Having slashed our budgets by a whopping 20% already this year, California’s adult schools continue to seek innovative ways to stretch our education dollars. Distance learning has been a growing delivery system for us during recent years, and we will continue to explore new ways in which we can educate students who are unable to meet face-to-face in a convenient and cost-effective manner.
The California Technology Innovation Challenge Grant began with the goal of extending learning beyond the classroom for students in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. Previously “low tech” in delivery, this project has evolved into online delivery methods such as the recently launched U.S.A. Learns—an Internet-based instructional software program. A joint venture of the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Division of Adult Education and Literacy (DAEL), core funding for U.S.A. Learns was provided by ED. Additional funding for U.S.A. Learns was made available by the California Department of Education, Office of Adult Education. U.S.A. Learns has helped adult educators to facilitate a centrally manageable, entirely online, truly innovative distance learning program for English learners.
The California Distance Learning Project continues to support expanding options for Career Technical Education Citizenship, GED Test Preparation, High School Diploma subjects, Older Adult, and Parent Education programs. Visit your local adult school today to learn more about distance learning programs in addition to a full array of traditional face to face and blended, i.e. combination of distance learning and traditional class meetings. Your local adult school is your community resource for full technology integration into all curricular areas. A list is available on the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network for Adult Educators (OTAN) website. Access to OTAN is free of charge with registration.
Tags: distance learning
A good introduction to the concepts of distance learning, however because adult schools had been previously limited to being able to claim only 5% of their total ADA cap as distance learning attendance, many smaller adult agencies could not afford to develop distance learning programs. I think most agencies will find that start up costs of DL programs is no less costly than traditional adult programs and in view of the budget reductions will be hard pressed to develop such programs.
Nonetheless, I believe that distance learning will be an important factor in the delivery of instruction in all areas of education for the future and should be pursued.
U.S.A. Learns is a free service. Another is English For All. Both are accessible through the OTAN website, as Ms. Wade states above. With the maximum flexibility and the suspension of some Ed Code rules now in effect, the 5% limit for distance learning is no longer enforced. Adult schools in California may use as much of their budgets for Distance Learning as they want. Our only expense now is the cost of the teacher.
Distance learning in adult schools provides adults a viable alternative to classroom instruction when either job or family obligations preclude many from attending classes on a regular basis. Why, then, is distance learning being scaled back at LA adult schools at a time when it’s needed most and can serve many with less operational cost than traditional learning?