OTAN Digest March 2026
Spotlight On...
2025 Digital Learning Guidance Update!
OTAN is very excited to share that the updated California Adult Education Digital Learning Guidance (DLG) is now published!
You can find the new DLG on the updated website here, where you will find:
- The full PDF
- Web-based versions of each chapter
- A new chapter on Generative AI
Note: The Explore Key Resources section of the site is live and currently includes tools from the 2022 version. It will be updated over the coming weeks as new materials are finalized.
About the update
Our goal with this revision was to build on the 2022 version and make the Guidance more relevant, practical, and accessible for today’s adult education contexts. We are eager to hear what you think and welcome feedback as you explore the updated content.
What’s coming next
Over the next few months, we will continue adding resources to support implementation, including:
- New short video examples highlighting digital learning in practice
- An updated self-paced online course
- A new facilitator’s guide aligned with the AI chapter
Opportunities to get involved
We are excited to share two new professional learning and outreach efforts and hope you will consider participating and helping spread the word.
- Facilitated course cohort
- A 10-week cohort beginning in mid-March
- Blends asynchronous activities with live sessions
- Free and open to all adult educators in California
- Requires about 1 hour per week
- Designed to help educators and administrators engage with the DLG and build practical resources
You can view the course flyer here and register here. We hope you will consider joining and sharing this opportunity with colleagues.
- Short video and podcast-style recordings
- Brief videos that showcase digital tools and strategies in action
- Open to instructors, tutors, navigators, support staff, and administrators
- Focused on real, everyday program practices
You can find full details about participating here.
Final Note
OTAN’s training team can customize and provide in-person or virtual training for your staff on any topic within the Digital Learning Guidance. If you want us to come to you (virtually or physically), send us an email at support@otan.us.
Stronger Starts: Free Parenting Support & Coaching for Your Students
Designing Better AI Prompts for Student-Centered Learning
Beyond the Password: Why Navigating 2FA is an Important Digital Literacy Skill
New Federal Workforce Strategy Signals Shifts: What California Adult Ed Providers Need to Know
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
Success is rarely a solo journey; it’s a series of brave decisions and strong partnerships. This month, we’re proud to highlight Demetria Anita Corro, a 2025 nominee for the California Adult Education Students Succeed program.
Anita’s journey began at Santa Ana College - School of Continuing Education, where she enrolled in ESL classes as a new mother. While balancing the demands of parenthood and navigating life in a new language, Anita demonstrated incredible resilience. Partnering with academic counselors and faculty, she utilized every resource available, from conversation groups to language labs, to turn her goals into reality. The result of her persistence? Mastery of a new language. ️ Completion of her high school diploma. A master's degree in Spanish from CSU Fullerton. And finally, a silver medal for Best Young Adult Nonfiction Book in the 2024 International Latino Book Awards!
Anita’s story is a powerful reminder that adult education provides the platform, but the student provides the fire. Her success shows how our communities thrive when we provide accessible pathways for lifelong learning. Read more about her path on the California Adult Education Students Succeed website.
Free Professional Learning Cohort: Using Technology to Design Effective Adult Learning
OTAN and Community Learning Partners (CLP) are offering a free, 10-week professional learning cohort for adult education instructors and staff this spring.
Using Technology to Design Effective Adult Learning supports participants in designing, testing, and refining digital learning experiences or program resources grounded in the Digital Learning Guidance (DLG).
What Participants Will Do
- Identify a real instructional or operational need in their own context
- Design and test a resource, workflow, or practice
- Receive structured peer feedback
- Improve their work through iteration
The focus is practical application. Participants leave with a completed or improved resource and a clear plan for next steps.
Course Structure
- 10 weeks (March–May 2026)
- Approximately 1 hour of activities per week
- Primarily asynchronous
- Three live virtual sessions for discussion and peer feedback (Tentatively planned for the weeks of March 16, April 6, and May 4; final dates confirmed with participants)
Who Should Apply
Adult education instructors, coordinators, and staff across California. The cohort is designed to support a range of digital skill levels, from those beginning to explore instructional technology to those with more experience.
Cost
There is no cost to participate.
How to Apply
Complete the application form by March 6, 2026. The application takes approximately 10 minutes
For questions, contact: Joey Lehrman at Community Learning Partners
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.
March
Building Community: Working Together in Education with SharePoint
By Chris Vela Che, OTAN Subject Matter Expert
As educators of multilingual adult learners, staying informed about the issues that shape our students’ daily lives is a shared responsibility to better serve and support them. Recent immigration policy changes have directly and indirectly affected many of our most vulnerable students in continuing education programs, making it clear that creating a safe and welcoming classroom environment—while essential—is no longer sufficient to ensure student retention and success. Educators play an active role in supporting students by sharing timely school- and community-based information and resources.
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.
Can’t Wait to See You at TDLS! 🌊
The countdown is officially on! In just a few days, the OTAN team and a community of innovative educators will descend upon Seaside (and our virtual platform) for TDLS 2026.
We’re putting the finishing touches on two days of high-energy sessions, hands-on tech demos, and the kind of inspiring moments that only happen here. Whether you’re joining us for the Monterey breeze or logging in from your living room, we can't wait to spend time with our adult education community.
👉 Register for TDLS 2026 and view the schedule here.
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
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!
Message from the Director
I’m hopeful that you have all seen the updated California Adult Education Digital Learning Guidance released in February 2026. It is a project close to my heart as I feel it has such strong potential to have a positive impact on every corner of our adult education community and beyond. I’m excited to share how our OTAN team will bring the DLG to life through our daily work and statewide efforts.
As Director, I see the DLG as more than a resource—it’s a call to action. In the coming year, we’ll plan to intentionally align our professional development, resources, and statewide initiatives with its key recommendations. This means modeling effective digital learning design in our own presentations, promoting flexible and blended learning pathways, and helping educators thoughtfully integrate technology using research-based frameworks.
We’ll continue expanding sustained, practical professional learning opportunities that support teachers, administrators, and support staff alike. We’ll also prioritize digital equity – ensuring access, inclusion, and learner voice remain central to the work we do and promote.
Also, we will model engaging, accessible, and learner-centered digital environments. By embedding these suggested activities into OTAN’s trainings, resources, and communications, we can strengthen digital learning across California and better serve adult learners in every region.
If you’ve yet to take a new look at the DLG, I invite you to do so. And, if the DLG is a resource that you keep at your fingertips, like me, I ask that you help us spread the word about this amazing resource. In fact, I encourage you to register for the spring DLG course cohort that is highlighted in this Digest.
Thank you for the work you do each day. I’m grateful to lead this effort alongside you.
Warmly,
-Renee Collins
Director, Adult Education
OTAN February and March Events
| Date/Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, February 25 04:00 PM - 05:30 PM |
The AI Co-Teacher: Reclaiming Time for Connection | This session is a closed inservice for Yucaipa Adult School staff. |
| Friday, February 27 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
Using AI in AE - Inservice for the Sonoma County Adult Education Consortium ★ | 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 |
| Friday, March 13 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM |
Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) Office Hours | OTAN Online |
| Saturday, March 14 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM |
Building an Admin Hub for Faculty | OTAN Online |
| Friday, March 20 09:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
Canvas Basics | OTAN Online |
| Friday, March 20 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM |
Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) for Small Agencies | OTAN Online |
| Friday, March 27 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM |
When AI Helps You Write: Smarter Goals, Better Plans | 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!