WORKSPACE LITERACY MEDIA FOR NONNATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS OF ART EDUCATION
Helwan University (EGYPT)
About this paper:
Appears in:
EDULEARN13 Proceedings
Publication year: 2013
Pages: 2873-2882
ISBN: 978-84-616-3822-2
ISSN: 2340-1117
Conference name: 5th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies
Dates: 1-3 July, 2013
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Abstract:
The increasing need in the workplace for competent graduate students with literacy skills in English, combined with uncertain economic times, has resulted in more limited work opportunities for many nonnative speakers of English and more complex demands on those who are employed. Because of the growing numbers of nonnative English speakers in the international schools art teachers and their educational needs, some companies are beginning to provide training in literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills on the job.
Workplace-based programs differ from traditional classroom-based literacy programs with a workplace component. They take place at the work site(in art education college – Helwan university – Cairo - Egypt) or at a location designated (facebook group), in response to needs identified by staff at the sitetop level management, adman officers, course coordinator representatives, or university professors and teacher assistants. Employers' stated need for their employees' education is often related to specific language skills, and expectations and stakes are often high. Those initiating the program often expect significant changes in the workplace; participating worker graduate see education as an advancement opportunity on and off the job.
Those designing workplace-based programs face an additional challenge because they must take into account not only the dynamics of the workplace itself but also the literacy needs expressed by the graduate learners, their employers and international schools representatives. Often the interests of these groups conflict. At the same time, workplace-based programs have powerful potential for promoting art education terms through language learning. Graduates who would not attend at class (not matching class schedule) have their education brought to them. Education can be tailored to the needs and interests of the worker graduate and discussion of job-specific literacy needs can provide a starting place for addressing literacy needs beyond the workplace as well.
Facing the challenge of non suffusion money to form an interactive web site for the college or for the course itself an amazing solution bubbled our brains –social networks- Facebook group- very accessible and available for every net user.