California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project

Authors: Anthony Burik, Mariann Fedele-McLeod, Debalina Ganguli, Martin D. Griffin, Hilary Iserman, Nicole Jordan, Stephanie Kriebel, Yecsenia Lorenzo, Courtney McMahon, Katie Callahan Neginskiy, Penny Pearson, Theresa Petersen, Kristi Reyes, Thoibi N. Rublaitus, Shannon Swain, Lila Young, Carolyn ZachryThis evidence to action brief presents recent research on distance learning in adult education and provides an important contemporaneous account of how California adult education rose to meet the challenge of continuing to serve adult learners during the pandemic. This brief captures a snapshot of the current state of practice and evidence, including identified challenges and corresponding best practices. Additionally, it looks towards the future as adult education continues to address the identified challenges of distance learning in innovative ways, as well as to harness the ample benefits and potential for students.

Author: John Tibbetts and Anestine Hector-Mason, September 2015Produced by California Adult Literacy Professional Development ProjectCollaboration has been shown through research to be an effective strategy both in the classroom and in program management. This CALPRO Research Brief examines the research as it applies to both Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at the program level, and to classroom instruction, and finds that in both applications collaboration improves outcomes.

Author: Anne Mishkind, CALPROThis brief provides an overview of research on effective teaching that can be applied in multiple settings by a broad range of teachers across diverse settings. Adult education in California takes place in environments including school districts, community colleges, community-based organizations, libraries, and correctional facilities, and serves students with skills that range from basic literacy to international professional training. Across contexts, research finds that effective teaching is enriched by:thoughtful attention to student backgrounds,collecting and using student data to inform the implementation of evidence based practices including (1) learner-centered instruction, (2) rich and contextualized content knowledge, (3) use of standards to inform learning objectives, and (4) attention to foundational skills and higher-order thinking, and planning for professional development that targets specific teacher competencies

Author: Anne Mishkind, American Institutes for Research, 2014This brief provides instructors, professional development coordinators, and program administrators with research and implementation guidance related to evidence–based professional learning and data–driven instruction.

Produced by California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project, 2006CALPRO offers these suggested guidelines for initiating and conducting discussion groups using the research digests, summaries, and bibliographies.

Author: Karin Martinson, Abt Associates, Inc., September 2010This paper explores the importance of employer-program partnerships for improving economic outcomes for both low-skill workers and businesses. It identifies the fac¬tors that have hindered the growth of these partnerships as well as promising approaches to building further partnerships.

Hosted by Escondido Adult School from 09/02/2024 to10/20/2024Description:How can we facilitate the two-way process of immigrant integration through adult immigrant students’ participation in civic and community activities? Our community benefits from the cultural, social, and economic contributions of immigrants. As well, adult students’ engagement in their community supports their sense of belonging and the development of practical skills. Sign up for the upcoming Community of Practice (CoP) on Supporting Immigrant Integration through Civics Education at Escondido Adult School. This CoP incorporates both Face-to-Face collaborative work and asynchronous activities on Moodle.The training is designed for instructors teaching adult English language Learners (learners may be in ABE, ASE, ESL, etc.). The training will help educators support immigrants through civics education as understood within the lens of the California Immigrant Integration Initiative and aligned to approved EL Civics metrics. Participants will learn about the Immigrant Integration Framework, explore the resources from the Teaching Skills That Matter in Adult Education (TSTM) project, and gain skills to better support their immigrant students in their classrooms and programs.This CoP takes place on Moodle and at Escondido Adult School and runs for six consecutive weeks, from 09/02/2024 to10/20/2024. Weekly participation is required, though participants may, during a given week, log in whenever they wish.As part of this community of practice, a three-hour face-to-face workshop will be offered on Wednesday, September 18th, 5-8 pm, and a second workshop will be on Wednesday, October 2: 5-8 pm at Escondido Adult School.Participants who successfully complete this course will receive a certificate of participation (16 hours).Goals :The goal of this community of practice is to enable instructors to 1) understand the California immigrant integration context, and 2) plan instruction that supports immigrant integration by aligning to the objectives of the Participation in Civics and Community Life Goal area of the Immigrant Integration Framework, using the Teaching Skills That Matter (TSTM) lessons and tools, and pre-approved COAAPS.Registration Information :There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees. This training is hosted by Escondido Adult School. Participants from neighboring districts or regions may be admitted on a space-available basis. The registration deadline is Thursday, August 29, 2024. Notification of acceptance will occur by Monday, September 2, 2024. Training begins in Moodle on Monday, September 2, and ends on Sunday, October 20.Contact Information :Please contact Sachiko Oates at soates@air.org.

In today's world, media literacy is an essential skill for adults to participate in academic, professional, and community activities. This webinar will explore the importance of media literacy in adult education, providing practical tools and strategies to help learners critically evaluate media sources, understand the impact of media on society, and navigate the digital landscape with confidence. Participants will gain insights into fostering critical thinking and media analysis skills among adult learners, empowering them to become informed and engaged community members.

Course Description:Adult education plays a significant role in the lives of immigrants. Often adult education is the first door through which a new immigrant encounters the world of services and supports available to them as they seek to increase their skills to reach their life goals. As described in the white paper by ALLIES on the Immigrant Integration Framework: “Immigrant integration is... a two-way process involving learning and adaptation by both immigrant communities and receiving communities. Broadening an understanding of diverse perspectives and cultural resources ultimately strengthens both the immigrant and receiving communities, and increases the entire community’s capacity to adapt and respond to a changing global environment." This facilitated online course will help educators support immigrants through civics education as understood within the lens of the California Immigrant Integration Initiative and aligned to approved EL Civics metrics. Participants who successfully complete this course will receive a certificate of participation (15 hours); they are also eligible to apply to CSUS for 1.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) if they wish.Goal:Participants will be able to locate and adapt Teaching Skills That Matter lesson materials on Civics Education topics in order to support immigrant students at all levels of ESL to become successful members of their communities.Registration Information:There is no registration fee to participate; CALPRO professional development opportunities are available to all California Adult Education Program (CAEP) agencies and employees.Registered participants will receive final confirmation and details by Friday, October 17, 2025. Waitlisted participants will also receive an update regarding their enrollment status by that date.Contact Information:Please contact calpro@air.org with any questions.