Blended Learning Research
This session, delivered in 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
Tue, June 3, 2025, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
With high turnover, effective succession, contingency and onboarding documentation/planning are crucial for the sustainability and resilience of LBS programs.
Join us to connect with guests from the literacy community who will discuss what they have been doing and share tools and examples to help you develop practical file management systems, documentation and plans to ensure smoother operations, staff transitions and the continuity of programs in the face of unexpected challenges.
We will share insightful tips and best practices that will help you create robust organizational documentation/plans and processes, and provide space to share your own examples and ideas with participants.
PRESENTERS
– Carrie Wakeford and Brandy Smith from Learning Ontario Central South (LOCS)
– Alan Cherwinski from AlphaPlus
– More guests will be added soon.
Tue, May 6, 2025, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
In today’s digital age, building and nurturing a vibrant community is essential for the success of our LBS programs.
Join us on Tuesday, May 6, from 3 pm to 4:30 pm, to connect with guests from the literacy community who will discuss how they leverage innovative marketing campaigns, podcasts, videos, and other engagement strategies to grow their client base and community connections.
We will share insightful tips and best practices that will help you create lasting connections with your clients and partners, and provide space to share your own experiences and ideas with participants.
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.
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:
On this site you can read our Position Paper on Blended Learning online and browse a collection of resources to help you and the audiences you communicate with learn about blended learning as an approach.
What else you will find on this site
- Presentations – AlphaPlus webinars about the position paper and the eNet introduction to blended learning.
- The Blended Learning Field Guide – a reflective practice tool about blended learning models and approaches.
- Blended Learning Overview – from the AlphaPlus Digital Technology for Learning site.
- The Blended Learning Toolbox – resources for applying a Blended Learning approach from the AlphaPlus Digital Technology for Learning site.
- The ProLiteracy Blended Learning Guide – and how it aligns with the AlphaPlus position paper.
and graphics you can share with staff, learners, volunteers and community partners
- Definition – the definition from the position paper
- My Life as a Blended Learner – how we Create, Communicate, Collaborate and Think Critically as lifelong learners
- Benefits – the four benefits of blended learning: Blended learning is supports self-confidence and self-reliance; encourages social connection and collaboration; provides flexibilities; and is helps manage systemic inequalities.
- Principles – the three principles of blended learning: Blended learning is learner centred; relevant and useful; and is enhanced by a strong teaching presence
- Blended Learning Infographic and the 4Cs – an infographic about the 4Cs: Be Creative, Communicate, Collaborate, and Critically Analyze
If you’d like a copy of this site to use as a starting point to adapt and expand for use in your program, please get in touch. AlphaPlus can give you a copy and support you in learning how to use a website builder such as Google Sites or Weebly as online learning spaces for learners, staff and volunteers.
Blended Learning Resources
A website is a great way to communicate with volunteers, learners and others in your community about what you’re doing and how to access your program, process some of the administration forms, and curate resource collections for staff, learners and volunteers.
Here are some sites that AlphaPlus coaches have supported:
- TLG Learner Resources, The Literacy Group of Waterloo Region
- Learning Opportunities Program, YMCA (Toronto)
- Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy
- The Orillia and District Literacy Council
- The Learning Co-Op, St. Joseph Adult Education Campus, Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board
AlphaPlus can help you choose a website builder and guide you through the website planning and creation process.
We can:
- Provide you with information about the attributes of each website builder.
- Guide you through the decision-making process to ensure you find the solution that best meets your circumstances and needs.
- Support you as you learn how to create pages and use the management features that work best for the learners, staff and volunteers in your program.
Programs are using social media to communicate with volunteers, learners and others in their communities about what they’re doing and how to access their programs and to make connections with adult educators in other fields and jurisdictions.
Which platform or platforms are best for your program?
Facebook? Instagram? LinkedIn? Twitter? TikTok?
AlphaPlus can help you choose and learn about social media for your program.
We can:
- Provide you with information about the attributes of each platform.
- Guide you through the decision-making process to ensure you find the solution that best meets your circumstances and needs.
- Support you as you learn how to use the features that work best for the learners, staff and volunteers 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.
Introducing Instagram – a photo-sharing tool everyone is talking about.
YouTube – a tool to connect and engage with existing and future learners