Workshops: A Series

A 1: Tribal Wisdom: Adult Literacy Educator Program – What’s in it for me?
Facilitated by: Anne Ramsay, Project Read Literacy Network
This presentation will give an overview of the Adult Literacy Educator Certificate (ALEC) Program to instructors and administrators considering it as a part of a professional development pathway. It will highlight the history, purpose, and current project to revise the modules (a partnership between Project READ, Algonquin, Conestoga, and Sault Colleges). As well, the session will focus on the program’s merits, benefits, and its possible role in the adult literacy field. The ALEC program has been taken by practitioners working in the field and by individuals anxious to enter the wonderful world of literacy. The presenter hopes that participants will discuss how we presently support and train practitioners, as well as planning for future staff turnovers due to impending retirements.

A 2: Essential Skills – A Primer
Facilitated by: Sandi Hennessey, Fanshawe College
If you haven’t been introduced to Essential Skills, the Essential Skills Profiles and the Test of Workplace Essential Skills, this is a good place to start. Background information on Essential Skills, an introduction to TOWES and the three Essential Skills it assesses, along with an overview of Essential Skills Profiles will help you begin to integrate these tools in the classroom. This workshop is a good preparation for the Essential Skills – Online Tools workshop in the computer lab immediately following the break.

A 3: Herd at the Waterhole: Distance Delivery
Facilitated by: Matthias Sturm, AlphaPlus
Four LBS delivery sites, including Confederation College, have been engaged in pilots testing distance delivery with LBS students since 2003. Distance delivery models with a high degree of flexibility in meeting the needs of the students and overcoming geographical, social, and technological barriers were developed and implemented before the field research was carried out by AlphaPlus in partnership with the project sites.

Matthias will provide an overview of this development and research project and share the findings, conclusions and recommendations with workshop participants.

This workshop will be of particular interest to colleges interested in participating in the next round of distance delivery pilots, or in providing more flexible options within their regular LBS program.