Background Place-based learning city frameworks founded on lifelong learning and the concept of a learning society have immense potential to address a wide range of local and global environmental and societal challenges. The OECD and UNESCO stress the importance of changing approaches to education and learning to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN […]

Context In recent years, the importance of adult learning education focused on climate justice has gained momentum in Australia and the world. In Australia, we have seen the impact of climate disruption with more frequent catastrophic weather events such as floods and fires contributing to the displacement of people from housing and local communities and […]

This session aims to focus on Aboriginal English as a social, cultural and linguistical marker in Indigenous Tertiary Education and to promote an understanding of the languages spoken by Aboriginal people when processing and analysing new academic concepts, jargons, and terminologies. It will include a learner voice with regards to learning in an additional language. […]

INVITATION TO A TWO-PART TEACH-IN Towards a pluriverse of possibilities: Unlearning separation, re-learning relationality The world as we know it is not sustainable. To change these realities, we need to dig deep to the very roots of Western thinking – this is a big story of alternative worldmaking at every level. This includes how we […]

INVITATION TO A TWO-PART TEACH-IN Towards a pluriverse of possibilities: Unlearning separation, re-learning relationality The world as we know it is not sustainable. To change these realities, we need to dig deep to the very roots of Western thinking – this is a big story of alternative worldmaking at every level. This includes how we […]

Guest speaker:  Cath Macgonigal, Executive Director and Principal, Odyssey College will present on the educational arm of Sydney’s addiction treatment service Odyssey House, which provides free adult education to help residents recovering from addiction so they can develop the skills they need to rebuild their lives. Odysessy College was featured in our most recent Quest […]

          A hybrid policy forum Hosted by the Australian Coalition for Education and Development (ACED), Adult Learning Australia (ALA), Women in Adult and Vocational Education (WAVE), the Jean Monnet Network on Social and Scientific Innovation on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and the European Union Centre of Excellence at RMIT University […]

There are skills shortages in a range of occupations across Australia and internationally and this has been exacerbated by the pandemic. While Governments, industry and educational institutions are working on solutions, it is vital to ensure that underrepresented groups in society are not left behind in accessing all levels of education, vocational education and training […]

Adult Learning Australia has been invited to participate in the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra on the 1–2 September 2022. The Summit and subsequent Employment White Paper will focus on: keeping unemployment low, boosting productivity and incomes delivering secure, well-paid jobs and strong, sustainable wages growth expanding employment opportunities for all Australians […]

This webinar builds on the previous March 2022 session where participants worked in small groups to share ideas and experiences of effective climate justice education (CJE). This webinar continues to explore CJE, this time, using the power of creative expression and arts which can create spaces of imagination, hope, and even healing. Working in small […]

    A learning city promotes lifelong learning for all and helps lay the foundation for sustainable social, economic, and environmental development. Explore the principles and features of learning cities, learning communities, and learning municipalities in Australia and globally in this free online session. How are communities faced with turbulent times adapting and learning from […]

Connect with learning Join us at the Adult Learners Week 2022 launch as we hear stories from inspiring people who have found connection and opportunity through learning. Rusty Berther – our MC – Rusty started his working life flipping burgers at Maccas then worked as a roof plumber before finding success and touring the world […]

PIMA webinar series: climate justice and ALE presents Climate Just Pedagogy – what lessons have we learned? A webinar co-hosted by PIMA, CASAE, ALA, MOJA and SCUTREA   Over the last eighteen months PIMA, in collaboration with the Canadian Association for Studies in Adult Education (CASAE), Adult Learning Australia (ALA) and Standing Conference on University […]

Adult Learning Australia’s national conversation continues, bringing together leading adult education organisations to explore their submissions into the Australian federal government’s inquiry into adult literacy and its importance.   Welcome Judith McKay, Executive Board Member, Adult Learning Australia Judith is based in Darwin and is engaged as a contractor to develop the capacity of local […]

PIMA webinar series: climate justice and ALE presents Ecofeminism makes sense: Towards life-affirming Adult Learning and Education (ALE) A webinar co-hosted by PIMA, ALA, CASAE and SCUTREA   Climate justice, including social, gender and economic justice, is attained by foregrounding the needs and interests of the people who have contributed least to climate catastrophes yet […]

Be inspired by people who have changed their life stories through learning. Our MC Catherine Deveny – our MC, is a writer, comedian, author and speaker well known for her work as a columnist with The Age newspaper, as a Melbourne International Comedy Festival favourite and as an ABC regular. She has appeared on ABC’s […]

Preconference Video Presentation available from Thursday 3 June 2021 Adult Learning Australia joins the Adult Education in Global Times Conference 2021 (#AEGT2021) online to bring you a special presentation: Literacy Changes Lives – Adult literacy and numeracy in the Australian context  This online forum will provide an overview of adult literacy provision in Australia that […]

Celebrating Adult Learners Week and UNESCO International Literacy Day Adult Learning Australia’s national conversation will bring together leading education organisations to explore their submissions into the Australian federal government’s inquiry into adult literacy and its importance. Welcome Judith McKay (MC) – Executive Board Member – Adult Learning Australia Keynote Analiese Robertson– Director – ACE Aotearoa […]

This webinar is for adult language, literacy and numeracy practitioners to come together and look at aspects of quality language, literacy and numeracy assessment. It provides an excellent opportunity to gain external validation of tasks mapped to the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). About the ACSF The ACSF provides a validated framework of national benchmarks […]

Social Media is an incredibly important tool for connecting with your community and bringing learners into your centre. However it also has the potential to absorb huge amounts of your time for little return. Different platforms are useful for different purposes and even the most useful are changing constantly and can quickly become less valuable. […]

“Teachers of adult EAL learners are smart, busy people and we love text books – such is the Power of the Printed Page. But a book isn’t a lesson – it’s the germ of the beginning of an idea for a lesson, and the author doesn’t know any more about our learners than we do.” […]

ALA LLN Webinar: Validating FSK Assessments. Returning in 2015 by popular demand, this webinar is for foundation skills practitioners to come together as a group to validate your assessment strategies to the FSK. The introduction of the Foundation Skills Training Package (FSK) has provided practitioners with a framework of units of competency to support and […]

Skills for Sustainability – demand and supply. What the Gen Green 4 Australia study tells us. In this webinar, Dr Fabian Sack, one of the authors of the Gen Green 4 Australia study, will share its findings. Gen Green 4 Australia is a recently completed national study of over 1,000 apprentices, trainees and their teachers, […]

Partnering is essential to the sustainability and growth of not for profit ACE organisations. However, partnerships can be enormously time consuming and need to be entered into strategically. This workshop with Rosemary Sharman will take you through a strategic analysis of your partnerships to make sure you are putting your energies into partnership activities that […]

The introduction of the Foundation Skills Training Package (FSK) has provided practitioners with a framework of units of competency to support and complement a variety of training programs. This webinar is for foundation skills practitioners to come together as a group to validate your assessment strategies to the FSK. The structure for this webinar involves […]

If you really want to make some energy savings, you need to know how to read your energy bill. OK, so this is not the most sexy topic in the world but it’s an important one. At our next session, Heather Coleman from Heyfield Community Resource Centre will share with us how it’s done. She […]

In an era of tightening government budgets, many community- based organisations are looking at ways to develop independent revenue streams to support their other work. However, the social enterprise path is littered with examples of poorly planned business ideas that end up costing community organisations money instead of making them money. In this workshop you […]

By popular demand…. This webinar is designed to support teachers in understanding and using the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) and to respond to the language, literacy and numeracy needs of their students. The session will present a basic introduction to the Australian Core Skills Framework, and its use in identifying the language, literacy and numeracy […]

It’s validation time again! This webinar is for language, literacy and numeracy practitioners to come together as a group to validate your learning and assessment strategies to the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). This session is all about collaboration and peer appraisal. The structure for this webinar involves participants sharing one small assessment strategy for […]

An auspicing arrangement is similar to sub-contracting. It’s a legally binding contract where one organisation applies for and administers funding on behalf of another. In our next webinar, our facilitator Jante Kamphuis will explore: what an auspice arrangement is why an organisation might seek an auspice arrangement how to select the right partner what the […]

The Greenhouse Around the Corner initiative is all about helping adult and community education (ACE) providers improve their energy efficiency and save money. Each month we will be exploring different aspects of energy efficiency and featuring an adult and community education provider who has achieved their energy efficiency goals. This month it’s Byron Region Community […]

Adults learn in significantly different ways to children and adolescents, yet many of the approaches that are commonly taken by educators are based on principles of child development. When adult learning principles are applied, learning experiences are more enjoyable, more respectful and more likely to result in real changes in behaviour. At this end of […]

Adult learners with low literacy come from diverse cultural, social, linguistic, religious, economic and political backgrounds. Some may have limited or disrupted educational experiences. They will all have diverse needs, interests, experiences, abilities and learning styles. Supporting learners with low literacy is complex. It’s not about using one simple approach or method. It’s about working […]

It’s validation time again! This webinar is for our language, literacy and numeracy practitioners to come together as a group to validate their learning and assessment strategies to the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). This session is all about collaboration and peer appraisal. The structure for this webinar involves participants sharing one small teaching or […]

This webinar introduces trainers, workplace support people and managers to techniques and strategies that can lead to positive employment outcomes for students with cognitive disability. In this session, Judy Buckingham from ACE DisAbility will cover: the employer perspective recruitment and job descriptions how people learn the impacts of disability on learning learning techniques fitting in […]

Many ACE providers already understand the potential benefits of Facebook to their organisation. In this session, we look at how to use this platform in the most effective way. In this jam packed hour focussed on Facebook strategy you will learn and understand: where Facebook sits in the social media mix the formula behind Facebook […]

Social media presents both opportunities and challenges for most community organisations. Embracing social media means so much more than posting a few links every now and then. It is complex and multi-faceted. Therefore, it’s really important to develop a social media strategy that is focused and meets the needs of your organisation. Social media expert, […]

Who is a foundation skills specialist? Is there a foundation skills field? A scoping project is underway to generate discussion among those working in foundation skills to define and strengthen the identity of the field, advance the status and standing of the profession and explore options for developing professional standards.  To be meaningful and effective, […]

The National Foundation Skills Strategy for Adults highlighted the importance of building foundation skills for all adult learners. But keeping abreast of new developments in this area can be a challenge for time poor practitioners. This webinar is designed to put recent foundation skills initiatives into perspective. It will: introduce participants to the FSK Foundation […]

People with disability want to be included in our community in a variety of ways. A growing area of interest for them is in becoming volunteers. Sometimes people with disability need special arrangements to ensure the workplace offers satisfactory outcomes both for them and for their employers. At this session, facilitators from ACE Disability will […]

It is well known that the ‘N’ in LLN is a barrier to learning and workplace achievement for many adults. Yet it has tended to be the poor cousin in LLN training. In this webinar, Jim Spithill from ACER will demonstrate how L&L supports N in adult numeracy teaching and training, including explaining how a […]

Are you looking for some fresh ideas to help you develop general adult education opportunities that better meet the needs of your community and boost your bottom line. In our next session, we are discussing strategies for developing learning programs that are creative, appealing and cost-effective for your organisation. Our expert facilitator, Tim Symons will […]

Dr Peter Willis has a long history of research and exploration of innovative forms of informal learning. The Centre for Convivial Backyard Civilisation has emerged from this. This Adelaide-based group has been meeting for more than a year to discuss applied practice and informal ‘action learning’ projects that promote convivial backyard civilisation in small scale […]

Our webinar series around developing effective LLN tasks is all about supporting you to unpack and translate the ACSF. Our next session is where you get to take back control. At the end of session one (15 March 2013), participants were given a link to some stimulus material and asked to prepare a short task […]

Learning takes place in a variety of situations. Many of these are outside formal education systems. Sue Ross, CEO of WEA Adelaide, is a fierce advocate for non-formal learning. Sue has always believed in providing a wide range of programs targeted at all adults through the lifetime. Under Sue’s watch, the WEA is always developing […]

Let’s face it, it can be challenging to develop good tasks against the ACSF. Trainers and tutors needs practical skills to unpack and translate the framework effectively. Our next session in the LLN series is a ‘hands-on’ workshop where we will develop tasks together. In this workshop, we will: look at different stimuli discuss how […]

To kick off 2013, ALA will host an online eBusiness Bootcamp aimed at administrators, managers, coordinators or those looking for new and innovative ways to save precious dollars in community environments. The eBusiness bootcamp will include intensive workshops with expert facilitators, who can help you take full advantage of the online environment for operational purposes. […]

It’s nearly Christmas and time to reflect on 2012! If you have spent a good part of the year trying to find committee members for your community organisation with the right mix of skills and knowledge, then this webinar may be just what you need for inspiration in 2013. In our next session, Rhonda Adamsam […]

It’s validation time again! This webinar is for our LLN practitioners to come together as a group to validate their learning and assessment strategies. This webinar will concentrate on learning and assessment strategies for low level learners; that is, learners operating at ACSF Pre-level 1 or Level 1. This session is all about collaboration and […]

Organisations and their volunteers have rights and responsibilities. Volunteers perform a specific task or role and, in return, the organisation provides their volunteers with a rewarding experience. But it doesn’t end here. There are expectations that need to be considered and met by both sides. This session will cover the key aspects of a successful […]

Managing paid staff can presents many challenges. These challenges may relate to recruitment and retention, resourcing, performance management and development, productivity and conflict resolution, time management, etc. In our next session, Penny Sara will provide: an overview of day-to-day management of paid staff, including good supervision practices and how these fit with annual or regular […]

The right to literacy is an inherent part of the right to an education. All Australians, regardless of their employment status, should be supported to develop their language, literacy and numeracy skills. It has long been recognised that literacy serves a social and civic purpose. Since the 1990s, adult literacy has also been framed as […]

The days of educating learners with a disability in segregated settings are long gone. Today people with diverse abilities come together in mainstream learning environments. This shift in attitude around how people with disabilities should be educated has resulted in what is now referred to as an ‘inclusive classroom’. In our next session, Judy Buckingham […]

This webinar has been postponed. Please stay tuned to find out when it will be re-scheduled. Victoria is currently leading the country in the introduction of open market mechanisms and cost shifting lead by a philosophical view of education as a cost rather than an investment. John Pardy has been researching recent changes to Victorian […]

The Rio+20 Outcomes document should be celebrated for committing to promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) beyond the UN Decade and for identifying the importance of non-formal education programs for sustainable development. However, there still is a tendency to assume that ESD and education more broadly is about teaching young people for the future. While this […]

Volunteers help to keep community organisations sustainable and viable. But volunteer management can be challenging. It requires effective planning in terms of Recruitment, Retention and Recognition – the 3 Rs. This session will cover the key aspects of a successful volunteer program in terms of the 3Rs. Participants will enhance their understanding of best practice in […]

For non-accounting people, talking about the Balance Sheet is the quickest way to end a conversation. Whilst it is often portrayed as a mysterious report, it is actually one of the most beautiful, as it provides information about what an organisation owes, owns – and what it is worth. In this session, Morri Young will […]

To achieve good outcomes for low level learners, it is important to consider the appropriateness and quality of your learning and/or assessment strategies. Our next webinar in the LLN series will focus on the art of designing and presenting appropriate learning and assessment strategies for low level learners (ACSF Pre-level 1 or Level 1). Our […]

In a rapidly evolving online world, more and more businesses are realising the opportunities that engaging online can offer. And the same applies to non-profits and community organisations. Being online can help increase your campaign awareness, expand supporter bases, improve productivity and reduce operating costs. But often it is the non-profits and community organisations that […]

There are many online tools for collaboration and community building. These tools allow us to connect with and share resources. Flickr, for example, is a wonderful photo-sharing community. Its expansive image database and photo-management features make it a wonderful tool for those involved in community education. FlickR allows us to upload images and short videos. […]

There are so many decisions that need to be made when setting up an accounting system for your organisation. In this session, presenter Morri Young from Matrix On Board will provide an overview of financial reporting; in particular the advantages and disadvantages of cash and accrual accounting systems. Cash and accrual are the two methods […]

Improving literacy skills is about helping people participate fully in family life, the community, learning and employment. This webinar will concentrate on learning and assessment strategies for low level learners; that is, learners operating at ACSF Pre-level 1 or Level 1. This session will embrace the moderation model, which is all about collaboration and peer […]

Social networking services allow us to stay connected and collaborate with friends, family, community members and people with similar interests around the world.  One of the most popular and well known services in Australia is Facebook.  Despite its popularity Facebook receives a lot of bad press. In this session, we’ll look at social networking generally […]

For people interested in building up connections across the new LLN Community Educator Network (LLN-CEN). Come to a virtual wine & cheese event. Bring your networking skills and your thinking caps. We’ll continue the discussion from previous events such as the LLNP provider forum and the joint ACAL/ALA conference cafe session. We also welcome your […]

Cooperative Learning Ltd (CLL), comprising 17 Community Colleges, 16 of which are RTOs, is an exciting experiment in collaboration between regional NSW training providers.  While still in the early stages of organisational formation, CLL has the potential to offer a model for collaboration which enhances business development and builds capacity for the individual members.  Partnerships […]

From preparation to print – you can produce your publication used to advertise your classes in 4 weeks or less. Organization and software tools are the keys to a successful streamlining process. Find out how to organize your teams to work more efficiently. Working together with a calendar, you can dramatically reduce the time it […]

Expanding the boundaries of students with negative belief systems to achieve amazing results This webinar will use some of the processes of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) to assist educators to work with students who have a limited view of the world and their capabilities. This will particularly benefit those who work with language and literacy […]

Friday 26 August at 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm AEST This is the second in the series of Adult Learners’ Week webinars for 2011. Facilitated by Aileen Boyer and Jane Chilcott, this webinar will feature adult learners who have benefited from ACE programs in their lives, not just as pathways to employment and careers, but […]

Thursday 8 September, 2011, at 1.00 pm to 2.00 pm AEST. It is fitting that the third and final webinar in the Adult Learners’ Week 2011 series should focus on the ALW theme “It’s only the beginning:  Later life learning and career shifting” and that it should be presented by Greg Goudle, Executive Director of […]