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Tour LINCS Professional Development Resources

May 8, 2014

Presented by:

Cynthia Zafft, LINCS Region 1 Staff

World Education, Inc.

Why Should I Visit LINCS Regularly?

LINCS provides you with the information, resources,

professional development activities, and online network

you need to enhance your practice and ensure your adult

students receive high-quality learning opportunities.

http://lincs.ed.gov/

LINCS is funded by the U.S. Department of Education - Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education. It is comprised of the Resource Collection, managed by Kratos Learning, the Regional Professional Development Centers, and the Technical Contractor, Quotient, Inc.

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LINCS Makes a Difference

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How can LINCS help you with your work? It offers:

• A Resource Collection containing high-quality, evidence-based materials in 16 topic areas;

• An online Community of Practice where you can share and collaborate with your peers;

• A Learning Portal where you can engage in self-paced and facilitated professional development courses; and

• Four Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs) that deploy evidenced-based PD trainings to states.

For a video overview of LINCS, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3bq6Mdn2Qg

Don’t Miss a Beat; Connect with LINCS

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• Join the Community: https://community.lincs.ed.gov

• Access the Learning Portal: http://lincs.ed.gov/courses

• Search the Resource Collection: http://lincs.ed.gov/collections

• Follow the latest updates: @LINCS_ED

• Join our professional group: LINCS_ED

• Watch webinar archives and more: LincsEd

Work Roles

Teacher

Administrator

Counselor

Technology

Workforce

Trainer/professional development

Continuing education

Distance Learning

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How Are Your Needs Being Addressed?

Where do you go for information to help you with your work?

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Activity: LINCS Website

Use the find feature to locate a resource in the Resource Collection by entering a key word and selecting a topic area.

Find out what event is happening on May 15, 2014 and where.

Locate America’s Literacy Directory (using the search feature) and find a program near you.

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Resource Collection

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LINCS Resource Collection – Topic Areas

Adult English Language Learners Financial Literacy

Assessment Health Literacy

Career Pathways Math & Numeracy

College & Career Standards Postsecondary Completion

Correctional Education Program Management

Disabilities in Adult Education Reading & Writing

Diversity & Literacy Science

Evidence-based Prof. Dev. Technology & Learning

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LINCS Community of Practice

Sixteen groups that discuss, review, and share adult education relevant resources, issues, and topics.

Lead by recognized subject matter experts (SMEs).

Group members can receive email notifications about community activity immediately or change to daily or weekly digest format.

Join at: https://community.lincs.ed.gov

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Definition of a Community of Practice

Groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis.

~Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

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Mini Tour of the LINCS Community

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Activity—First Steps

1. Become a community member (if you are not already).

2. Find the My LINCS tab.

3. Look at the ways you can update your profile—add a picture.

4. Check out the events calendar.

5. Locate search function and search for the “User Code of Conduct”.

6. Set your digest delivery style.

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LINCS Learning Portal – Online Courses

The LINCS Learning Portal is an open-access, web-based learning platform that enables learners, instructors, and organizations to access online learning opportunities.

Courses are free, include multimedia activities, and provide participants with a certificate of completion

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LINCS Online Learning Portal

Adult Career Pathways

English Language Learner University (ELL-U)

Learning to Achieve (L2A)

LINCS Science

Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL)

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Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs)

World Education, Inc.

Center for Literacy, Education,

and Employment

Ohio Literacy Resource Center

Peninsula Library System

and LiteracyWorks

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RPDCs Mission

The LINCS RPDCs are designed to:

Disseminate Adult Education Professional Development (AEPD) materials to adult education and related organizations;

Collaborate closely with eligible agencies to organize and deliver virtual or in-person AEPD;

Foster the use of new technologies for adult educators

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LINCS RPDCs—Ongoing Activities

Professional Development and Training Activities

Adult Numeracy Instruction (ANI)

Standards in Action (SIA)

Teaching Excellence in Adult Literacy (TEAL)

Online Study Circles in several content areas including: Self-Determination, Preparing Students for College, Adult Numeracy, Adult Learner Motivation

Presentations at national conferences (American Association for Adult & Continuing Education, U.S. Conference on Adult Literacy/Proliteracy, Commission on Adult Basic Education, National Center for Family Literacy Conference, and others)

Professional development & training at state conferences

Advisory Partner Activities

Annual meeting, Spring 2014

Newsletters, conference calls, webinars

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Follow Us for LINCS Updates

@LINCS_ED

Join our group:

LINCS_ED

Contact Us

Cynthia Zafft, World Education, Inc.

LINCS RPDC Staff, LINCS Region 1

czafft@worlded.org

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LINCS Website: http://lincs.ed.gov/

LINCS Help: info@lincs.ed.gov