ICT Skills for Life (SfL)
NIACE played an active part in the work to develop the ICT SfL standards. The ICT SfL Curriculum document offers important messages about ensuring good quality learning experiences for new ICT users. There is considerable interest in embedding ICT with other SfL subjects, like literacy and numeracy, in order to assist learners to achieve both standards.
ICT is a powerful motivator for many hard-to-reach learners and linking the subjects encourages learners to participate. NIACE developed materials for delivering ICT SfL embedded with literacy and numeracy - these can be downloaded from the ICT SfL website - www.ictsfl.org.uk
ICT Functional Skills
During the development of ICT as a SfL, NIACE has been closely monitoring progress of the ICT Functional Skill qualification. There is currently some debate about whether this may replace the ICT SfL curriculum and standards for adults, meaning practitioners would have to revisit their skills and qualifications over a period of time. This would also have implications for SfL practitioners and the other literacy, numeracy and language curricula and standards and their replacement with English and Maths Functional Skills.
ICT user skills of the workforce
The workforce of the lifelong learning sector is diverse and varied. Providers include large FE colleges, offender learning and skills, sixth form colleges, community-based learning delivered through local authorities, work-based learning and third sector organisations.
NIACE workforce development to date has aimed to address the needs of teachers, tutors and trainers in all settings, with some provision aimed at leaders and managers and support staff.
ITQ and ITQ for Life
Old established IT user qualifications have been replaced with a new suite of qualifications. These include the ITQ at levels 1, 2 and 3 (replacing the NVQ in IT user skills) and the soon-to-be-launched ITQ for Life, which maps literacy and numeracy with ICT and delivers embedded qualifications.
NIACE has been represented on the steering group throughout the development of the ITQ for Life and has been involved in several ITQ projects with adult and community learning providers, including the development of the ITQ Learning and Skills for practitioners which is just launched.
ICT Skills