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Effective workplace literacy programmes: what can research tell
us?
John BensemanDept. of Education
Unitec Institute of TechnologyAuckland, New Zealand
European Basic Skills NetworkMadrid
May 23, 2013
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Tena koutou katoaE nga hau e whaE nga iwi e tau neiTena koutou katoaNo Whanganui ahauKo Ruapehu te maungaKo Whanganui te awaKo St Paulii von Hamburg te wakaKo Ngati Pakeha te iwiKo John Benseman toku ingoaNo reira, tena koutouTena koutouTena koutou katoa
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My involvement in workplace literacy researchLead Researcher, Upskilling Project, Department of Labour, 2006-2010
Research and evaluation advisor, Measures of Success workplace literacy project in Nova Scotia and Manitoba, in association with Centre for Literacy, Montreal and funded through Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES), 2008-2012
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New Zealand policy contexts
Improving workplace productivity
Improving New Zealand adults’literacy and numeracy skills following the IALS (1996) and ALL (2006) surveys
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Research on workplace LLN1. Until a few years ago, very few quality
research studiesExisting ones of limited value & based on self-report
2. Extensive literature reviews now available
3. Large-scale studies now available from New Zealand, UK and Canada
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Upskilling
Govt.-funded project 2007-2011
Partnerships between employers/govt./providers
Evaluation key component of project
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15 companies • Road construction (3)• Meat industry (2)• Health • Wool processing• Cleaning • Transport• Aged care • Tourism• Re-cycling• Seafood processing• Food manufacturing• Engineering
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Teaching:• 1-2 hours a week• 2 days / break / 2 days • 2 – 12 months
duration
Teachers & providers:• Varied experience in
terms of LLN & workplace
teaching
The 18 courses:
• Content is contextualised on Needs Analysis of company
• Four are embedded courses
• 1:1, small groups, classes• 24 – 100 hrs long (av. 45)
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Pre-course interviews & assessments
Post-course interviews & assessmentsUpskilling course
Observation session
Provider data & evaluation
Company report
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The participants
13, 3%20, 4%
89, 18%22, 4%4, 1%
343, 70%
On leave(annual,maternity)Withdrew, still with co.
Left company
Away sick or notcontactableRefused interview
Interviewed post-course
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The course participants59.7% male Average age 39.4 yrs.
Average yrs. with company - 5.4
Current job - 3.7 yrs.
Most are current or potential supervisors
32.1% Māori27.1% Pasifika26.1% NZ European, 8.4% Asian6.3% Other
39.5% ESOL
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Course attendance
34.7; 77%
10.3; 23%Average hours attended
Average hours missed
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Course and tutor ratings
Courses were rated positively (4.9 on 1-6 scale) by participants, especially for being ‘different from school’
Tutors were rated more positively (5.5 on 1-6 scale) by course participants
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Reading scores
279 - both pre– & post-course assessments
Average increase in scaled score: 29.4%
44% went up an IALS/ALL level• 86 % increased their scaled scores• 4% stayed the same• 10% regressed
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E1 E2 E3 1 2E1 14 6 11 1 0 32E2 0 3 20 6 0 29E3 0 0 28 44 2 741 0 0 3 108 33 144
14 9 62 159 35 279
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Impact on writing Average increase in scaled score: 16.1%
66.1% increased their scaled scores16.6% stayed the same17.3% regressed
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135, 40%
136, 40%
69, 20%
A lot betterA bit betterThe same
Participants’ self-assessment of impact on job
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Attitude
Team player
Uses initiative
Not needing supervision
Willingness to attempt tasks
Completion of paperwork
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Increase in ratingSame ratingDecrease in rating
% of supervisor ratings
Supervisors’ ratings of participants
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WORK IMPACT ACROSS COMPANIES
Total average
J
L
K
I
P
B
N
Q
O
D
C
G
H
A
E
M
R
F
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
High
Medium
Low
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Upskilling in summary…Workplace LLN programmes recruit target groupsRunning successful programmes is challenging, but feasibleChampions are needed at all levels of the company, incl. supervisorsParticipants improve their LLN skills and they transfer these skills into their jobsTutors are variable in their impact on learnersProgrammes have an impact on how many participants carry out their jobsImpacts are variable across programmes
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Identifying good practice: Why look at outliers?
Brinkerhoff’s success case method (Brinkerhoff, 2003, 2005)
Outliers are the most fruitful source of data in understanding why some programmes and some don’t
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Identifying effective practice: methodology Four of the 18 courses were high impact & five as
low impact Classifications were based on range of quantitative
and qualitative variables High-impact courses:
high course and tutor ratingshigh personal impact on participantshigher reading gainsparticipants more likely to report doing their jobs
better (esp. in LLN-related tasks and oral communication)
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High impact courses The company
All key stakeholders clearly understood purpose and processes of course
Managers at all levels demonstrated high levels of support for, and awareness of courses (actively, not just verbalised)
Participants had relief workers or alternative arrangements to minimise intrusion
Teaching spaces on-site, consistently available, removed from outside distractions
LLN provision integrated into long-term training & company planning
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High impact courses Providers/tutors
Providers supported tutors with professional support and strong planning and logistics
Providers had high level of experience of running workplace LLN
Tutors were experienced in LLN teaching and workplace programmes; had LLN-related qualifications
Tutors had high levels of commitment, prepared to be flexible
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High impact courses Logistics
Recruited participants closely matched the purpose of course & needs
Purpose and content explained clearly to participants Tutors hit the ground running to ensure learner
motivation and retention Teaching content promised to learners was delivered Clear and ongoing communications between
providers, tutors and company personnel
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High impact courses The courses
Run in work time Teaching content closely related to companies’
issues identified in learning needs analyses Course content used company documentation
and processes Teaching content simultaneously related to
company’s needs and learners’ specific learning needs/personal interests
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High impact courses The learners
Participants with high motivation & sense of commitment
Consistent attendance at teaching sessions
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Literature reviews
Ananiadou, K., A. Jenkins, et al. (2003). The benefits to employers of raising workforce basic skills levels: a review of the literature. London, NRDC
Gray, A. (2006). Upskilling through foundation skills - A literature review. Wellington: Department of Labour)
Salomon, M. (2009). Workplace literacy and essential skills: what works and why? Montreal, The Centre for Literacy/Le Centre d'alphabetisation.
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Workplace LLN evaluations Department of Labour. (2010). Upskilling
Partnership Programme - evaluation report. Wellington: Department of Labour.
Palameta, B., Gyarmati, D., Leckie, N., Kankesan, T., & Dowie, M. (in press). Measures of success. Final report draft. Toronto: Social Research and Demonstration Corporation.
Wolf, A., & Evans, K. (2011). Improving literacy at work. Abingdon Oxon: Routledge.
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Key policy questions re Workplace Literacy Programmes (WLPs)1. Are WLPs feasible?2. Are they sustainable?3. How do we run WLPs effectively?4. Do WLPs recruit non-traditional learners?5. Are they economically realistic?6. Do participants improve their literacy skills?7. What other impacts do WLPs achieve?8. Do participants improve their workplace practices?9. Are the changes related to changes in literacy skills?10. How significant is the potential contribution of WLPs?
[Will WLPs solve ‘the literacy problem’?]
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Questions?
Comments?
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