Pennsylvania Workforce Development Symposium Review | |
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Chrissie Klinger and Loretta Lininger, Workforce Development Specialists at the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy at Penn State University, attended the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Symposium at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College, PA, on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. During the symposium, keynote speaker Rick Maher, CEO of Adaptive Human Capital, spoke about being in an age of disruption. He encouraged workforce development professionals to embrace change and find innovative ways to move forward as a team rather than as individuals. One way to move forward as a team is by communicating often with partners and aligning goals to a shared vision. Additionally, it is important to understand how different partners perceive change. Some partners will try to maintain the status quo, while others will perceive change as a threat; however, we hope that most will perceive the change as an opportunity.
One breakout session included information on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). IIJA projects related to transportation, pollution, water, energy, and broadband access will “require a skilled workforce and offer a unique opportunity to create inclusive pathways to quality employment.” Adult basic education providers can work with their partners now to prepare adult learners for these opportunities through effective career exploration and goal setting. Read more ...
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Teaching Tips and Resources | |
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Using Hand Gestures to Support Learning
A recent Edutopia article explores several ways that using hand gestures can improve learning. Several examples of research suggest that 'talking with our hands' has benefits for speakers and listeners. It enhances recall and formulation of ideas. The article ends with a list of key takeaways and tips.
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Webinar: Leveraging Earn-and-Learn Models for Immigrants and Refugees - Creating Onramps to Apprenticeship Programs
With a national focus on reskilling and upskilling job seekers and incumbent workers for in-demand careers, many organizations are turning to apprenticeship programs to deliver this training. Earn-and-learn models are excellent ways to increase access to careers with family-sustaining wages. Unfortunately, many immigrants, refugees, and speakers of other languages are unable to access these programs simply because English is a barrier. In this webinar, you’ll learn how institutions can offer flexible, blended English onramps to apprenticeship programs. The discussion will center on practical, evidence-based ways of delivering career-specific English language training at scale with a focus on models that can work across sectors and contexts. The presentation will include time for questions so participants can discuss how to adapt these models for their own contexts. This webinar will be held on October 26, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Register online.
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Flexible Due Dates
How flexible are you with due dates for your adult learners? Do you feel that workplace expectations are best reflected in rigidity or flexibility? A recent Edutopia article, Fact Check: Are Flexible Student Deadlines at Odds with Real Life? examines this question. Using evidence such as a 2021 Harvard Business School survey of working adults, the author discusses exactly what the 'real world' often involves and how you can shape your expectations to prepare your students for their future.
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Professional Development Opportunities | |
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EdTech Maker Space Service Learning
The EdTech Maker Space project is evaluating and organizing free resources in the Teaching Skills That Matter subjects of health literacy, financial literacy, workforce preparation, and civics. You can join the effort and receive tools and knowledge to help you evaluate resources and then align them to relevant topics so that all adult educators can use them more readily. This is called service learning because makers learn a lot about leveraging free and/or open education resources (OER) while also building a library that other adult educators can draw from. In addition to the professional learning, collaboration, and knowledge of new resources, makers will earn badges to demonstrate their achievement or leadership in the subject areas (health literacy, civics, financial literacy, and workforce preparation) which can be added to resumes and online professional profiles. Check out the work that has already been done at the Teaching Skills That Matter Activity Library. To learn more you can watch the informational video and register online.
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New Community of Practice for Family Literacy
In celebration of Adult Education and Family Literacy Week the Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy is offering a free Community of Practice for Family Literacy. They will organize a one-hour Zoom meeting at 2:00 p.m. on the last Friday of each month to discuss and share best practices. Topics such as recruiting families, providing interactive literacy activities, integrating family literacy components, building partnerships, and others that members of the community are interested in will be covered. Register for this community of practice online.
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Webinar: Outreach and Marketing for the Public Workforce Development System
This free Workforce GPS webinar will be held on Thursday, October 27, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. It will provide strategies from peers in the field on approaches to conducting outreach and marketing of public workforce system services. The session will address ways to reach marginalized communities more effectively, clarify options available to grantees using Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds, and provide an opportunity to share new ideas as well as tried and true practices that work in reaching new participants and business customers.
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Webinar: Advancing Digital Equity for All
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology will host a webinar on Thursday, October 27, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m., titled "Advancing Digital Equity for All." This webinar is meant to be a resource as states prepare to develop and implement digital equity plans under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's Digital Equity Act. Learn more about this free webinar and register online.
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Professional Learning for Adult Education and Family Literacy Staff
Staff at PDE-funded adult education and family literacy agencies can view a list of upcoming courses now available for enrollment in the PD Portal. For more information about any of these courses, please visit the PD Portal, open the course catalog, and review the syllabus. If you are interested in enrolling in a course, please consult with your in-house professional development specialist (IHPDS) to determine if the course meets your professional learning goals.
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State and National Adult Education News | |
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COABE National Awards Applications
The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) has opened the nomination process and it will remain open until December 20, 2022. The 2023 COABE awards will include awards for Outstanding Adult Learner, Teacher, Administrator, and State Innovation of the Year, as well as Local Excellence in Advocacy, Advancing Workforce Development for Adult Learners, Programs Success When Learners Lead Incentive Grant, Behind Every Employer Incentive Grant, Scholarship Grant, and Incentive Grant. Winners will receive a cash prize of $2,000 and an expense-paid trip to the 2023 COABE conference. Visit the COABE award page for more information or to make a nomination.
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Scholarship for PSU's Adult Ed or Family Literacy Certificates
Penn State's Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy (ISAL) and the Goodling Institute recently announced a new scholarship – the Hart Van Horn Adult Education Scholarship. The $1,200 per year scholarship will be awarded to an individual in the field of adult basic education and literacy and who is taking one or more of the Goodling Institute's adult education or family literacy certificate courses on Penn State’s World Campus. To access the application, go to the Goodling Institute's or ISAL's websites.
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Future Finder Challenge
The U.S. Department of Education has launched Stage 1 of the Future Finder Challenge, a $1 million challenge to reimagine career navigation for adult learners. The Department’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) invites innovators to build digital tools that better support adult learners as they launch and advance their careers. Adult education providers are encouraged to join entrant teams, and can discover collaboration opportunities by registering for the challenge community. Eligible entrants - including teams of strategists, app developers, user-centered designers, and educators - are invited to submit prototypes for digital tools by 6:00 p.m. on December 15. Up to five finalists will receive at least $50,000 each and progress onto the Stage 2 virtual accelerator. The Stage 2 judging panel will review the submitted proposals and recommend one grand-prize winner to receive $500,000 and up to two runners-up to receive a share of at least $250,000. The Future Finder Challenge will support winners into 2024 as they deploy their solutions across the adult education ecosystem. When adult learners thrive, employers gain access to diverse, skilled talent pools, and their communities prosper. If you have any questions or would like to request additional sample communications, please reply to this email or contact [email protected].
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PA Adult Education Resources | |
Upcoming State and National Conferences
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State and National Newsletters
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State and national organizations' newsletters are listed below and may be of interest to you. To receive the most recent editions by email, please subscribe directly to the newsletter.
Early Childhood Education Recap, PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning Features weekly and monthly news and information relating to early childhood education.
Oct. 24 Oct. 17 Oct. 10 Oct. 3
Families Learning: News of the Week, National Center for Families Learning
Features information and resources for family literacy, early childhood education, and parent education.
Oct. 14 Sept. 30
WorkforceGPS, Workforce3 One Features career pathways and workforce development information.
Oct. 18 Oct. 11 October Newsletter Oct. 4
COABE Connections, Coalition On Adult Basic Education Features national information, resources, and initiatives for adult basic education.
Oct. 21 Oct. 14 Oct. 7 Sept. 30
World Education/U.S. Features resources and information from World Education projects including EdTech Center News, The Change Agent, College for Adults, E-Learning, LINCS Region 1 Professional Development Center, National College Transitional Network, and many others.
Oct. 19 Oct. 12 Sept. 28
OCTAE Connection, US Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, & Adult Education Features news and resources for adult basic, career, and technical education.
Oct. 12
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