AlphaPlus

AlphaPlus has a proven track record of informing, supporting and inspiring the use of technology in adult education. Through training, support, communications and research, we provide the following services:

Tools and Resources

• Blog - Our Blog is the go-to place for news and information about adult literacy and technology;

• E-News - Almost two thousand subscribers receive AlphaPlus’ e-Newsletter on a monthly basis. Since 2008, our electronic newsletter has allowed us to deliver the latest updates on our work with the field;

• Tech Podcasts - Too often great work and new ways of doing things are hidden away and we only get to read about them in reports. We decided to create Podcasts so that we could hear directly from practitioners and researchers about the role and impact of technology use in adult basic education;

• Our Web Index contains a collection of links to over 1000 web-based resources on all aspects of adult basic education and literacy from provincial, national and international sources;

• Pathfinders are guides, prepared by AlphaPlus staff, to help users quickly find relevant information on a particular topic. Our most recent pathfinders, Essential skills and computer use and Successful online learning, provide a snap- shot of current resources for adult literacy practitioners;

• Web Tools - a series of Featured Technology articles posted on our site monthly, showcasing a specific tool with highlights on how it can be used to support practitioners or learners. To provide examples, we also have a Spotlight section on our web site with articles showcasing how these tools are used in practice by specific organizations;

• Just Ask - A live chat or instant messaging service, Just Ask, is available by clicking a button on our web site homepage, allowing users to quickly connect with AlphaPlus staff. Users can ask questions about setting up a blog, a wiki, or other web-based tools, ask questions about online resources, discuss research on the use of web-based technologies for educational purposes, or simply discuss your ideas with one of our staff;

Support

• We participate on the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Initiative’s Curriculum Development team, which was assembled in October 2008, with the aim of developing a new Ontario Adult Learning Curriculum to meet the needs of learners in the 21st century.  Our role is to conduct research and analysis to support the project in relation to the use of computers and technology;

• We create Tech Surveys in collaboration with Regional Literacy Networks and an Advisory Group, designed to assist Literacy Basic Skills (LBS) agencies to evaluate their program’s capacity to engage in online learning and training;

• We provide a self-assessment tool, the E-Channel Online Learning Readiness Assessment , to assist independent learners to evaluate their readiness to participate in online learning, and to help them identify the supports they need for a successful learning experience;

• E-channel.  As a participant at the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ e-Channel Roundtable meetings, AlphaPlus brings forward materials and resources that support distance learning, that can also be integrated into face-to-face delivery services;

• We host Moodle sites for:  Community Literacy Ontario (CLO), Laubach Literacy Ontario, Prince Edward Learning Centre, Literacy Link South Central, the Labour Education Centre, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), and Deaf/blind LBS programs;

• We provide advanced-level Moodle Support for e-Learning including a preparation course to increase success for those who are new to Moodle

Training

• Moodle - AlphaPlus offers online Moodle training to Ontario adult educators interested in building their technology skills and knowledge. Our Introduction to Moodle training introduces new users to a Moodle course environment. Our Build and Deliver a Short Moodle Course training teaches Introduction to Moodle graduates how to develop and deliver a short online course on a Moodle platform to either literacy students or peer educators

• To increase access to Moodle training, we offer a Getting to Know Moodle in ASL DVD with American Sign Language instructions on how to use Moodle for educators and adult learners;

• We offer professional development events on how to make the best use of computer resources and the support of AlphaPlus. Topics have included Learning Technologies in Adult Literacy and Moodle;

• Our monthly Tech Tuesday meetings allow adult basic education (ABE) administrators, educators and supporters to network and learn about new and innovative web-based technology and tools. Using MeetUp.com, we announce new meetings online, allow people to RSVP, provide feedback and post documents, links and files discussed during the sessions.

Research

• We compile a Review of English language literature related to e-learning, web-based, online, blended, hybrid, open, flexible and distance learning in adult basic education in Canada, the U.S., U.K., Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia;

• AlphaPlus sponsors Reports that explore topics related to the changing nature of technology and how it affects adult basic education. Topics include Cloud Computing and Adult Literacy, Digital Technology in the Literacy and Basic Skills Sector, Social Media and Adult Education, and Technology and adult learners in Francophone minority environments.

• We provide access to the latest information on projects and initiatives in the field with our Research Annotations on adult literacy research in Ontario and other countries, posted on the AlphaPlus website and blog.

New projects

• New AlphaPlus website  - Our new website allows us to quickly connect and share information with our visitors. We feature new and emerging technologies; showcase how they are used in the field; blog about interesting sites, research, and initiatives; provide information on training and resources; coordinate our news, newsletters and mailing lists; and manage our RSS feeds - all using an open source content management system called Joomla.

• Tech Tuesdays webinars  - We now not only meet face-to-face for our Tech Tuesdays meetings, but also organize online webinars accessible to anyone with internet access and a headset. The sessions are recorded and all content discussed during the sessions is available to participants via a public wiki.

• Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF) Information Management Project - The OALCF Information Management Project supports the development and the delivery of the Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF). We provided assistance in the development of a website, providing access to OALC content and information about the history of the project, and the stakeholders and funders involved. The site also provides a literacy context for the curriculum, and was launched in May 2011.

• Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF) Feedback Project - AlphaPlus will design and roll-out tools to gather stakeholders’ feedback on the OALCF, analyse the data and provide The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) with reports.

• Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF) Release Web Coordination Project - We will coordinate the production of revised Web content and the creation of new Employment Ontario Partner’s Gateway (EOPG) OALCF content which tentatively includes: learning plan tools, learner support tools, models of literacy service planning, and a guide to the requirements of individual learners’ goal paths.

• Getting to Know Moodle in ASL - In the final quarter of the upcoming year, AlphaPlus in partnership with Ottawa Community Coalition for Literacy, will deliver a new project called Getting to Know Moodle in ASL. The project’s goal is to introduce Deaf and Deaf/blind learners to Moodle so that they can access online training delivered in Moodle.  This project will produce a 30 minute captioned video that introduces Moodle and will include three short courses showing how common daily tasks can be linked to Essential Skills.

• e-Channel Assessment Tool - This coming year, we will work with the e-Channel delivery agencies on an assessment tool for adult learners to self-evaluate their computer skills, digital learning technology skills, and learning self-management skills.

• Seamless e-Channel Programming for Offenders - This program will allow for learning without Internet or Web-based access. Instead, we will use Plato software and e-Channel programs with the support of onsite literacy tutors, to provide literacy programming to incarcerated adult learners. In addition, we will produce DVDs to provide on demand learning, containing a total of 40 Deaf, Native, English and French interactive activities. We will also set up a website for educators and volunteers within the correctional system for sharing literacy information and resources.