COVID-19 Resources

COABE is committed to providing resources to our members during the COVID-19 crisis. We have provided special webinars and funding opportunities for members to equip teachers and administrators as they deal with the challenges of the pandemic. 

Webinars

CONSIDERATIONS WHEN IMPLEMENTING DISTANCE LEARNING

Presented By: Jay Wright

Many schools and colleges are taking a “crash course” in distance learning implementation. This webinar looks at some of the key issues – such as pre- and post-test assessment, determining how to count instructional hours, and recording this activity in TOPSPro Enterprise – that have presented challenges.

Creating Easy Teaching Videos Using Microsoft PowerPoint

Presented By: Yecsenia Lorenzo

Learn how to easily create videos that can be used to present content. This presentation will show participants how to create a quick presentation with PowerPoint and then export it as a video which can then be shared with students. Use this tool for all different content areas such as ESL literacy, ABE, ASE, Career Technical, and more.

Thriving Not Surviving: How Texas Rose to the Pandemic Challenge

Presented By: Anson Green

The pandemic is tough but Texas adult education is tougher! Texas Adult Education and Literacy bucked the trend of program closures and kept every area of the Lone Star state open to not only serve learners but enroll new students, especially those who have become unemployed. State director Anson Green and two local providers will describe what Texas did to rapidly expand distance and remote learning, mobile messaging apps, remote enrollment, and remote testing to keep the (virtual) doors open. Anson will describe the state-level response plan including rapid enhancements to policy, guidelines, communications, and funding. Local providers will describe how they flipped the switch from brick and mortar to remote services and did not let the pandemic take its toll on the progress of adult learners.

COVID-19 Resource: Transition your program to online registration

Presented By: Jeff Arnott

Brevard Adult Education, who serves 3000 students a year, primarily relied on face to face instruction and registration processes that required students to come to one of our campuses for assistance. Within a week, we were able to transition our teachers and staff to remote settings while expanding opportunities for students. This presentation will also discuss the “silver linings” that will carryover beyond COVID-19.

TEACH DIGITAL LITERACY STANDARDS USING A NEW APP-BASED COURSE

Presented By: Vinod Lobo and Drew Robinson

Learning Upgrade has a plan to help you continue delivering education remotely without direct student contact. With many education providers now required to teach exclusively online, our plan enables you to provide all steps of instruction remotely with students using their smartphones and devices.

ADVOCACY APRIL FUNDING TO DEAL WITH COVID-19 CHALLENGES

Presented By: Sharon Bonney, Polly Smith, Laurie Kierstead-Joseph and Larriann Torrez

Has your program or have your adult learners been negatively impacted by COVID-19? Are you trying to determine how you will find the funding to ensure adult learners have the WiFi access and laptops they need to participate in class? Pull away for just one hour as we focus on the incredible nationwide need for funding to deal with the challenges brought to our field from COVID-19 and our solution to address this dilemma. Join us for a special webinar featuring leading state associations and individual COABE members who are working to impact funding at the state and federal level! You will leave the webinar with tools and tips for super easy, no fuss outreach tools that will help you connect with legislators who need to hear from our field during this critical time as we pull together for funding at the national and state levels. This is a webinar you will not want to miss!

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE LEARNING

Presented By: Yecsenia Lorenzo

Empirical research will be presented on student engagement in online learning. The presentation will discuss specific dimensions of engagement considered to be effective educational practices: level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, and enriching educational experiences.

EST-Bridging Access to COVID-19 Information Among Adult Learners

Presented By: Mariann Fedele-McLeod, Dr. Trenita Childers and Dr. Erica Shelton

Topics include: best practices for anyone just getting started in the online environment; review of strategies and practices that contribute to effective, efficient, and satisfying teaching and learning experiences for both instructors and students; and practices presented can help develop confidence and comfort in teaching online.

Easy Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Projects for Language Practice

Presented By: Barry Bakin

Participants will be shown simple project-based activities for language practice and learning using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, which serve the dual purpose of language practice (writing and speaking) and learning basic functions of common software programs in use at home, school, and the workplace.

Learning Upgrade's Remote Learning Action Plan

Presented By: Vinod Lobo and Drew Robinson

Learning Upgrade has a plan to help you continue delivering education remotely without direct student contact. With many education providers now required to teach exclusively online, our plan enables you to provide all steps of instruction remotely with students using their smartphones and devices.

Additional Resources

How to Avoid COVID-19 Vaccine Related Cyber Scams | 50 Free Resources + Safety Tips

Because of the high demand and inadequate supply, scammers are taking advantage of people’s desperation through various forms of vaccine fraud. To help you better understand what these schemes are and how to avoid them, this article will provide you with the resources to identify and report vaccine fraud, protect your identity, and improve your cybersecurity hygiene so you can avoid new and emerging cyber threats.

Read Full Article

AIR’s Plain Language Fact Sheet

AIR has created a plain-language FAQ that addresses a variety of topics related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Questions were drawn from numerous reliable government sources. The document was developed as a resource for schools, day cares, healthcare organizations, and other public centers to distribute. It is designed to make this information accessible and comprehensible to everyone, regardless of education level or background. The FAQ will soon be available in languages other than English.

 “AIR’s health team has extensive experience making medical information accessible to diverse communities,” explains Trenita Childers, a researcher at AIR. “We wanted to put that expertise to use during this difficult time to ensure that everyone has access to accurate, medically sound information.”

In addition to providing answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19, we have created a document with frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. This information is also written in accessible language for a broad audience.

COVID-19 Survey

Thank you to the more than 1,400 members that took part in COABE’s survey to determine the impact of COVID-10 on the field of adult education. Click the links to review the survey findings.

Avoid Coronavirus Scams

Here at the FTC we’ve received thousands of reports of scams related to the Coronavirus and unfortunately, as more and more people and small businesses await money from the government, the scams will continue to rise.

To try to get ahead of these scams as much as possible, we created a webpage FTC.gov/Coronavirus —> Learn about scams which features the following content:
 

  •        Blog posts on a variety of topics, including financial relief scams   
  •        Social media shareable images
  •        Recordings of Coronavirus scam calls
  •        Updates on FTC law enforcement actions

 
On our YouTube channel, we posted a series of short videos, created in collaboration with the Better Business Bureau, that provide quick tips for those who may be encountering these scams.

Lifeology Coronavirus Center Information & Resources

Lifeology is a platform that brings together scientists, artists, writers and broader audiences in the creation of educational content including mobile-friendly Lifeology mini-courses that can reach anyone.

They have created illustrated primers about the coronavirus for adults with low literacy and for kids. They are translated into 11+ languages, and there are more courses coming. Find them freely available here: https://lifeology.io/coronavirus-center/.

Access digital learning and digital literacy blogs created by Google certified trainer, Joey Lehrman

  • As we all continue the transition to distance learning, check out this blog post on digital learning mindsets that includes tips for how to help our staff and students succeed in an online environment. The post is from Joey Lehrman, Program Effectiveness Coordinator in Adult Education at Delgado Community College, which has been building and delivering free online classes since 2014 for students anywhere in Louisiana.
  • Here’s a video blog post for our teachers and administrators that includes digital literacy tips and stories from the field so we can continue learning from our shared experience with distance education.

Transition to Teaching Online

The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) recognizes the dramatic impact that dealing with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is having on your instructional efforts. To this end we are pleased to announce through our online portal, CTE Learn, along with our partner at MaxKnowledge, that we are now offering a selection of free online courses to prepare CTE teachers to teach online. Learn more!

Seeking Your Help in Learning More About What Works in Distance Education

The What Works Clearinghouse launched a crowdsource effort yesterday to seek questions from educators and families on effective distance learning practices as well as nominations of rigorous research that “evaluates the effectiveness of specific distance education practices or products on student outcomes.” Suggestions are due April 3 to NCEE.Feedback@ed.gov.

OCTAE Guidance for AEFL Programs Dealing with the Challenges of COVID-19

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide clarification, flexibilities, and supports to State Adult Education Offices as States seek to provide continuity of operations for adult learners in the current COVID-19 environment.
View Program Memorandum

 

Resources to Deal With Closures

Long time COABE member, David Rosen, has assembled a summary of resources to share with adult basic education programs dealing with closures due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. As more programs move instruction online, you may wish to join a LINCS moderated discussion on this topic.

– Preparing for and offering adult basic skills online during the pandemic
– Summary of adult basic skills resources for dealing with the pandemic

 

Free & Low Cost Internet Plans

To support folks helping others get connected to the internet, NDIA created a page of Free & Low-Cost Internet Plans.

EdTech Center @ World Education Launches New Website for Distance Education Support

In response to the need for adult educators to transition from in-person to distance teaching, the EdTech Center @ World Education has created a new website called Tips for Distance Learning, with resources to help adult basic skills programs scale up or launch distance education programs.

The site includes guidance on the first steps to take in planning, successful implementation (recruiting, onboarding, teaching, and assessing learners), and locating and evaluating online learning resources. We include information on how to meet virtually with students, links to offers for free or reduced online courses or curricula from publishers known to provide quality ABE learning resources, and a professional development events calendar.

Join us for the first of weekly webinars this Friday at 10:00 Pacific, 12:00 Central, 1:00 Eastern. The first webinar, designed for administrators, professional development leaders, and other practitioners, will cover a preview of the support site. We will feature lightning talks about LINCS resources and guidance on choosing online curricula. We will offer break out discussion on these and other topics participants have about getting started with distance education. 

The link to register and join the webinar is the same: https://jsi.zoom.us/j/398236460.