January 22, 2018
Blended Learning
Perhaps you are practicing blended learning with your adult students and don't even know it. Blended learning is the practice of using both face-to-face classroom time and online digital studying in a way that complement each other. The in-person and online studying reinforce each other, thus enabling the student to learn faster and more effectively. In Pennsylvania, the Distance Learning Project can simplify this blending for you and your students, but there are other resources availabl e for those who wish to accomplish it more "in house." Remember, though, that these online hours completed outside of the classroom are only reportable in eData if they are done with the Distance Learning Project.

This month's Research 2 Practice newsletter from the Coalition On Adult Basic Education (COABE) focuses on blended learning. Two journal articles in particular can be useful if you want to learn about the benefits of blended learning for your students. Blended Learning for the Adult Education Classroom can serve as a guide to design a blended learning model for your students and put it into action. For five online apps to help you explore this, look to Blended Learning Apps That Can Make You Flip!

A webinar on Monday, January 29th, 2-3 PM, will discuss best practices when it comes to distance and blended learning. Titled IDEAL and Involved Instruction: Using Practitioner Expertise and Research with Distance and Blended Learning , this Burlington English webinar will show participants how to practice "involved instruction" with students studying at a distance. Learn more and register online .
Teaching Tips and Resources
Praise your students the right way
Everyone appreciates praise when they do something well. Our adult students are no exception. Perhaps they even need it more than other people, given the hurdles they have to overcome. But not all praise is perceived as equal or is equally effective in its outcomes. This is the topic of an Edutopia article, Making Sure Your Praise is Effective . This article is written for a K12 audience, but is completely applicable to adult educators. Check it out today to begin to enhance the praise you give to your students.
Professional Development Opportunities
Foundation Skills Framework is now on-demand
This self-paced, three-hour online course provides a basic foundation for new adult education instructors, experienced instructors, program administrators, and case managers who want an overview of the Foundation Skills Framework (FSF). Practitioners will be able to identify the skills and competencies associated with each section of the skills wheel. The culminating activity will examine High Priority Occupations and align the skills identified through O*NET with the FSF. Interested participants can register on the  pdportal  at any time and will have 30 days to complete the course. Please direct any questions to Chrissie Klinger at  [email protected] .
Immigrant and Employee Rights webinar
Many adult education agencies find themselves increasingly involved in immigration issues. The Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is joining with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to present a webinar on Tuesday, January 23rd, at 2:00 PM, that will address employee rights during the E-Verify and Form I-9 employment eligibility verification processes. This information is important for workers, worker advocates, and job seekers. You can register on the USCIS website .
PAACE now offering tutor memberships
A membership to the Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education (PAACE) is now available for tutor volunteers in adult education agencies. For $15, tutor members will have access to downloadable resources, professional development webinars, and the annual PAACE conference, held this year in State College, PA, on March 5th and 6th. Membership registration is available online .
LINCS webinar on writing instruction for ESL learners
Dr. Joy Kreeft Peyton, Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, and Dr. Kirsten Schaetzel, who recently published a study on teaching writing to English learners in the COABE Journal, A survey of writing instruction in adult ESL programs: Are teaching practices meeting adult learner needs? , will be presenting a webinar and a follow-up discussion on this topic for the LINCS community on Friday, March 2, at 1:00 PM.  Read more...
State and National Adult Education News
On-the-Job Training Toolkit
WorkforceGPS has developed an On-the-Job Training Toolkit . This toolkit can assist with the development and implemenation of an on-the-job training model for local agencies. It includes resources such as sample training plans and referral letters, a checklist for writing contracts, and FAQs. Use the resources in this toolkit to ensure that your on-the-job training is thorough and complete.
COABE national award winners
In December, COABE announced the winners of their 2018 national awards. Funded through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, these awards include Outstanding Adult Learner of the Year, Outstanding Adult Teacher of the Year, and Outstanding Administrator of the Year, as well as recipients of several scholarships. See the list of winners online.
GED® College Ready (CR) and GED® College Ready + Credit (CR+)
GED® test takers who enrolled in college after passing the pre-2014 version of the GED® exams stayed enrolled from semester to semester at a rate of just 29%. That number is up to 90% with the 2014 version of the GED® exams. This success is driving more and more states and colleges to recognize the GED® College Ready (CR) and GED® College Ready + Credit (CR+) credentials. Pennsylvania is not yet one of them, but it is important to be aware that more than 100 colleges in 15 states now allow students who have scored in the CR range to bypass college placement tests and remedial courses. Learn more details in an article from GED Testing Service® .
Grants and Scholarships
Reality Check
Are you or someone at your agency getting back into grant writing? A new GetEdFunding blog post can help you get back in the grant writing mindset. Grant Writing: A Reality Check includes advice and best practices for both experienced grant writers and those who may be applying for their first grant.
Why you should DIY your grant writing
Perhaps you are considering hiring a professional grant writer to address your needs. This article lists a few reasons why the job may be done best "in house." You can compare that to another article that argues for hiring an expert.
Job Postings
The job postings below are for adult basic education programs that are funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and, at least in part, by WIOA Title II funds. They can also be found on the paadultedresources.org website. 
No jobs are currently posted.
PA Adult Education Resources
Upcoming State and National Conferences
State and National Newsletters
These are state or national organizations' newsletters that may be of interest to you. To receive the most recent editions by email, please subscribe directly to the newsletter. 
 
Families Learning News of the Week,  National Center for Families Learning
Features information and resources for family literacy, early childhood education, and parent education  

GED® In Session, GED Testing Service®
Features news and information related to the GED® test

COABE Journal, Coalition On Adult Basic Education
Features national information, resources, and initiatives for adult basic education

World Education /U.S.
Features resources and information from World Education projects including The Change Agent, College for Adults, E-Learning, LINCS Region 1 Professional Development Center, National College Transitional network, and many others

Workforce GPS, Workforce3 One  
Features career pathways and workforce development information
 January