The Moreno Valley Community Adult School has been selected as a recipient of the “Promising Practices Award” for its Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Title II: Adult Education Family Literacy Act “Technology Boot Camp.”
“This is exciting news as we know how important it is for all of our students to be equipped with 21st Century skills,” said Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) Superintendent Dr. Martinrex Kedziora. “It was not easy for many people to navigate through online platforms during this pandemic, so a program like this is an incredible opportunity for people to utilize for now and in other aspects of their education or career.”
The Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) is managing this California Department of Education award process, which recognizes adult education providers that have implemented strategies and practices to help students attain their goals.
The adult school’s “Technology Boot Camp'' was designed by a team of teachers and students to help adult students learn how to negotiate virtual learning by training them how to use various programs and applications needed to access their classes. While teachers designed the instruction, students were able to translate the lessons into the various languages represented by its multicultural student population. The Technology Boot camp is led by Lead Teacher, Ms. Jennifer Griffin and ESL Department Chair, Ms. Lolita Anderson.
“One of the challenges that we saw was a need for additional support and training for our students and staff in the areas of technology use,” explained Dr. Patricia Bazanos, Principal of the Moreno Valley Community Adult School.
To support students, the school developed a Technology Orientation and Digital Learning Library and called it a Boot Camp. The library is an easy-to-use platform where students and staff can find resources and develop their technology skills. The library also includes training videos on topics such as accessing and maneuvering school accounts, Google Classroom, Google Apps, Zoom, and the use of different types of electronic devices. Additionally, the library of student-created tutorials is available in various languages to support students who are English-language learners.
“The practice has taken the weight of providing technology tutoring from our teachers and placed ownership on our students,” said Dr. Bazanos.
As a recipient of the “Promising Practices Award,” Moreno Valley Community Adult School personnel were invited to present at a “Promising Practices” panel at the CASAS Adult Education Summer Institute to share their experiences with other agencies from across the country.
The Summer Institute occurred (virtually) from June 17 through 24, 2021. Additionally, Moreno Valley Community Adult School will be invited to participate in various panels and presentations throughout the 2021-2022 program year to serve as a model for other programs seeking to implement successful activities and practices for adult learners.
“Adult learners already face many challenges when it comes to their education so we are proud of our district in finding innovative ways to support all students during the pandemic,” said MVUSD School Board President Darrell Peeden. “It’s gratifying to see that they will be able to share their experience with other districts to help them with their adult education programs.”