Adult Learning Australia - Bridging Cultures

The recent Adult Learning Australia - national conference 'Bridging Cultures' provided opportunity to explore four interrelated cultural themes: Indigenous learning; cross-cultural communication; different workplace cultures and intergenerational learning.

Sessions I attended included:

CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
World Cultures in Focus – Interactive learning program in cultural diversity
Sylvia Fisher, Jack Young Centre, SA
Pam Pindral, Aged and Disability Services, City of Salisbury SA

The Webheads – online community of adult teachers and students of English
Michael Coghlan, TAFE SA

INDIGENOUS LEARNING
Living Reconciliation: 10 years of teaching and learning in a TAFE program for women at Nowra NSW
(also Cross-cultural Communication)
Isobel Fitzpatrick and Debra Evelyn, Illawarra TAFE, NSW

INTERGENERATIONAL LEARNING
Intergenerational literacy and ICT in a Multicultural Setting
Jane Gunn, Protea Training, Port Adelaide SA

DIFFERENT WORKPLACE CULTURES
Horses for broadband courses or horse and buggy? Developing the 'virtual ecology' for a networked learning community in the Adelaide Hills Region
Karen Plane, Centre for Research in Education, Equity and Work, University of South Australia

NON-THEMATIC
The highs and lows of ACE management
Jim Nicholls and Richard Vinycomb, ACE North Coast, NSW

Learning Communities Catalyst and Web services to enhance learning
Dan Nicholas and Margaret Grainger. EdNA VET Online SA

Video conference model to deliver ACE programs – interactive wine appreciation workshop in rural regions of SA
Leanne Isaacson, Murray Mallee Community Education Network, SA

SPECIAL INTEREST
Mark Bagshaw provided a very inspirational keynote speech regarding strategies to improve employment and career options for people with a disability. Very moving!