November 2010, Follow-up Online Meetings and Updates for Participants in OTAN’s ABE Technology Boot Camp 2010

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Contents
Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................1

Online Meeting on November 5, 2010 ................................................................................................................2

Linda Trame .....................................................................................................................................................2
Victoria Jones...................................................................................................................................................2
Amber Land-Denoyer ......................................................................................................................................3
Madelyn Jones .................................................................................................................................................3
Ashley Ruiz .......................................................................................................................................................4

Online Meeting on Friday, November 19 ............................................................................................................5

Amy Echols Starkey..........................................................................................................................................5
Victoria Banuelos .............................................................................................................................................5
Christine Paynton ............................................................................................................................................6
Francisco Lopez................................................................................................................................................6
Tom Smith........................................................................................................................................................6
Christine Toston...............................................................................................................................................7
Lupine Seran ....................................................................................................................................................7

Updates by e-mail ................................................................................................................................................8

Elizabeth Niemeyer..........................................................................................................................................8
Doug Lagen ......................................................................................................................................................8
Debbie Roberts ................................................................................................................................................8

Introduction

On May 13 & 14, 2010 a group of 25 adult educators from throughout California met in person and
shared and learned about new ways to integrate technology in teaching and learning. Some
created a Web site, others created a Moodle course. When they applied they also committed to
meet again, but the next time online, as a way to follow up and reflect on the face-to-face
professional development event.

In November 2010, 12 educators from the original group joined online meetings to talk about
technology integration since May 2010. We heard from those who continued on building from the
training in May, but also about the changes and new directions these individual educators and their
programs have taken in the new school year. Also covered were the resources by OTAN and other
leadership projects offerings. This was a great opportunity to experience online professional
development and networking.

Three more educators from the original group gave updates by e-mail.

These notes, as well as links to projects by participants, are posted at

http://timac.wikispaces.com/ABEbootCampMay2010

OTAN ABE Technology Boot Camp, May 13-14, 2010, Sacramento County Office of Education
http://timac.wikispaces.com/ABEbootCampMay2010
November 2010, Follow-up Online Meetings and Updates for Participants in OTAN’s ABE Technology Boot Camp 2010 – page 2

Online Meeting on November 5, 2010

attended
Ashley Ruiz, Paramount Adult School
Amber Land-Denoyer, Manteca Adult School
Linda Trame , Hayward Adult School
Madelyn Jones, Madera Adult School
Victoria Jones, Simi Valley Adult School

Linda Trame
Linda showed her Weebly site to another teacher who teaches both at
Hayward and San Leandro, and this teacher has created her own Web site
since then. Linda’s efforts this school year have been aimed at supporting
the new GED teacher to learn the ropes, and not technology related.

Bay Area CCAE section is getting ready for CCAE/COABE joint conference
in San Francisco, April 16-21, 2011. http://www.ccaecoabe2011.com/

Hayward is using Odysseyware for HS and GED students – and maybe with Pre-GED in
the future. It can be used for distance learning, but schools are using is mostly on site, in
the labs.

Victoria Jones
Victoria is not in ABE this year, because she took on a full time ESL position.
While she was the resource teacher for the ABE, students were using
Learning 100 and Read On in the computer lab. Lower level students were
working in Learning 100 and teachers like it. This was a combined ABE and
intermediate ESL group. There in no tech support for learning 100, and for a
while they did not have internet available in the room being used for the lab.

Several ABE teachers did study circle training, and currently there's a flux in ABE teaching
staff. Recently they got re-furbished computers in the language lab and students are doing
EL Civics lessons on the computers – and using the interactive whiteboards.

SVAS will be starting a blended learning program. DVDs are currently being duplicated.
There will be a class on Wednesdays for a combined group of students of those from the
program’s current face-to-face classes and the waiting list. For 2-3 hours in the class, they
will watch videos and talk about them, receiving their packet, with teachers going over the
materials, and then students will take them home and do extension activities.

This class is being advertised to the students on the waiting list. The whole school will have
regular classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Friday is for open Lab and on
Wednesdays, the blended class will take place. Some curriculum being used: Putting

OTAN ABE Technology Boot Camp, May 13-14, 2010, Sacramento County Office of Education
http://timac.wikispaces.com/ABEbootCampMay2010
November 2010, Follow-up Online Meetings and Updates for Participants in OTAN’s ABE Technology Boot Camp 2010 – page 3

English to Work, Moodle wrap-around for USA Learns, Madison Heights, Crossroads Café,
and would like to have a computer program or online based exercises for GED.

Amber Land-Denoyer
Amber has not developed the Web site she created in May any more but has
been giving away the link to students. She is not teaching ESL/GED/ABE
combination any more. This year it is ESL in the morning and GED distance
learning in the afternoon.

Amber made the Web site generic - so that learners in most programs can use
it. She will take two OTAN Webinars about Online Learning. Currently the the
technology in the DL GED is the DVD player for GED Connection Packets. They are testing
all students with eCASAS. And GED testing is going computerized in 2021. The
administration is committed to distance learning and the program is trying to go paperless.
Currently they are using books by KET that go along with the videos. They also use
packets by Video Partners, and in Amber’s experience learners go through them quickly.
She needed to supplement topics on exponents by going to Khan Academy. She’s also
found mistakes in the packets.

For ESL Distance Learning they are using Crossroads Cafe, Putting English to Work
1,2,&3, and English for All.

Branka talked about GED Connection Online Videos available for free to California Adult
Education and Amber asked for an account.

Madelyn Jones
Madelyn used the Web site she created in May within the few weeks of school
remaining last years with beginning ABE students. She shared it with the other
ABE teacher and he was using it too.

This year she is teaching 3 sections of ABE. The budget was uncertain, all
teachers received pink slips, but district brought back ESL, ABE/GED.
Classes are smaller but Madelyn is as busy as ever. Fewer students are
getting more intense one-one-one. The school switched to quarter system for enrollment,
and smaller classes shorter in duration. Students are paying a $20 fee for the quarter.

After her participation in ABE Boot Camp, the administrators decide to spend around $ 20
000 for textbooks and Madelyn designed a curriculum framework for ABE.

In the computer lab they have been using the links and resources that Madelyn learned
about during the ABE BTC.

They are also using Lexia software program and Madelyn attended Lexia user group
meeting in the fall. The issue they came across is that in Lexia pre-test - students end up

OTAN ABE Technology Boot Camp, May 13-14, 2010, Sacramento County Office of Education
http://timac.wikispaces.com/ABEbootCampMay2010
November 2010, Follow-up Online Meetings and Updates for Participants in OTAN’s ABE Technology Boot Camp 2010 – page 4

on level one even though it's too easy for them. Then the teacher has to manualy move
them up a couple of levels.

HSD classes are using online courses - possibly Novanet.

Ashley Ruiz
Ashley is still teaching ABE - every morning. On Monday and Tuesday
evenings she teaches combination ABE/ESL. She encourages Ss to use DL
materials, DVDs and packets, likes Madison Heights and Lifelines. She put up
resources on the Web site she created in May. They also use PLATO and
ATC - Reading Horizons. She is trying to write a grant for new textbooks and
some technology. Ashley is on the team for re-doing for the Adult School's
Web site.

In June 2010, she attended CALPRO's training-of-trainers event about Contextualizing

Workforce skills in ESL/ABE. The core concepts are that our adult learners are replacing
the baby boomers, but do not have the soft and communications skills necessary. When
applying strategies and techniques from this training, teachers don't have to have a new
curriculum, but come up with strategies to emphasize the skills adult learners already have
and help students identify them. Ashley is assigning tasks (room monitor, cell phone/noise
control monitor, file monitor) in the classroom and reinforcing the soft skills that way. The
learners are responsible for the assigned task for a week and the following week they train
the new students. One of the strategies for the learners is to at the end of class summarize
the skills practiced during that session.

The upcoming face to face and webinar trainings on this topic can be found on CALPRO’s
calendar
http://calpro-online.org/rrc/RRC/calendar.asp?rrc=RRC&page=calendar#4125

Photos from May 2010 training

Moodle training was facilitated by Penny Pearson Web sites with Weebly training was facilitated by Susan Coulter

OTAN ABE Technology Boot Camp, May 13-14, 2010, Sacramento County Office of Education
http://timac.wikispaces.com/ABEbootCampMay2010
November 2010, Follow-up Online Meetings and Updates for Participants in OTAN’s ABE Technology Boot Camp 2010 – page 5

Online Meeting on Friday, November 19

Attended:
Amy Echols Starkey, Poway Adult School
Christine Paynton, Loma Vista Adult School, Mt. Diablo Adult Education
Christine Toston, Wilson-Lincoln Community Adult School, LAUSD DACE
Francisco Lopez, Chaffey Adult School
Lupine Seran, Jewish Vocational Services
Thomas Smith, Kennedy-SanFernando Community Adult School, LAUSD DACE
Victoria Banuelos, Tri-Community Adult School, Pioneer Center

Amy Echols Starkey

During ABE TBC, Amy put together a Web site with English, Math and Job-
search related links. She presented the web site to administrations and got
their approval to put it up for Ss to use. Now there is a link to it on every
terminal, 30 computers in the learning center, which is serving GED, HS, IS
and M-F face-to-face HSD. Ss like math and English resource. Particularly
useful for those just starting GED classes. School will be closed all next week
(Thanksgiving holiday) and Ss can access learning resources from home.
Amy's site is at http://paslearningcenter.weebly.com/

Poway just moved into a new site with interactive whiteboards and projectors. Training is
coming up on the equipment. They are currently using PLATO for credit recovery.

Victoria Banuelos
Web site has become the supplement to her class. School having lots of
furlough days, plus Ss busy lives. Victoria’s site is at
http://victoriabanuelos.weebly.com/

She was working with a counselor one on one, sharing resources from the
TBC.

Victoria keeps bringing the Web site up in class and referring Ss to the resources available
and they seem to appreciate it. Ss ask for more resources and new additions to the Web
site. Vocabulary exercises. It has to be focused for Ss bc it's easy to get lost in the
numerous links and exercise and pages. She also created a card with the Web site address
and e-mail.

The school is currently buying some DVD players.

OTAN ABE Technology Boot Camp, May 13-14, 2010, Sacramento County Office of Education
http://timac.wikispaces.com/ABEbootCampMay2010
November 2010, Follow-up Online Meetings and Updates for Participants in OTAN’s ABE Technology Boot Camp 2010 – page 6

Christine Paynton
Christine site is at http://christinesabeged.weebly.com/, but she already had a
Web site developed and continues to use it at http://www.GED-ABE-ASE-
CVP.us . She is currently teaching a transitions ESL class, along with ABE
and GED. Christine keeps on updating her Web site, trying to simplify,
because it tends to get a little complicated for learners, because of the many
classes she teachers.
Most Ss have access to computers and the Internet at home.

The 7 computers in her room are slow at streaming YouTube videos and some of the other
sites. B/c she created the Web site on a Mac platform, it sometimes does not display well
on PCs. She as a projector in the classroom and also a document camera. The school just
purchased student response system by quizdom. http://www.qwizdom.com/

Francisco Lopez
Francisco is teaching GED this year, not ABE. He has an interactive
whiteboard and a document camera, but computers need to be updated. He
wants to write a grant for refurbishing them. Francisco is also participating in
an ePortfolio pilot by OTAN.

The school is trying out a new GED renewal class for graduating from HS
based on the units available.

In June 2010 Francisco attended training-of-trainers and now facilitates f2f workshops on
Contextualized Workforce Skills for ABE/ESL by CALPRO.

Francisco renamed his original Web site to http://casresources.weebly.com

Chaffey is using Odysseyware for ABE/GED students. It's a purchased licensed program. It
contains all subjects that students can receive credits if enrolled. Yet my students don't get
credit but is great practice. Separately adult ss working on GED and/or HS Diploma.

Tom Smith
Tom tried to develop a Moodle class on introductory algebra with his own
content. It was too much to research and do from scratch. He came across the
UCCP Introductory Algebra free course
[http://www.ucopenaccess.org/course/view.php?id=66] that he can bring into
his Moodle shell. As he tried to secure online space he learned that LAUSD
has a complex process of approving hosting for Moodle courses, but once he
clarified to his administrators that he was not doing a purely online course, but
creating some supplemental materials for his face-to-face classes, he was given a space
on LAUSD’s Moodle server. He had 3 courses set-up on LAUSD site: Algebra 1a and 1b,
and an adult ed shell at https://ol.lausd.net/moodle/course/view.php?id=2306

OTAN ABE Technology Boot Camp, May 13-14, 2010, Sacramento County Office of Education
http://timac.wikispaces.com/ABEbootCampMay2010
November 2010, Follow-up Online Meetings and Updates for Participants in OTAN’s ABE Technology Boot Camp 2010 – page 7

LASUD is also using a commercial content course that requires funding and that was not
an option for the adult program at the moment because of the lack of funding. The problem
with LAUSD Moodle is that in order to use courses you have to have LAUSD e-mail and
adult Ss don't have them. So it’s a sort of a ‘catch 22’.

Tom searched farther and was able to secure Moodle hosting for adult class thorough
Calaxy, a hosting service by k-12 High Speed Network,
http://www.k12hsn.org/calaxy/, http://moodle.k12hsn.org/course/view.php?id=1216

He is currently building more activities and content on the Calaxy Moodle. This is meant for
concurrent ss for credit recovery through adult school,

Kennedy/San Fernando CAS is in the process of creating a School Web site, and Tom may
put up links to his Moodle courses on it.

Christine Toston
After ABE Boot Camp, Christine was so excited about technology integration
that she bought a projector and a laptop with a Web cam. Unfortunately, her
ABE class ended up closing. She was moved from Lincoln to Wilson and her
student population changed from adult to concurrent. Since May 2010 she
has also faced more personal challenges, and death in family. What she’s
seen in her classes this year is that students in east LA don’t' have the
resources that other schools have. Her class consists of 35 concurrent
students from diverse backgrounds. They need help with ABE. Christine teaches in a
bungalow classroom with one computer for the daytime teacher. She does not have access
to it.

Lupine Seran
After she created her Moodle course in May, Lupine gave a demo to her
colleagues, but it has not gone any further because there's a huge investment
of time for the courses to be built. The colleagues are excited about the tool,
thinking about the ways to use it creatively

Jewish Vocational Services is a non-profit agency with limited resources.

There are two computer labs with 20 stations each, where students engage
in work with productivity applications (MS word), accessibility, basic high school credit
recovery, job search skills, and resume writing. The agency applied for grants for
interactive whiteboards.

The group also talked about options for GED Prep curriculum and Branka reminded
everyone about GED Connection Online Videos and Workbooks by Video Partners – a
service available to California Adult Education for free. Tom, Francisco, Victoria and
Christine P. asked for accounts.

OTAN ABE Technology Boot Camp, May 13-14, 2010, Sacramento County Office of Education
http://timac.wikispaces.com/ABEbootCampMay2010
November 2010, Follow-up Online Meetings and Updates for Participants in OTAN’s ABE Technology Boot Camp 2010 – page 8

Updates by e-mail

Doug Lagen
Debbie Roberts
Elizabeth Niemeyer

Elizabeth Niemeyer
Hi Branka,
You're right, we weren't sure if there would be any classes at all. But right now I am
teaching 5 hrs/week of ABE Reading, and 10 of ESL. In the ESL classes, we have just
completed a unit about the Internet. In both classes, I use my Smartboard, but mostly as a
projector. We do love looking thinks up, though. For example, we just read about maple
trees, and we got a lot of good images off the Internet. (My ABE students are mostly
Advanced ESL students.) I have not had them open Weebly. I couldn't get the glitches out
of mine, and didn't feel qualified to get them to do it!
Eventually, I think there will be an additional ESL teacher, and I'll have more ABE hours.
But who knows!
Beth

Doug Lagen
Hi,Good to hear from you.
Our secretary in charge of TopsPro reporting retired and I have been assigned the
responsibilty for getting this done. It has been a large learning curve, as we have never
been set up to transfer files from ASAP to TopsPro. We now can do this very well, but has
left me no time to work on the fun stuff. Our neighboring school district shut down its Adult
Ed, so we have had a huge influx of students. My hours have not been increased to
compensate for the added work. Unfortunately, I will not be signing in to the conference
call. I still have plans to Moodle our curriculum, but it will have to wait until after I get
etesting up and running for our TopsPro reporting.

Debbie Roberts
I am working with COABE and CCAE on the April Conference. We have a meeting at the
same time Friday. The same thing happened with the last meeting. Is there any way to
gain the information that is shared so that I can share it with my former partners at
Torrance?
Thanks, Debbie

___________________________________________________________
This summary was compiled by Branka Marceta, OTAN, bmarceta@otan.us

OTAN ABE Technology Boot Camp, May 13-14, 2010, Sacramento County Office of Education
http://timac.wikispaces.com/ABEbootCampMay2010