In this Lunch & Learn session, delivered on February 10, 2026, we focused on setting up a free Google Business Profile so customers can find you on Google Search and Maps, exploring current social media trends, finding out whether hashtags still matter, and discovering tools for content creation and graphics management, and more.
PRESENTATION SLIDES
VIDEO RECORDING
In this Lunch & Learn session, delivered on January 6, 2026, we focused on new and innovative AI tools, advancements in assistants like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini, tips on how to apply AI in your daily work, experimenting with prompts, and more.
PRESENTATION SLIDES
VIDEO RECORDING
This AlphaPlus Lunch & Learn session, delivered on November 4, 2025, focused on powerful tools in Microsoft 365. We explored Clipchamp, the integration of AI-powered Copilot across apps, transcribing and translations in Teams, Planner, and more.
PRESENTATION SLIDES
VIDEO RECORDING
This session, delivered on September 23, 2025, focused on the latest features in Google Workspace. We explored Google Vids, learned about new building blocks in Docs and Slides, set up appointment schedules in Calendar, and dove into activity notifications, smart chips in Docs, disabling autosave in Forms, AI in Google Search, and more.
PRESENTATION SLIDES
VIDEO RECORDING
This session, delivered on May 13, 2025, focused on how to create Canva designs from scratch—be it presentations, flyers, or social media posts, building your brand kit with preferred fonts and logos, inviting team members, sharing designs, and leveraging templates, AI tools, and advanced editing features such as background removal.
PRESENTATION SLIDES
VIDEO RECORDING
This session, delivered on April 8, 2025, focused on learning how to update your Zoom desktop client, use the AI companion, manage captions and transcripts, and explore features like reactions, spotlight, meeting timers, whiteboard, sharing layouts, settings, Zoom Apps, and more.
PRESENTATION SLIDES
VIDEO RECORDING
In today’s digital age, building and nurturing a vibrant community is essential for the success of our LBS programs.
In this Showcase, delivered on May 6, 2025, guests presenters from St. Albert Learning Centre in Sudbury and Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy, discussed how they leverage innovative marketing campaigns, podcasts, videos, and other engagement strategies to grow their client base and community connections.
They shared insightful tips and best practices that will help you create lasting connections with your clients and partners.
PRESENTATION SLIDES
VIDEO RECORDING
PRESENTERS
Ambreen has 20 years of experience in the education field. Possessing a Masters in English Literature and in Educational Planning and Management, she has maintained successful positions as a Vice Principal, English Language Instructor, Manager HR, Communication Executive and Literacy practitioner.
Currently, she is working as an Executive Director at Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy, a non-profit organization that supports adult literacy in Toronto and York Region. Her previous work experience and life-long learning certificates and diplomas bring a wealth of information to develop learning strategies, recruitment procedures and governance.
Her dedication and determination in helping individuals grow and develop are highlighted in all her professional achievements. She is also passionate about volunteering and has been an ardent volunteer in many non-profits across GTA. She loves to cook and paint in her free time.
Susan has been active in adult education since 1986 across a variety of roles and has developed a broad and deep understanding of the field. She has worked as a literacy and basic skills (LBS) assessor, instructor and LBS manager for the Toronto District School Board, and as an assessor and LBS instructor for the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
As a past Vice President on the board of directors, Susan helped the Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy dramatically improve its visibility and the services it provides to the adult education sector.
Susan has developed numerous LBS resources. These include learning resources for Community Legal Education Ontario and a comprehensive Zoom manual for adult educators that’s now being used across Toronto as well as other regions across the province. She has also trained more than 200 LBS, language instruction for newcomers to Canada (LINC) and English as a second language (ESL) instructors on how to use Zoom in the classroom.
Christina brings over 25 years of experience in education and currently serves on the Board of Directors for CESBA, the Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School Board Administrators while also in her fourth year as principal of St. Albert Learning Centre in Sudbury, an adult and alternative education school that offers innovative, community-driven programming for learners of all ages.
Throughout her career, Christina has focused on Special Education and Experiential Learning, primarily as a consultant for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. Her deep understanding of student needs and commitment to inclusive education inform her work in adult learning and literacy.
Christina’s entrepreneurial spirit has fueled the growth of a student-led business at St. Albert Learning Centre where learners earn secondary school credits while creating and selling handcrafted items. Profits support charitable projects through a parish partnership. This initiative recently earned first place and the national title of Canadian School of the Future in an Innovation Challenge, along with the prestigious Michael Monk Award for service-learning.
After searching over 100 resources collections and lists from Canada, the U.S., U.K. and Australia, we have developed a fully vetted collection of workbooks, modules and activities that address a range of instructional topics in our Open Educational Resources and Instructional Materials Collection.
To build the collection, Christine and Guylaine assembled a group of instructors from school boards and community groups, representing urban and rural communities across the province. Members work in program areas ranging from workforce development to academic, with diverse learner groups. They provided guidance to ensure the materials are
- Free and ad-free
- Shareable and reproducible
- Mostly modifiable for use in different formats and to change content
- Ready-to-use with instructional activities
- Accompanied by tips, ideas and strategies for educators to implement.
Take some time to explore the collection. You’re sure to find some gems that you can use right away.
Since many learners have access to mobile phones and use them on a daily basis, literacy programs started using texting to engage with their clients.
Jane Wouda, the Lead Instructor at the Training & Learning Centre of Renfrew County talked to us about the software they use at the program and the benefits/changes they have noticed.
Paul Crane, Founder and CEO of Local Text Marketers provides texting software (including a custom phone number to display when sending a text). Paul demonstrated how CONNECTsms works and answered our questions about texting tools.
Sara King from Northern College – Moosonee Campus, Moose Factory, Fort Albany, Kashechewan & Attawapiskat Access Centres and Janet Oettgen from Niagara West Adult Learning Centre share how they are using using social media to effectively attract, engage, teach and stay in touch with their learners and partners.
Quick links/tips and additional resources: