Accountability

The data that were gathered in an international 2007 study led by OECD on the recognition of non-formal and informal learning suggested that the PLAR activity level in Canadian post-secondary institutions might be higher than previously thought, and that Canada’s performance may compare favourably with the efforts of other countries, particularly in terms of the number of assessments conducted.

This document is a bibliography compiled for the 2006 Summer Institute at The Centre for Literacy of Quebec. The selections include lectures, research studies, policy papers and government documents that describe and analyze recent concepts of accountability in the context of government funding in the non-profit sector in several countries.

The NWT Literacy Council has created a comprehensive framework of best practices that encourages literacy providers to reflect on their practice and learn from others. The framework has three tools:
1. A self-assessment tool for programs
2. A resource of practical ideas to help support best practices
3. Examples of best practices in action in NWT programs

The author discusses a report, the “U.S. Department of Education (2003). The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act: Program Year 2001-2002: Report to Congress on State Performance. Office of Vocational and Adult Education.”

This report attempts to capture the debate and discussion that took place on June 11 and 12, 1997 in Ottawa, on workplace literacy. The NLS is working with its partners to create significant projects that will make a difference in the area of workplace literacy. As a first step, they convened a meeting of their partners who have experience in the area of workplace literacy.

South Africa has 27 spoken and 11 official languages, and no uniform level of proficiency in English. Yet education, access to information and transparency are basic human rights, according to the new constitution. Plain language therefore plays a vital role in attaining these goals.

A training and consulting project with a recently merged accountancy firm in New Zealand provided Jacquie with some interesting insights into the increasing relevance of plain language to intensely competitive commercial environments. She worked with people from a range of levels within the firm to redesign the monthly reports they made to their clients.

Joyce and the British Columbia Securities Commission firmly believe that securities regulations should be clear and understandable to all investors, regardless of their sophistication, as soon as possible. She described their ambitious program to train 200 staff in the principles and practice of plain language. They did not stop there, however. While BCSC's jurisdiction is provincial, its capital markets are essentially national.

In the fall of 2002, Merwan Saher and his team launched a project to further improve their annual report. He will describe how they got the needed support from management, ensured that auditors retained control of their writing, and provided needed resources. “Changing the way you communicate,” says Merwan, “will change the way you do your work'.

While the theories of New Literacy Studies are being applied in teaching, they have had much less currency at the level of educational systems and policies - institutions, funding, and accountability. Such a shift in the understanding of literacy means that ‘performance' is defined differently and requires a different approach to accountability.