eVALBEC December 2006
This is the electronic newsletter of VALBEC, the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council, and is sent to about 900 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.
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IN THIS ISSUE OF e-VALBEC:
1. The New CGEA
2. Course Contacts Update (public information about local courses)
3. Living Literacies: 2007 VALBEC Annual Conference – May 4, 2007
4. Seeking a teacher
5. Is your organisation in need of free stationery? (Offer about to close – be quick)
6. Low literacy users of the web
7. Green PCs
8. Merry Christmas!
9. Subscribe to eVALBEC?
10. Unsubscribe?
11. Contact VALBEC
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1. The New CGEA
Forty VALBEC members took ‘A walk around the new CGEA’ on Tuesday 28th November.
Corinna Ridley and Dave Tout gave a brief overview of the changes in the new certificates and the slides from their presentation have been added to the VALBEC website. http://www.valbec.org.au
Four groups discussed areas for professional development in 2007 and the notes from these discussions will be used as a basis for VALBEC to provide input to the CMM and ACFE as well as to plan a program of activities to precede the annual conference in May.
VALBEC is keen to draw on the skills and expertise of members to present workshops or to be part of working parties to devise and examine resources and make recommendations for a CGEA website. Fine Print is looking for contributors to the Open Forum section that will be themed around the CGEA implementation process from a practitioner’s perspective.
If you would like to be involved in preparing a workshop or being a Fine Print journal writer contact us at info@valbec.org.au
If you were unable to attend the Practical Matters workshop please send your suggestions for professional development activities to info@valbec.org.au
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2. Course Contacts Update (public information about local courses)
Thanks to those forty or so listings who have updated their information. This is one of the most popular pages on our web site - http://www.valbec.org.au/ then ‘Course Contacts’.
Go to that address and follow the link to the online updating page or get a pdf form for completion and faxing.
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3. Living Literacies: 2007 VALBEC Annual Conference – May 4, 2007
Mark May 4, 2007 - the VALBEC Annual Conference – for inspiration, networking, developments, changes – at the William Angliss Centre. More information soon.
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4. Seeking a teacher
Gawith Villa supports Adults who have an intellectual disability. One of the programs we offer is the “Certificate 1 in Initial Adult Literacy and Numeracy” which we run at Phoenix Park community centre. We are seeking a teacher for the program commencing the 22nd of January 2007. The position is three days per week, currently Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. There are approximately 7 students in each class, and every student has a volunteer tutor that works with them. It would be an advantage if the person had some understanding of assessment of learning needs and special education knowledge would be ideal but not mandatory.
Interested parties can contact – Carmine Laghi at Gawith Villa on 8508 6705.
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5. Is your organisation in need of free stationery? (Offer about to close – be quick)
As part of the City of Melbourne's “Sustainable Move”, Green Collect is helping to distribute stationery that would normally be thrown out. This stationery is often new and unused, and includes document trays, magazine racks, dividers, computer accessories, and literally hundreds and hundreds of lever-arch folders and ring binders.
This offer is open to anyone who can reuse this stationery and equipment, with a focus on community groups and charities who have limited resources.
Items are available for collection between 10 and 4.30pm on Mondays and Thursdays until the end of November. We are located at the City of Melbourne offices on Level 1 at 255 Bourke street, Melbourne (opposite the Nike store, next to Telstra shop, in same building as Employment Plus). Please ring buzzer on level 1.
Please bring your own bags or boxes if possible and distribute this notice amongst your networks.
For more information, please contact Nick Ray at Green Collect on 9663 8843 or 0500 868 498, or email greencollect@netspace.net.au .
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6. Low literacy users of the web
Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox, November 20, 2006 suggests the digital divide is not the only ‘divide’. Neilsen claims the
economic divide is a non-issue, but the usability and empowerment divides and alienate huge population groups who miss out on the Internet's potential.
The "digital divide" refers to the fact that certain parts of the population have substantially better opportunities to benefit from the new economy than other parts of the population. Most commentators view this in purely economic terms. However, two other types of divide will have much greater impact in the years to come.
Lower-literacy users exhibit very different reading behaviors than higher-literacy users: they plough text rather than scan it, and they miss page elements due to a narrower field of view.
More http://www.useit.com/alertbox/digital-divide.html
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7. Green PCs
Green PC and Infoxchange Australia have a partnership with Microsoft which allows installation of legitimate and legal operating systems to all refurbished PC's. Schools, community groups, sporting clubs, volunteer services and individuals on low incomes and disability recipients have all benefited from receiving a Green PC, with 12 month helpdesk support, 12 month warranty.
Green PC has two outlets in Victoria, the national head office in Abbotsford and a retail store in the Brotherhood of St Laurence Bargain Hunter store in Footscray.
They have PC's from as low as $99, and can upgrade and modify most Green PC's to suit specific needs, and you can order on line at http://www.greenpc.com.au or call 1300 306645. They can also provide support and even ADSL services.
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8. Merry Christmas!
The VALBEC committee extend best wishes to all members. Enjoy your break and we look forward to providing services to our members in 2007
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9. 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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10. 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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11. 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