Abstract
This paper looks at the evaluation of the Level 3 Certificate in Adult Numeracy Support (City and Guilds 9484) course at Merton College. The latter is a general further education (FE) college and the main provider of post-16 education and training in the London Borough of Merton. The College also runs a number of higher education (HE) courses. The course was introduced into the School of Community Education following the college's successful bid to run a Level 3 course in numeracy in partnership with other colleges in the South London learning Partnership. The main objective of the evaluation of the course at Merton College was to find out how the course measured up to the standards specified by the DfES/FENTO Subject Specifications and echoed by City and Guilds in the Course handbook (City and Guilds, 2005) as well as the procedures specified in the Merton College College's Quality Assurance system. It was clear that the team was faced with challenges in understanding the level of the mathematics content required, and of linking this with strategies, methods and skills to teach adult numeracy learners. One critical observation the author made was the team's inability to change the course structure and content to suit the needs of the candidates. One other limitation of the course was the absence of information and computer technology use. Candidates were not introduced to adequate use of information and computer technology (ICT) as part of their learning. The author observes further that initial teacher education is a complex combination of knowledge as it requires specialist knowledge but at the same time much depends on experience and learning on the job. There is little doubt that the lack of thorough and systematic support for trainees in the place of teaching is a profound systemic weakness that impoverishes all teacher education programmes, not just those discussed in this paper African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences Vol. 5 2007: pp. 49-60
Highlights
This paper looks at the evaluation of the Level 3 Certificate in Adult Numeracy Support (City and Guilds 9484) course at Merton College
City & Guilds do not set any formal entry requirements for these qualifications: They observe: “no specific prior qualifications, learning or experience are required for candidates beginning the course, the nature of both the learning and assessment required for the qualification is such that candidates will need to be able to apply mathematical techniques and communicate in graphical and written forms”. (City and Guilds, 2005, p.13)
A number of issues have been raised by the discussion above, the balance between subject and pedagogical knowledge and the whole issue of how teacher training teams are faced with the challenge of coping with the ever increasing regulatory requirements from initial teacher training awarding bodies
Summary
The Level 3 qualification is designed “to develop an awareness of some of the social and educational issues surrounding numeracy and number skills learning and development as well as an advanced level of personal numeracy skills. The qualification is aimed at Learning Support Assistants and Non-Specialist teachers embedding numeracy in their vocational areas The former category includes learning support assistants working in a workshop environment or a class, as well as assistants working in Learndirect centres supporting learners with online learning. The latter category includes teachers of other subjects who provide embedded adult numeracy support for their learners, either in class or at other arranged times. This might be in colleges, community settings, vocational training or work-based learning.
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