eVALBEC April 2005
This is the electronic newsletter of the Victorian Adult Literacy and Basic Education Council.
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IN THIS ISSUE OF e-VALBEC:
1. Portraits and Visions: keeping the learner in sight – 2005 VALBEC Conference
2. Professional Development Activities Planning
3. Fine Print – Autumn edition coming up
4. Creating Digital Stories in 1 hour or less – Practical Matters PD
5. Diary Date - VALBEC AGM
6. Committee news
7. Next VALBEC Committee meeting
8. Liz Suda leaves the Flemington Reading & Writing Program
9. ALM12 conference – call for papers extended
10. Northern Region Further Education Inaugural Conference
11. Volunteers sought to trial teaching material
12. Innovative Grants Adult Literacy Section, DEST
13. Wanted! Maths, Literacy, Science and GCO teachers
14. Unsubscribe?
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1. Portraits and Visions: keeping the learner in sight – 2005 VALBEC Conference
May 20, 2005 at the William Angliss College, Melbourne
We’ll be welcoming speakers from interstate and overseas to share their experiences in the field of adult literacy and the full program and registration are available at http://www.valbec.org.au. You can also download a registration form from the web site. Or click this link <mailto:conf@valbec.org.au?subject=Send_2005_Conference_RegForm> and we’ll  email you a registration form as an attachment.
Recent conferences have been heavily subscribed so act now and ensure a place.
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2. Professional Development Activities Planning
We are currently planning our series of professional development events for the rest of the year. We welcome suggestions from members as to what topics or activities they would like at our Twilight forums or Practical Matters workshops  later in the year. Would you like to offer to host a session?
Please contact us info@valbec.org.au
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3. Fine Print – Autumn edition coming up
VALBEC members automatically receive Fine Print. Subscribe via http://www.valbec.org.
Features in the next edition include:
Constructing Utopia: constructing literacy and numeracy in a remote indigenous community by Janine Oldfield
In a remote community in Central Australia, a garden project provides fertile ground as students learn English and gain new skills from a VET program.
The internet in learning literacy: are you game? by Jan Hagston
Just as a guitarist picks up mistakes when playing through an amplifier, online and computer-aided literacy learners find working on-screen provides immediate evidence of their growing skills.
The right to be here: working in ACE with learners with mental health issues by Kay Viola and Robin Kenrick
Studies show that teachers are more likely to be supportive once they understand the cyclical nature of mental illness, and how it affects an individual’s learning. A recent publication, The right to be here: Working in ACE with learners with mental health issues, will be a valuable resource.
Coaching: the changing face of adult learning by Sue Constable
Coaching is becoming an essential element in the operating procedures of major corporations. As such, it could offer new career opportunities to trainers and educators in search of a change.
Regulars
Practical Matters
It’s already made it into the Oxford Dictionary, but what is blogging? Well, blogging is … ask Jane Westworth.
Policy Update
In England and Wales, assessment methods are based on standardised testing and hard data, but there are viable alternatives, according to Jay Derrick.
Foreign Correspondent
When teacher and doctoral student Annabelle Leve visited a remote part of the Solomon Islands, she found a beautiful place in the sun. When she left, Annabelle was questioning what were the truly useful skills are for the local people.
Beyond the Whiteboard
Former Olympic Adult Education manager Rachel Wilson has taken a position with the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture. So it’s see you beyond the whiteboard, Rachel!
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4. Creating Digital Stories in 1 hour or less – Practical Matters PD
Friday 6 May from 1pm to 4 pm. at Lab 3000, Level 3, 257 Collins Street, Melbourne
Would you like to learn how to put together a digital story in 1 hour or less? Come along to this session and learn the fundamentals to get you going. You will walk away with a digital story. We will also discuss how you can use digital storytelling as part of your classroom teaching.
Participants need to bring some digital photos (these can be related to something you are doing in the classroom, or your own personal photos). You can also bring music on CD (if you wish, although we will have some for you to use) and a sense of enthusiasm to have a go!
The Practical Matters session will be conducted by Debbie Soccio and Tony Bonnici from Victoria University.
RSVP to Debbie Soccio at 9919 8762 or email debbie.soccio@vu.edu.au no later
than Friday 29 April.
This is no charge for VALBEC members for this workshop but booking is essential and is limited to 19 people.
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5. Diary Date - VALBEC AGM
Wednesday June 1st, 2005 Details to follow
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6. Committee news
We would like to thank Clea Nichol and Fran Hanrahan, who have recently resigned,  for their work and commitment on the VALBEC committee in 2004. We valued their input and especially appreciated that they had to travel quite a distance to attend meetings.
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7. Next VALBEC Committee meeting
The next VALBEC Committee meeting is April 21 and members are welcome to attend (near-city venue). Contact VALBEC for location confirmation.
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8. Liz Suda leaves the Flemington Reading & Writing Program
Liz Suda  is leaving the Flemington Reading and Writing Program (FRWP) after 15 years at the  post. She has taken a position with the Education Foundation, working with  secondary schools in curriculum and professional development. The FRWP AGM and farewell is being held on Friday 1st April at the Flemington Neighbourhood House, 28 Farnham St, Flemington, at 12.30. Anyone who wishes  to come and say farewell is most welcome. Liz will however continue to teach Literacy Methodology at Victoria University so will not be completely disengaged from Adult Literacy. Taking the plunge into different waters....
Liz's position as Education Manager will be advertised shortly in the press and on email mailing lists. ALBE and ESL educators interested in picking up the torch and leading FRWP into the future should direct expressions of interest to flemrw@bigpond.net.au. ASAP and beat the rush!
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9. ALM12 conference – call for papers extended
The closing date for the call for papers has been extended to at least April 8th 2005. You will be informed of acceptance or rejection (unlikely!!) by April 22nd, in plenty of time to register with the Early Bird discount.
http://www.alm-online.org/alm12/
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10. Northern Region Further Education Inaugural Conference
Friday July 15, 2005 Moonee Valley Racing Club
Planning is underway for the inaugural Northern Region Further Education Conference, supported by the Faculty of Further Education at NMIT and Northern Metropolitan ACFE. Under the theme of 'Making a Difference ' keynote speakers and workshops will address best practice in adult learning environments, focussing on leading research, theory and practice relevant to students in further education across the northern region of Victoria.
The conference will provide a professional development opportunity for teachers, tutors, leaders and interested others involved in the delivery of language literacy and numeracy and other FE programs to come together to share best practice, strengthen commitments and establish professional networks in further education.
Call for Workshops and Papers
This is a call for teachers, tutors, project workers and/or managers in FE to contribute your expertise and experience to the conference in the form of  interactive workshops, research reports, panel presentations and and/or poster and resource displays of 40 or 60 minutes in duration. If you are interested in contributing to the conference please contact Rita Hawkins on 9269 1081 as soon as possible or you can email an expression of interest to :
ritah-as@nmit.vic.edu.au
Final proposals are to be submitted by Friday 29 April 2005 and presenters will be notified by Friday 27 May 2005 of their inclusion in the Conference program.
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11. Volunteers sought to trial teaching material
Advance notice: long time member of VALBEC, Daryl Evans, seeks ten teachers willing to use some ‘wall education’ material that he is developing for adult literacy classrooms. The trial forms part of his graduate research program and would require volunteers to keep records of the teaching experience and share their opinions with other members of the study group. Ultimately, the teachers would build on the initial trial to develop and report on their own ‘wall education’ display teaching material. Participants would need to be involved for six months or more and willing to join in several electronic discussions.  
 Further information will be provided in May’s copy of e-valbec and Daryl will be available at the annual conference to meet with any teachers with possible interest.
Like more details before then? Contact Daryl at  rdevans@myplace.net.au
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12. Innovative Grants Adult Literacy Section, DEST
Innovative Grants for 2005 will be advertised in all major daily newspapers on 2 April with a closing date of 6 May.  The new guidelines and application form at http://www.dest.gov.au/literacynet/
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13. Wanted! Maths, Literacy, Science and GCO teachers
Wanted! Maths, Literacy, Science and GCO teachers (all levels of CGEA) for emergency and possible sessional teaching in CAE's Access Education & Training Centre (Flinders Lane, City). Education qual and Cert IV necessary.
Please contact Liane Hughes at lianeh@cae.edu.au or ring 9652 0719.
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14. 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 words Unsubcribe in the subject.
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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