OTAN Digest - February 2025
Digest #48
February 2025
Spotlight On...
OTAN awarded COABE’s 2025 State Innovation of the Year Award!
The Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) is honored to announce we have been awarded the 2025 State Innovation of the Year Award from the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE). This honor celebrates OTAN's dedication to advancing adult education in California through innovative technology integration and leadership development. The award is sponsored by Dollar General Literacy Foundation and will be presented at the 2025 COABE National Conference in Dallas, Texas.
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OTAN Canvas Regional Summit
Join fellow Canvas adult educators on May 9th, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Sacramento County Office of Education for a free, hands-on professional development summit tailored for adult educators, administrators, and support staff. Whether you're a beginner exploring how to build a Canvas home page, an administrator learning the backend of Canvas, or someone ready to create personalized courses with Mastery Paths, this event has dedicated sessions to meet your needs. Learn by doing, collaborating with colleagues, and get ready to elevate your Canvas expertise. This event is made possible by a partnership with CAERC. If your consortia would like to schedule their own OTAN Canvas Regional Summit, then please contact aecanvas@scoe.net.
For more information:
OTAN Canvas Registration Link
OTAN Rural Coaching Project
OTAN's Rural Coaching Project is an opportunity for adult education agencies in sparsely populated areas of California to partner with OTAN coaching. The project aims to connect rural educators and their tech-related goals with technology resources and technical support provided by OTAN and free to agencies. We are currently working with a few agencies across the state to support their goals of introducing Canvas to educators and learners, getting started with AI in the classroom, and deploying RACHEL devices to locations that face internet connectivity challenges.
Please visit the Rural Coaching page on the OTAN website for more information. You can also email us at support@otan.us to discuss this opportunity.
Opportunity!
We are pleased to announce an opportunity for California adult learners and our adult education colleagues to obtain refurbished technology and free/low cost wifi. COABE and CCAE are partnering together with human-i-t to bring devices and wifi to covered populations in California. Here are a couple of items to review for more information:
- Flyer in English and Spanish
- You can also use this link to complete the human-i-t form and connect with a digital navigator from the project.
We invite you to share these resources with all your learners and staff. You are also welcome to share this with community members or colleagues who may qualify.
For any initial questions about this opportunity, please email COABE at info@coabe.org
Monthly, SMEs write an article about technology and how it correlates with teaching and learning. These articles become companions of each OTAN Tech Talk. While OTAN welcomes an article or Tech Talk from any adult educator in California, our SMEs without fail consistently write about the most innovative ideas for adult education classrooms.
February
The Wallet Citizenship Interview
By Jennifer Gagliardi, OTAN Subject Matter Expert
What do you grab before you leave the house? Keys, glasses, phone, and a wallet. These essential tools not only unlock doors, start cars, and enable us to see the road ahead, they mark civic rights, obligations, and responsibilities.
January
Collaboration Celebration!
By Josh Eick, OTAN Subject Matter Expert
Collaboration is a must-have skill for any student who wishes to succeed in higher education and/or in the modern workplace. According to an article on collaboration published on the EducateMe website, there are 10 benefits to collaborative learning:
December
Leveraging AI to Enhance CASAS STEPS Reading Test Preparation: A Guide for Educators
By Susan Coulter, OTAN Subject Matter Expert
The CASAS STEPS Reading test has been approved as the primary tool to measure progress and ensure accountability for adult English as a Second Language (ESL) students in California. This shift has left many teachers wondering about the most effective strategies to prepare their students for this important test.
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Register for TDLS 2025 here!
March 7 and 8, 2025 - A hybrid conference at the Long Beach School for Adults
The Technology and Digital Learning Symposium, hosted by OTAN, is an annual hybrid conference featuring engaging, interactive presentations and vibrant discussions. This event is designed to demonstrate effective ways of incorporating technology to enrich the learning experience.
Nomination Information
Each year, OTAN recognizes Students Succeed honorees who are successful because of the education received at adult education agencies. They inspire and embody a resilient spirit, overcome difficult challenges, contribute within their own communities, and improve their own circumstances.
Who may nominate a student? When is the deadline?
Nominations may be submitted from any California adult education agency between Wednesday, January 1, 2025 and Friday, March 21, 2025.
Nominations are completed online within the January 1, 2025 – March 21, 2025, nomination period. Continue to nomination form.
Message from the Director
Here at OTAN, our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the recent fires in Los Angeles. We know that many of you in our adult ed family are facing tremendous challenges or have friends and family affected by the fires, and we want you to know that you are not alone. The strength and resilience of our adult education community are truly remarkable, and OTAN wants to be there in support as you navigate this difficult time. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can assist in any way.
Amid these challenges, I want to take a moment to celebrate a bright spot for our community. OTAN has received notice that we will be honored with COABE’s State Innovation of the Year Award for our Digital Leadership Academy (DLAC), now in its 9th year.
DLAC provides structured professional development, equipping adult ed practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complexities of digital education. Technology plays a crucial role in education. DLAC offers agencies the tools and strategies needed to seamlessly integrate technology into their teaching practices, enhancing the learning experience for students and educators alike. Through DLAC, agencies can collaborate with peers, share best practices, and learn from each other's experiences. This collaborative environment fosters innovation and creativity, driving continuous improvement within adult education.
This recognition, which OTAN will receive at the 2025 COABE National Conference in Dallas, Texas affirms the impact of our collective work in advancing digital learning and equity for adult learners.
While our hearts are heavy with the losses experienced due to the fires, we find hope and pride in the resilience of our adult ed community. OTAN's award is a testament to the incredible dedication and impact of the work we all do in the field of California Adult Education. We remain committed to supporting each other through these challenging times and celebrating the milestones that highlight our collective achievements.
We look forward to being with many of you in Long Beach for the Technology and Digital Learning Symposium (TDLS) next month on March 7 & 8. If we can help you otherwise, please reach out to support@otan.us. Be safe and well!
-Renee Collins
Director, Adult Education
OTAN February and March Events
| Date/Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, February 5 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM |
Canvas Winter Admin Cohort: Assessing Outcomes/Standards | OTAN Zoom Meeting |
| Friday, February 21 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
Google Sheets ★ | Mt. Diablo Adult Education |
| Thursday, February 6 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM |
Part 1:Essential Canvas Communication Tools for Teachers | OTAN Online |
| Thursday, February 13 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM |
Part 2: Advanced Canvas Communication Strategies for Engaged Learning for Teachers | OTAN Online |
| Tuesday, February 11 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
Building an Admin Hub for Faculty with Template Workgroup | OTAN Online |
| Tuesday, February 25 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
Building an Admin Hub for Faculty with Template Workgroup Day 2 | OTAN Online |
| Thursday, February 27 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM |
Northstar Digital Literacy User Group | OTAN Online |
| Wednesday, February 12 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM |
WIOA Continuous Improvement Plan - Q&A | OTAN Online |
OTAN training events are OPEN to Adult Education staff.
★ = CLOSED, In-Service Training
Professional Development - Plan Ahead!
Did you know OTAN provides FREE professional development workshops to help Adult Educators integrate technology?
Think about scheduling OTAN Professional Development in the 2024-2025 school year. With a wide variety of technology topics from which to choose, OTAN training staff can provide in-person workshops or presentations at any approved California adult education agency or professional development event, either online or face-to-face with a computer lab or devices connected to the Internet.
All OTAN's workshops are provided at no cost!
Each session is hands-on - everyone will learn new skills related to technology or using technology that they can use in their adult education class or program. And all OTAN online or face-to-face workshops can be tailored to fit the needs of the requesting program. Select the links to see a list of the current online or face-to-face workshops and descriptions. If you don't see a workshop that is exactly what you need, contact OTAN - we'll work together to create a training that's best for you and your staff!
Need more information? Contact OTAN training staff anytime by phone at (916) 228-2580, or by email at support@otan.us.
To view workshops already scheduled, visit the California Adult Education Professional Development Calendar and search for workshops sponsored by OTAN. Don't miss out!