Monday, 03 September 2007

Adult Learners Week reflects MIT’s approach to adult education

As the country celebrates Adult Learners Week from Monday, 03 September Manukau Institute of Technology is getting on board by encouraging Foundation Education Students to nominate who they consider to be outstanding learners.

The name of the outstanding learner will be drawn on Friday, 07 September at MIT while two students from the Foundation Adult Literacy night class, who were nominated by their fellow learners, will be presented with a joint outstanding learner award at a presentation for Counties Manukau students on Thursday, 06 September by Manukau deputy Mayor, Anne Candy, and other city councillors.

“These events, and associated recognition, highlight how important it is for the region to be focusing on giving adult learners the opportunity to improve their literacy and numeracy skills,” says Foundation Studies head of school, Kirk Sargent, adding that MIT’s Literacy Programme coordinates a number of free community-based literacy programmes.

“For lots of kiwis, education and fundamental literacy skills are taken for granted but there are far too many others in our country who do not have these abilities. Through learning them, adults are able to then pursue new career options, understand their children and whanau education needs better and work towards a better future.”

At MIT there are three literacy team teachers working in the Technology department,
a literacy specialist who conducts one-on-one tutoring in the School of Foundation Studies, one lecturer who teaches literacy and numeracy evening classes at the institute and a day class at Mangere East Community Learning Centre, one lecturer working in three local WINZ offices, one person teaching whanau literacy at Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate and Mangere East Primary School, as well as two lecturers who teach tutors / lecturers on the new National Adult Literacy Educator’s qualification for literacy specialists.

“This spread of teaching commitments highlights just how seriously those at MIT, and in fact those within the Counties Manukau region, take this area of education. Many people – who are highly skilled – are missing out on opportunities because of this gap in their skill set,” adds Kirk.

Adult Learners Week runs from 03 to 09 September with the aim to raise the profile of adult learning and its importance in empowering communities. It is also International Literacy Day on 08 September.

ENDS