Dear subscriber,

Welcome to the last Insite for the year. The December edition of ultiBASE has now been published and is available at http://ultibase.rmit.edu.au

We are still seeking articles across a wide range of topics which relate to tertiary teaching and learning. UltiBASE seeks to cover all areas of post secondary T&L and encourages authors in the VET sector, as well as those in Higher Education to contribute material.

We at ultiBASE would like to wish all our subscribers best wishes for the holiday season and a refreshed return to work in 2001.

Regards Mark Laidler and Marita Mueller

Abstracts December 2000

Academic Standards Versus Disability Rights by Richard Gosden and Greg Hampton, University of Woolongong

Abstract:

A simmering controversy has been running in the United states since 1995 over the perceived conflict between the maintenance of academic standards and the rights of disabled university students. Recent developments are set to raise the same issue in Australian universities. The first of these developments is the shift in the emphasis of academic standards with the implementation of the Generic Skills Assessment (GSA) program. The second is the release of draft disability standards for education to streamline enforcement of the Commonwealth's Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). The DDA protects disabled people against discrimination in education. Amongst the many types of disabled people protected are those who are unable to read, write or communicate effectively because of learning disabilities; and others who are unable to concentrate and pay attention properly because of mental disorders like attention deficit disorder. Hitherto, universities have found ways to comply with the DDA without compromising academic standards by providing these types of disabled students with accommodations that take the form of alternative methods of examination, extra exam time, technological assistance, scribes, readers, etc. However, the GSA has been designed for standardised implementation and doesn't allow for this type of flexibility. Further, generic skills testing specifically discriminates against students with learning disabilities and some mental disorders because it is the inability to master particular types of generic skills that defines these types of disabilities. The conclusion is that if discrimination is to be avoided either the GSA must be adapted to suit the needs of disabled students or universities must consider ways to foster the capacity of students with disabilities to develop and utilise generic skills in an independent manner.

From Andragogy to Heutagogy by Stewart Hase and Chris Kenyon, Southern Cross University

Abstract

In something of a landmark for education Knowles (1970) suggested an important change in the way in which educational experiences for adults should be designed. The approach, known as andragogy, contrasts quite sharply with pedagogy which is the teaching of children. This paper suggests there is benefit in moving from andragogy towards truly self-determined learning. The concept of truly self-determined learning, called heutagogy, builds on humanistic theory and approaches to learning described in the 1950s. It is suggested that heutagogy is appropriate to the needs of learners in the twenty-first century, particularly in the development of individual capability. A number of implications of heutagogy for higher education and vocational education are discussed.

Facilitating Workplace Discourse acquisition: developing English I materials in a cooperative learning project for Commerce Foundation students using English as an Additional Language at Technikon Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa by Nicky Sanders, Technikon Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Abstract

The context for this paper is a cooperative learning project in a communication skills course. It highlights key issues around the acquisition of workplace discourse amongst Commerce foundation students who have been educationally disadvantaged and alienated from the secondary Discourse of Tertiary Learning. The Critical Outcomes in Outcomes Based Education (OBE) formulated recently led to the initiation of a project which incorporates workplace discourse and alternative assessment practices. The materials were underpinned by principles of critical literacy theory (Carr, Clarence-Fincham, Fairclough, Gee, Janks, Kemmis, Luke, Morgan, Street, The New London Group) and genre-analysis (Cope, Cranny-Francis, Kalantzis, Kress, Martin) and developed into an interactive study guide. A critical action research approach was used with a pilot study in 1998 and developed through praxis in1999 to include more textual scaffolding, peer-mediation, and code-switching. The psycho-social and academic development benefits to students are outlined. Reflections on both cycles anticipate issues for future use of the materials to better facilitate the acquisition of business discourse.

Mark Laidler (m.laidler@rmit.edu.au)

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