Students as Leaders – Coalition on Adult Basic Education

Adult Learners can register for COABE 2023 for FREE

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Save the first week of April 2023 for the COABE 2023 National Conference to access these awesome opportunities, free of charge!

Network with your peers at the special hybrid networking event for adult learners

Build connections around the country

Learn about resources and opportunities

Practice the social skills for career advancement

Share your knowledge and ideas with others

Get feedback and suggestions from others

Find mentors or become a mentor

Increase your self-confidence

Help strengthen the adult learner community & build opportunities for others

Students as Leaders Networking Event Tuesday 6pm

Adult learners, teachers, and anyone interested in student leadership,

Join us on Tuesday at 6:00pm in the Imperial Ballroom for a Students as Leaders networking event. Meet adult learners from across the country, learn about student initiatives at COABE, and connect with others who believe in the power of adult education.

If you have questions about adult learner benefits at the conference, please reach out to COABE’s Students as Leaders Coordinator, Erin Vobornik at erinvobornik@coabe.org.

Sessions Specific to Adult Learners

Presentation Title	Does it feature adult learners?	Day	Session	Time	IP Room	VC Room	Presenting Format	Why Learners Should Watch:	Presentation Abstract
Student Ambassadors: Marketing and Adult Education Programs	Yes	Tuesday	7	2:00pm-3:15pm	L508	V2	In-person and Virtual presentation	Do you want to lead? This session describes how adult learners have made an impact on the program and community through leadership.	This session will describe how Seeds of Literacy engaged adult education students and graduates in focus groups to provide insight into effective marketing messages, used those messages to create more powerful, marketing messages, and used student ambassadors to spread the word about adult literacy options in Ohio.
When Students Lead Programs Succeed	Yes	Monday	3	2:00pm-3:15pm	L508	V2	In-person and Virtual presentation	Are you interested in helping your program succeed? This session discusses how one progam used a Student Ambassador Council to get more money for their program.	Wayne Township’s Adult Education (WTAE) program, our school launched a Student Ambassador Council (SAC) in response to a 10% state budget cut. As a program, we decided that our students were the ones most impacted by our decrease in funding. What we failed to understand, that our students would achieve our increase in funding while doubling the demand for our classes. Our 4 student leaders will share their stories and share their successes with you.
Finding Voice and Developing Leadership through Writing	Yes	Monday	4	3:45pm-5:00pm	L508	V2	In-person and Virtual presentation	Do you want to publish an article? This session explores how to submit work to The Change Agent, a national student-written magazine.	Supporting students to develop themselves as writers builds leadership and strengthens basic skills that are key for success in college and careers. When students gather evidence to make an argument or write their personal story, they are making sense of the world and of their role in it. Come hear writers for The Change Agent, a national student-written magazine, discuss how the writing and publishing process helped them find their voice and reach their goals.
Adult English Language Learner Projects to Build Leadership & Advocacy Skills	Unknown	Monday	3	2:00pm-3:15pm	–	V3	Virtual presentation only	Do you want to gain skills to help succeed in your future goals while engaging in leadership?	In this presentation, participants will see how English Language Learners can participate in representational leadership projects to spread awareness of Adult Education Programs. Participants will gain insights into the types of projects that students can do that not only teach them to advocate for themselves and others, but also gain valuable skills that will help them succeed in their future educational or career goals.
Adult Learners as Representational Leaders – Building Skills for the Future	Yes	Tuesday	7	2:00pm-3:15pm	–	V3	Virtual presentation only	Do you want to learn about leadership options and how they’ve changed the lives of learners like you?	In this presentation, participants will learn about the skills gained by adult learners engaged in representational leadership. Attendees will gain insights into the “Ambassador” training process, and see the benefits to their programs and students through the lens of recent participants: teachers, English language learners, and High School Equivalency diploma seekers.
Students as Leaders in a Multi-Level Math Classroom	Yes	8	8	3:45pm-5:00pm	L508	V2	In-person and Virtual presentation	Are you interested in leadership and mathematics?	Teachers often list multi-level classes as a main challenge in teaching math to adults. A large class is generally considered another obstacle to effective teaching. Teachers and students in the CUNY Adult Literacy Program will share a model in which these elements are considered strengths. We will share our experience of large, multi-level classes growing into dynamic, successful learning communities in which students become leaders in engaging and supporting their peers as they learn mathematics.
Integrating COABE’s Student Ambassador Training into Project-Based Learning	Yes	Tuesday	6	11:45am-1:00pm	L508	V2	In-person and Virtual presentation	Are you interested in how COABE’s Ambassador Training helped students bring change to their program and community?	COABE’s award-winning Ambassador Training can be used to increase student advocacy and civic engagement. When combined with project-based learning, learners can implement what they learn within their communities within a supportive classroom environment. Learn about the numerous benefits to adult learners who engage in Ambassador Training and see how the free, online platform can complement your curriculum. You will receive a copy of the presenter’s Be The Change Project and advocacy and leadership measurement tools.
Elevating Adult Ed: Ambassador Panel	Yes	Monday	2	11:45am-1:00pm	L508	V2	In-person and Virtual presentation	Do you want to hear stories from adult learners who are also leaders?	COABE’s Student Ambassador Program trains adult learners to become advocates and find their voices as leaders in the field. Come hear, in their own words, their stories and how they have used their Ambassador skills to improve their communities, programs, and lives – and maybe join the Ambassador Program yourself!
Free and Open Education Resources for Adult Learners	No	Monday	2	11:45am-1:00pm	M106	V18	In-person and Virtual presentation	Do you want free resources to help you improve your skills?	Free is great but free, open, organized, and high-quality is better! CrowdED Learning works with adult educators to create free, reusable activities and curate existing free and open content. Our mission is to make it easier to find and use beneficial, free activities so that everyone can access education. During this session, we’ll share awesome, free stuff along with the tools we’re using (and you can too!) to work toward our goal of “Learning. Everyone.”
Student Voice Council – developing a student body to promote the voice of incarcerated students.	No	Tuesday	5	8:00am-9:15am	L508	–	In-person presentation only	Do you know someone who wants to gain leadership skills while at a corrections center?	One of the state of Washinton’s corrections education goals was to develop a student group to incorporate student voice in program planning, development, and evaluation of corrections education programs. Coyote Ridge Corrections Center led the effort to create the “Student Voice”, a faculty nominated group of incarcerated students.
Teaching Climate Hope to Develop and Empower Student Leadership	Yes	Monday	4	3:45pm-5:00pm	–	V3	Virtual presentation only	Do you care about the environment and want to hear how other adult learners have taken action in their communities?	Hear from a panel of culturally diverse adult education students how lessons infused with climate change education have inspired and empowered them to take action, to cultivate hope, and to develop their leadership skills within family, community, and workplace contexts. View related strategies to enhance students’ basic skills acquisition and job readiness. Teaching resources will be shared, including a unit of lesson plans on “Climate Hope,” which incorporates both the TSTM and STAR federal initiatives.

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Did you know that you can also be nominated for our national Adult Learner of the Year award? Winners receive $200 and receive and expense-paid trip to our national conference!
Click here for more details about our national awards.