Professional Development

In this third report Power in Numbers examines how edtech stakeholders can rethink the development and deployment process to ensure greater learner impact. We identify three typical pathways by which edtech comes to market and enters the classroom, and the common pitfalls that limit edtech impact. Through this analysis, we determine key actions stakeholders can take to improve outcomes:

• Developers can shift from occasional to long-term user engagement throughout the product development process.
• Employers can engage in the creation and classroom integration of tech tools.
• Administrators can seek out research and data in adult edtech efficacy to inform purchase decisions.
• Educators must receive professional development to effectively integrate tech tools.
• Funders can collaborate with employers to sponsor adult edtech tool development that addresses skills gaps in the workforce.

This document was funded by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education under the project titled “Power in Numbers: Advancing Math for Adult Learners” (OER Math project), Contract Number: ED-VAE-14-D-0006/0004, and it includes input from adult education practitioners, researchers, and policy experts.

Financial literacy education is a relative newcomer to the field of pedagogy requiring its own unique approaches with particular attention to deeply ingrained emotions and habits. Educational Methodologies of Personal Finance draws on research in education and psychology to provide a foundation for building well-structured, engaging programs that can be adapted to the needs of diverse learners. As such, the framework incorporates insights from both the pedagogy and research on how people change attitudes and behavior. Brief overviews of research-based instructional design principles are presented along with practical tips for implementation. The sources used to develop the guide are provided to allow users the opportunity to delve more deeply into those principles.

For many students, developmental education is the largest obstacle to college success, hindering progress before they ever enroll in a college-level course. Research shows that less than 10 percent of students placed in developmental education at community colleges complete their degree within three years, and only 35 percent of four-year college students in developmental education go on to graduate within six years. These outcomes can leave students with mounting educational debt and no degree to show for their work. As a result, postsecondary practitioners and researchers have been re-examining and challenging many traditional elements of developmental education from placement strategies to the sequence of courses that students must take. Policymakers are taking note of the research and considering new policies at the institutional, system, and state levels. This policy brief aims to help state policymakers and postsecondary leaders learn about policies that shape developmental education and how changes become codified. The policy examples reviewed demonstrate how states and postsecondary systems guide student assessment and placement into either college-level courses or developmental courses, encourage best practices with new instructional methods and establish accountability. Across the states, these policies address:

• College readiness assessments
• Assessment cut scores
• Multiple measures for course placement
• Innovative course models
• Reporting requirements

The informational video resource provides background knowledge for those new to IET, IELCE, and the process of creating a SSLO. The resource also includes this worksheet, designed to help instructors and curriculum designers develop SSLOs for their curricula.

The purpose of this toolkit is to familiarize users with intellectual and developmental disabilities and communication techniques to assist in successfully facilitating a healthy living program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). This resource defines and breaks down the term "I/DD", explains the implications of the diagnosis, and offers concrete strategies on communicating with individuals diagnosed with I/DD, as well as best practices for supporting their success in making choices and completing tasks. The techniques presented are particularly helpful for those who have little experience working with individuals who have I/DD. Tips for dealing with challenging behaviors are included as well as links to additional free resources and the underlying research that informs this document.

This course was developed by the EdTech Center @ World Education with support from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education. This course was designed for education providers and practitioners teaching adult basic academic skills, ESOL, and literacy at a distance and/or through blended learning; it provides strategies and resources that are essential for both setting up and implementing distance education or teaching with a blended approach. The course is made up of topics across four modules. Each topic is a micro-learning lesson that can be completed independently; upon completing each lesson you can earn a digital achievement badge. Complete all topics in a module to earn a Leader badge and complete all topics in all four modules to earn a Transforming Distance Education Innovator badge.