No matter what your role or title, if you work in the field of adult education, you are part of a national network of professionals who are working together to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. You play a critical role in this mission, so this course introduces and connects you to the systems and people that drive this work.
- Program staff in any role who are new to adult education, or to working in a program funded by the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
This professional development activity/course is designed for:
If you’re new to working in adult education, you may have heard someone say that people enter the field of adult education “sideways,” meaning they often begin in other careers and then “find their way” to adult education.
Adult education practitioners have rich and varied backgrounds that inform their practice in meaningful and valuable ways. They also need and benefit from an orientation to our field, including a common vocabulary and a shared understanding of the work we do.
The Foundations for New Staff (FNS) asynchronous online course comprises five modules that together will provide you with that orientation, including an overview of the field, an overview of professional development opportunities, effective teaching and advising, and program and practitioner accountability.
Course Format: The course is entirely self-paced and there are no synchronous meetings, though you can expect a rich asynchronous conversation in the discussion board.
Course Length & Requirements: The course typically takes about 3 hours to complete, and you will have about a month to complete it.
You will need to complete the following course components:
- Five, self-paced modules
- Journal reflections on your learning and how you are applying it
- At least one post on the discussion board
Course Access & Support: You will receive instructions for accessing the course from Jane Brandt and from Canvas. If you need technical assistance to access the course or course features, please contact Jane Brandt at jane_brandt@worlded.org.
If you have questions about the requirements, format, or content of the course, please contact facilitator Alexandra Papagno at alexandra_papagno@worlded.org.
Extending Your Learning: After the course, we encourage you to work with your director to create a personal professional development plan to continue your learning. You will have access to this course in Canvas indefinitely so that you may continue to access information and resources as you continue your professional journey in adult education.
This offering supports staff development related to the following IPQs:
- Indicator 2: Equitable Access: Guided by data and a responsibility for diversity, equity[i] and inclusion,[ii] the program ensures that all adult learners in the local workforce area have equitable access to high quality educational services.
- Indicator 9: Educational Leadership: Educational leaders guide a continuous improvement planning process that supports high quality practices and a shared vision for student and staff success with the goal of improving student outcomes.
This session will be recorded.
Several days before the event, you’ll receive an email with the Zoom link from jane_brandt@worlded.org.
*To ensure that you receive information about your training, please save jane_brandt@worlded.org to your email address book.*
Additional offering of this course: If you can’t attend this session, we will be offering it again online in May 2025.
- Name the policies, institutions, and systems that drive adult education practice at the federal and state level and explain how they correlate with your work
- Find and use professional development (PD) and resources that contribute to your professional growth and your program’s continuous improvement goals
- Describe the roles of instructors and advisors, explain how professional practice relates to student persistence, student goals, and student outcomes, and locate relevant professional standards for your role
- Name the key components of the Massachusetts accountability for adult education programs, including the role of the LACES data and reporting system
Upon completion of this professional development activity/course, you will be able to:
United States
