Is there a big technology project you need to tackle for your adult literacy program? Where should you start? According to Andrea Maggrah, executive director at Atikokan Literacy Incorporated’s Adult Learning Centre, the answer for programs in Ontario is simple: get help from an AlphaPlus technology coach.

When Andrea started working in her current position in June 2023, she was relatively new to the adult literacy field. As she got oriented to the organization, which had undergone several leadership changes, Andrea identified two potential areas for technology improvement: the website and file sharing.

“Our website was built on a platform that none of our employees had experience managing. To make content changes, we needed to work with an external person, and co-ordinating that in a timely way was a challenge,” explains Andrea. “As for document management, we were each mostly working on our local drives, and we needed to have a way to share certain types of documents. I wanted to make everyone’s life easier and more efficient — and eliminate the need to interrupt someone working with a student just to get a document!”

Connecting with a technology coach

Andrea’s search for solutions led her to the AlphaPlus website: “I saw that AlphaPlus offers coaching for adult literacy providers, so I contacted them about the cost. I was amazed to discover that there’s a group of people with this level of knowledge about both technology and adult literacy providing these services for free.”

Andrea was connected with Monika Jankowska-Pacyna. Monika is an organizational development specialist in education and technology and one of the team members who delivers one-on-one coaching. Monika and Andrea started by meeting to discuss Atikokan Literacy’s needs.

One solution for website and file management: Google tools

After their initial meeting, Andrea and Monika created a plan that outlined their priorities, the types of support Monika would provide (including guidance, training and direct hands-on support) and the frequency of their meetings. Monika suggested using Google tools for a unified solution: transitioning to Google Sites for the website and adopting Google Workspace for file and document management.

Andrea and Monika began meeting every two weeks. During their calls, Monika provided assistance, answered questions, set up next steps and then left the team to do their part until the next check-in two weeks later.

Project setbacks and delays

Implementing technology change is not always straightforward. For Monika and Andrea, hurdles and setbacks have included missing information about who managed access to the domain, difficulties making technical changes with the hosting provider and waiting periods within the Google Workspace setup. In addition, in the middle of the project, Atikokan Literacy acquired a new building. This opportunity to expand programming was good news, but it forced another pause in the technology projects.

“We ran into delays, but with the program’s patience and trust in us, we persisted,” says Monika, “Many small literacy programs are in the same situation, and we work hard to help them find their footing. We do a lot of checking, research and support, and we guide them through the changes. Our coaching support is not only about training but also about helping programs through the process when obstacles arise.”

“Monika was incredibly accommodating: if we needed to pause, she was happy to wait for us,” reflects Andrea. “And she’s on top of every challenge or question we have. Even if she doesn’t have the answer, she’s already thinking about who she can contact, refer us to and get us to the point we need to reach.”

Coaching results: Technology improvements and skill building

Today, Andrea is pleased to be making progress toward her original vision. Atikokan Literacy will soon have a new website with staff trained to manage content and updates. They will be equipped to use their newly acquired Google Sites knowledge to build additional websites for specific programs if necessary, and they are building and organizing Google folders for the team. Andrea is also starting to work with AlphaPlus on a new potential project: using digital technology to share a new curriculum with other literacy programs in the North and elsewhere.

“I’ve learned a lot from these coaching sessions, including how to do some of the processes that I didn’t have under my belt before,” says Andrea. “Knowing that a place like AlphaPlus is available to us and that we don’t have to figure it all out on our own is really amazing and valuable. If you’re apprehensive about technology change, that is the very reason to reach out and get the support of an AlphaPlus coach.”

A new round of coaching spots is open for spring 2025. Contact us to learn more about how you can implement technology change with the support of an AlphaPlus technology coach.

Can “playing” with technology hardware transform literacy learners into proficient computer users? In a recent AlphaPlus pilot project, three adult literacy programs found out by experimenting with an immersive, hands-on approach to mastering computer basics.

The pilot project first started to take shape when Monika Jankowska-Pacyna, an AlphaPlus team member and technology coach, had an idea and access to special funding. Monika volunteers with Let’s Get Together, an organization that aims to make learning equitable and make education accessible through technology. She approached executive director Alison Canning about bridging the non-profit’s workshops for youth with literacy and basic skills (LBS) programming in Ontario.

Alison was receptive to the idea: “I was interested in seeing if our newly developed computer anatomy workshop could help increase adult literacy learners’ confidence and comfort with technology. I wanted to better understand the gaps and needs in LBS digital literacy learning and modify the lesson to help close the gap.”

With Alison on board, and the AlphaPlus team’s encouragement, Monika reached out to educators already working with digital technology and cell phone support — people she knew to be innovative and open to new ideas. Gateway Centre for Learning in Midland, the Niagara West Adult Learning Centre (NWALC), and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) agreed to participate in the pilot and host the hands-on workshops.

From an idea to a plan for hands-on technology workshops

The group named the pilot Tech4All, reflecting Let’s Get Together’s idea of bringing technology to anyone who needs it to reduce the digital divide. They established the goals of engaging low-level adult literacy learners in hands-on technology and vocabulary lessons, and inspiring instructors and volunteers to make the sessions fun and engaging.

“I saw this pilot as a great way for our learners and our community to learn more about computer anatomy and e-waste. I thought it would be a great project to add to someone’s resumé,” explains Jacky Catterick, executive director at NWALC.

The group met online with Monika facilitating the meetings and connections and the programs sharing their specific needs and hopes. They discussed what types of workshops to offer and decided on computer anatomy and data backup. Let’s Get Together adapted the workshops to meet the needs of local communities and adult literacy classrooms and then delivered them.

From the fall of 2023 until the spring of 2024, each program held four or five workshops. Moving beyond teaching technology skills with handouts and lessons on Word, Excel or PowerPoint, the sessions allowed learners to examine the insides of computers and explore how they work. The sessions also touched on refurbishing computers, data backups, e-waste, online safety, collaboration, lifelong learning and more.

“Computer basics classes usually send learners to books, pictures and websites, but we learned that touching components makes a big difference for adult learners,” Monika says, reflecting on her initial idea shaping into a fruitful pilot project. “The experience was also a success from our perspective at AlphaPlus because we played a part in knowledge-sharing and connecting literacy educators. And now, the door is open between Let’s Get Together and other adult literacy programs.”

Adult learners get inspired and excited to work with technology

“During these workshops, instructors discovered ways to take learners away from paper or screens to make interactions fun, even when working on the basics. Let’s Get Together volunteers were taking out memory cards from computers, and learners would crowd around them and ask questions. Instructors said they’ve never had a workshop with people so engaged,” says Monika. “The participants were inspired, laughing and wanting more. We could see the spark and a shift in confidence; suddenly, the computer wasn’t as scary, and it became easier to teach other computer skills.”

“The pilot was so natural in its rollout. All of the participants enjoyed the experience immensely, often asking, ‘When’s the next time Ali and Monika will be here?’” said Heather, a volunteer instructor at Gateway Centre for Learning.

New ways of thinking about technology instruction

According to Monika, the pilot revealed that there’s always more to learn and different ways to engage participants. “Initially, we wanted to inspire teachers, but we were surprised by how much confidence these workshops built in learners. In addition, the programs built relationships with other non-profits outside of the adult literacy field, opening up discussions about partnerships and connections in the community.”

Monika, Alison and the leads at each site are now wrapping up the pilot. Gateway plans to offer computer anatomy workshops in the community, and NWALC will host e-waste recycling and digital education events to bring the community to their program. They even applied for and received a Grow Prosper Belong Fund from the Town of Lincoln to support their efforts. Alison plans to expand the reach and scope of Let’s Get Together’s computer anatomy workshop, delivering it in additional languages and encouraging communities to offer it to help people overcome their fears of technology.

For literacy instructors in other programs, this pilot produced a suite of materials that can be used to run similar workshops, including presentations, videos, handouts, activities, tips and links to other helpful resources.

Would you like to set up hands-on computer skills workshops for your adult literacy learners? Visit the Tech4All pilot website to learn more and then contact us to find out how you can run similar workshops in your community.

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.

Since the summer of 2023, adult literacy instructors Georgina Smith and Joe Spencer have been connecting and collaborating with a small group of peers as members of the AlphaPlus Planning a Lesson (PAL) working group. This working group was assembled to co-design and co-create a suite of lesson-planning resources for integrating digital skills.

Georgina and Joe work within the Ottawa Catholic School Board’s (OCSB) adult learning and skills development program. Georgina started at OCSB in 2010 and Joe in 2022, and between the two of them, they’ve designed, taught and facilitated a range of courses, including employment preparation, computer skills, life skills and academic upgrading.

A working group focused on lesson planning and flow

Over the years, Georgina has been involved with AlphaPlus, participating in professional development and coaching and contributing her insights to research projects. In early 2023, she joined a focus group exploring the potential for collaborating and co-creating lesson-planning resources for adult literacy educators in Ontario. When that project moved into its second phase, a working group, Georgina and her colleague Joe joined.

Meeting monthly since the summer of 2023, the working group is facilitated by the AlphaPlus project lead Olga Herrmann, who brings a different focus to each meeting.

Working group members are introduced to new ideas and methodologies, and between meetings, they research, reflect on and explore the monthly topic. The work is paced to allow members to take what they learned back into the classroom and regroup to discuss it the following month.

Incorporating learner feedback

Georgina and Joe went a step further, conducting a series of focus groups with their learners. They developed a set of questions for online and in-person classes to learn how adult learners use digital technology and to supplement the working group’s research into lesson flow.

“As instructors, we know when we have or don’t have lesson flow. However, we discovered that learners also have a very good sense of the impacts of how a teacher approaches a subject, presents information in different ways, gives opportunities to review and absorb it, and works collaboratively,” explains Georgina. “Connecting with learners through the focus groups was thought-provoking because we did it in parallel with researching and completing the working group tasks. We were able to connect some of the theories and ideas for lesson flow to the learner perspective.”

Olga describes Joe and Georgina as highly engaged working group members who contribute valuable insights. “But beyond that,” she explains, “the PAL project has been strengthened by the initiative they took to conduct focus groups. Their research has helped to ensure that the voices and needs of learners are incorporated into the working group’s approach to lesson planning.”

Professional development benefits of the working group

The PAL collection will be turned into a website that provides instructors resources to address the challenges and opportunities of integrating technology into lesson planning. It will include routines to enhance digital delivery and lesson flow, valuable frontline tips, handy lesson-planning templates and ideas for engaging adult literacy learners who are honing their digital skills. While the working group’s final products will help literacy educators across the province, participating in the process benefited Georgina and Joe professionally. 

“It was nice to be involved in a project that didn’t focus on what we teach but on how we teach — including the reasons behind different strategies and the value of learner feedback,” says Georgina. “Coming together as a working group with those outside my organization has broadened my horizons and given me space to reflect on my methodologies and best (and not the best!) practices.”

“It was nice to be involved in a project that didn’t focus on what we teach but on how we teach — including the reasons behind different strategies and the value of learner feedback.”

Georgina, Instructor with the Ottawa Catholic School Board

Because Joe is newer to adult education, he appreciated hearing from others with more experience. “Learning about the slightly different ways our peers teach adult literacy and organize their work has improved my practice. It was useful to hear their approaches to planning, lessons and flow and then tweak them for our classrooms. For example, I picked up ideas for using intake forms to understand my learners’ needs and expectations better. This working group has been a great opportunity to network and develop professionally, adding depth and a fresh perspective to our future approaches.”

Indeed, the PAL working group is hoping to bring that experience of sharing, hearing fresh perspectives and reflecting on lesson-flow solutions to the literacy field, capturing the spirit of peer collaboration. Georgina said it best in a recent group meeting: “Ideally, for somebody using the PAL resource, it’s going to be a bit like having a conversation with a colleague who had given it some thought, and it will be that kind of equivalent interaction.”

The PAL website will be available to all literacy educators in Ontario this spring (see link below). To be notified when the lesson-planning companion resource is available, make sure you’re subscribed to AlphaPlus email updates.

For Anita Dhanjal, a community literacy worker at LAMP Community Health Centre, teaching literacy and basic skills has changed significantly from when she started at the organization five years ago. Today’s learners operate in a very different digital world and have a strong appetite for learning new things.

Anita’s role at LAMP, which serves community members in South Etobicoke and South Mississauga, includes supervising and tutoring adult learning classes. Anita also covers tutors’ classes when they’re away and manages the program’s administration, including reporting to the Ministry of Labour.

“When I started in this role, we relied on GCFglobal.org for our curriculum, printing off worksheets as we went,” says Anita, describing how her work at LAMP has been transformed since 2019. “Today, both instructors and learners are moving forward with the technology we were forced to learn during the pandemic. Now, our learners are constantly asking to learn new skills and new ways of using existing technology and tools.”

Learning new ways to use digital tools in teaching

To prepare to answer learners’ questions and learn alongside them, Anita continuously seeks applicable training opportunities. In 2023, she participated in the AlphaPlus Building Digital Skills training series, designed to help literacy educators sharpen and apply digital creation and collaboration skills. Starting in the spring with the first series, which focused on using Google Workspace, Anita followed up in the fall with the second series on Microsoft Office 365.

“Over the course of these trainings, I learned about many free tools within Google and Microsoft that I can use in teaching and program administration. Free is helpful because some of our learners aren’t able to pay for subscriptions,” explains Anita. “From Forms to OneNote to learning how to use Sway for reading and writing classes, I discovered amazing new tools — and tools that can do much more than I had realized. It was fun to see what we could get from the training and what we could use to teach our learners.”

Starting with the basics, building confidence

Anita explains that the LAMP approach to adult literacy is to start with the basics and build confidence, keeping learners engaged by catering to their curiosity and topics of interest. Each week, they review what was discussed the week before and the new skills learners want to acquire.

“If they want to learn OneNote, we’ll have that ready for them. Google is everywhere, so they want to know all about it. These are applications that people want to learn and use,” says Anita. “We were able to apply all of the little tips and tricks we learned in the AlphaPlus training with our learners, giving them bites of everything they’re curious about. We’ve also noticed that learners are excited to help one another use digital tools. That’s what we want: for the experience to be creative and interactive, helping learners to navigate and use digital technology to communicate and collaborate.”

Next steps: Continue exploring how teachers can use digital workspaces

In the coming months, Anita will continue to use and teach what she learned in 2023. She’s already started to use digital forms for assessments and is evaluating how to support tutors with additional resources. She’ll continue to explore learners’ areas of interest, paying particular attention to their desire to learn on smartphones.

“These training series have opened access to learning, information, advice and resources. Any application we learn gives us the confidence to use it, teach it and then learn other things. Learning all the time is how we get better at our jobs.”

Would you like to build confidence in using digital technology in your teaching? Register for AlphaPlus training. The upcoming series includes sessions on artificial intelligence, accessibility and a return to Microsoft Office 365.

Can you imagine starting a new role in a new sector and then discovering an organization entirely dedicated to supporting you?

Janet Oettgen transitioned to the Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) sector from a career in taxation and banking.  After deciding to change careers and completing her education in social work, Janet’s path led her to the position of Program Coordinator/Instructor for the Niagara West Adult Learning Centre.

“When I started in May 2021, our technology was in disarray. Lacking comfort and knowledge of online platforms, our tutors and learners were almost inactive,” explains Janet. “Two of us were brand new to the organization, and our third staff member, although here for a long time, had limited knowledge of online technology and social media.  We were using the personal account of someone who had left our organization six years ago to access our Facebook page!”

Getting one-to-one coaching support and learning in a group format

Being new to the organization and adult literacy, Janet was eager for training. She attended AlphaPlus Virtual Showcases, where she learned about new systems and tools, and how people in adult literacy were using them. A few months later, Janet started getting one-to-one support from AlphaPlus technology coach Monika Jankowska-Pacyna.

“The Learning Centre staff members were trying to find their way around the systems in place, what accounts they had, how to get into them, managing their email interface, sharing files and teaching resources, and more,” says Monika. “We started by discussing the team’s hopes and needs and decided to try to shift the organization to Google Workspace and Google Apps. I helped Janet with processes, setup, transferring data and emails, website redesign and setting up tools like Canva, YouTube, Google Calendar, Classroom, and Forms.”

Over time, Janet worked with Monika and AlphaPlus Executive Director Alan Cherwinski to build a new, easier-to-maintain website using Google Sites. She regained control of the Learning Centre’s existing Google for Nonprofits and email accounts, and established digital security procedures.

“I’m comfortable with technology, but there were so many things we needed to pull together, and I wouldn’t have known where to start on my own. In meetings with Monika and Alan, we figured out a logical, step-by-step process that wasn’t stressful or overwhelming,” says Janet. “I also continued attending Showcases, which helped me get oriented to the adult literacy sector and see what people are doing, their learners’ needs, and what is working. What I learned at these events also gave me the vocabulary needed to request funding for our centre.”

Continuing her learning journey and connecting with peers

Taking full advantage of the AlphaPlus support and services suite, Janet also participated in Educator Network programs such as Gabfests and Makerspace, exploring ideas, picking up tools and tips, and forming connections with peers.

“Each AlphaPlus offering addresses specific needs with intention and excellence. They also connect you with people in other regions who are willing to share,” explains Janet. “For example, I connected with a peer in the Kitchener/Cambridge area who shared many of her digital forms and activities. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I could make her tools my own, and I now have a model for what I can create in the future.”

Having sorted out foundational elements like the organization’s digital workspace and communications, Janet went deeper into using digital tools for teaching and program administration. She has conducted a community needs analysis using Google Forms, digitized learning activities, and automated learner follow-ups and closures. As a result, processes are simpler for learners, and the Learning Centre has obtained more complete data.

 Next steps: for technology integration in adult literacy program delivery

Janet’s next steps include digitizing learner files and participating in an upcoming digital workspace training to prepare to further automate and streamline processes. The Centre’s new office administrator is now getting coaching from Monika to take over responsibilities so Janet can spend time in the community making connections that will bring in learners.

“There is enough complexity in our sector, so why not get help simplifying what we can?  From running programs to attracting learners, if you have systems in place that help you to do the work without spending lots of money, that’s half the battle,” says Janet. “Before working with AlphaPlus, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Now, we have regained our autonomy and can communicate at the snap of a finger.”

The AlphaPlus team is invaluable and second to none. The foundation of adult literacy is empowering, educating and equipping — AlphaPlus empowers, educates, and equips us to serve learners better.

Janet Oettgen, Program Coordinator/Instructor for the Niagara West Adult Learning Centre

Coaching can be a great starting point for unraveling your literacy program’s technology challenges and learning more about how AlphaPlus can support you. New coaching spots are now available, so contact us to secure your spot.

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.

Is there a device or technology setup that can help bridge the gap between participants who want to gather in person and those who want to connect online? When Jennine Agnew-Kata was grappling with this question in April 2022, she turned to AlphaPlus for guidance.

As executive director of the Literacy Network of Durham Region, Jennine facilitates service-planning, resource support, advice, professional development and more for the region’s literacy and basic skills (LBS) programs. As Jennine started to return to in-person meetings and service delivery, she recognized that not everyone was comfortable. She began researching the right equipment to make a hybrid experience easy and satisfying for all participants.

“I brought my initial research to Alan Cherwinski, executive director of AlphaPlus, to find out whether his team had experience, thoughts or opinions about the right equipment for hybrid delivery,” says Jennine. “We worked together to explore what I was trying to accomplish, narrow down the options and consider the technical specifications and price points. By May, we had decided to try using the Logitech Connect video-conferencing camera.”

Jennine describes the Logitech Connect as a static panoramic camera that requires virtually no setup. It’s wireless, has a built-in microphone and works with almost any monitor or desktop display, laptop, overhead projector or smartboard. Because it’s portable and flexible, the camera can be taken to meetings and programs at locations with unknown setups (for example, public libraries and partner offices), capturing small groups of up to five people attending in person.

Alan and Jennine decided to explore and test the Logitech camera on behalf of others in the sector. They arranged for AlphaPlus to subsidize the device purchase for the Literacy Network of Durham Region and purchase another for a program that could use it to pilot the hybrid model in program delivery. Jennine suggested Brad Cook, executive director of Learning Essentials for Adults in Durham Region (LEADR), who had been looking at similar challenges and opportunities around the delivery of hybrid programming.

Since May, Jennine has used the device for meetings such as literacy service planning and communications meetings as well as the bibliotherapy program she runs. Brad has used the device in small groups with in-person and online participants, for enhanced one-to-one online instruction with more visual components (i.e. screen-sharing plus writing on a board), as a tool for a new math workshop and to hold board meetings and other meetings.

“More learners want virtual service delivery — with highly personalized and meaningful instruction with an instructor that can engage with them at any time — while a significant percentage only want in-person service,” explains Brad. “This pilot revealed that using the Logitech camera, we can add to the possibilities of what we can do during the instruction — in a straightforward manner without undue complication or cost. The camera has been useful for learners who lack confidence in using computers and for instructors who still rely on visuals in a classroom. We now plan to use it to increase the number of small groups using a hybrid model.”

Jennine suggests contacting AlphaPlus before investing in technology: “It’s worth reaching out to AlphaPlus to get an equipment audit or learn how to use what’s available at your agency to meet your needs. Talking with someone with a sense of the bigger picture helped me know I was moving in the right direction. It’s like accessing expert colleagues who know technology.”

Did you know that if you’re an adult literacy instructor or administrator in Ontario, AlphaPlus exists to help you? Learn more about the customized support we provide to help you work through your technology challenges.

Trying new things can be daunting but fun. Pushing outside of our comfort zones is a valuable experience. These are lessons that Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) instructors impart to learners — and that math instructor Susan Korstanje experienced herself over the last two years, as both a teacher and a student.

Susan teaches at the Thunder Bay Literacy Group Adult Learning Centre, which offers free education and skills upgrading for adults via classes in English, math, computers, General Education Development (GED) test prep and trades prep. The team emphasizes meeting each learner where they are and providing personalized learning plans to meet their goals. Susan focuses on building math skills and helping learners apply them in practical ways.

Like many of her peers, Susan has learned new ways of teaching, new techniques, tools, platforms and efficiencies over the last two years. Today, she continues to offer remote instruction for learners who request it. In the spring of 2022, Susan took the new Planning your digital tool box online course from AlphaPlus because of her ongoing need to teach remote learners effectively and provide all of her learners with more ways to learn independently.

Planning your digital toolbox online course 

According to the course creator and instructor, Tracey Mollins from AlphaPlus, planning your digital toolbox is a reflective practice and self-paced, facilitated opportunity for LBS instructors to evaluate theory and research and think about how it applies in their practices. The online course consists of six modules designed to help explore digital technology tools and resources to enhance and expand learning.  

“I created this course to build instructors’ confidence in applying blended learning concepts and methods,” Tracey explains. “For people who plunged into digital technology during the pandemic, it’s an opportunity to step back and consider what you’ve learned and how it fits into the broader field of blended learning.”

While Susan acknowledges that she would have benefited from the peer support available in the AlphaPlus Educator Network, the self-paced format allowed her to fit learning into her unpredictable schedule. She worked through modules covering blended learning frameworks, contexts for learners and educators, goal setting, learner agency and forming a plan. Along the way, Susan summarized her observations, created resources she can use with learners and used frameworks and rubrics to evaluate her use of technology. 

“My primary goal in taking this course was to discover new technologies or new ways of using technologies I was already familiar with,” says Susan. “But I discovered things I didn’t even know I needed and was prompted to evaluate my reasons for and methods of using tools. The course helped me go beyond simply imitating what we could do on paper to create a multi-dimensional learning experience.” 

Susan chose to explore choice boards, Jamboard and Flipgrid during the course to help her extend learning beyond the classroom. The choice board allows learners to continue learning independently, and Jamboard supports both synchronous and asynchronous learning and communication between lessons. She is considering ways to use Flipgrid to encourage learners to think about topics and create videos outside of class time — strengthening their communications skills.

Taking the course meant benefiting from the learner experience

Susan explains that she has added new tools to her digital tool box and explored new ways of using familiar tools thanks to the course. She now has an expanded suite that she can draw from when she needs to. Furthermore, the course turned out to have greater depth and breadth than she expected, covering such topics as the theories and framework around blended learning. And the course eased the way as she continued to push outside her comfort zone and learn new technologies — a process that created a deeper sense of empathy with learners’ experiences.

“Our learners are constantly facing things that they never thought they could do before, and this experience helped me appreciate that while that’s fun, it’s also daunting,” says Susan. “An important point in the course was the focus on learner agency. To encourage lifelong learning, we encourage learners to make their own choices and follow their paths toward their goals. That is something this course allows us to do; take the time to be a learner and enjoy all of the benefits of lifelong learning.”

Would you like to grow your digital toolbox, getting exposure to different theories, methodologies and tools? Would you like to be prepared to adapt your approach for diverse learners, technology changes and contexts? Learn more about the Planning your digital tool box online course. 

Learn more about Planning your Digital Toolbox

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