Foundation Learning Quality Assurance

Self Review Guide

Practice Three: Staff

All staff involved with foundation learning programmes and learners, including voluntary staff, are suitably qualified, experienced and supported by the provider.

What this means

The level of staff qualifications, experience and support, including access to professional development, is appropriate to their role and level of involvement.

How does this help foundation learners?

Research suggests that tutors (teachers) who are well trained in literacy, numeracy and language teaching (for example reading) are better able to use appropriate teaching strategies with learners, who are then more likely to make gains in their skill levels (Benseman et al, 2005). Professional development for tutors develops their experience, skills, knowledge, reflective practice, creativity and innovation. It exposes them to current foundation teaching best practice and develops their ability to recognise and work within their learners’ contexts. Staff training and support ensures that all staff develop their skills and knowledge of foundation learning issues and focus on meeting the needs of learners. Support and administrative staff are critical to a supportive institutional environment and positively linked to student learning outcomes for foundation, and other undergraduate, programmes (Prebble, T., Hargreaves, H., Leach, L., Naidoo, L., Suddaby, G., and Zepke, N., 2005).

Possible sources of evidence

Providers may demonstrate their staff are qualified, experienced and supported through

staff selection, recruitment, appraisal and development policies and records
induction programmes, timetables and evaluations
staff training and development plans
feedback from staff and managers
learner evaluations of tutors
personnel policies, procedures and records (for example mentoring systems)
evaluations of professional development activities
personnel management plans
records of peer observations of teaching practice
tutors’ job descriptions and curriculum vitae

Requirement 3.1

Staff are inducted into the providers’ foundation learning definition, philosophy, strategy, objectives and quality systems.

Key questions

How well is the induction programme for new staff tailored to the provision of foundation learning programmes?
How do existing staff maintain currency with changes to the provider’s foundation learning definition, philosophy, strategy and objectives?

Requirement 3.2

Staff take part in continuing professional development or training to improve the quality of foundation learning delivery.

Key questions

How well do the staff development plans take into consideration the professional development needed to develop and maintain a deliberate focus on literacy, numeracy and language within the programmes?
Is the diversity of the learner group addressed in staff development practices?
Does professional development enable the staff to contribute effectively to, and inform, the providers’ foundation learning definition, philosophy, strategies and objectives?

Examples

To help ensure tutors are kept up-to-date with current good practice and research, one provider regularly selects a range of articles from adult literacy and language international journals and circulates these to tutors. Tutors are required to read the articles and to provide written comment before passing them on to the next tutor.

Another provider encourages membership of New Zealand based literacy resources e.g. The New Zealand Literacy Portal, and has informal monthly sessions where staff give presentations on their own professional development activities.

Requirement 3.3

Tutors delivering foundation learning programmes have, or are working towards, a New Zealand recognised qualification in adult literacy, numeracy or language teaching, or have relevant experience, that is appropriate to their role. Recruitment and selection criteria are applied to ensure this.

Key questions

Do tutors hold qualifications in literacy, numeracy and language teaching?
How well do tutors’ experience and qualifications match the context of the programme, their teaching role and the needs of the target learner group?
What are the selection criteria for tutors of foundation learning programmes? Are the criteria different for different positions?

Examples of qualifications for tutors delivering foundation learning

Examples of qualifications for tutors delivering foundation learning
National Certificate in Adult Literacy Education (Educator) (Level Five)	literacy specialist tutors
A NZ recognised ‘local certificate’ in adult literacy tuition
National Certificate in Adult Literacy Education (Workplace or Vocational Trainer) (Level Five)	vocational/trades tutors
A Certificate or Diploma in Teaching English for Speakers of English as an Other Language (TESOL) or an equivalent overseas literacy, numeracy and language teaching qualification for TESOL	ESOL tutors.
A NZ recognised ‘local certificate’ in ESOL tuition
Example of relevant experience for tutors delivering foundation learning
Unit standard 21204: Develop adult learners’ literacy and numeracy skills within a training or education programme, and demonstrated, successful teaching experience in integrating vocational and literacy, numeracy and language learning outcomes	vocational/trades tutors

Requirement 3.4

Tutors have continuing professional and mutual support, based on provider, tutor and learner needs.

Key questions

How are tutors supported in the teaching and administrative aspects of their role?
What evidence is there that tutors are working in supportive environments and are active team members?
What review and development is undertaken to ensure that tutors are supported and are not working in isolation?

Example

A large tertiary provider has a number of initiatives in place to support foundation learning tutor professional development. Managers set timelines and allocate resources for the attainment of the necessary courses and qualifications for its tutors. The staff development unit is provided with specific training, as a priority, to support foundation tutors. At the same time, a coordinating committee for foundation learning allows for discussion and dissemination of views and best practice.

Page updated: 20 February 2007