AONTAS Update...
17th August 2010 Issue Number 46 Welcome Welcome to the AONTAS Update! The AONTAS Update is a weekly resource designed to keep members informed about current lifelong learning issues as well as what’s happening in AONTAS! Please let us know what you think of the bulletin by taking a short survey here. AONTAS would like to wish all Leaving Certificate students the very best of luck with their results tomorrow!
Weekly Survey The reintroduction of fees for higher education may be endorsed by a strategy group examining higher education. Do you agree with the reintroduction of fees for higher education? Click here to let us know.
The link to the Update will be e-mailed to members every Tuesday Thank you to everyone who has already afternoon. Members are very welcome to contribute and if you have responded to the survey. We will bring anything for inclusion, please e-mail it to Eleonora Peruffo you the results at the end of the month. (eperuffo@aontas.com) by 5pm on Monday afternoon.
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Adult Education News
PROMOTION • •
Adult Learners’ Festival News Events
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AONTAS News Membership News AONTAS Membership
POLICY ADULT EDUCATION NEWS Over 1,000 to get into college on reduced points Over 1,000 applicants will get into college through the HEAR and DARE routes which allows students to enter courses with reduced points. Last year around 900 entered on the two special schemes.
INFORMATION • •
Information Referral Service Education & Training Opportunities
The number is expected to be higher this year with 1,936 eligible applicants on the HEAR route compared to 1,358 last year and 931 eligible applicants on the DARE route compared to 701. (Irish Independent, 10th August 2010) Bonus points for maths failing to lure A survey conducted by Engineers Ireland of 122 students has found that nearly two-thirds of ordinary-level maths students said they would not opt for higher-level maths even if offered bonus points. 41 per cent of ordinary-level students surveyed believed higher-level maths was “too time-consuming”, almost one-quarter said they found it “scary” and 21 per cent felt they wouldn’t need maths when they left school. (Irish Times, 12th August 2010) ‘Fantastic’ €6.7m Fas centre trains 12 people Danny Weston, head of the National Construction Training Centre, has said he is optimistic about the future of the centre. The centre which cost €6.7m to build and has trained only 12 people is now under investigation by the Dáil spending watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee. The centre came to the attention of the committee for training just 12 people at an average cost of €500,000 per person since it opened in 2009. (Irish Examiner, 13th August 2010) .
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PROMOTION ADULT LEARNERS’ FESTIVAL NEWS Date for your Diary The Adult Learners’ Festival 2011 takes place from 21st to 25th February 2011. The Festival, now in its fifth year is a nationwide celebration of adult learning coordinated by AONTAS – The National Adult Learning Organisation. Planning is well underway for the 2011 Festival and further information will be circulated in the coming weeks. Adult Learners’ Festival 2010 Report This report contains an in depth look at the organisation of the Adult Learners’ Festival 2010 as well as key outcomes and recommendations for future Festivals. The report is intended to be a companion document to the Adult Learners’ Festival Explore Magazine which provides a snapshot of the celebrations during the
2010 Festival week. Click here to read the full report. For AONTAS Adult Learners’ Festival news, please visit www.adultlearnersfestival.com
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Events Which Course Expo 2010 (28 / 29 August 2010 – RDS Industries Hall) Which Course Expo is now in its third year and takes place 28th and 29th of August. The Expo was launched in August 2008 in response to a demand from prospective students and course providers alike. Which Course is operated by Learning Ireland, a Dublin-based information provider and is an annual event, run at the RDS each year. AONTAS are exhibiting this year. For more information, please visit www.whichcourse.ie
****** AONTAS is putting together the next issue of the magazine Explore. The next issue will profile some of the new Activation Measures, give an overview of the AONTAS Strategic Planning Process, and an update on the latest policy development in adult education. Do you have an idea for a feature, news from your project that you would like to share, or a policy issue that you would like to raise? If you would like to write a short article, or suggest an idea for an article, Officer, then contact Niamh Farren, Communications nfarren@aontas.com or on 01 406 8220. ******
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CEN meeting-21 October 2010 The next CEN meeting will take place on Thursday 21st October in The Carmichael Centre, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7. Registration will take place at 9.45am and we will finish up with lunch at 1.15pm. The agenda for the day and further information will be available shortly. Please click on the link to register. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QCGYHBG ******
MEMBERSHIP NEWS We are currently planning to change from posting invoices and
AONTAS MEMBERSHIP Any organisation, group or individual that is involved, or interested, in adult and community education may apply for membership. If you feel that you would benefit both in your practice and personally from AONTAS join our vibrant organisation today!
statements to sending them by email, enabling us to improve efficiency. In order to ensure that we have your current contact details, please complete our online form. Click here or go to http://www.aontas.com/membership/ at your earliest convenience and fill in the form in our Existing Members section If you have any questions regarding this email, please contact Dympna Larkin at dlarkin@aontas.com or phone 01 4068220.
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INFORMATION EDUCATION & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Labour Market Activation Measures In June 2010, the Tanáiste announced details of a number of ‘Labour Market Activation Measures’ by providers within the public, private and statutory sector. Different levels of accreditation are offered, and subjects on offer vary from engineering to web design, aquaculture to enterprise. Many of the courses are currently recruiting. For more information about what’s available in your area, visit the information section of the AONTAS website.
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INFORMATION REFERRAL SERVICE Information Booklet If you are interested in returning to education why not contact our Information Referral Service on 01 4068220. Alternatively, download a copy of the Information Booklet by clicking here.
NCI Part-time Programmes Open Event Do you want to step up your career, develop new skills and Information on our website is updated knowledge, or build on an existing qualification? If so, then call into regularly, visit the Part-time Programmes Open Events at National College of Ireland on Thursday 19th August, 5.00pm - 6.30pm in the IFSC http://www.aontas.com/information/ campus . Flexible part-time and evening courses are offered from foundation to degree and postgraduate level across a range of specialist subjects: business, HRM, accountancy, finance, computing and community studies. Staff and faculty will be available for consultation from 5.00pm to 6.30pm on Wednesday. This is an excellent opportunity to talk to the experts about academic progression and finding the right course for you. More information available here.
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Back to Contents AONTAS is the National Adult Learning Organisation. It is a non-governmental organisation that exists to ensure that every adult in Ireland has access to appropriate and affordable learning opportunities throughout their lives, thus enabling them to participate in the economic, social, civic and cultural development of Irish society. For further information visit www.aontas.com or www.adultlearnersfestival.com. Apologies for any cross posting. If you no longer wish to receive information from AONTAS, please e-mail mail@aontas.com. AONTAS – The National Adult Learning Organisation 83 – 87 Main Street, Ranelagh, Dublin 6W Ph 01 4068220«Fax 014068227«E-mail mail@aontas.com Company Registration: 80958 Charity Registration: 6719