Conference: OZeLIVE!

So excited to be presenting tonight on the changing faces, changing places of adult basic education students online!
The Changing Face of ABE: a look at online adult basic education

Join me for a discussion about online learning for adult students at the basic education level.  The objective of this session is to address the questions: What barriers and best practices do adult ABE students face? What are effective online programming practices for students at lower literacy and numeracy levels?    In this session, we will briefly take a look at the history of adult basic education at Northern Lakes College*.  In defining what adult basic education is, we will explore how face to face programming has translated to the online environment.  Current research will be used to facilitate discussion and the sharing of of perspectives on the basic education learner online. 

*Northern Lakes College has been delivering basic education programming to residents of northwestern Alberta since 1970.  The College services a region of 163,000km2, and currently has 21 campuses providing upgrading support to a diverse demographic of students, including rural, remote, First Nations and Metis learners.

"Artistic Pedagogical Technologies" - humanizing the virtual world

Beth Perry & Margaret Edwards recommend integrating Photovoice methodologies, virtual reflective centers and conceptual quilting to provide spaces for reflection, interaction and a “quality of social presence that is palpably human” (p. 135).   What wonderful ideas to bring faces into distance instruction.

Perry, Beth & and Edwards, Margaret. (2010). Creating a Culture of Community in the Online            Classroom Using Artistic Pedagogical Technologies. In Veletsianos, George. (Ed.),    Emerging   Technologies in Distance Education (pp. 129-154). Edmonton, AB, Athabasca University Press.

Virtual Pedagogy

Researching online learning right now.   "Good" teaching.  Virtual pedagogy.  Is it a one size fits all?  Can online approaches really support deep (vs surface) learning online?  What skills do instructors need?  What skills do students need?

It is a fascinating journey that I hope to share and learn from as plod my way along the happy road to epiphanies!