Lunch and Learn sessions are back this spring.

Get ready to level up your digital skills with two more Tips and Tricks sessions coming up in April and May 2026! Whether you’re looking to streamline your workflow, explore new tools, or stay ahead of tech trends, these quick 30-minute sessions are packed with practical insights and hands-on tips.

Here’s what’s coming up:

Canva for Education Tips and Tricks

Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 12:30–1:00 pm

Canva for Education offers a wide range of activities, presentations, whiteboards, and courses you can use directly with your learners. While full access is currently limited to school boards, many of Canva’s educational tools and templates are also available through nonprofit accounts. Join us for a fast 30-minute Lunch & Learn session toto explore practical shortcuts, tips, and classroom ideas to help you make the most of Canva.

Register for Canva for Education ➔

Passwords, Pins & Passkeys Tips and Tricks

Tuesday, May 12, 2026, 12:30–1:00 pm

Keeping our online accounts secure is important and with all the passwords, PINs, passkeys, and verification codes things can get confusing. Join us for a fast, practical 30‑minute session that breaks down the essentials of modern sign‑in security in clear, everyday language. Whether you consider yourself tech‑comfortable or tech‑cautious, this session will help you build stronger, safer digital habits.

Register for Passwords, Pins and Passkeys ➔

Don’t miss out! These sessions are perfect for anyone looking to stay sharp, save time, and make the most of today’s tech tools.

Learn more and see recordings from past sessions at https://alphaplus.ca/our-services/lunch-learn. 

Where can an AlphaPlus technology coach take your adult literacy program? For Randie Doornink, what started as a way to get answers to her Google Workspace questions turned into a systems upgrade that transformed collaboration, communication and the sustainability of her organization.

Randie is the interim executive director at Almaguin Adult Learning Centre (AALC). The Centre provides adult literacy upgrading and training across the Almaguin Highlands, with satellite offices in Powassan, South River and Burk’s Falls, serving a total of 17 small communities. Like other adult literacy programs, AALC had adopted many new technologies in recent years, but by late 2024, Randie was grappling with the need for a more co-ordinated approach.

From Google Workspace questions to a coaching partnership

“We had a strong, ongoing relationship with AlphaPlus for years and often engaged with their research, training, information resources and advice,” explains Randie. “So when an opportunity for technology coaching came up, I requested help with Google Workspace, which we’d had for several years without using it to its full potential.”

Randie connected with Monika Jankowska-Pacyna, one of two AlphaPlus technology coaches. 

“I started by answering Randie’s specific questions about how to use tools in Google Workspace. Then we started considering ideas for integrating it into their operations and programming. One challenge that emerged was inconsistent use,” says Monika. “Multiple team members were using Google Classroom, but just a few were using Calendar, Forms or Drive. Zoom, rather than Meet, was their primary video meeting platform, and no one was using Chat to stay connected across the sites.”

Using technology to support succession and stability

As Monika and Randie began to tackle these daily tool issues, a larger question arose. After a series of senior staffing changes, new hires, as well as the staff team doubling in a very short time, how could technology support the team during rapid growth and leadership changes? Operations manager Anne Walsh joined the coaching conversation as it shifted to ways technology could help with consistency, stability, succession and contingency planning.

“Winging it was no longer sustainable. For example, we have many documents and forms that are frequently updated, and with the growth of our team, saving copies on individual hard drives had become quite the challenge,” explains Randie. “Not only did Monika help us through the major project of organizing our Google Drive and helping our instructors use it more effectively, she also researched and curated useful resources — everything from templates for role descriptions to succession planning documents.” 

Bringing the whole team on board

After several months of working as a trio via Zoom, Randie and Anne invited Monika to provide Google Workspace in-person training for the full team. A professional development gathering they were planning was a golden opportunity to introduce new tools and empower the staff to feel included in building for the future together.

In late summer 2025, Monika joined the team’s training days in South River. She provided a structured Google Workspace training and also created a “sandbox” experience filled with opportunities to experiment, troubleshoot and learn.

“Providing in-person support for the full team allowed me to make deeper connections, understand, and guide individual members,” says Monika. “I strongly believe in the mantra of ‘Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand.’ They weren’t only seeing a presentation. They were testing, asking questions and discussing options, and I think it worked.”

According to Randie and Anne, it did. The team left the experience having built knowledge and confidence and having levelled competencies.

The impact: Confidence, efficiency and sustainability

“It’s only a few months later, and we’re already experiencing the benefits of having everyone on the same platform. Now, we’re all using Google Chat, Drive and a shared Calendar,” says Randie. “These changes have improved internal efficiency and clarity, which in turn means learners experience more consistent programs, better communication and smoother transitions into school or work environments that use similar tools.”

Coaching the AALC team benefited Monika as well. “We learn from every program we work with, building knowledge that we can take with us to the next group. This team is small but very mighty, working across a large geographical area. Joining them in person gave me an insight into the program setup and the specific needs and realities of working within more remote communities, in a way I would not have been able to via Zoom alone.”

For Anne, the highlight of working with an AlphaPlus coach was driving progress and inspiring a culture shift towards organizational excellence. “Our experience with Monika gave us a boost of excitement and a feeling of possibility that will continue to colour how we move forward, improving our systems and ultimately continuing to succeed in having an impact in the community.”

Are you ready to work with a technology coach?

For Randie and the AALC team, coaching began with a few Google Workspace questions and grew into a broader shift toward efficiency, confidence and organizational sustainability. What might working with a technology coach do for you?

Our tech coaches Monika and Guylaine Vinet (who works in English and French) are ready to work with a new group of individuals and organizations. And remember: our coaching is free for adult literacy programs in Ontario!

Learn more about what you can gain from working with a technology coach, then email either monika@alphaplus.ca or guylaine@alphaplus.ca to get started.

Join us for a new workshop series: Create an Online Learning Site

In this three-workshop series, you will learn how to create an online space in Google sites to communicate and collaborate with learners.  

Why do I need an online learning site?

Here are some reasons we have been discussing at AlphaPlus and why we think you might enjoy these workshops.

Come with your own ideas or join us to be inspired

Of course, you may arrive at the workshops with your own reasons for creating a site. Whether you come with ideas or are joining to be inspired, you will have an opportunity to develop a plan.

The training series is three workshops on Wednesday, April 15, 22, 29, 2026 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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

Register nowarrow right

Note: This is a repeat of a workshop series we did last October. You are welcome to register again if you were unable to attend last time or if you’d like a refresher.

See what other workshop series are coming up in the next few months: Workshops at AlphaPlus

Or you may be interested in a quick update at a Lunch and Learn.

And to see what colleagues around the province are achieving with the help of educational technology, join us for a Virtual Showcase.

Last October, I received a phone call from Jeannine (not her real name), an administrator at a local adult literacy program who was looking for training. However, I quickly discovered that training wasn’t what she really needed.

Jeannine was trying to find a recording of a past eight-part Microsoft 365 training series. Since we had designed the series for educators, I dug a little deeper into her request. It turned out that her problem was much simpler than she realized. She needed help setting up a form for a board meeting. So instead of training, I offered to help her create the form.

This conversation with Jeannine was an enlightening reminder of the lack of digital tech support that many adult literacy programs face. It was also a reminder that not everyone’s aware of the support that AlphaPlus can provide!

Big or small digital technology challenges, we’re here to support you.

At AlphaPlus, our role is to help adult literacy education professionals in Ontario use digital technology. That can sometimes mean big-picture roles, like advocating for systems-level change. Sometimes, it can mean providing information and training to help teachers integrate technology and innovate in their teaching practice. It can mean coaching administrators through system upgrades and the adoption of new technology.

But sometimes our role means working with you directly to help you overcome small day-to-day digital technology hurdles. In fact, we encourage you to reach out to us with small problems because:

We have the time to help you through the small stuff. We’re professionals who examine how digital tools shape adult-literacy teaching and learning, but because we don’t directly deliver programming, we have the time and flexibility to help you solve problems or look at things differently. And because we have experience across different technology platforms and have worked with programs across the province, we may have seen similar struggles or challenges before. We can tap into our breadth of experiences and knowledge to help you get unstuck.

We want to help you through the small stuff so that we can serve you better.

Our interactions with you have informed our programming in 2025, from the topics we’ve featured to the formats we’ve used to convene, support and share knowledge with you. We’ve taken new approaches such as examining digital curricula together, supporting your use of digital assessment tools like CAEC and offering easy-to-digest technology tips. Participation in our programs — including professional development, lunch and learns and virtual showcases — has grown, and the feedback has been positive. We want to keep that momentum going in 2026 by continuing to work closely with you.

As for Jeannine, I asked her for a sample of the form she wanted to create then made a version in Microsoft 365 for her to review. Over the phone, I walked her through the available features, helping her create her own version step by step. Her real frustration was figuring out how to use the digital tools she had at her disposal to complete her task. She was happy to get oriented. I was glad to help get her unstuck, and since then, she has come back for specific suggestions and next steps to learn more about Microsoft 365.

Don’t get stuck. Resolve to reach out to AlphaPlus in 2026!

As we enter 2026, we’re resolved to connecting directly with more professionals like Jeannine to offer quick technology help — but we need your help to do so. We invite you to make this resolution: skip the struggle with digital technology and come straight to AlphaPlus. Start by emailing me directly. If I’m not the right person to help, I’ll connect you with a team member who is.

I look forward to hearing from you in 2026!

Alan Cherwinski, Executive Director

In this three-workshop series, facilitated by Tom Driscoll, learn about a powerful and practical set of strategies known as “visible thinking routines” that can help enhance literacy instruction. 

Making lessons more engaging

You can apply these routines to existing instructional materials to enhance learners’ ability to activate prior knowledge, make connections and predictions, retain information, think critically, and more!  

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

The training series is three workshops:

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

Register nowarrow right

Note: This is a repeat of a workshop series we did last May. You are welcome to register again if you were unable to attend last time or if you’d like a refresher.

See what other workshop series are coming up in the next few months: Workshops at AlphaPlus

Or you may be interested in a quick update at a Lunch and Learn.

And to see what colleagues around the province are achieving with the help of educational technology, join us for a Virtual Showcase.

This February, join us for a four-workshop series about different approaches to helping learners understand the presence of artificial intelligence in their daily lives.

February 5, 12, 19, and 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Register nowarrow right

Our daily life and AI

Artificial intelligence is now widespread, and more people are using it regularly at work and in their personal lives. The changes brought about by this technology require us to develop critical thinking skills to remain informed citizens and stay in control of our digital environment.

Explore resources with teachers

We have been researching learning resources that can help learners understand the presence of artificial intelligence in their daily lives. We  are inviting you to explore them with us and curate your own collection.

We will take a look at learning resources that: 

These resources include teacher-facing guides, instructions, objectives and/or teaching tips and support instructors to:

Become part of a cohort of creative teachers in a facilitated, collaborative environment

Attendance policy 😊

We hope that you will find all the workshops relevant to your work and will want to attend the complete series. We think it will be beneficial to the group to have a cohort that develops a discussion over four weeks but we also know that people are busy and have to make choices. We will share an outline so that you will have the information you need to make the choices that work for you.

To learn more, contact Tracey and Guylaine directly.

Join us February 5, 12, 19 and 26 between 11:30 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. .

Register nowarrow right

See what other workshop series are coming up in the next few months: Workshops at AlphaPlus

Or you may be interested in a quick update at a Lunch and Learn.

Would you like to use your learners’ daily lives to better answer their learning needs?
Join us for a series of 3 workshops in which you will explore different ways to use learners’ daily tasks to create activities that develop digital skills, other skills and knowledge.

We will look at how to go from a simple daily activity such as using a web mapping app to identify digital skills that can be developed through various means.

The training series is three workshops on Wednesday, January 14, 21, 28, 2026, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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

Register nowarrow right

See what other workshop series are coming up in the next few months: Workshops at AlphaPlus

Or you may be interested in a quick update at a Lunch and Learn.

And to see what colleagues around the province are achieving with the help of educational technology, join us for a Virtual Showcase.

Enjoyed our Lunch and Learn sessions this Spring and Fall? 

Get ready to level up your digital skills with two more Tips and Tricks sessions coming up in January/February 2026! Whether you’re looking to streamline your workflow, explore new tools, or stay ahead of tech trends, these quick 30-minute sessions are packed with practical insights and hands-on tips.

Here’s what’s coming up:

AI Tips and Tricks

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 | 12:30 – 1:00 PM

Stay ahead with the latest in AI! Discover new and innovative AI tools, explore advancements in assistants like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini, learn how to apply AI in your daily work, experiment with advanced prompts and customization, and more.

Register Now ➔

Social Media & Marketing Tips and Tricks

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 | 12:30 – 1:00 PM

Boost your online presence! Learn how to set up a free Google Business Profile so customers can find you on Google Search and Maps, explore current social media trends, find out whether hashtags still matter, and discover tools for content creation and graphics management, and more.

Register Now ➔

Don’t miss out! These sessions are perfect for anyone looking to stay sharp, save time, and make the most of today’s tech tools.

Learn more and see recordings from past sessions at https://alphaplus.ca/our-services/lunch-learn. 

What high-stakes tests are used in adult education programs and how do they influence instruction? How do they help or hinder our understanding of literacy and numeracy development and instruction? 

We started thinking more about testing, and assessment in general, while analyzing the new Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC). Our analysis led to a report and, more recently, an online guide for instructors. (Please join us for an orientation to the guide on December 3 from 3 to 4 p.m.)

The introduction of the CAEC presents new opportunities for learners. Here are some positive features of this new secondary equivalency credential:

While there are positives, we also recognize that CAEC raises challenges. Many learners encounter digital inequities and are disadvantaged by the move to computer-based testing. Educators need professional development, opportunities to share knowledge and online resources they can use with their learners. As a field, we also need to recognize we’re faced with yet another testing model.

Testing and assessment complexities in the adult learning system

Assessment in the adult learning system is complex, involving three distinct sectors, each with its own testing priorities. Layered over the sectoral approaches is the funder’s accountability testing, which operates separately. 

Learners could encounter multiple high-stakes tests as they move from one sector to another and within a sector. Programs also use a variety of non-standardized tests and assessment protocols (e.g. observation, projects, program-developed tests, essays) to place learners in courses, monitor literacy and numeracy abilities, and determine readiness for further learning and earning opportunities.

Although the stated aim of accountability testing is to provide information about progress and goal completion, this aim hasn’t been validated. Previous analysis, and more importantly, the field’s approach to assessment and instruction, indicate the tests don’t actually provide useful feedback. Most programs across all sectors manage two distinct instructional and assessment systems: one for accountability and one to help learners develop particular literacy and numeracy abilities to meet their goals.

Risks of our current assessment approach

The layering of accountability testing overtop of sectoral testing not only increases administrative burdens and workloads for instructors and program administrators, but it also complicates an already complex system. Does accountability testing actually align with other high-stakes tests such as the Accuplacer used for college admission or the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, a high school graduation requirement? 

With numerous high-stakes tests in use, all operating in distinct ways and producing results that are challenging to compare, we’re at risk of preparing learners only for the tests.

We’re also at risk of allowing tests to co-ordinate our teaching practices. This could have detrimental effects for learners if they don’t have access to sound literacy and numeracy instruction that connects to their experiences and goals.  

What do we need to know to support individual learners? 

As educators, what do we really want to learn through assessment? If our priority is helping learners achieve their goals — whether that means passing a test, doing well in a specific course or helping their kids with homework — then we need to know:

But there’s a lack of co-ordination and discussion about these questions, and we’d like to change that.

Do you have thoughts you’d like to share about assessment? We’d like to hear them and work together to build a more co-ordinated and thoughtful approach to assessment. 

Please join us for an initial discussion on January 7 from 3 to 4 p.m. Register here to share your assessment-related experiences, challenges, work-arounds and solutions.

Learning to distinguish reliable information from disinformation, misinformation and fake news requires an understanding of both the media landscape and how to apply critical thinking skills within it. For educators working with adult learners, teaching information literacy adds complexity to the challenge of building literacy and digital skills.

To support educators, AlphaPlus hosted a community of practice exploring information literacy in June 2025. We examined a set of curriculum resources on information literacy and discussed various topics, including verifying information online, understanding algorithms and information zones, and how journalism works. We also discussed the challenges educators face, including anxiety about navigating the information landscape, access to reliable sources and the difficulty of taking the time to critically analyze content.

Our time together left us contemplating questions about skill-building, tools and resources, and how to address topics in various contexts with a diverse range of learners. As one next step, we decided to share a closer look at the experiences and approaches of one of your peers: Wendy Teahen, group instructor at The Literacy Group in Kitchener.

Educator’s perspective on information literacy: Wendy Teahen

Like others, Wendy was motivated to participate in our June conversations by a mix of concern and practical need as well as the information coming out of the Canadian election news cycle in early 2025:

“The community of practice was promoted shortly after the elections. I had been noticing inflammatory, fear-based advertisements: one example depicted political leaders in handcuffs. I knew that this content was designed to scare people, that it’s easy for anyone to get caught up in it, and that if I was seeing it, others were as well. I wanted a way to help learners critically evaluate these stories and images,” explains Wendy.

Information forms and sources

Wendy, who primarily teaches reading, writing and computer classes, often hears examples of the overwhelming and confusing information landscape. In conversations before class, her students will sometimes mention articles they’ve read or other content they’ve been thinking about. According to Wendy, learners may not realize they’ve been looking at completely fabricated news or other forms of disinformation:

“We want learners to be able to think about the signs that a media post or article is not accurate to help them identify what is genuine, credible news.”

Encouraging interest in current events while evaluating sources

“I like to help learners think critically about information sources; to sit back, look at and research each one. I show learners tools like reverse Google image search and lateral reading to confirm or review a topic or source they are unsure about,” says Wendy. “Ellii (formerly ESL Library), The Westcoast Reader (a newsletter from B.C.) and News For You (an American news source) offer current news stories adapted for lower literacy levels with links to original sources, which helps with credibility and allows learners to do further research.”

To balance the weight of negative stories, Wendy also incorporates stories from Good News Network, a website featuring positive news stories from around the world. “For difficult topics like climate change, for example, if we only have negative stories, it makes people want to shut down. Looking at positive news about subtopics like renewable energy, countries with zero emissions and the restoration of coral reefs can help support our learners’ interest in global current events and meaningfully engage in discussions.”

Wendy offers a few additional tips from her practice of incorporating information literacy in adult literacy teaching:

Teachers need more information literacy tools and supports

Educators like Wendy are innovating within their teaching practice, but they’re working around gaps in resources available for teaching adults. Materials that we reviewed together in June, like Checkology and CTRL-F, are useful but youth-focused. Websites featuring news articles for lower literacy learners (such as those that Wendy uses) lack Canadian or local content. These gaps leave educators with the work of adapting content.

Moving forward, to equip adult learners navigating misinformation and disinformation, the adult literacy education field in Ontario needs to bridge the efforts, strategies and approaches of individual teachers like Wendy with additional support. Our field needs teaching tools and other resources specifically designed for adult literacy learners as well as opportunities to share challenges, practices and tips.

For now, Wendy emphasizes the importance of having conversations, not being afraid to look at the bigger picture and conveying an understanding that anyone can be misled.

“Encourage adult learners to ask questions; we know that’s a key part of adult literacy. Ask them to bring you things that they’ve read or seen and found interesting so you can review and discuss them together.”

Continuing the conversation about information literacy

Information literacy is a literacy skill, a digital skill and a life skill. At AlphaPlus, we’ll continue to explore this topic and provide support: offering resources, sharing your peers’ perspectives and creating space for conversation.

To learn more about our recent community of practice and the resources we explored, read the June recap and summary guides. And as always, contact Guylaine or Tracey with questions or ideas.