Hi.

I am fairly new to Otago Polytechnic, working in the School of Foundation Learning.

I thought I'd try to clarify my interests in "Flexible Learning" and signal my interests in the hope that others may have suggestions, or links to those with similar interests.

This year I am involved in an 'Embedded Literacy' pilot at Otago Polytechnic. This means I work alongside the vocational lecturers in 3 certificate-level trades programmes, Cookery, Automotive and Mechanical Engineering (5 hours p.w. per programme). The idea is that by team-teaching with the 'trades lecturer', we are able to integrate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills into these open-entry courses. From past experience, some learners on these 'practical' courses do not have strong literacy skills, but do not always access support available through the Learning Centre, for a variety of reasons. I wonder whether electronic tools and processes are part of the mix of what will help us build learners' literacy skills on these programmes?

In addition to wanting the students to pass their course, we want to ensure they have the literacy skills they need to be successful in the workplace. Could we give the learners more experience with authentic workplace literacy tasks through use of electronic technology?

Working with trades tutors has led me to think about apprentices too. I wonder how we could provide more flexible learning for apprentices, reducing the over-use of written theory and assessment books, or the need to physically come to campus? I'd like to know what innovative things are already happening in this area?

The other 'group' of learners I teach are adults, who want to build their basic literacy skills. I think these learners benefit from having a teacher physically alongside them; they are second chance learners and it is important everything goes well for them, particularly at the beginning when they are quite tentative. Physically sitting alongside these learners allows me to observe body language, and to judge when it's time to stop, to go back a step, to change track, to reassure, to share a joke...

As learners become more confident with reading and writing, I think it's important they gain basic computer literacy skills. Most of my learners tell me they 'hate' computers, but as they build experience, I see a growth in confidence - they're part of the huge 'club' of people who use computers. There are many advantages for beginner writers using a computer - editing on the screen without having to physically rewrite, spellchecking. I wonder whether other electronic tools or processes would help these learners build their literacy skills and be appealing? Would blogging?

My other reason for doing this course is that I recognise the changing dimensions of what it means to be 'literate.' Confidently using electronic media is part of being literate today and I want to learn more about what is available and how it can be used.