admin services to VALBEC ) is offering a free
double pass to "Nelly Thomas is Not a Yummy Mummy:
The Dance Spectacular Remix!".
Yummy Mummy ( http://www.nellythomas.com/YumMum/YumMum.htm )
was a hit show at the 2008 Melbourne Comedy Festival
and is being revived for one night only - Thursday,
November 13, 7.00 pm at Comedy@Trades, Trades Hall,
Cnr Lygon and Victoria Sts, Carlton.
To be in the running for a free double pass (you must
be a financial VALBEC member), send an email to info@valbec.org.au by
Nov 6 with "Yummy Mummy Free Pass" in the
subject line.
One winner only, notified by email by Nov 7.
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8. 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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9. Unsubscribe?
Just click this link <mailto:info@valbec.org.au?subject=eVALBEC_Unsubscribe> (no
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10. 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