RESOURCES
We are excited to share recordings of a three-part webinar series offered through collaboration between the SABES Program Support PD Center and Dr. Jen Vanek of the IDEAL Consortium. The content of each webinar is drawn from IDEAL’s Distance and Blended Learning Handbook, which addresses both administrative and instructional issues at the core of successful blended and distance education programming. The Handbook is informed by current research, policy guidelines, and observations of effective practice documented by IDEAL Consortium members, past and present, and affiliated state leaders.
The first webinar, “Setting the Stage for Successful Distance and Blended Learning Programs”, provides guidance for establishing successful programs by introducing key definitions, orienting you to research-informed models, and illustrating the importance of taking an experimental and incremental approach to program development and new instructional strategies.
Don’t miss our Tech Tips Blog post that accompanies this webinar: Setting the Stage for Distance and Blended Learning
The second in the series of webinars, “Recruitment, Screening, and Orientation in Distance and Blended Learning Programs“, continues the work of helping you craft your program for a new or enhanced distance or blended learning program by sharing ideas for learner recruitment, screening, and orientation activities. We provide guidance for setting students up for success, first by finding the “right” students, and next by providing adequate orientation and scaffolding to support their engagement both initially and throughout their time in a program.
Don’t miss our Tech Tips Blog post that accompanies this webinar, which provides links to great research on this topic: Supporting Distance Learners from the Start
The final webinar in the IDEAL Handbook series, “Assessment and Instruction in Distance and Blended Learning Programs“, introduces new ways of thinking about instruction and assessment in your program. First, we introduce the concept of Involved Instruction, which illustrates the characteristics of distance and blended learning instruction found to support student success and persistence. Then, we feature a range of assessment strategies that align with involved instruction and ensure that both summative and formative assessment include options that fit the diverse learning needs and assessment preferences of ABE students.
Don’t miss our Tech Tips Blog post that accompanies this webinar, Considerations for Effective Distance and Blended Instruction and Assessment.