Ready for 2014: GED Professional Development in Minnesota

Amy Vickers, Minneapolis Adult EducationAstrid Liden, Minnesota Department of Education

Objectives for today

Explore the guiding principles of the MN GED 2014 PD initiative as an effective PD model

Apply principles from the MN GED PD experience to inform your approach to large-scale PD challenges in your own contexts

Access resources/tools developed through MN GED PD work

So…who stays for the last session of the conference?

Which high school equivalency exam(s) is/are being used in your state?

What are your challenges in preparing and delivering PD for your state’s test(s)?

Our challenge

Minnesota ABE professionals will understand the content domain and

format of the 2014 GED test.

We will acquire the strategies, skills, and resources needed to confidently prepare learners to pass the test and equip them

with 21st century skills.

ABE in Minnesota

Large state with significant distances between programs in rural areas

More than 500 delivery sites

Over 1,100 teachers, 170 paraprofessionals,180 administrators, and 2,400 trained volunteers

Majority of ABE programs are required to use K-12 licensed teachers or teachers with a college degree in ESL

About 75% of paid instructors are part-time

ABE PD in MN

ABE PD Specialist at MN Department of Education

Eight state-funded professional development providers

Statewide PD committee

Recent move to centralized coordination of regional PD

Minnesota ABE’s Related PD Priorities

Anticipating the integration of College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education

Prioritizing technology-based PD as a strategy for reaching ALL practitioners. Statewide webinar tool Collaborative identification of best practices and

development of resources

Cultivating more practitioner presenters and leaders

Minnesota’s 2014 GED PD Initiative

Limited GED-focused PD in recent years

Proactive approach to change in GED test

ABE grant funded GED PD project established in July 2012

Grant awarded to large ABE program with a designated project coordinator

Goal of maximizing existing PD structures and resources

Year 1 Process: July 2012 – June 2013

Convene PD planning groups

Create a vision

Gather & disseminate information

Identify & prioritize PD

needs

Develop PD & communication

s plan

Deliver targeted PD

Year 2 Process: July 2013 – June 2014

Analyze Data

Identify PD Needs & Priorities

Plan PD ActivitiesDeliver PD

Evaluate PD

Guiding principles

1. Follow a data-driven planning cycle

2. Work collaboratively

3. Develop practitioner leaders

4. Use varied delivery modes

5. Find new ways to utilize technology

6. Take a long-term broad perspective

1. Follow a data-driven planning cycle

Use a variety of data sources

Involve stakeholders

Set clear objectives & prioritize

Be responsive

DISCUSSION

What data are you using to

identify needs?

What potential “game changers”

are on the horizon?

2. Work collaboratively

Maximize existing PD structures and expertise

Develop diverse planning teams

Shared responsibility and excitement

Innovations are shared & advance the field

2014 GED Advisory Group example

Have expertise in different content areas

Are involved in a variety of statewide initiatives

Represent different regions of the state

Work in different types of programs

Practitioners who…

3. Develop practitioner leaders

Problem: ongoing need for effective PD presenters

Solution: Develop local leaders in varied contexts

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Builds buy-in and sustainability

Keeps PD grounded in reality of the classroom

Fosters a culture of reflection and professionalism

GED Writing Cohort example

Full-day institute led by national expert + ½ day cohort meeting

3 monthly webinars led by national expert

Online professional learning community facilitated by local teacher leader

Full-day training incorporating … Best practices in effective workshop facilitation Guided workshop development with local PD leaders

Cohort participants lead workshops at regional and statewide PD events

DISCUSSION

How are you developing practitioner leaders?

How could you build in more opportunities for leadership?

4. Use varied delivery modes

Consider the audience and the purpose. How can impact be maximized and barriers

be minimized?

Vary the scale

F2F, remote, or hybrid

Short-term or long term

Self-accessed or facilitated

Mathematical Reasoning example

Webinar to introduce module through the lens of the existing numeracy PD initiative (MNI) (March 2013)

Regional “Exploring the Math Module” workshops (Spring 2013)

Math Institute content refresher for algebra, geometry, data (May 2013)

ABE Summer Institute (August 2013) Pre-conference content refresher (formula sheet) Sessions on instructional strategies

Regional instructional strategy workshops (Fall 2013)

E-quip math webinars(Fall 2013)

Tools and resources

Centralized info on website: www.2014inMN.org

FAQ on website and distributed at PD events

Program planning tools and activities for administrators and support staff

Digital literacy resources

5. Find new ways to utilize technology

Leads to creative and innovative thinking

Possible to reach a wider audience

Engages tech-oriented practitioners & those who want to develop technology skills.

Culture of digital literacy will be shared with learners

E-quip Math PD Series example

Topics to date:1. Exploring the Tools of the Computer-based Testing Environment

2.Connecting and Interpreting Graphs and Functions

3.Connecting Coordinates, Lines, and Equations

4.Solving Quadratic Equations

5.Finding Surface Area and Its Related Dimensions

Archived at: www.2014inMN.org

E-quip Math Webinar Model

Part I: Do I have the background knowledge needed to get the most out of this webinar?PRE-webinar Preparation

Part III: Modeling Instruction

(30 minutes)

Part V: What could this look like in my context?POST-webinar Follow-Up

Part II: Building a Foundation(10 minutes)

Part IV: Reflecting on the Experience

(10 minutes)

GED Ready Reflection Webinars example

1 hour webinar on each of the GED Ready sub-tests

Conversation between host, guest “expert” and participants, guided by reflection questions that were available in advance

Encouraged a statewide discussion

Modeled a conversation that could happen locally

DISCUSSION

What strategies are you using to reach your practitioners?

6. Take a long-term broad perspective

Invest in a foundation

Long-term vision should inform decisions

GED PD served both as a catalyst to move us forward & an area to pilot emerging ideas

Instructional shifts example

We are already on the path to incorporating CCRS

As practitioners, we have developed a shared language around current research-based instructional practices

Digital literacy is actively integrated into instruction

Resources available at www.2014inMN.org

MN ABE 2014 GED planning process & PD plan

MN 2014 GED PD survey

One page FAQ about new GED test

One page summary of instructional shifts

Program planning tools and activities for administrators and support staff

Recorded E-quip episodes

Recorded webinars

Digital literacy resources

Thank you!

Astrid Liden Astrid.liden@state.mn.us

Amy Vickers Amy.Vickers@mpls.k12.mn.us

www.2014inMN.org