OTAN Digest February 2026
Spotlight On...
Reimagining the Classroom: TDLS 2026 Keynote
Adult education isn't just about the tools we use; it’s about the connections we build. As we prepare for our Technology and Digital Learning Symposium (TDLS) on March 6 and 7, 2026, in addition to over 50 breakout sessions, we are thrilled to announce our keynote speaker: Roni Habib.
Meet Roni Habib: A Champion for Joyful Teaching
Roni Habib, the founder of EQ Schools, is an expert in helping educators rediscover their purpose and resilience. After struggling with the high stress of teaching early in his career, Roni discovered a transformative approach by integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and positive psychology. A Harvard graduate with a huge heart, Roni has spent the last decade inspiring thousands of administrators and teachers to lead and teach with joy.
Roni Habib’s Keynote Session: Joyful and Resilient Teaching for Adult Learners
Adult learners bring rich life experience, responsibility, stress, and motivation into the learning space. Effective educators know that connection, relevance, and emotional safety are foundational to meaningful adult learning.
In this interactive and energizing session, educators will explore how to strengthen social and emotional intelligence—their own and their learners’—to create learning environments where adults feel respected, engaged, and empowered. Participants will gain practical tools to bring more joy, connection, and meaning into their teaching while supporting adult learners’ persistence, confidence, and growth.
This session focuses on creating learning cultures that honor adult learners’ autonomy, lived experience, and emotional realities—while still deepening learning outcomes and skill acquisition. Educators will experience and practice strategies that support psychological safety, motivation, and self-efficacy, all of which are critical for adult learning and retention.
Topics include social attunement, self-regulation, self-management, empathy, stress reduction, effective communication, and the intentional use of play and joy to enhance engagement and learning. All practices are grounded in research from Positive Psychology, Emotional Intelligence, and Mindfulness, and are designed to translate immediately into adult learning settings.
This will be a highly interactive, experiential session—expect reflection, connection, and moments of fun that model what effective adult learning can feel like.
Event Details & Registration
Whether you join us on-site at the Monterey Adult School or participate via our online platform, TDLS 2026 will bring vibrant discussions and hands-on tech demos designed to enrich the adult learning experience.
- Dates: March 6–7, 2026
- Format: Hybrid (In-person or Online)
- In-Person Capacity: Limited to the first 200 registrants!
California’s New AI Guidance for Public Schools
NCTN's Inspiring Career Development and Action: A Curriculum Guide for Adult Educators
ChatEDU – A Podcast Exploring AI’s Impact on Education
Celebrate Your Students: 2026 Nominations Now Open!
OTAN is now accepting nominations for the California Adult Education Students Succeed program. This is our opportunity to honor those who embody resilience, give back to their communities, and redefine their futures through education.
- Who Can Nominate: Any California adult education agency.
- Submission Window : Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 – Friday, March 20, 2026.
- Take Action:: Help us tell the story of adult education by submitting your nomination here.
Student Success Story
This month, we are honored to share the journey of Abdou Basbous, a 2025 nominee for the California Adult Education Students Succeed program.
In 2017, Abdou arrived in the U.S. from Syria, navigating the challenges of a new language and the loss of his father. Though he faced significant barriers, including limited educational access in his youth and physical/transportation hurdles, Abdou’s story is defined by his profound self-discipline and love for learning.
Abdou utilized the Glenn County Adult Literacy Program and Success One! Charter Adult High School to build his foundation. He didn't just meet his goals; he shattered them, earning the highest HiSET math score in the program's history!
Today, Abdou is an academic leader, tutor, and student at Butte College. He is currently on his way to becoming a Computer Engineer and Computer Scientist.
Abdou’s journey reminds us that adult education is a vital bridge to equity, providing every student the tools to lead and succeed.
Read more about Abdou's leadership on the California Adult Education Students Succeed website.
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OTAN Satisfaction Survey
OTAN would like to invite you to participate in our new Satisfaction Survey to help us improve our services in the following areas:
- Trainings and Presentations
- Website Resources
- Curriculum Offers
- Digital Learning Guidance
- Canvas
- and additional OTAN services
Take some time to complete this survey as soon as you have a chance. This survey should not take more than 20-30 minutes of your time.
As with all OTAN surveys, the results will be kept completely anonymous. OTAN has no way to trace individual results back to specific participants.
You can find the survey here: Survey Link
Thank you for your time and your feedback!
Monthly, SMEs write an article about technology and how it correlates with teaching and learning. These articles become companions of each OTAN Tech Talk. Have something to share? OTAN welcomes an article or Tech Talk from any adult educator in California.
February
Canvas Mastery Paths: Differentiating Is Grating! (Uh, I Mean Great!)
By Josh Eick, OTAN Subject Matter Expert
Have you ever experienced the following? You have a lesson that you spent hours prepping, and when you present the activity to your class, some students struggle with the material and don’t finish in the allotted time, others do fine, and yet others sail through the material in no time and sit bored waiting for the next activity? Of course you have. Have you ever stopped to think about why this happens?
January
Integrating Digital Literacy into Adult Citizenship Education
By Jennifer Gagliardi, OTAN Subject Matter Expert
The path to naturalization in the United States increasingly requires a foundation in digital literacy. As a significant portion of the adult population lacks basic digital skills, adult citizenship education must adapt to address this critical need. The goal is to prepare legal permanent residents not only for the civic and language components of the N-400 application but also for the digital environment in which the process now operates and the soon-to-be new American citizen lives.
December
Using Available Models to Approach an AI Policy in Your Classroom
By Maricel Manglicmot, OTAN Subject Matter Expert
Artificial intelligence is becoming as commonplace as a computer or calculator in the classroom, however policies vary from school to school, classroom to classroom. There might not yet be a school-wide AI policy at your site, or your site’s policy can be further tailored to your curriculum. The purpose of this article is to begin creating an AI policy that works for you and your class.
Seeking Pilot Teachers for CILIA-T
Are you looking for a way to integrate civics, digital skills, and English proficiency? We are seeking teachers to pilot CILIA-T (Content Integrated Language Instruction for Adults with Technology Support) this spring.
This 16-module, open-access curriculum blends U.S. history and civics with academic English and digital literacy. Designed for flexibility, it can be taught in person, online, or in a hybrid format.
Best suited for:
- Intermediate-Advanced ESL classes
- GED prep and basic literacy skills
- Civics and citizenship classes
Get Involved:
- Explore: Curriculum Website | View Modules | Info Slides
- Join the Pilot: Sign up here
Message from the Director
I’m excited to share that the updated California Adult Education Digital Learning Guidance (DLG) will be released this February. Since the original DLG launched in 2022, digital learning has evolved rapidly, with the growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies.
The DLG is important because it provides a shared statewide framework to help adult education programs make thoughtful, effective decisions about technology, instruction, and digital access. It supports agencies in strengthening digital equity, improving online, blended, and in-person learning, and ensuring that technology enhances, rather than distracts from, high-quality teaching and meaningful learner outcomes. The DLG also helps align local efforts with state priorities, offering practical guidance that programs can adapt to their unique communities, resources, and goals.
This latest version is designed to feel more relevant, accessible, and actionable for adult education practitioners. Every chapter has been enhanced with practical, real-world examples that show the DLG in action. We’ve also added a new, in-depth chapter on AI and expanded the Voices from the Field, highlighting innovative work happening across California adult education. I’m deeply grateful to the organizations, advisors, and educators who helped shape this update.
In the coming months, OTAN will offer several opportunities to help the field connect with and apply the updated DLG, including:
- A 10-week professional learning cohort focused on applying DLG concepts to improve instruction, workflows, and program resources/ The course Designing Effective Adult Learning, centers on building and facilitating effective digital learning experiences for adult learners and staff. (approximately 1-2 hour commitment per week)
- OTAN is also launching a pilot podcast series focused on real-world examples of digital learning in California adult education. OTAN will be looking for digital leaders in the field to share stories of effective digital integration and application.
I look forward to sharing more soon and to supporting the field as we bring the updated DLG into practice. Please check our OTAN website and social media announcements for up-to-date information on the release of the new DLG.
-Renee Collins
Director, Adult Education
OTAN January and February Events
| Date/Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, January 30 01:00 PM - 02:30 PM |
Designing Canvas Assignments That Support, Engage, and Respect Adult Learners | OTAN Online |
| Thursday, February 5 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM |
NotebookLM in Action: Audio, Video & Visual Tools (Part 1) | OTAN Online |
| Friday, February 6 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM |
CIP 2026-27: Everything You Need to Know in 45 Minutes | OTAN Online |
| Tuesday, February 10 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM |
AI assisted Storytelling Projects for ESL students | OTAN Online |
| Thursday, February 12 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM |
NotebookLM in Action: Mapping, Assessing & Presenting Ideas (Part 2) | OTAN Online |
| Friday, February 13 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM |
OTAN Tech Talk February 2026: Canvas Mastery Paths: Differentiating Is Grating! (Uh, I Mean Great!) | OTAN Online |
| Tuesday, February 17 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
Notebook LM at El Monte - Rosemead Adult School ★ | This session is an inservice for El Monte - Rosemead staff only. |
| Tuesday, February 17 12:30 PM - 03:30 PM |
Using AI in Adult Education ★ | This session is a closed inservice for Vallejo Adult School staff. |
| Tuesday, February 17 06:00 PM - 09:00 PM |
Notebook LM at El Monte - Rosemead Adult School ★ | This session is an inservice for El Monte - Rosemead staff only. |
| Thursday, February 19 02:30 PM - 03:30 PM |
Northstar Digital Literacy User Group | OTAN Online |
| Friday, February 20 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM |
WIOA Continuous Improvement Plan - Q&A | OTAN Online |
| Friday, February 27 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
Using AI in AE - Inservice for Santa Rosa Junior College ★ | This OTAN PD series is a closed inservice for Santa Rosa Junior College |
| Saturday, February 28 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM |
Create a Course Teacher Hub Template | 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 2025-2026 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!