AlphaPlus staff worked with Audrey Gardner and Matthias Sturm on a paper that describes blended learning in literacy and basic skills. We looked at the research, what academics say, what other educators are doing, what literacy practitioners in other jurisdictions are doing and what we are doing here in Ontario. In this March 13, 2018 webinar, we shared what we learned and asked you about your own experiences with blended learning.

People with number sense can use numbers flexibly. When we want to multiply seven by eight, we may have memorized our times tables and know that it is 56. But what if we forget? Someone with number sense would also be able to work out that seven times seven is 49 and then add seven to make 56, or they may work out 10 sevens and subtract two sevens (70 – 14 = 56). In this webinar, we looked at research about number sense, some promising practices and how digital technology can support the development of number sense.

For this last webinar of 2017, our team has come together to highlight their favourite easy-to-use tools. You will hear the reasons why they like them and how they make use of them. Come and learn about tools such as Padlet, Facebook Messenger, Prioritab, Google Keep and Protopage, and find out how you could use these tools in your program.

Together we will explore how Google Sites can be used to set up and manage websites. We will take a closer look at embedding videos, documents, and forms as well.

The recording is no longer available but you can view the slides.

Wondering what the research says about equitable digital access and learning opportunities for the adults we work with?

AlphaPlus recently completed a comprehensive report focused on equitable access to technology for all Ontarians. During the webinar, Christine Pinsent-Johnson, one of the authors of the report, shared some highlights and a few takeaways that programs may find useful as they develop their own digital literacy workshops, courses and overall strategies.

Topics include

• Highlights of Ontario’s new digital transformation initiative
• An overview of who is digitally disconnected and why
• A comprehensive way to look at access that goes beyond connectivity and owning a device
• Examples of innovative programs and initiatives in Ontario and beyond
• Some considerations when developing initiatives that appeal to digitally disconnected and hesitant adults
• Potential barriers and opportunities LBS programs.

Our guest presenter – Charlotte Parliament, Literacy and Essential Skills Program Coordinator at Simcoe County District School Board – shared how she uses Google Apps, such as Google Sites, Forms, Sheets and Docs, to set up and manage intake, as well as digital skills and learning styles assessments online.

During this webinar, these topics were dicussed:

• How to set up surveys using Google Forms.
• Sample surveys created by Simcoe County District School Board.
• Extracting instructor and learner feedback data.
• Tips for creating meaningful, easy-to-use forms.  

Navigating online surveys is becoming more common for learners as programs assess clients and gather feedback.

This webinar will outline a lesson plan that helps learners use survey and assessment tools to help them build their confidence and skills to complete them independently . The lesson plan integrates customizable surveys in SurveyMonkey and Google Forms. During this webinar, we will also discuss valuable information about clients’ use of digital survey tools as well as their preferences and best practices.