LBC Newsletter

Literacy practitioners from every region in B.C. are using an electronic network to communicate.

The electronic network is made possible by the adult literacy cost-shared program of the NLS and the Ministry of Education, Skills and Training. The NLS also recently contributed a special grant to include the Literacy B.C. board in the network.

Literacy B.C. manages the project in partnership with Capilano College. Capilano College provides the electronic communications system which uses FirstClass email and conferencing software.

The project is designed to give the B.C. literacy community the opportunity to use electronic communication to share information, ideas and resources and to conference about issues and topics in the field. A further goal is to decrease the sense of isolation experienced by some people who work in literacy, especially those who live outside major cities.

Approximately forty practitioners currently communicate with colleagues on the network. This pilot group includes members of the Literacy Materials Bulletin Committee, the Fundamental Articulation Committee, and the six B.C. Regional Literacy Coordinators. The long-term goal of the project is to make the network available to everyone in the B.C. literacy field.

Over the next few months, community literacy groups and the Literacy B.C. board will be brought on-line. This phase of the project will also focus on planning for learner and tutor participation.

For further information about the project, contact:

Sandy Middleton, Project Coordinator
Literacy B.C.
Phone: 1-800-663-1293
Fax: (604) 684-8520
Email: s_middleton@douglas.bc.ca

On-line conference examines family literacy

What are the new and existing family literacy materials; how useful are they; and how can you order them?

These questions are the initial focus of an on-line conference currently taking place on B.C.'s electronic network. Other topics and issues in family literacy will be addressed in the conference over the next few months.

The conference is moderated by Barbara Bate of the University College of the Fraser Valley. Barbara has many years' experience in coordinating family literacy programming.

A description of all the materials discussed in the conference is available from Literacy B.C. In addition, if you are interested in joining the conference on-line, contact Sandy Middleton at Literacy B.C.