As a literacy instructor, Nadia Mustillo aims to offer transferable technology skills that learners can apply in life and future employment. As a program administrator, Nadia is interested in learning about tools and applications that can streamline and support her daily tasks.

Nadia is the literacy and basic skills (LBS) supervisor at the Thomas Merton Centre for Adult and Continuing Education with the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB), where she’s been working since 2023. Coming from a 35-year government and social services career, Nadia’s current role includes teaching (English and digital skills), marketing and administration.

“I work part-time, and it’s a bit of a balance and struggle between doing instruction, admin and coming up with new platforms to work in,” explains Nadia. “After speaking to colleagues working in the English as a second language (ESL) program, I became interested in setting up Google Classroom. Around the same time, I noticed that AlphaPlus offered a Google Workspace course and wanted to see what I could learn.”

Expanding skills to embrace new platforms and tools

Nadia took advantage of an evening training option within the AlphaPlus Building Digital Skills training series in February and March 2023. She explains that the instructor guided the group through the suite of options available through Google:

“The instructor for this training was excellent, and I discovered a whole suite of apps and resources I can use in the classroom. We got to hear about how these tools have been used in an educational context, including from the instructor and peers in the course. I feel confident, tech-wise, but I wasn’t familiar with the Google suite. During the training, I discovered that I could replicate what I already knew from using Microsoft products, and I learned ways to help learners pick up transferable skills in turn.”

Google Workspace offers many benefits to both Nadia and her learners, one of which is being free and accessible to anyone with a Gmail account. Google tools provide a low-barrier way for learners, many of whom are comfortable with phones or tablets, to transfer their skills to using a computer. And building skills in Docs, Slides, and Sheets prepares learners to move on to credit programs, many of which require computer proficiency.

In the fall of 2023, Nadia returned to the Building Digital Skills series, taking training focused on Microsoft: “Although I’m comfortable with Microsoft products, there are always things you don’t know. For example, I was familiar with Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Calendar but not with using OneNote with learners. It has accessibility features that will be useful for my students, who can use it for translation or help from the math assistant when they get stuck. It’s important to be well-prepared to help adult students with Microsoft products, as it’s widely used in business settings.”

From learning to implementation: Nadia’s next steps

Next, Nadia plans to spend more time exploring and applying what she learned in the training series. She would like to organize her Google Classroom as a central area for lesson plans and worksheets according to units and topics so that it’s more structured for students and fellow teachers. She’d also like to use the Google suite in new ways, including tracking work and progress for use in reports to the ministry.

“I’ve been blown away by the available tools and resources and the possibilities for me, my colleagues and our learners.”

“Because the training moved quickly, I’d like to take more time with the next steps, and I plan to get support from an AlphaPlus coach — getting guidance about what I can and can’t do based on our centre’s setup,” says Nadia. “I’ve been blown away by the available tools and resources and the possibilities for me, my colleagues and our learners.”

Would you like to build transferable skills for you and your learners? Sign up for upcoming AlphaPlus training designed specifically with the needs of adult literacy educators in mind.

This timely training is designed to support educators in understanding and using AI applications (such as ChatGPT) to create effective learning experiences and manage student learning.

In 3 Zoom sessions (90 minutes each), you will:

• gain an understanding of the ethical standards for AI use.
• develop a pedagogical understanding of AI concepts and frameworks, enabling them to think critically about the tools they use to create learning experiences and materials.
• explore platforms that can enhance the creation of personalized, efficient learning materials.

See the training overview for more details about what we’ll cover, the format, timing and deadlines for registration.

The training series is three workshops:

• Wednesday May 1, May 8, and May 15, 2024 from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
• Thursday May 30, June 6, and June 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

If you’re interested, secure your spot. And don’t forget to invite tutors working in your programs.

This training is designed to support educators in understanding and using accessibility functions to create effective learning experiences for diverse cohorts.

There are three series of workshops on Wednesday afternoons: 

• Accessibility in Microsoft (starting soon)
• Accessibility in Google (starting soon)
• Accessibility in mobile devices and apps/tools (starting soon)

Each series consists of 3 Zoom sessions (90 minutes each)

See the training overview for more details about what we’ll cover, the format, timing and deadlines for registration.

The training series is three workshops starting in the summer of 2024.

If you’re interested, secure your spot. And don’t forget to invite tutors working in your programs.

What could you create if you stepped back from your day-to-day teaching routine? What could be possible if you gave yourself time to celebrate creativity in teaching? Literacy educator Lori Armstrong found out her answers to these questions at the AlphaPlus Makerspace.

Lori has worked in countries including Canada, China, Ecuador, Egypt and Colombia — with teaching experiences spanning kindergarten, high school and adult literacy. Over the last eight years, Lori has focused on adult education, and in 2020, she returned to her hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Joining her peers in a Makerspace

While working in her role as a computer instructor for the Thunder Bay Literacy Group, Lori was trying to figure out easy-to-use and consistent technology tools for her adult learners. She discovered and joined the AlphaPlus Educator Network. “I loved the format of regular meetings with peers to discuss the sharing, instruction and good use of technology,” says Lori. “So, the next year, when I was invited to join Makerspace, I jumped at the opportunity.”

The AlphaPlus Makerspace is a combination of a course and a community of practice led by AlphaPlus team members Tracey Mollins and Guylaine Vinet. In the program, a small group of literacy educators experiment, pilot and reflect on how digital technology can enhance learning creatively.

The 2022-23 Makerspace that Lori joined was focused on video storytelling, and in the first few meetings, they investigated video tools such as Flipgrid and Edpuzzle. In the next several sessions, the group explored storytelling structure and elements. Then they moved into a creation phase, during which participants worked on individual projects, regrouping periodically for peer support and feedback.

“Tracey and Guylaine understand that the whole point of adult education is to recognize all of the skills, experience, knowledge and creativity a learner brings — and trust them with it,” says Lori. “They bring this perspective to providing a stimulating and safe Makerspace experience. And they offered flexible timelines, which allowed me to work in small steps that I could fit in when I had the time.”

Tracey explains that Lori brought her thoughtfulness and creativity to Makerspace, expanding her experience from video-storytelling skill-building to a chance to think bigger: “Lori took the opportunity to synthesize ideas about her practice that she has formed over years of teaching and explore the concept of the personal web.”

“I’m a Métis person and come from a blend of Western settler and Indigenous cultures. The personal web integrates both ways of learning and seeing the big picture. It acknowledges adult learners’ needs beyond academics in four areas: belonging, safety, fun and power,” explains Lori. “With digital teaching, there are so many tools and options; we need a way to prioritize approaches to address learners’ questions and needs. The personal web is a tool for pausing, thinking about the connections in our lives and focusing on where to direct time and energy.”

I’m a Métis person and come from a blend of Western settler and Indigenous cultures. The personal web integrates both ways of learning and seeing the big picture. It acknowledges adult learners’ needs beyond academics in four areas: belonging, safety, fun and power.

Lori completed her video and wrapped up her first Makerspace in early 2023. Since then, she’s started sharing her reframed perspective with her colleagues and peers. She presented the personal web at an AlphaPlus Gabfest as a way of understanding what could be getting in the way of learners doing what they want to do and generating ideas for unique, individualized supports. And she’s bringing the concept into her new role at Lakehead Adult Education Centre. 

Because of her Makerspace experience, Lori has created a meaningful body of work, built her comfort with sharing digital stories and made valuable new connections with fellow educators.

“Teaching can be fast-paced without time for reflection. Makerspace has offered the deepest reflection and synthesis I’ve been able to do so far on my teaching perspective, bringing together my values and cultural influences,” says Lori. “In this program, educators can be learners, discovering new tools, making mistakes and exploring. I could not recommend Makerspace enough to friends and colleagues in education.”

Would you like to feel more energized by teaching creatively? The Makerspace program is returning in fall 2023 with a focus on using open educational resources to co-create activities and lessons. Contact Tracey at tracey@alphaplus.ca for start dates and registration details.

The Educator Network Applying the Google Toolbox program is a series reflective-practice workshops for people who participated in the Building Digital Skills with Google workshops. We take a deeper dive into the features and functions that you think are most relevant to your practice and support each other as we apply these new possibilities by co-creating activities and lessons.

Our first check in and planning sessions are on May 16 (2:30 – 4:00) and 17 (6:30-8:00). If you participated in one of the Winter 2023 Introduction to the Google Workspace and Google Applied Skills series, contact Tracey to find our more.

Here is what we have planned for our opening discussion: