Hello Martin,

There are a wide range of (free to very expensive) online tools for onlien and blended model professional development communities of practice. Among these are work group platforms such as Community Zero, OfficeZilla and Google and Yahoo Groups, wikis (such as the Adult Literacy Education Wiki), electronic discussion lists (such as this one!) ,courseware platforms such as blackboard (costly) and Moodle (free), and costly real-time web conferencing systems of various kinds and practices.

I am especially interested in the free and low-cost asynchronous options as I think they suit the fragmented, part-time nature of the pracatitioners in our field, and allow them to participate as their schedule allows.

Anyone have examples of communities of practice in our field that use these online tools? Any examples of face-to-face communities of practice in our field?

David J. Rosen
djrosen at theworld.com


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Martin Senger 
  To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List 
  Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 2:24 PM
  Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2668] Re:[ProfessionalDevelopment2639]Professional Development Challenge?


  Pax et bonum David! (peace & goodness)

   

  I am currently a co-facilitator of the NW PA Adult ESL Network. We meet monthly, representing every agency that offers adult ESL in NW PA. However, several of our members are hours away by car, and even in good weather (something our area is NOT known for), it can be difficult to attend meetings face-to-face. We have been looking for an alternative for some time, and so I would be very interested in a national learning community to explore other formats. I am also a co-chair for the ESL Division of PAACE, the Pa. Association for Adult Continuing Education, a statewide organization.

   

  I firmly believe that there is a large and growing disconnect between the new, younger, tech-savvy generation teachers and the previous generation. I think the longer we wait to try to find new formats, the harder it will become to integrate all the teachers into it.

   

  Martin E. Senger

  Adult ESL / Civics Teacher,

  G.E.C.A.C. / The R. Banjamin Wiley Learning Center

  Erie, Pa.

  ESL Co-Director,

  Pa. Assoc. for Adult Continuing Education (PAACE)

  -----Original Message-----
  From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
  Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 7:56 PM
  To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List
  Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2658] Re:[ProfessionalDevelopment2639]Professional Development Challenge?

   

  Hello Michael,

   

  Thanks for your great post. I wholeheartedly agree with the direction you are suggesting.

   

  Local PD adult ed learning communities and program-based professional development efforts can now use (usually free) web-based tools to quickly organize or structure their professional development to meet their learning community needs. This is one of the most promising and exciting ways in which to enhance adult ed professional development and, if organized well, one that can lead to program development too. It doesn't require new funding, but does require  passion, seriousness of purpose and, of course, its members' time.

   

  National online learning communities are also an exciting concept. They can use tools such as OfficeZilla, Community Zero, Google Groups, wikis, and others, and content resources such as the NIFL discussion lists (and their archives), NIFL collections, the ALE Wiki, the NCSALL Web Site, and others. These tools make organizing these grioups easy.

   

  I wonder if there is a group of subscribers to this discussion list who might like to form a small national learning community to explore something in depth, what some might call an online study circle. It would require that someone step forward to be a convenor, and that there were half a dozen or so people who cared deeply about learning about the topic. The National Issues Forum or the Study Circle Resource Center (if they still exist) have developed proven models for how to do this well face-to-face. Their models could be adapted easily to an online learning community. NCSALL developed face-to-face study circles on Persistence, and Health Literacy, perhaps on other topics. Perhaps these have been -- or could be -- adapted to an online PD study circle. If a group of subscribers to this list formed an online PD study cirlce, the content might be: Learning Communities, Program-based Professional Development, Online Professional Development, or something else they cared about learning.

   

  I am part of an adult ed professional development learning community called the Second Life Adult Professional Development Explorers (SLAPDE) group. It's nearly 20 people from around the world who want to learn and think about how to use Second Life for adult learning Professional Development. It needs a leader and some focus, but now and then it gets fired up and we meet and explore things on Second Life. We have a wiki and a Google group. I would describe us as (a fledgling) online learning community. Let me know if you are interested in joining.

   

  Anyone else have examples of online learning communities in adult ed? Or face-to-face learning communities? I, for one, would really like to learn about these if they exist. Maybe others would, too.

   

  David J. Rosen

  djrosen at theworld.com

    ----- Original Message ----- 

    From: Michael Tate 

    To: The Adult Literacy Professional D evelopment Discussion List  to 

    Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:15 PM

    Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2654] Re: [ProfessionalDevelopment2639]Professional Development Challenge?

     

    Jon and Colleagues:  I've been thinking that learning communities may be a solution to the PD problem.  I doubt that there will ever be sufficient funding for PD, and if there were, that the training would always be in sync with the needs of teachers.   My background in sustainable development leads me to the notion that PD needs to be guided by a local more knowledgeable teacher around an issue that all the teachers in the group are interested in and value enough that they will come without payment.  Technology allows for a learning community to be made up of members at a distance, and I think the special topics that are announced on this listserv are examples of "proto-learning communities".  

     

    Michael Tate

     

    From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Jon Engel
    Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 10:57 AM
    To: 'The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List'
    Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2645] Re: [Professional Development2639]Professional Development Challenge?

     

    From a local adult education program administrator in a state that does almost nothing to support the adult education enterprise, I would have to agree with Dan in regard to adequate resources.  PD becomes a difficult budget variable when dealing with a part time workforce.  Teachers need to be paid for their commitment to PD activities, but if they really get involved with PD, it becomes a cost that is unsupportable at this time-at least in Texas.

     

    Jon Engel

    Adult Education Director

    Community Action Inc.

    PO Box 748

    San Marcos, TX 78666

    Voice  (512)392-1161 ext. 334

    Fax  (512)396-4255

    Email  jengel at communityaction.com

    Web www.communityaction.com 


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Dan
    Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:57 PM
    To: 'The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List'
    Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2639] Re: [Professional Development 2639]Professional Development Challenge?

     

    Adequate resources to  develop and deliver meaningful PD in a time of great uncertainty and limited budgets.  Resources include time, money, and staffing and  administrators  up and down the line that value true professional development as a means to improve services to students.  This goes along with the lack of trust in themselves and trust in their students on the part of many teachers and then to rely on teacher centered instruction and adherence to the mantra  that expectations in and of themselves is enough to motivate students to achieve.  

     

    Dan Wann 

    Two Leaves Consulting, LLC 

    Indianapolis, IN 

    From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Kathryn Land
    Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 8:29 PM
    To: professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov
    Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 2639] Professional Development Challenge?

     

    What do you feel is the biggest professional development challenge for adult educators in the next 5-10 years?

     

    I would be interested in any opinions or thoughts on the top issues we will face.

     

    Thanks,

    Kathryn 


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