Directive

Introduction

The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to providing lifelong, community-based learning opportunities for adult residents in order that they may be full participants in the social, economic, cultural and political development of the NWT

Background

For many years the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, as part of its commitment to lifelong learning, has supported adult basic education.‹ For linguistic, economic, and social reasons, there are still large numbers of adults with low levels of education, and this will continue for the foreseeable future.‹ Low levels of formal education have negative impacts on individuals and communities and reduce access to further education and employment.‹ Literacy is a prerequisite for all other forms of education.

Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs are foundations essential to the attainment of personal, career, and educational goals.‹ These programs are the building blocks for adults without a high school diploma.‹ Completion of the Adult Literacy and Basic Education Program prepares students to enter postsecondary programs.‹‹ With the large educational need, funding and delivery of Adult Literacy and Basic Education program have required the involvement of various partners including Aurora College, community-based organizations, and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.‹ Community involvement and support has also been an important element of Adult Literacy and Basic Education.‹

This directive takes into account the changing context, and defines the departmentÃs commitment to Adult Literacy and Basic Education.‹ It states the principles that will guide delivery of programs, and it describes the roles and responsibilities of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and service providers. Education, Culture and Employment recognizes the need for a directive to guide decision-making and provide consistent direction for meeting the learning needs of adult students in the NWT.

Definitions

The Government of the Northwest Territories accepts the Statistics Canada and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development definition of literacy in the International Adult Literacy Survey: œthe ability to understand and employ printed information in daily activities, at home, at work and in the community Á to achieve oneÃs goals, and to develop oneÃs knowledge and potential.”

Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs are part of a holistic and integrated process of learning, based on life experience, shared knowledge, and decision-making by learners.‹ Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs contribute to personal growth and social development and recognize and value learnersà prior knowledge and experience.‹ Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs also include aboriginal/cultural literacy and recognize its role in the survival, development, and empowerment of the language communities.

I. PURPOSE

This directive sets out a framework for planning, developing, providing, and evaluating literacy and basic education programs and services for adult learners.

II. PRINCIPLES

Adult Literacy and Basic Education are based on the following five principles:

þ Learner Centred

þ Accessible

þ Coordinated and Integrated

þ Community-Based

þ Respect for Cultural Diversity.

Learner Centred

Learner-centred Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs and services make the needs, interests, abilities, and goals of students a priority.‹ The service providers recognize different learning styles and preferences and respond with relevant and appropriate assessment, instruction, and evaluation.‹ The learners are partners in the planning and decision-making.‹ Learner-centred Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs also recognize and value learnersà prior knowledge and experience, and support the personal growth of learners.

Accessible

Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs and services should be broadly available.‹‹ They support lifelong learning and recognize that students enter and re-enter learning environments based on individual needs and goals.‹ Adult Literacy and Basic Education activities are most effective when supported by a diverse network of community- and institutionally-based literacy providers.‹ This network provides flexible learning opportunities in support of a full range of learner needs.‹ All programs are encouraged to reflect, in an equitable way, a diverse society, inclusive of both genders and people with disabilities. Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs have structures, approaches, methods and materials in place to make sure learners receive what they need in order to achieve results at the same level as other learners of similar ability and in other target groups.

Coordinated and Integrated

Meeting the needs of the many adult learners who lack formal education requires shared responsibility, resources and cooperation between agencies, Aurora College, aboriginal organizations, claimant groups, employers, government and community organizations in order to deliver quality programs.‹ Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs are bridging initiatives that promote readiness for further education and transferability between other adult basic education programs. As well, these programs increase timely referrals and promote long-term planning of services that supports stability and quality.‹ Literacy is recognized as an integral component of training and economic development, which requires long term planning, financial commitment, and consultation in an efficient, timely process.

Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs require partnerships among communities, organizations and institutions. The GNWT will encourage cooperation, collaboration and the development of partnerships between and among the public, private, and voluntary sectors in the NWT.‹ The identification of needs as well as the development, delivery and evaluation of Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs are shared responsibilities involving learners, government, post-secondary institutions, divisional education authorities, community-based organizations, aboriginal management boards, employers and employees.

Community-Based

Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs are responsive to the unique needs and conditions of each community and to individual and community development. Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs also support community involvement and ownership in planning and delivery.‹ Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs are accountable to the community and learners; equally the community has responsibility to support programs and learners. Service providers value community members as experts and involve them as resource personnel.‹ Service providers also recognize that community-based program delivery increases access and individual success.

Respect for Cultural Diversity

Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs promote cultural diversity in education.‹ Service providers encourage staffing in programs to reflect the cultural diversity of the communities.‹ They recognize the importance of cultural literacy to the survival, development, and empowerment of language communities.‹ They also recognize the right of Northerners to literacy education in the official languages of Canada and the Northwest Territories.

III. ADULT LITERACY AND BASIC EDUCATION ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs involve individual students, communities, service providers, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the government, employers and employees. Successful programs are the result of cooperation and coordination among the partners.

Given the complexity of funding structures and the requirements to meet client needs, it is essential to clearly define roles and responsibilities in Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs .‹

Coordinated efforts are required in the following areas to provide effective and meaningful learning opportunities for adult learners:

Planning and Promotion

Program Development

Funding

Delivery

Evaluation of Results

Curriculum

Staff Certification/Development.

Within this context roles and responsibilities for key organizations and agencies are defined as follows:

A. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment:

õ Establishes program standards and accountability framework

õ Funds the delivery of Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs and services

õ Analyses and provides information on education levels

õ Promotes public awareness about Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs

õ Develops, approves and maintains curriculum and learning resources

õ Directs the articulation of Adult Literacy and Basic Education with the DepartmentÃs High School Graduation Diploma

õ Establishes certification of achievement for adult learners

õ Co-operates with partners to provide professional development opportunities for Adult Literacy and Basic Education instructors

õ Ensures Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs meet the entry requirements for postsecondary programs and are equivalent to courses in the school system

õ Co-ordinates information sharing among service providers and communities

õ Maintains quality standards for Adult Literacy and Basic Education by working with service providers to evaluate programs.‹ Evaluations are completed:

þ On a continuous, participatory basis;

þ Through evaluation plans that document input from learners, practitioners, community members and other stakeholders, statistics, written reports and financial statements from the program; and

þ The results should be reflected in the program revisions and development

õ Reports on Adult Literacy and Basic Education activities across the Northwest Territories.

B. Aurora College and other Service Providers:

õ Develop and design programs in cooperation with communities in response to their expressed needs and departmental program standards

õ Deliver programs based on learnersà needs and departmental curriculum

õ Select and hire instructors with the qualifications and experience needed to create a supportive adult learning environment

õ Provide opportunities for the professional development of instructors and educators

õ Provide information on programs and program participants to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment

õ Evaluate and report on delivery based on departmental quality standards and accountability framework

õ Provide student support services for learners.

C. Aboriginal Governments:

õ Conduct education and training needs surveys and labour market analysis for communities

õ Identify programs to be delivered that serve the educational needs and interests of communities

õ Notify service providers of programs selected for the communities

õ Participate with service providers in the hiring of instructors and support staff

õ Participate with service providers in the selection of students for community programs

õ Report on the results of the programs delivered.

D. Community Groups and Agencies:

The success of Adult Literacy and Basic Education programming is dependent upon:

õ Community commitment, careful planning, promotion, support and resources at the local level

õ Meaningful interaction among elders, elementary and secondary schools, District Education Authorities, municipal/band councils, aboriginal management boards, learning centres, employers and community-based organizations.

Communities:

þ Participate in program planning

þ Support programs and students with community resources

þ Help identify participants for programs, encourage attendance, and support learning activities.

E. Adult Learners:

Learners are responsible for their academic and personal growth through involvement in decisions that affect them academically and socially.‹

Learners:

õ Bring their own cultural experiences into the program while respecting and learning from those of others

õ Share their knowledge and experiences in the program and within the community

õ Establish personal goals and work towards achieving them

õ Participate in decisions about program activities

õ Respect their fellow learners, instructors, and resource people

õ Are committed to participate in their program.

IV. CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS

A.‹ Adult Literacy and Basic Education Curriculum

The Department of Education, Culture, and Employment establishes the standards for Adult Literacy and Basic Education curriculum with clear learning outcomes.‹ The curriculum supports transferability of adult basic education throughout the territory regardless of the service provider.‹ All service providers who receive Adult Literacy and Basic Education program funding from the GNWT use the curriculum when teaching all levels of the following subject areas: Mathematics, Science, English, Social Studies, Career and College Preparation and Foundations, and Introduction to Computers.‹ See Appendix A for the Adult Literacy and Basic Education program continuum chart.

B.‹ Accountability and Program Standards

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment will ensure that there is a consistent level of quality among service providers through the monitoring of the accountability framework.‹ See Appendix B for the accountability framework.‹

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment and its partners in education established the Quality Standards for Adult Literacy and Basic Education document to guide Adult Literacy and Basic Education program delivery.‹ The standards encompass:

þ Program Mission, Goals, and Objectives

þ Organizational Linkages/Partnerships

þ Funding and Resources

þ Accessibility

þ Community Focus

þ Program Structure and Design

þ Learning Materials

þ Practitioner Training and Support

þ Respect for Learners

þ Learner Assessment

þ Student Support

þ Accountability

þ Program Evaluation

þ Provision for Transferability of Learning.

C.‹ The Educational Environment

1.The Setting:

Adult Literacy and basic Education programs may take place anywhere in the community, whether in the workplace, in the homes, or in public institutions. Where programs are classroom-based, the atmosphere should be inviting to students, instructors and members of the community.‹ It should reflect the active participation of the students in work choices and in the development of the individual and the class.‹ Both the student and the adult educator take responsibility for deciding what needs to be learned.

2.The Learning Centres:

Aurora College operates learning centres for continuing education programs.‹ The learning centres may be administered by community organizations.‹ The ideal learning centre reflects the guiding principles identified in this directive.

The learning centres promote the principles by:

õ Encouraging student growth and achievement and by being a resource centre for the community

õ Promoting active student leadership and involvement in teamwork within the learning centre and the community

õ Reinforcing and recognizing the cultural values and languages of the community

õ Encouraging community involvement in the learning centre.

3. Community-Based Organizations:

Community-based organizations deliver programs for identified client groups such as women or learners with special needs.

D.‹ Funding to Support Adult Literacy and Basic Education

Aurora College receives funding from the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment for the delivery of Adult Literacy and Basic Education programs and services.‹ The Department of Education, Culture and Employment may also fund programs through other service providers.‹ This funding provides programming primarily at the Adult Basic Education 120 to Adult Basic Education 150 levels (Grades 4-12).

The Community Literacy Projects Fund, managed by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, provides programming for the Adult Basic Education 110 level.‹ Contributions are also provided to community-based, non-governmental organizations for the delivery of basic literacy projects.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment delegates authority for Adult Literacy and Basic Education program delivery to Aurora College or community-based organizations through contribution agreements.‹ Program funding for adult basic education (Basic Literacy, Academic Development, and Employment Readiness) are the first priority.

E.‹ Adult Literacy and Basic Education Staff

It is expected that staff employed by service providers will possess or work towards completing the Certificate in Adult Education Program.‹

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment supports the delivery of the Certificate Adult Education Program and the Career Development Certificate Program to assist educatorsà professional development.

F. Accreditation

The Department of Education, Culture, and Employment will issue a Graduation Diploma equivalency to any student who meets the completion requirement set out by the department.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment will:

õ Identify the Adult Literacy and Basic Education course requirements for the Graduation Diploma equivalency

õ Establish an articulation process whereby students completing an Adult Literacy and Basic Education program, in accordance with the Adult Basic Education curricula, will be eligible to receive a Grade 12 equivalency diploma

õ Establish a process for marking the required exit examinations

õ Advise Aurora College, community-based organizations and other service providers of any changes to the course requirements that may be introduced from time to time.