SHOP TALK # 30:
CONNECTING THE DOTS

Published May 29, 2009

The first annual Transitioning into College: Connecting the Dots Conference, which convened in San Antonio at ESC Region 20 on September 12, 2008, was a collaborative initiative for San Antonio area adult education practitioners, community college educators, and stakeholders in workforce development.

In 2006, the PATH (Postsecondary Awareness: Transition to Higher Education) In 2006, the PATH (Postsecondary Awareness: Transition to Higher Education) Committee was formed. A group of concerned educators began focusing on the assistance adult learners need in identifying educational and career opportunities and eliminating barriers to successful transitions from adult education to postsecondary education and training. The PATH Committee took their concerns to a new level, working diligently to bring together educators from both sides of the “divide” to share resources and ideas. The goal: to work toward creating a seamless network of services for adult learners wanting to continue their education and training.

140 participants registered for the conference. Sessions focused on the professional development needs of educators serving these adult learners. Effective instructional techniques and strategies were highlighted, course syllabi were shared, and participants had opportunities to interact with other educational professionals in an effort to understand what is required to bridge the gap. Sessions included the following titles:

• The 1,2,3 s and ABCs of Starting College
• Engaging the Adult Learner
• Tools, Techniques, and Strategies for the Educator Working with Non-Traditional Learners
• Understanding Learning and Using Mental Models for Students in Poverty
• One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Brain-Based Learning Strategies
• Starting Out on the Right Foot: Becoming a Savvy Student
• Preparing Students for Freshman Composition and Workplace Writing
• Using Effective Questioning Strategies in the Classroom
• Juggling Multiple Roles as an Adult Learner: Using Effective Time Management Techniques to Create Academic Success
• Generational Differences: What They Mean in the Classroom
• Information and Communication Literacy for the 21st Century

This year’s conference, scheduled for October 2nd, 2009, is entitled, Success Trifecta: Adult Education, Workforce and Developmental Education Collaboration. It will again bring together adult and community college developmental education teachers, workforce agency practitioners, and business partners. Participants will have the opportunity to network and explore ways to better assist clients pursuing lifelong learning. For additional information, contact Olga Escamilla, Education Specialist for the South Central GREAT Center. olga.escamilla@esc20.net.

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SHOP TALK is a series sponsored by Texas LEARNS to highlight promising practices and address issues, concerns, and questions related to meeting the adult education needs of Texas’ emerging, incumbent, and displaced workers. For additional information or to request that a particular topic be addressed, contact Barbara Tondre at btondre@earthlink.net