News
Showing and telling – the Men’s Shed crawl
Australian and international delegates from the 5th National Men’s Shed conference took to the road to study the secrets of the success of the Men’s Shed movement. It was early morning and a convoy of cars drove through the streets of Ballarat. The Men’s Shed crawl had started. Around 50 people had car pooled and […]
Bridging the digital divide
Across the country Australians are being offered free tools and training to help them get online. Think about all the things you do in a day – both at work and at home – that involve using digital technology. You send emails with attachments, you post photos and share news with family and friends on […]
Putting your website to work
You probably invest time and effort in making sure your building looks welcoming and inviting and your staff are friendly and professional. But can you say the same about your website? Here’s our tips for making your website pull its weight when it comes to making a positive and lasting impression. 1. […]
Social Inclusion in Learning Conference
As part of Social Inclusion Week 2013, the Centre of Adult Education (CAE) in partnership with Adult Learning Australia organised a conference for over a hundred people at the State Library Victoria to consider the following questions. What does social inclusion in learning mean? How can we respond to the challenge of creating new […]
Celebrating a century of workers’ education
A one hundredth birthday is worth celebrating and the Workers’ Education Association (WEA) have made a great job of it in 2013 with the centenary of the organisation’s arrival in Australia. In 1913, horses and carts were still a common sight in Sydney’s streets. Adelaide was scandalised by the arrival of a new dance […]
Christmas wishes for adult learners
If the government could give adult learners one thing for Christmas, what would it be? Our new ALA board has lots of suggestions. Professor Barry Golding I’d like to see a concerted all-of-government effort to support and facilitate learning across all ages and for multiple benefits and purposes. There is a need for something aside […]
Women trading places
Bianca Murray Bianca Murray has discovered a passion for cabinet making. Karren Duri has realised how much she wants to be an electrician. And Maria Polodonis has a real gift when it comes to working under car bonnets. All three are recent graduates from Thornbury Neighbourhood House’s ‘Women in Trades and Technologies’ course. Co-ordinator Sarah Derum […]
Students making their mark
It’s a wet and windy spring morning in Melbourne’s CBD. A group of young people are battling the wild weather and pasting sheets of paper to a brick wall opposite a busy exit from Flinders Street Station. Several sheets later, a pair of eyes stare out from the wall, then a nose is added – […]
Hall of fame for adult educators
Los Angeles has Grauman’s Chinese theatre where Hollywood stars are celebrated on the footpath. Philadelphia celebrates baseball on its Wall of Fame. In Oklahoma, it’s leading adult educators who are inducted each year into their own exclusive club. The International and Continuing Education Hall of Fame at the University of Oklahoma (OU) inducted its first […]
Indigenous artists and strong talk
Being an artist is one thing, but talking about your work and negotiating with buyers requires public speaking and negotiation skills. Desart’s Raewyn Kavanagh devised a program for Indigenous artists wanting to manage and market their own artwork. Aboriginal Artworker Program Desart is a membership organisation of Indigenous artists based in Alice Springs. Raewyn […]
Tips and trends : Retaining volunteers
Volunteers are vital to the work we do. Recognising the work they do can make a big difference to how volunteers feel about their workplace. Here’s some tips on effective ways to show to show you appreciate the work of volunteers. 1. Make a good first impression The induction process can have a big impact […]
Sustainability for educators: A toolkit of learning activities and resources
Adult educators Lisa Hoggard and Katrina Shields have written a book based on their passion – how to prepare and motivate people to build a sustainable future. The pair met in a classroom in 2011 as adult learners studying a Swinburne University course in Education and Training for Sustainability. ‘The course had a practical focus […]
Seniors saddling up for a ride
A new program in Queensland aims to get older adults on bikes and pedalling to a healthier lifestyle. ‘Seniors on Saddles’ was recently announced as one of 96 programs around Australia funded to promote active ageing, improve skills and foster social connections for senior Australians. Deb Crompton, 55, Workforce Development and Planning Officer with Queensland Fitness, […]
Bridges and barriers to adult education in the bush
Adult Learning Australia and Central Queensland University (CQU) recently partnered to conduct a one day forum ‘Building Rural and Regional Communities through Adult Education’. The forum was bookended by keynote addresses from Professor Barry Golding, ALA President and Professor Bronwyn Fredericks, Pro Vice Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) and BMA Chair in Indigenous Engagement at CQU. […]