What place does accreditation have in learner centred adult literacy?

In recent times the field of adult literacy has witnessed many developments. From a position of low status pre 2000 it now finds itself firmly under the Governments spotlight. This is due in the main to the results of the International Adult Literacy Survey published in 1997 in which 1 in 4 Irish adults were found to have difficulty with the simplest of literacy tasks. This newly awakened national interest in adult literacy should seem like a welcome one but with it has brought a bureaucratic, economic, employment and performativity discourse. Traditionally adult literacy was attributed with a redemptive ethos, with many volunteers working in the field. Through the development of an advocacy agency, the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA), this redemptive discourse grew into one of critical literacy. This discourse promotes literacy for empowerment, emancipation and social practice. A learner-centred approach is at the heart of the provision. Currently within adult literacy, the dominant discourse is one of linear progression along the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). This is due to many international and national policy influences. The conduit for this progression in adult literacy is through attaining Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) accreditation. FETAC has therefore become a primary focus in the field of adult literacy. The specific purpose of this thesis is to find out from the perspective of adult literacy students what place they believe accreditation has in adult literacy. In setting the background for the research the thesis aims to trace the changing discourses through a review of literature. The findings of this research portray students who have had a very positive experience with accreditation. Most importantly this research demonstrates that learner-centeredness and accreditation should and can work hand in hand. This positive experience demonstrates the ability of providers to negotiate the tensions between conflicting discourses and succeed in protecting a learnercentred environment. This research provides hope and optimism for other practitioners in the field going forward.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

National University of Ireland Maynooth

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Clarke, Deirdre

Language dc:language

en