National Adult Literacy Database

Series: Essential Skills

Authors: Human Resources and Social Development Canada

In this short document prepared by Human Resources and Social Development Canada, the nine Essential Skills are defined and explained. Information on these nine skills - reading, writing, numeracy, document use, oral communication, computer use, continuous learning, thinking, and working with others - is presented in table format. In addition a definition, typical applications and a workplace example of each skill is provided.

Added: 2008-04-11

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• Définition des compétences essentielles

Authors: Sandra Hennessey

Essential Skills, as researched and defined by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. The research included identification of nine Essential Skills, their definitions and the development of rating scales to measure the complexity levels of these skills when applied to tasks. The Essential Skills Research Project also developed a methodology to document the application of Essential Skills in Canadian occupations. This documentation uses a template known as an Essential Skills Profile.

Essential Skills research and development has focused on workplace applications, with limited focus on other contexts. This focus has led some to think of Essential Skills as connected only to the workplace although the overarching definition identifies these skills as needed for “work, learning and life.”

A review of essential skills definitions used in other jurisdictions was undertaken in this document to determine whether a plain-language, context-free approach to Essential Skills was readily available. A brief overview of the findings from other jurisdictions – international and provincial, followed by further HRSDC and Ontario Skills Passport information – is provided.

Added: 2009-06-24

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Authors: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)

This brief document provides tools for organizations that want to develop effective partnerships for supporting Literacy and Essential Skills (LES).

The authors set out a four-step process: define partnership goals; identify potential partners; build a successful partnership; and maintain that partnership. There are tips and checklists to help focus and clarify each step of the process.

Potential partners include federal, provincial/territorial and municipal governments; other businesses; industry/business associations and sector councils; unions and employee associations; community colleges and school boards; community organizations; and national literacy organizations and provincial/territorial coalitions.

Added: 2012-03-07

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• Établir des partenariats pour appuyer l’alphabétisation et l’amélioration des compétences essentielles

Series: Audio Centre - HRSDC

Authors: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)

This audio file is part of a podcast series developed by Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), describing a research project that will help to update the computer use element of the Essential Skills framework.

In this segment, the manager of the policy and research group within OLES discusses consultations with employers carried out as part of the project. While only 20 employers responded to an online survey, they represented a broad range of occupations and sectors throughout Canada.

Among the points raised by employers were the lack of means for assessing the digital skills of workers in many workplaces; a general sense that many workers, especially older ones, do not have the skills they need to work in these new environments; and worries that rapid changes in technology leave many employees simply using trial and error to respond to new situations.

Added: 2012-03-21

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• Recherche sur les compétences numériques : Entrevue avec Natalie Frank, gestionnaire, BACE - Consultations avec les employeurs [Audio - 3 :36]

Series: Audio Centre - HRSDC

Authors: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)

In this segment of a podcast series developed by the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES) of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), the focus is on research related to digital literacy.

The manager of the policy and research group within OLES explains that an international literature review turned up a wide range of terms and concepts, including computer literacy, digital skills, e-skills, and technological literacy. Overall, these concepts have shifted over the past few years to focus increasingly on reflective rather than technical competence, emphasizing the need to connect, evaluate and interpret information.

The literature review is part of a research project aimed at helping OLES update the computer use element of the Essential Skills framework by replacing it with the more broadly based term "digital skills."

Added: 2012-03-13

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• Recherche sur les compétences numériques : Entrevue avec Natalie Frank, gestionnaire, BACE – Revue de la littérature et cadre [Audio – 7 :21]

Series: Audio Centre - HRSDC

Authors: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)

This audio file is part of a podcast series developed by Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), describing a research project that will help to update the computer use element of the Essential Skills framework.

In this segment, the manager of the policy and research group of OLES discusses with Véronique Cadieux what will happen now that the research has been completed. The next step includes coming up with a definition of what is meant by "digital skills" as an Essential Skill in the Canadian context.

Then these skills constructs will be broken down in order to describe the elements that make them more or less difficult to perform. That will allow for the development of a reliable scale on which people's skills can be graded and through which job tasks can be given complexity levels for the purposes of profiling occupations.

For more information, please click here: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/LES/profiles/index.shtml.

Added: 2012-04-03

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• Recherche sur les compétences numériques : Entrevue avec Natalie Frank, gestionnaire, BACE – Prochaines étapes [Audio - 2 :16]

Series: Audio Centre - HRSDC

Authors: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)

This audio file is part of a podcast series developed by the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES), part of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).

In it, the manager of the policy and research group within OLES describes the start of a research project aimed at helping to update the computer use element of the Essential Skills framework.

The project, carried out by a Montreal consulting firm, included a review of international literature on digital skills; the identification of tools currently used to assess digital skills proficiency; and the analysis of options for developing a new complexity rating scale based on the new framework.

Added: 2012-03-07

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• Recherche sur les compétences numériques : Entrevue avec Natalie Frank, gestionnaire, BACE - Objectifs de la recherche [Audio - 2:50]

Series: Audio Centre - HRSDC

Authors: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)

The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills (OLES), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), commissioned a research project to help update the computer use element of its Essential Skills framework.

This audio file is part of a podcast describing the project. In it, the manager of OLES’s policy and research group talks about the part of the project that looked at tools and procedures currently used to assess people's proficiency with regard to digital skills.

The research identified three types of assessment: test-based assessment based on defined skills indicators; assessment based on self-reporting; and qualitative assessment. Research has shown that both self-reporting and qualitative methods like observational assessment are limited in their ability to provide solid, broad-based conclusions.

Test-based assessment methods can provide more solid information, as long as the tests are themselves broadly based and offer insights into cognitive proficiency as well as technical skills.

Added: 2012-03-27

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• Recherche sur les compétences numériques : Entrevue avec Natalie Frank, gestionnaire, BACE – Outils et procédures [Audio – 3 :22]

A Guide for Employers and Employees

Series: Assessment Tools - HRSDC

Authors: Human Resources and Social Development Canada

The Document Use Indicator is a tool that can be used by employers to learn more about the document use skills of their employees. It gives an indication of skill levels by providing ten examples of Level 1 and Level 2 assessment questions. The questions duplicate actual workplace tasks performed in a variety of occupations, but they do not require specialized knowledge to be correctly answered. This tool includes instructions for both employer and employee. The answers to the questions and a marking guide are provided.

Added: 2008-04-08

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• Indicateur de la capacité d'utilisation des documents

Series: Essential Skills Indicators - HRSDC

Authors: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)

This document has been designed to help employers learn more about the document use skills of their employees by providing examples of Level 1 and Level 2 assessment questions. The goal is to help employers determine the skill levels employees bring to the workplace; identify current training needs; and improve workplace training by targeting specific skill areas for improvement.

The authors have based the questions on real-life workplace materials, including a change-of-address notice and a chart containing symbols for hazardous materials. However, they note that employees do not need specialized knowledge in order to answer the questions.

The questions can be administered by the employer or they can be self-administered and marked by the employees themselves.

Added: 2011-09-02

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• Indicateur de la capacité d'utilisation des documents - Guide à l'intention des employeurs