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We're interested in using badging for adult ed staff who complete PD, both as motivation and also to create pathways of learning or micro credentials. We're exploring badging platforms and trying to create some pathways for instructors and other staff in PD. We'd like to know what other states and organizations are doing in this area.

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Micro learning as a way to get teachers involved; 15- 30-minutes bursts of learning; organizing 15-minute bursts on learning and how to do you ensure application of learning after these microbursts

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Developing a Code of Conduct for participants in our PD

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Evaluation of PD overall, and how is it impacting student learning and outcomes.

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Improving Classroom Observations for Compliance Purposes

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Improving Classroom Observations for Compliance Purposes

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These are conducted by staff members at the System Office. Some with little background or experience in classroom instruction. We would like to improve our observation form, as well as provide training on how to conduct non-critical classroom observations that assist our instructors as well as inform the System Office PD Team for local PD needs.

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Addressing turnover-- investing time and resources into practitioners and they leave before we can track outcomes from what we have invested in them.

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Moving from one-size fits all to more customizable, individualized PD

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Moving from one-size fits all to more customizable, individualized PD

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Especially for:

low-level ESL (DART curriculum is free at TCALL)

workforce preparation activities

Generative AI for teachers and students

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DART: A Foundational Digital Literacy ESL Curriculum

Table of Contents

Keyboard

Security

Parts of a Computer

Using a Computer

Going Online

Creating Accounts

Safety

Searching

Troubleshooting

Review

Intro

The Digital Access and Resilience in Texas (DART) curriculum integrates beginning English language learning with foundational digital skills. The curriculum is intended to supplement existing English language instruction in lower-level adult English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. DART is an adaptation of the A-OK To Access curriculum developed for Tyson by the same authors.

The DART curriculum provides the foundation that lower-level English language learners need to recognize and type the wide variety of characters required for most online passwords. The curriculum focuses on teaching students the skills necessary to accomplish eight major "milestones" on the way to successfully creating and logging in and out of an online account.

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Keyboard

Lesson 1: Lowercase Alphabet Introduction
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students review the lowercase alphabet.

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Lesson 2: Lowercase Alphabet on the Keyboard
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will locate the lowercase letters of the alphabet on a modified image of a phone keyboard.

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Lesson 3: Uppercase Alphabet Introduction
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students review the uppercase alphabet and distinguish between the lowercase and uppercase alphabet.

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Lesson 4: Uppercase Alphabet on the Keyboard
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will locate the uppercase letters of the alphabet on an image of the keyboard.

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Lesson 5: Numbers and Special Keys on the Keyboard
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will identify the numbers 0 - 9 and common special keys on a Windows keyboard, match the words zero - nine to the numbers, orally exchange phone numbers, and type a message on their phones that uses lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and special keys.

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Lesson 6: Symbols on the Keyboard
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will identify common symbols, locate them on the keyboard, and use prepositions of place to describe their locations on the keyboard.

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Security

Lesson 7: Introduction to Security
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will learn how usernames and passwords used in logins provide security for their information and differentiate between strong and weak passwords.

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Lesson 8: Strong and Weak Passwords
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will differentiate between strong and weak passwords and dictate, transcribe, and type passwords consisting of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

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Using a Computer

Lesson 10: Computer Sign In and Sign Out
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will turn on and wake up a computer, use a username and password to log in to a computer, and lock, sign out of, and shut down a computer.

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Lesson 11: Using the Windows Desktop
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will learn the basics of the Windows desktop and taskbar, how to open an app shortcut from the desktop or taskbar, how to minimize, maximize, and close an open app window.

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Going Online

Lesson 12: Connecting to the Internet
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will check the Wi-Fi connection on their computers and log in with a username and password provided by the teacher.

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Lesson 13: Using Google Chrome
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will learn parts of the Google Chrome window, how to navigate in Chrome using linked text and objects and the back and forward buttons, and how to scroll in a window.

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Creating Accounts

Lesson 14: Understanding Online Accounts
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will complete online forms, identify login requirements, and create and log in to an online account.

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Lesson 15: Creating Strong Passwords
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will identify requirements for strong passwords and create a strong password that is strong but easy to remember.

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Lesson 16: Creating a Gmail Account
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will create, log in, and log out of a Gmail account.

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TCALL is the statewide Adult Education and Literacy professional development and resource center for Texas, housed at Texas A&M University.

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How to make PD more manageable, breaking it up into chunks

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How to make PD more manageable, breaking it up into chunks

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Wanting to explore micro learning that is still effective, applicable, and measurable

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How to deal with practitioner turnover after PD and resources have been provided and then a practitioner leaves the program. The consistent and constant turnover

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Both what is offered by the State Team and what our local providers are offering. I am really referencing a database or repository of PD records.

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Bundling and packaging existing online PD to support local needs - IL

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Bundling and packaging existing online PD to support local needs - IL

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Badging- evaluating a good PD to give a badge to; what is the weight of the badge?

Using less of the word distance and using digital

Interested in micro-learning experience

DEIB falling off of offerings in the state; not a lot of COABE and state conferences on that topic.

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Meeting the needs of new providers at the beginning of a grant cycle.

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Meeting the needs of new providers at the beginning of a grant cycle.

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Some teachers don't finish out the PLCs - would be good to offer in the "off time" summer sessions.

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Suggestion from Charice Hayes - real life applications and field related internships in AE

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We have great trainers and trainings for our volunteer instructors. We struggle with the gap between training and practice. How do we help instructors integrate the best practices into their work with adult learners?

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Specific set of programs who got funding from Mayor; did targeting PD around "IET-like activities" each practitioner had a specific IPDP with reflections, peer learning, and coaching- saw academic gains in programming as a result (tracked across 5 teachers who stayed 3 years)-

400 agencies will request PD- one and done typically- found a handful or programs who have been willing to focus on long-term PD planning; some great case studies have come out of that which can provide examples of how these investments can impact learning and instruction

Moving toward getting or implementing a new LMS- moving from Schoology, and moving to "absorb create" for professional learning

Getting teachers to help with PD planning for the year

Nice small army of beginning reading tutors

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peer to peer support

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Different states have different rules and requirements for virtual pd. We think it should be an option and in-person should also be available. For virtual perhaps we have to come up with new models for engagement as some participants do not participate very much in virtual sessions.

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PA requires all programs to have Digital Literacy Specialists.

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PA requires all programs to have Digital Literacy Specialists.

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PD for PD - this is why I joined; providing resources that professional developers need; having support around some of the things they are working around. Right now we go to other professional developers; concrete

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Room 5: Helping Instructors to know/understand that their PD is for them not for their agencies

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Room 5: Helping Instructors to know/understand that their PD is for them not for their agencies

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We've been working on supporting instructors to think of their PD as for them not the orgs that hire them. And part of this is thinking about what they what to learn and what they expect to learn in the sessions they attend.

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1. Effective math lessons for remote GED

2. Educational Technology

3. IET

4. New Director's Training

5. Our group also discussed the importance of expanding beyond the single webinar to provide application and feedback opportunities as part of training in order to better engage participants and allow for real life, meaningful application of PD.

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Learning circles for Professional Development

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Learning circles for Professional Development

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Facilitated peer-to-peer learning circles have great potential for providing short-term or medium-length professional development of many kinds.