Professional Development for Adult Educators
The Center for Adult Literacy and Basic Workforce Development is committed to providing quality professional development opportunities to its adult education practitioners. The Center encourages participation in professional development opportunities through independent project-based learning and learning circles for adult literacy educators.
These local initiatives supplement regional and state sponsored workshops and conferences for adult literacy practitioners.
Project-Based Learning
The independent project-based learning strand of professional development provides flexibility for program staff to individualize their learning. In collaboration with supervisors, staff members as independent learners devise learning goals and learning opportunities that address their goals. Goals are related to both individual professional development and overall program improvement needs.
Learning activities include reflective reading, research/practitioner inquiry, practice-rooted action research, and/or attending conferences/workshops. The highly individualized nature of this strand allows participants to complete professional development activities without the confines of time/location. Successful completion of the project-based learning is documented by a portfolio of the participant's learning.
Learning Circles
The learning circles strand of professional development provides a collegial, face-to-face opportunity for classroom instructors to share best practices. The group is generally "multi-level," attracting a mix of newer and seasoned ABE/GED, ESL, and Family Literacy instructors. The discussion topics are selected by group members. Sessions are facilitated by instructional leadership coordinators.
The group meets for three 2.5 hour sessions (7.5 hours) in the fall and (7.5 hours) in the spring. Five hours of paid preparation time is included in this strand. Monthly meetings are held in both Northampton and Monroe counties. The learning circles are a scheduled NCC non-credit community education class for which Act 48 credit can be awarded. Successful completion of this class is documented by fall/spring semester attendance and a portfolio of participant's learning.
