As Michele Lonsdale and Doug McCurry noted in Literacy in the new millennium (NCVER 2006), 'the world has changed profoundly in the past fifty or so years and, in the process, has challenged many of our long-standing assumptions about literacy and language, to such an extent that a rethinking of what is implied by literacy is urgently needed' (p.13). Lonsdale and McCurry proposed that a contemporary definition of literacy must include the following capacities:

• 'read' a range of printed, electronic and visual texts
• master the new communication technologies via spoken and written language
• locate, manage, evaluate and use information or knowledge
• engage critically with media and other texts

Ilana Snyder, Anne Jones and Joseph Lo Bianco (2005) in Using information and communication technologies in adult literacy education: new practices, new challenges, accept this contention that ICT is a critical part of a contemporary definition of LLN.

"...it makes little sense to continue to think and talk about literacy practices and the use of information and communication technologies as if they were separate activities: literacy education is equally and simultaneously digital literacy education." (p.6)

If this is the case then we need to factor ICT to teacher education and PD models.

Mackay et al. (2006) in Current and future professional development needs of the language, literacy and numeracy workforce found that their particpants saw information and communication technology skill development as "an important future need, especially in relation to the use of multimedia resources and to facilitate more efficient completion of teaching and non-teaching tasks." (p.6)

but...

"There was some concern about having to gain skills ... with not many teachers in the age group who grew up with computers and the new technology. Most at the college don't know much more than how to turn them on." (p.28)

Interesting reports in VOCED

Effective teaching and learning: using ICT, Harvey Mellar et al. 2007.

E-learning for adults with learning difficulties, Yola Jacobson 2007.

Key national resources

Flexible Learning Network: this site provides the latest e-learning news and developments, as well as links to the many products, resources and support networks provided through the Australian Flexible Learning Framework.

The Australian Flexible Learning Framework provides the vocational education and training (VET) system with the essential e-learning infrastructure and expertise needed to respond to the challenges of a modern economy and the training needs of Australian businesses and workers.

Some cutting edge PD sites

Mobile Learning Solutions: this is the site of Caryl Oliver who is one of Australia's pre-eminent authorities on how technology is changing the training and learning environment. The focus of this site is on learning using 'mobile devices' such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), palmtops etc. The site provides a number of resources to assist student learning using mobile technology, including examples of lessons and articles written by Caryl Oliver.

Other interesting web sites associted with Caryl Oliver include Digital Story Telling World and elearningworld.

Practical teaching resource

Creating the Connections: a digital stories resource kit for adult literacy teachers aimed at developing students' literacy and ICT skills as well as project planning and teamwork skills.

The resource kit was developed by Adult Multicultural Education Services (AMES) in collaboration with Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE (GOTAFE) with funding from the Adult Literacy National Project (administered by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, formerly the Department of Education, Science and Training).