Regional Professional Development
Communities of Practice
To provide opportunities for California adult educators to interact regularly and to engage in extended collective learning, CALPRO is offering regionally based professional learning opportunities using a Community of Practice (CoP) model across subject matter and topics essential to meeting the goals of the California adult basic education system. In the blended-learning CoPs, participants meet for two face-to-face (or synchronous online) sessions. As part of the CoP activities, participants access online resources via Moodle before, between, and after their face-to-face/synchronous training sessions to participate in activities designed to extend their learning and support their implementation of new practices with their students. Fully virtual or HyFlex CoPs may be offered on selected topics.
Tailored Regional Communities of Practice
Tailored Regional CoPs support the unique needs of educational agencies, districts, or consortia and offer a responsive, flexible, and engaging approach to professional development. The available topics are highly relevant to California adult education agencies, from instructional strategies to career pathway development. When tailored to the specific needs of an educational agency, school district, or regional adult education consortium, these CoPs offer targeted support that aligns directly with organizational objectives and encourages meaningful change and growth. Tailoring can be done by adjusting the overall training length, modality (e.g., in-person, online, or HyFlex), focus areas depending on the target audience, or by integrating multiple topics to address intersecting priorities. This tailored approach allows CALPRO to help educational agencies balance professional development with operational needs, ensuring minimal disruption while maintaining the quality of learning.
Regional Training
CALPRO also offers 1–2-day, 3+ hour on-site workshops on an available topics below.
If your consortium or agency would like to host a regional professional development event, please contact calpro@air.org.
What You Need to Know
Host a CALPRO Training
For more than a decade, CALPRO has trained California adult educators to deliver professional development on various topics.
CALPRO will:
- Identify and pay for the workshop facilitator’s travel and honorarium when your agency hosts a regional community of practice.
- List the workshop on the CALPRO Event Calendar.
- Advertise the workshop.
- Manage registration.
- Provide copies of the participant handout packet for the number of registered participants.
- Provide blank sign-in sheets and evaluation forms for facilitators to distribute and collect.
What are the responsibilities of the hosting agency/site?
- E-mail certificates of attendance to participants.
- Open registration to teachers and administrators from other eligible agencies.
- Register at a minimum 8 participants from your agency and/or other eligible agencies in your region prior to the start of the training.
Which training topics are available?
New!
- Fundamentals of Adult Education Instruction
General Instructional Strategies
- Universal Design for Learning: Developing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities
- Motivation and Persistence for Adult Learners
- Civic Engagement through Democratic Literacy
Adult Basic Education/Adult Secondary Education
- Using Questioning Strategies to Improve Instruction Adult Basic Education/Adult Secondary Education
- College and Career Readiness Standards: English Language Arts (ELA) Implementation and Application
- Evidence-Based Writing Instruction in the ABE Classroom
English as a Second Language
- Evidence-Based Writing Instruction in the ESL Classroom
- Managing the ESL Multilevel Class
- Mastering the English Language Proficiency Standards
- Optimizing ESL Instructional Planning: Management, Monitoring, and Reflection
- Supporting Immigrant Integration through Civics Education
Workforce Skills and Career Pathways
- Supporting Student Transitions to Postsecondary Education and the Workforce
- Accelerated Learning to Facilitate Career Pathways
- Collaborative Curriculum Alignment
- Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in the ABE/ASE Classroom
- Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in the ESL Classroom
- Integrated Education and Training (IET)
Community of Practice
Communities of Practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly (Wenger-Trayner, 2015).
Blended Instruction
In regional CoPs, participants meet for two face-to-face (or synchronous online) sessions. Before, between, and after their face-to-face/synchronous training sessions, CoP members access additional online resources via Moodle and participate in activities designed to extend their learning and support their implementation of new practices with their learners. Fully virtual or HyFlex CoPs may be offered on selected topics.
Time Commitment
CALPRO’s CoPs require an average total of 16-20 hours of professional learning.
Shift in Culture
Communities of Practice place a strong emphasis on supporting educators in implementing new skills. This greater emphasis on implementation may involve one or more shifts in culture.
Benefits of Participating in a CALPRO Regional CoP
- Opportunity to interact with other teachers or administrators and trainers online and in-person to share classroom experiences and problem solve
- Support and help to implement training in the classroom
- Ability to identify and serve the needs of students
- Ways to help students improve their skills and meet their personal goals
- Increase of professional knowledge in targeted topic
- Access to additional resources that extend the learning beyond the CoP
- Working together as a school team to make changes, identify challenges and solve problems
On-Site Regional Training
CALPRO also offers 1–2-day, 3+ hour workshops on an available topic below. CALPRO will send a trained facilitator to your agency/consortium site.
ABE/ASE
- College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS)
- CCRS 2: ELA Implementation and Application
- Evidence-Based Writing Instruction for ABE/ASE
- Math Instructional Strategies
ESL
- Mastering the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards
- Optimizing ESL Instructional Planning: Management, Monitoring, and Reflection
- Managing the ESL Multilevel Class
Instructional Strategies
- Motivation and Persistence for Adult Learners
- Universal Design for Learning: Developing Programs for Adults with Learning Disabilities
- Using Questioning Strategies to Improve Instruction
Transitions
- Supporting Student Transitions to Postsecondary Education and the Workforce
Workforce
- Accelerated Learning to Facilitate Career Pathways
- Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in the ABE/ASE Classroom
- Integrated and Contextualized Workforce Skills in the ESL Classroom
- Integrated Education and Training (IET)
Math Instructional Strategies (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-paced course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months, there is no official start or end date to worry about.
This course is intended to help teachers understand how to present concepts vital for: 1) mastering the College and Career Readiness Standards for Mathematics; 2) passing high school equivalency tests (i.e., GED, HiSET); and 3) helping students, through the CCRS Standards for Mathematical Practice, to conceptualize and utilize math concepts in and out of the classroom. The estimated course completion time is 5 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Introduction to College and Career Readiness Standards (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-directed course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
Get an overview of the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education. Learn about the three instructional shifts in math and in English Language Arts, and consider the implications for your classroom. The estimated course completion time is 12 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Universal Design for Learning: Learning that Works for All (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-directed course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
The purpose of this course is to identify how research-based learning strategies can increase engagement and access for all learners. Through this learning module, adult educators are introduced to the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines, which provide a framework to help educators create learning spaces which work better for all students. Additionally, the course presents straightforward strategies that educators can use to start implementing UDL immediately. The estimated course completion time is 1.5 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Orientation for New ABE Teachers (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-directed course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
The task of teaching basic literacy skills can seem overwhelming to the new Adult Basic Education (ABE) teacher. This course orients new teachers to the most immediate and important aspects of teaching ABE learners in California. In some cases, individual agencies have procedures and practices that address these issues; in other cases, the California Department of Education (CDE) has specific requirements and provides documents to guide you. The estimated course completion time is 4 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Advising the Adult Learner: The Teacher's Role (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-paced course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
It is often the teacher to whom the adult learner first turns for advice on issues ranging from educational and vocational options to employment, family, health, emotional, and legal issues. Do you know when to provide guidance and advice and when to refer learners to professional counselors and other available community services? In this course, you will explore the advantages and limitations of the teacher’s role as an adviser, learn about community resources, and identify strategies for listening and responding to student needs. The estimated course completion time is 12 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Goals:
The goal of this course is to help adult education teachers understand the nature of student advisement and enhance their knowledge and skills to be effective student advisers.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Learner Persistence (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-directed course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
What’s all the excitement surrounding the topic of learner persistence, how does it differ from student retention and motivation, and how do you encourage your students to persist in their learning? Based on research on factors that promote learner persistence, this self-directed professional development course examines implications for changing practice in the four areas of intake, orientation, instruction, and program activities. The estimated course completion time is 12 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
ADVANCE Integrated Education and Training (IET): IET Fundamentals (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-paced course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs are designed to help adults improve their basic skills while learning occupational and workplace skills to prepare them for in-demand careers. The IET Fundamentals online course introduces the foundational concepts, requirements, and core elements of IET design and implementation. The estimated course completion time is 2 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Course Objectives:
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the rationale for, and benefits of, IET from the perspective of adult learners, employers, and adult education program providers.
- Describe the core design features of an IET program.
- Use program profiles to identify and evaluate core design features implemented in diverse program contexts.
- Identify the roles and expertise that each team member (internal adult education team and external partners) contributes to implementing an effective IET.
- Locate available resources for in-depth planning and development of an IET.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Learner Goal Setting in Adult Education Programs (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-directed course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months, there is no official start or end date to worry about.
Did you know that one of the major factors contributing to learner persistence is goal setting with the learner? Did you know that learners most often cite as a reason for dropping out that their classes didn't meet their needs and expectations? Learn how to set realistic goals with each learner and then revisit and revise goals throughout the semester so that students feel comfortable that your class is meeting their needs. The estimated course completion time is 14 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact calprohelp@air.org or call 916-286-8803 for more information.
Adult Learning and Development (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-paced course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
This course examines how adults learn and the implications for adult literacy programs. It explores the unique characteristics of adult learners as well as adult motivation, needs, and self-concept and their effect on learning. The course also explores adult development and the implications for effective teaching. The estimated course completion time is 12 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.
Effective Strategies for Writing Instruction (Self-Directed Online)
Course Description:
This self-directed course supports independent professional development; there is no facilitator nor other participants. Sign up now and access the class for 3 months. There is no official start or end date to worry about.
This course examines the vital role writing plays in ABE, ASE, and ESL instruction, especially in helping learners become college- and career-ready. Participants begin by identifying possible challenges in teaching writing and strategies for overcoming them. Through interactive, multimedia presentations, participants identify the key components of the writing process and discover research-based instructional strategies for supporting their students' writing development. Finally, participants learn how to apply a rubric to evaluate student work and prepare a lesson plan with instruction designed to address students' areas of need. The estimated course completion time is 4 hours.
Enrollment verification with Moodle login information will be sent to registrants within one business day of registration.
Registration Information:
This course is free of charge to all California adult education programs.
Contact Information:
Please contact CALPRO at calprohelp@air.org or at 916-286-8803 for more information.