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Media Works

Changing profile of ABET learners

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:39

A surprising and growing number of recent school-leavers are joining Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) programmes in the workplace and community-based initiatives.

“We have observed a growing number of younger, literate learners joining ABET programmes,” says Shelley Tonkin of Media Works, a training provider for a number of SETAs and private companies.

“What is surprising is that most of them have actually completed their Grade 12.”

These learners’ reasons for joining ABET training vary quite widely. Some want to improve their English communication skills, while others are looking to improve their skills in Mathematics in the workplace context.

The fact that training can be done using computer-assisted methodology gives learners the added benefit of learning computer literacy skills.

Traditionally ABET learners were older adults, who had little or no schooling – varying from illiterate to semi-literate. Adult education specialists, Media Works, credit the active role played by sector training and education authorities (SETAs) for the increasing number of adults accessing ABET programmes.

“The National Skills Development Act provided a significant boost for ABET,” says Tonkin. She explains further, “work-based training enabled a larger number of adults in the workplace to access ABET, which provides a foundation for ongoing education and training.”

ABET is now an important part of the skills plan of many employees and it complements other training interventions that are offered in the workplace.

Another factor that contributes to this changing profile of ABET learners is the diversity of communication tools used in the workplace and socially, such as cell-phones; email and the internet.

Most learners are coming to the classroom with exposure to many of these tools and so learning provision must adapt to the change.

This trend is not limited to one specific sector and requires ongoing monitoring by developers such as Media Works, but more importantly human resources and training managers.

“The scope of ABET has expanded, it is not merely about literacy and numeracy. Our learners demand more relevant training that helps them to cope better with the requirements of the workplace.”

The ability to be in better control of their personal and professional lives is life-changing for most. This change in the profile of ABET learners is also not limited to rural areas, notes Tonkin, but all areas of the country and other countries where the company is active, such as Lesotho and Pakistan.

In fact, it is in the international market that Media Works is finding many younger, literate learners looking to do ABET in order to improve their skills in English communication.

As expected, these ‘new ABET learners’ want more from their training programmes – courses need to be self-paced, relevant and cater specifically to the needs of the learners.

Computer-assisted learning goes a long way to meeting these requirements. Learners progress entirely at their own pace and they are free to spend more time on difficult concepts, and less on familiar ones.

In response to this changing profile and the training needs of the market, Media Works has recently launched Accelerate, a training programme that aims to accelerate learning significantly.

The material has been revised with the 21st Century ABET learner in mind, whilst maintaining elements that have proven successful in the past. The material can be used in computer-assisted and classroom-based contexts.

Says Tonkin, “Our Accelerate material has adapted to suit the needs of a much wider target group of ABET learners who find themselves in a world dominated by multiple communication forms. Our aim is to assist learners – both young and old – to excel in the workplace and in their daily lives.”