Lifelong Learning for Literacy Practitioners Website
Community Literacy of Ontario has received funding from the Ontario
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for a project called:
“Lifelong Learning for Literacy Practitioners Website.”
A key goal of this initiative is to develop a website highlighting various issues relating to education and training in the Ontario literacy community. The website will be an invaluable resource for both new literacy practitioners and those who have been working in the field for many years. It will increase their knowledge and awareness of current training opportunities, experience requirements in the literacy field and will also help them to assess their future training needs.
As well, CLO’s website will provide useful information for stakeholders or anyone outside the literacy field who wants to learn more about literacy practice in Ontario. It will increase their understanding and awareness of the skills and experience required to deliver literacy programming.
CLO’s new Lifelong Learning for Literacy Practitioners website will include:
- General information about the skills common to all literacy practitioners in Ontario
- Specific skills lists for all sectors
- Education and experience requirements for all sectors and streams
- A tool for literacy practitioners to assess their currents skills and skill gaps
- A tool for literacy practitioners to develop individualized learning plans
- Links to resources, training and professional development opportunities
The website researchers and writers, Karen Farrar and Sheila Marshall, bring wide-ranging experience to this project. As experienced literacy practitioners they are aware of the importance of quality training resources, the premium placed on time and the challenges of continuous professional development. CLO’s Lifelong Learning for Literacy Practitioners website will support literacy practitioners in maintaining and increasing their professional standards. This website will be hosted by the National Adult Literacy Database and launched in July 2009.
Lifelong Learning in Canada
In 2008, the Canadian Council on Learning released an important report called “State of Learning in Canada: Towards a Learning Future.” This report highlighted the significant social and economic benefits that lifelong learning provide to individuals, communities and our country. The reports also noted that fewer Canadians engage in lifelong learning compared to many other industrialized nations. See: www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/StateofLearning/ StateofLearning.htm?Language=EN.