Constructing Utopia - constructing literacy and numeracy in a remote Indigenous NT community

This paper reports on a collaborative teaching effort between two Central Australian Indigenous teaching institutions for the newly emerging Desert People's Centre, on a construction trades training institute (Centre for Applied Technology -CAT) and the other an academic institute (Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education). previous collaboration had occurred on a minimal level in the previous years. However, this particular collaboration is of ine year duration, entailing teaching two certificates concurrently (Certificate 1 in written and spoken English and Certificate 11 in Applied Design and Technology), is based in a remote community (Utopia), revolves around a landscaping project for the newly built study centre at Arlparra and comprises of women students only most of whom have few English language skills.

The project and teaching commitment were undertaken to determine if successful outcomes for both courses could be enhanced on the basis of constructivist principles. That is, creating learning tasks and a learning environment that both stimulates learning and provides a concrete basis on which to learn difficult western literacy and numeracy concepts inherent in both courses. this paper will report on the outcomes so far of the project, of using particular literacy and numeracy strategies, tasks and methodologies to attempt to ascertain reasons for their success or lack of success in terms of personal development and competency achievement. It will also attempt to make recommendations for future VET projects and training communities, particularly in regards to trades.