Professional Development Program & Technology Enhancement Initiatives for Adult Education Practitioners & Program Staff in NIFL/LINCS Region II International

Professional Development Program&

Technology Enhancement Initiativesfor

Adult Education Practitioners & Program Staffin

NIFL/LINCS Region II

International Reading Association – 2008 ConferenceAdult Education & Family Literacy Special Interest Group

May 7, 2008

Dr. Chas DurantCenter for Literacy Studies, University of Tennessee - Knoxville

The Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development Program’s basic premise is to assist practitioners and program supervisors:

acquire new behaviors

change their assumptions and ways of thinking

Professional Development Programfor

Tennessee Adult Education Practitioners

Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development Program

The Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development Program has three core objectives1 for participants (practitioners and program supervisors):

Knowledge: [Learn more about the topic. Develop theories about the topic

of learner/staff motivation, retention, and persistence.]

Reflection: [Be critically reflective about work. Learn from experience, question assumptions that guide work, and think about practice in relation to theories of teaching and learning.]

Action: [Try out new learning. Take action to address the issue of learner/staff motivation, retention, and persistence in the classroom, in the program, and in the community and/or field of adult basic education.]




[Smith, C., Hofer, J., Gillespie, M., Solomon, M.., & Rowe, K. (2003). How Teachers Change: A Study of Professional Development in Adult Education. NCSALL Reports #25. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Graduate School of Education, National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy]

Using the best methods and accepted principles of adult learning and effective professional development the Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development Program seeks three types of demonstrated change based on research1:

Thinking (Includes beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, feelings, etc.) Action (Includes utilization of new instructional techniques or approaches)

Integration (Understand the topic/issue, choose strategy to address the issue based on informal/formal research, reflect upon the outcome of possible action, and integrate with a cohesive theory of what adult learners need to succeed.)




[Smith, C., Hofer, J., Gillespie, M., Solomon, M.., & Rowe, K. (2003). How Teachers Change: A Study of Professional Development in Adult Education. NCSALL Reports #25. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Graduate School of Education, National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy]

The Center for Literacy Studies, under contract with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Office of Adult Education, provides adult education practitioners and program supervisors with a research-based comprehensive professional development program that incorporate three models:

Multi-session workshops [Experiential & Active learning activities]

Mentor groups [Peer coaching]

Research groups [Participants investigate their own classroom/program practice by collecting and analyzing data to answer a question of concern.]






Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development Calendar

To help practitioners build skills for the rapidly changing field of adult education, the Center for Literacy Studies provides an expanded program of training and development offerings, from July through June, in different formats:

Workshops Conferences Institutes Websites Online courses Peer mentoring

Using the best methods and accepted principles of adult learning and effective professional development the Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development Program utilizes four assessment formats:

Benchmark/Screening [Which participants need extra assistance?]

Diagnostic [What are the participant’s skills, strengths, & needs?]

Progress Monitoring [Is learning occurring?]

Outcome [Did the participant make progress toward standards?]




The Center for Literacy Studies, under contract with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Office of Adult Education, provides the following three online resources to adult education practitioners:

Professional Development Catalog Professional Development Calendar Development Framework and Tracking System

allows practitioners to document their professional development experiences and accumulate professional development points towards level designations and incentives.






The 40-page catalog provides information on PD activities in four areas:

ABE/GED ESOL Program Leadership Other

CMATS (NRS) Training Paraprofessionals Training Appreciating Diversity Quality Tools Academy for Instructional Development

Tennessee Adult Education Professional Development Catalog



The Tennessee Professional Development Framework and Tracking System allows practitioners and supervisors to document their professional development experiences and accumulate professional development points towards level designations and incentives:

Instructor Level 1- Interest Instructor Level 2 - Commitment Instructor Level 3 – Achievement

Supervisor Level 1- Interest Supervisor Level 2 – Commitment Supervisor Level 3 – Achievement

TN Adult Education Professional Development Tracking System




Teacher

Incentive

Points

Teacher

Incentive

Amount

Teachers

Attained

Supervisor

Incentive

Points

Supervisor

Incentive

Points

Supervisors

Attained

Level 1 100 $500.00 65 200 $500.00 38

Level 2 200 $1,000.00 15 300 $1,000.00 6

Level 3 300 $1,500.00 5 400 $1,500.00 0




Instructor Level 1

Level 1 Reading Packet

Instructional Approaches

Instructor Level 1 Instructions

Declaration of Intent to Pursue Professional Development

Lesson Plan

Observation Evaluation Form

Observation Planning Form

Professional Development Follow-up Form

PD Plan



TN Adult Education Professional Development Tracking SystemInstructor Level 2

Level II Reading Packet Instructional Approaches Instructor Level II Narrative/Instructions Instructor Level II Table of Contents Portfolio Evaluation Rubric Declaration of Intent to Pursue Professional Development Introduction to My Teaching Plan II Resume Professional Development Plan Case Study Unit Plan II Professional Development Follow Up Form Practical Considerations In Planning Lessons ABE-GED Lesson Plan Checklist ABE-GED Lesson Plan ESOL Lesson Plan Checklist ESOL Lesson Plan Case Study Student Evaluation Observation Planning Form Case Study Summary Form Journal Portfolio Checklist



TN Adult Education Professional Development Tracking SystemInstructor Level 3

Level III Reading Packet Instructional Approaches Instructor Level III Narrative/Instructions Instructor Level II Table of Contents Self Assessment Portfolio Evaluation Rubric Declaration of Intent to Pursue Professional Development Introduction to Teaching Practice Resume Professional Development Plan Case Study Unit Plan III Professional Development Follow Up Form Practical Considerations In Planning Lessons ABE-GED Lesson Plan Checklist ABE-GED Lesson Plan ESOL Lesson Plan Checklist ESOL Lesson Plan Case Study Student Evaluation Observation Planning Form Case Study Summary Form Journal Portfolio Checklist




Professional Development Instructional Approaches Collaborative Communicative – ESOL Cooperative Equipped For the Future Multiple Intelligences Reflective Teaching Thematic


NIFL/LINCS Region II Adult Education Practitioners

NIFL/LINCS Region II Professional Development

NIFL/LINCS Region II Alabama Arkansas District of Columbia Florida Georgia Kansas Louisiana Maryland Mississippi North Carolina Oklahoma South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia West Virginia


NIFL/LINCS Region II Adult Education Practitioners

NIFL/LINCS Region II Professional Development Formats

Online Courses [offered through AEPro -a joint project with Ohio Literacy Resource Center and funded in part by NIFL]

The Path of Professional Development Evaluation

Assessment Basics for Adult Education

Integration of Technology in the AE Classroom

Discussion Lists (state specific)

E-meeting (Saba Centra platform)

Partner Meetings (annual)

NIFL Resources (print) http://www.aeprofessional.org/

Online Course [offered through C-PAL; funded in part by OVAE] Basics of Adult Education

Resource Collections (3) Each Resource Collections focuses on locating, reviewing, and selecting high-quality instructional materials, resources, and research on a different topic.

Basic Skills Resource Collection focuses on reading, writing, mathematics and numeracy for use by adult educators to improve instruction in basic skills.

Program Planning Resource Collection focuses on assessment, learning disabilities, and program improvement for use by adult education and literacy program administrators, project directors and professional development staff.

Workforce Competitiveness Resource Collection focuses on workforce basic skills education, English language acquisition, and technology.

Online Discussion ListsThe Institute and its partner literacy organizations provide specialized, engaging, and dedicated staff to facilitate and moderate the discussion lists. On these lists you can:

Find lively and informative discussions about critical issues facing the field Debate and share the latest research Seek support for proposal writing Exchange promising practices and policies Uncover a wealth of information and resources.

Online Discussion List Topics Include: Adult English Language Learners Adult Literacy Professional Development Assessment Family Literacy Focus on Basics Health & Literacy Learning Disabilities Poverty, Race, Women, & Literacy Special Topics Workforce Literacy



Current/Emergent Technologies Under Investigation:

PDAs/Handheld

Tablet PCs

wikis

Technology Enhancement Initiatives

Documents

Professional Development Program & Technology Enhancement Initiatives for Adult Education Practitioners & Program Staff in NIFL/LINCS Region II International