Literacy and Numeracy for Adults

Assessment Tool

Joanne McCracken

What you need to know!

12 October 2012

This session will outline

Where we are

Current expectations with the Tool

Where we are going

Future of the Tool

Context

• Tool designed to help teaching and learning, diagnose learners’ proficiencies, and collect comparable data

• Tool developed in 2009, rolled out from 2010, usage required from 2011.

• Professional Development provided through National Centre of Adult Literacy and Numeracy

• Capability planning given to institutions to embed literacy and numeracy, which includes using the Tool

TEC funding

• We want to help improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for learners in all foundation level education. Performance matters.

• For all level one to three provision:

– 100% Assessment Tool usage

– 100% Embedding Literacy and Numeracy

• We will only fund provision that does both

• Stated in Plan Guidance (Initial and Supplementary), reinforced in Level 1-2 process

TEC funding

• The Ministry (and Minister) determine overall policy and funding levels. We operationalise.

• The funding determination (159L) is to be revised and strengthened to reflect changes.

• Assessment Tool usage guidelines to be revised. They apply across several funds - SAC, STM, ILN, ILN ESOL, WPL, YG, FFTO

• These guidelines will shortly become ‘rules’ and ‘conditions’ of funding.

Starting Points and ESOL learners

• ‘Starting Points’ assessment guide is useful for ESOL and pre-Progressions learners.

• New guidelines will be put in place for clarity about Assessment Tool or Starting Points

• Snapshot Threshold assessment– Above threshold Assessment Tool– Undecided -– Below threshold Starting Points

Usage

• 100% usage means learners should have at least one initial and one progress assessment

• 100% of learners WHO ENROL must complete an initial assessment

• 90% of learners WHO COMPLETE must complete a progress assessment

• Exemption for progress assessment if learner is assessed at Steps 5 or 6

Tool information in future

• How we will use Tool information in future?

• Current focus is on increasing uptake and information collection NOT tying funding to ‘performance’ or ‘gain’

• However, proposed LN gain indicators and other information will help INFORM future funding decisions

Tool information in future

When will the definitions of performance indicators for literacy and numeracy and the Tool be released?

The TEC will release the first version of the definitions and rules for calculating performance indicators for literacy and numeracy provision and gain once

(a) feedback has been sought and obtained on the indicators for all funds with a literacy and numeracy component and

(b) this feedback has been considered.

The TEC anticipates that this will be later this year.  

Tool information in future

When will Assessment Tool data be made available the sector?

The TEC will advise a date for this.

This will be after the release of the first version of the definitions and rules for calculating performance indicators for literacy and numeracy provision.

Gain

• TEC will shortly release rules and definitions regarding L+N gain indicators after all feedback is considered.

• 3 indicators are being finalised– gain based on Assessment Tool scores– number of learners receiving assessments (percent assessed)– percentage of LN provision that is embedded

New development

• A paper-based snapshot assessment will be launched after Labour Weekend!

Unique NSNs (learners) using each assessment in 2011Full Snapshot

Online 55,100. (3,230 use the online non-adaptive assessment).

30,400.

Paper-based

38,322

New development

A revised alignment diagram between the

Progressions and NZQF is being produced.

New development

• Of interest for those in workplaces or who are in WPL-funded courses

• Skills Highway programme transfer

• Focuses on employers to encourage and stimulate demand for training

• We also fund CTU’s Learning Reps programme – stimulate demand from peer-to-peer support and increasing employee engagement

Answers and help

• Online Tool support on National Centre website

http://literacyandnumeracyforadults.com

and click ‘Assessment Tool Support

• TEC usage guidelines

search ‘Assessment Tool Guidelines’ on www.tec.govt.nz.

Usage requirements differ by fund.

• NZCER Helpdesk

assessforadults@nzcer.org.nz

04 381 4576, Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm

Some brief group work

• Given the current context and your experiences:

• What is GOOD about using the Tool?

• What are some CHALLENGES with using the Tool?

• What COULD BE DONE to improve the Tool’s usage or resolve issues?