Volume 42 Number 1 Winter 2021
Groundwork
Hosting Engaging Online Meetings The Adult Graduation Diploma in the time of Pandemic
Everyday Wellness Hacks 1
ABEABC Board of Directors President
Michelle Vandepol
Vice President
Viviana Chiorean
Secretary
Andrea Eaton
Treasurer
Izabela Mazur
Conference Co Chair
Margaret Zmudzka-Bajerski
Groundwork Chair
Jane Parker
Aboriginal Liaison
Lillian Prince
Membership Chair
Vacant
Government Liaison
Michelle Rickaby
Delta/Surrey/ Fraser Valley Rep
Valerie Sprott
North Central Rep
Vacant
Metro Vancouver Rep
Stephanie Forgacs
Kootney– Boundary Rep
John Cowan
Vancouver Island Rep
Vacant
Cariboo Okanagan Rep
Kim Moshenko
Groundwork is published 2-3 times each year by the Adult Basic Education Association of British Columbia. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policies of the ABEABC except where explicitly stated. We encourage participation from members and others in the field of Adult Basic Education.
Board Member contact information: abeabc.ca/contacts.htm Send manuscripts and accompanying photographs by emailto info@abeabc.ca General enquiries about ABEABC can also be sent to info@abeabc.ca Many thanks to our contributors to this issue. The ABEABC homepage can be found at
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www.abeabc.ca/
Letter from the President Hello and welcome to the Winter 2021 issue of Groundwork. In this issue we are pleased to bring you information on juggling multiple roles in a remote work environment and navigating the open education journey as a faculty member.
Also look for everyday wellness hacks and ways to address student food insecurity. In the resource listingsyou will find out how to link your labour union to the community to do some good where you live, where to find breaking BC government news, a connection with 2 weeks of free online skill building classes for you and a colleague, and the step-by step process to connect your students’ families with free books they can keep.
Columbians, tips for workday wellbeing, as well as social media strategy for student outreach. We would love to add your voice to the discussion. Are you an educator, administrator, advisor, or staff member in an ABE area? Your point of view and everyday strategies can be of real help to your colleagues in a time when we all benefit from each other’s know how and encouragement. We are looking forward to at our online conference scheduled for April 19-23, 2021. You can register for sessions at https:// www.eventbrite.ca/e/abeabc-2021online-conference-tickets141381143807
If you are interested in taking a more active role in ABEABC engagement, you are welcome to join us. Attending the AGM during You will also find online trivia helps for your classroom or meeting the conference will allow you to get an idea of what kinds of engagement purposes, where to access free audiobooks, and how to opportunities will be available in the coming year. connect with a learning strategist. Indigenous Story Studios have also sent us the link to their COVID-19 If you have ideas for the conference short film that they were contracted or online meetings and workshops you’d like to see in the to make for Indigenous youth. coming year, drop us a line at info@abeabc.ca . We’d be happy Practical articles continue with how the Adult Graduation Diploma to work with you to make ABEABC the association you’re dreamhas been affected in the time of pandemic and best practices for ing of. From our home offices and hosting online meetings. online classrooms to yours, we hope you’re having a fulfilling We also have a new roundup of winter semester and that you will book reviews, listings of let us know if there’s any resource government resources for British we can connect you with.
Michelle
WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS! Think of us when you attend a webinar or come across a new online resource. Your peers would appreciate reading a review, a summary, or a recommendation.
Have you read a book that was particularly valuable in your practice? A book review or synopsis would be of great help when your colleagues are looking to spend their department’s library allocations. Did you take some great photos on your staycation for your Instagram feed? We are always looking for cover art and would be glad to feature yours. Do you have a student who would like to gain a publishing credit? Let them know they can submit a student-view article.
Want to Write For Groundwork? email info@abeabc.ca
Michelle Vandepol, ABEABC president 3
WORKDAY EXPERIENCES
Juggling multiple roles in a remote work environment. Viviana Chiorean
If there is one thing I appreciate about online teaching, it is that I can wear my house slippers to class!
meditation. Weather permitting, I also include hikes and walks to keep my body moving. These do not have to be difficult or long.
However, despite the perks that come with a remote work environment, we are all, students and instructors alike, trying to accommodate to the new normal of online teaching and learning.
Other intentional acts such as savouring a cup of coffee or a homemade meal are also part of my self-care practice.
Being “present” for family time means that the cell phones are It is important to acknowledge that turned off and distractions kept to a all of us, in some shape or form, minimum. With my students, we are struggling to juggle multiple engage in mindfulness activities roles within our environment. I am such as deep breathing, short a mother of two, wife, employee, stretching, or an awareness continuing education instructor, exercise where we observe the daughter and most recently also an noises we hear, as well as the items executive coordinator of a not-for- we see and smell in our profit organization. environment before our “virtual class” begins. Thus, a remote work environment poses challenges relating to Access to technology and its use organization, time management, can also be a challenge. A great motivation, self-care practices, and way to approach this is to technological difficulties or experiment in a safe environment accessibility among many others. with low stakes. Technology is advancing at such a rapid rate that In a remote work environment, it could lead to feelings of prioritizing is key to effective time frustration. However, an inquisitive management. I appreciate daily “to nature whereby we learn from our do lists” that focus on small mistakes can ease combatting the achievements over time. steep learning curve. While there is no exact formula for achieving that I structure my list with important work/life balance, especially and urgent items at the top and during a remote work environment important but not urgent items to follow. Prioritizing self-care is also where we are juggling multiple roles, a positive attitude can make something I am continually working on and I start the day with all the difference! gratitude affirmations or 4
We can acknowledge that certain skills and experiences in one role can in fact be transferable and potentially enrich our performance in other roles. We can find multiple sources for self validation, feelings of accomplishment, and identity formation. It is important to remember that everyone is unique and we must experiment with strategies that work well for us. As the quote attributed to Theodore Roosevelt states, “Comparison is the thief of joy” and no one is perfect. We need to remain authentic to ourselves, acknowledge our limitations, and gather the strength to say ‘No’ if necessary in order to avoid burnout _________________________________ Viviana is a Continuing Education instructor, administrative professional, and serves as the Vice President of ABEABC. _________________________________ TAKEAWAYS:
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Prioritize activities that fill you up
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Include your students in self-care skill building
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Detach from tech when you can outside of work hours
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Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing the best you can.
OPEN EDUCATION
Into the Open: Stormy Seas and Smooth Sailing The Open Education Journey Christine Miller Into the Open As an educator, what does the word “open” mean to you? Does it mean accepting all students regardless of background or ability? Perhaps it means honesty and transparency, or maybe opening doors to reduce barriers? For me, the word open has come to describe a framework and philosophy around education and access to high-quality, affordable educational resources.
According to BCcampus, open educational resources (OERs) are “teaching, learning and research resources that, through permissions granted by their creator, allow others to use, distribute, keep or make changes to them.” (BCcampus, January 2021) I was introduced to OER during an information session at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) presented by our Open Education Librarian, Brenda Smith. Before this session, I hadn’t thought much about textbooks, and like many still do, I had the understanding that textbooks come from the bookstore, they cost a lot and that was just the reality for students. Five years after that information session, I now count myself among
the growing ranks of OER enthusiasts and creators.
way we can help to reduce financial barriers.
The typical textbooks we use in our classrooms published by McGraw Hill or Pearson are high quality. They are well researched, they have exceptional graphics, and they often include (sometimes for an added cost), a digital pass to extra online study activities or assessments. We use them in our course resources because they are meant to support student success. But what if these textbooks that we assign to help students, are actually a barrier to their success? The textbook I was using for my students costs approximately $240 which I realized could easily be the same amount one of them spends on housing or food in a month. Even worse, through my student evaluations I often heard that students didn’t even open the textbook! As instructors of ABE, we know that our students are vulnerable in many ways – academically, financially, and sometimes even in respect to physical or mental health. As teachers, I believe that we owe it to our students to remove as many barriers as we possibly can so that they can access and succeed in their education. Using OER is one
Some of you may think that OER are of lower quality, that you won’t be able to find exactly what you want, or worry that you will lose your instructor resources. Occasionally that is true, but increasingly it is becoming less so. With increased support for open education, by many notable private and public organizations, the quality, availability, and diversity of OERs has grown significantly in the past ten years. My voyage into “open” started with a desire to reduce costs for my students and give them the high-quality learning resources that I felt they deserved.
Stormy Seas Trying anything new is typically hard (unless we’re talking about ice cream flavours!). We have all experienced the challenges of learning new course content, new learning management systems, and trying new educational tools. This process can be fraught with frustration, anxiety and self-doubt, but with persistence and help, it can become easier. Continued on page 15
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WELLNESS IN WINTER MONTHS
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1.
Participate in an online exercise class with friends or colleagues.
2.
Try a new healthy recipe and post the results on social to make healthy eating contagious.
3.
Try stretching before bed. A meditative body scan and setting the alarm to ensure eight hours of sleep also maximize the next day’s energy levels.
4.
Sign up for a myfitnesspal account (Google Play Store— free app) to track water, exercise, and nutrition (it will even calculate your daily macros in a pie chart)
5.
Taking a D vitamin supplement and trying to take a walk when ever the sun’s out helps meet the benefits of warmer months.
6.
If you find yourself getting down from the longer, darker days, you might enjoy a “happy light” which bathes you in sunshine-like rays.
7.
Your Employee Assistance Plan can connect you with counsellors to talk to that can be a listening empathetic ear. If you are without benefits, contact your local union’s non-regular rep to see what you have available.
EDUCATORS SHARE RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES
United Way & Unions in the Community
Online trivia with colleagues or students. Get started at mentimeter.com
Get involved
and kahoot.it
https://www.uwlm.ca/ labour/
Workshops with A Learning Strategist https://bethcouglerblom.com/
News from Indigenous Story Studio
Skillshare Online classes for everything https://join.skillshare.com/general14day/?coupon
Indigenous Services Canada funded us for an animated short on Covid-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=FossG0E6mi0. We hope you like it.
BC Govt News https://news.gov.bc.ca/newsletters
Please feel free to share widely. This is a new knowledge transfer tool for us and it's perfect for cellphones; youth's preferred delivery source. Sean Muir sean@istorystudio.com
First Book Canada 1.
sign up
2.
Apply for book distribution
3.
Order books for only the shipping
4.
Connect your clients with books
Library audiobooks on the Libby or
https://www.firstbookcanada.org/
Overdrive apps Send us your favorite online resource by emailing the editor (information on page 3) 7
ADVISOR NOTES
The Adult Graduation Diploma in the Time of Pandemic Michelle Rickaby
When we are in our teen years and attending high school it is expected we will graduate with our High School Diploma and cross the stage with our grade 12 graduation. Not everyone is able to achieve this during that time. There is an opportunity, however, to complete the Adult Graduation Diploma if the chance is missed. Students often need to leave high school before grade 12 is completed. There are many situations why this happens. Sometimes students are sick and miss a lot of school, are traveling in their last years, or have a hard time at home and need to move out. Many people tell me that they just didn’t pay attention in high school, that there were other things that were more important at the time. I am an Instructional Assistant in the Upgrading and University Preparation Department (UUP) at the University of the Fraser Valley and help students with their upgrading to complete their Adult Dogwood. Not everyone is able to complete high school as a teenager and it is a rite of passage. I was in one of the above categories and left high school in grade 11. At the time it was easy to get the GED which was a test written in one day, including 5 subjects. If you passed all 5 subjects, then you had your GED which was accepted as a grade 12 equivalent. The GED was discontinued in BC in 2014 and
adults now need to complete 5 requirement. Some want to courses, English 12, math 11 and 3 upgrade their skills for personal electives to gain their Dogwood. improvement, and there are parents who are helping their own children The Dogwood has become a very in high school and want to prove important accomplishment for a how important it is to graduate. number of reasons. During COVID -19 we are seeing an increase in the As an Instructional Assistant I meet inquiries and engagement with with students and determine what their people pursuing their Dogwood. purpose is to complete their Dogwood. Many are new to UFV and some Meeting the requirements can include are returning. Since the spring the a combination of courses and the plan university offers only online is customized to achieve their goal. If classes due to COVID-19. In the a student wants to complete their upgrading department we have Dogwood for employment, this can be seen an increase in interest in done with tuition free upgrading classes. UUP offers the core subjects students continuing their of math and English as well as other education. Some people feel that grade 12 electives to reach this goal. now they are able to return to When a student clearly wants to move studying or start what they have to a university program they will been meaning to do. With some upgrade the courses necessary for that people not able to work and are program. University credits can be staying at home, some feel they have more time to focus on studies. used as Dogwood electives and it may be an advantage to start taking With the flexibility of online university level credits towards their classes this is a good option. Others are taking this opportunity program. to improve their education and be When a student meets with one of better prepared when they will be the UUP advisors we will map out looking for employment again. Often not having their high school a Dogwood plan that will help the or adult graduation diploma holds student see how long it will take to complete their Diploma. We can them back from better jobs or revisit the plan to make promotions. adjustments if the student needs to There are a variety of students who take a break or wants to take more are upgrading at any time. The age classes. Once they meet the range is from 19 years old to requirements they will apply to people in their 50’s and 60’s. graduate! Graduation with the Students may need to complete Dogwood entitles students to cross their Dogwood for employment or the stage during a UFV graduation to apply to university programs ceremony. CONT p. 14 that may require it as an entrance 8
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
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DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS
Hosting Meetings in the Pandemic Melissa Bukta
Since COVID-19 our accesses to technology have changed immensely. We have learned quite quickly and adapted our behaviours to continue our work requirements in a modified way. Now doing things such as meeting online is becoming rather comfortable whereas only few short months ago doing so felt foreign for a lot of us. There are strategies we can take to host successful meetings, we continue to learn and adapt. I feel like some of these processes are here to stay. Some benefits include significantly reduced travel time, less stress on the environment by not having to travel to the meetings, and a chance to wear zoom-meetingattire/work-from-home corporate attire. I am Department Assistant in the Upgrading department at a BC university. In my position I have had the opportunity to try different meeting platforms to host small and larger meetings. To get started, I’ve listed tips below to hosting virtual meetings. Best Practices •
Hardwire your internet connection – Most of us have now experienced attending meetings where the connection is poor and audio quality and the experience can be affected.
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Minimize background noise – Try hosting your meeting in a quiet place. The host has control of muting and unmuting the attendees. Using a headset with microphone is also a good way to have clear communication. Start on time and end at the scheduled time – As the host, be sure to be there on time and allow about five minutes for the attendees to join the meeting before beginning. Assign a facilitator – One individual to guide the conversation so attendees can focus on the content. Stick to the meeting basics – Set clear objectives and agenda. Be sure to take breaks. Minimize presentation length – If there is a presentation be sure to use screen sharing to guide the conversation and limit the presentation time.
Challenges and Possible Solutions •
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Using the most appropriate online meeting platform, there are many different options such as Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, Bluejeans, etc. Lags or freezes during 10
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meetings – Check the internet connection, connection speed, and adjust settings in the platform you are using. Security problems such as Zoom Bombing – A solution can be to require a meeting passcode. Webcam or audio not working – Take the time to test webcam and audio use prior to the meeting. If possible, have a backup computer or phone to use. Problems with sharing a screen – You can assign a co-host who can share their screen as well. In advance, share the content you will be using.
Preparation • •
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Create a meeting invitation in outlook and send it out. Attach all documents (including the agenda) to the invitation and send to attendees. Follow up before meeting with any updated documents. Outline the meeting rules.
Working in a remote environment has created challenges and we are learning how to work in our new space. CONT P.14
Conference Registration comes with a Membership to the Association as well as a year’s subscription to Groundwork.
Membership in the ABEABC is open to you if you are involved in:
• • • • • • •
Community literacy programs First Nations adult education programs Literacy in libraries ESL programs for adults Workplace literacy programs Correctional institution programs Upgrading and university preparation Organizational memberships are also available.
https://www.abeabc.ca/membership/
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READING BREAK
If you want to understand your drinking, another's drinking, or society's obsession with drinking. If you've ever thought of not drinking, but it seemed less complicated to just keep drinking a little bit. If you've ever tried to give up drinking for a cleanse or Lent or sober January and realized how often drinks are offered to you. If you want to read something that is not AA polarizing, does not make excuses or assign blame, and tackles the specific how of one would lead a sober enjoyable life. This is your book. Highly recommend!
Empowering call to leverage personal power for social good.
A call out of ableism in the context of a narrative of a celebrated life with disability. Bust through myths, get a crash course in universal design, and connect with resources for further learning, all in a memoir that's impossible to put down.
Like the gifts of imperfection for couples. Both immensely practical & highly expectant in what it asks of and delivers to both partners. Focusing on improved communication, appreciation, and celebration, this guidebook incorporates a grace-based approach to partner equity and enjoyment.
Suspenseful page-turner. Engaging tight knit community of characters. Escapist drama. Satisfying ending.
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A lost in the wilderness tale. Descriptive, well-paced, and with just enough contextual back story. You'll care about main character Wolf Truly and those he cares about.
Heartbreaking and eyeopening novel that tells the tales of the Duplessis Orphans (20,000 Canadian children who were wrongly certified as mentally ill by the provincial government of Quebec and confined to psychiatric institutions in the 1940s and 1950s.)
WORKDAY HACKS
ONLINE PARTY TIPS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
DAILY ACTIVITY
Send out a digital invite Plan online games (trivis works well: kahoot, mentimeter. See page 7) Have prizes ready to mail or email out Have some requirements on the invite (party background on zoom, prize for the best costume, etc) Take a screenshot of the group midfestivities (tell people you are taking it so they can pose)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Marching in place—10 minutes Walk around the block Do streteching exercises while waiting for coffee to brew 15 minute youtube exercise break Run on a nearby trail
OFFICE HOURS 1. 2. 3.
Set a schedule for yourself at the beginning of the day Work in focused blocks and give yourself non-food rewards (reading, self-care, calling someone to chat) Schedule some meetings with colleagues more frequently (but shorter) if you’re feeling disconnected
EASY DINNER 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
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Rotisserie chicken and boxed lettuce Frozen lasagna or cabbage rolls Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Build submarine sandwiches at home Frozen veggies + bottled sauce + rice
NOTES FROM THE OFFICE
CONT from page 10—Hosting Meetings in the Pandemic
CONT from page 8—The Adult Graduation Diploma in the Time of Pandemic
Unfortunately, in 2020, due to COVID-19, the graduation ceremonies were cancelled but students who graduated were recognized along with all other UFV grads. Often, to complete the Dogwood is meeting a very important goal. It could be a personal goal or the first step in a plan. Students are proud with their accomplishment and we encourage them to share their story to inspire others to ask about how to complete their Dogwood. If things didn’t work out in high school in our teens it doesn’t mean that we can’t move ahead with our dreams as an adult. As advisors and teachers, we share the sense of pride to see students complete their Adult Dogwood. The journey may have started off as a hurdle to climb and we will do what we can to help students achieve their goal.
Having virtual meetings can be a great way to connect with co-workers and students to provide that face to face connection. Once we are familiar with Zoom we can even have a bit of fun. Zoom and other apps allows us to personalize our backgrounds to suit the type of meeting we are going into. At our virtual Christmas party, we were able to use festive background pictures and can change for the next meeting. Remember to mute your meeting or the group might hear your dog barking or the neighbour’s lawnmower start up. As we have seen in some Zoom fail videos it is a common thing for a cat to jump up in front of a camera or a child to race by during a meeting. It’s not like working in the office but we are making big adjustments to the new office normal.
TAKEAWAYS
TAKEAWAYS 1.
2.
3.
Students pursue their Dogwood for a variety of reasons, both personal and professional
1.
2. COVID-19 Learning environments have brought more opportunities for online learning which improves 3. access to ABE programming for many working students
Have fun setting up your meetings — try a few different platforms and backgrounds
Enlist a co-host to take the pressure off to do it all yourself Attach the agenda to the meeting invite and stick to the schedule
ABE advisors can help map out a learning plan 14
OPEN EDUCATION Continued from page 5 - Into the Open: Stormy Seas and Smooth Sailing The Open Education Journey
Like learning any other new process or technique, jumping into the open took work. Luckily, I had support to get started. TRU’s open education librarian helped me find existing open textbooks that fit my level and topic. BCcampus had (and has) many high-quality resources available, and I was able to get a course release through a grant I was awarded at TRU. My original plan was to adapt an existing American textbook to include Canadian, Indigenous and interactive content, add beautiful images and use plain language. I was optimistic that I would be able to work quickly to create a high-quality resource, and I fully expected that I was going to love the whole experience! But as it turns out, I was very wrong…. the existing open textbooks we located were OK, but just OK. The grant that gave me course release was helpful, but the whole project got off to a slow start and I quickly realized that a single semester would not be enough time to accomplish what I had set out to do. Not to mention the fact that I had to learn all the ins and outs of creative commons, how to find useable images, how to use Pressbooks, how to build interactive activities in H5P. Alongside this, I was still teaching and performing service, while continuing to be an active mother and a partner in a busy household… I felt like I had
skipped the shallows and gone straight into the deep end !
your level and topic are using.
I soon realized that a project I had envisioned as taking six months would now take much longer than I had forecasted. I also understood that I needed to ask for more help. The acceptance of these two facts changed an experience that could have been insurmountable to one that is something I’m now proud of; marked by good work, community building, and valuable outputs.
If your institution has an Open Education Librarian, set up a time to meet with them, and send them some idea of what you are looking for. They’ll probably be thrilled that you’ve contacted them. Search in the best places to find ABE level resources:
Smooth Sailing Two years after I received the grant, I finished my textbook adaptation. It turned out to be a rewarding experience and I want to be able to share my lessons learned. That is the great thing about open educational practice – everyone builds on what has already been done. No more will we find ourselves lost at sea. There is a diverse community of people who are willing to help, contribute, guide and support! Here is my best advice if you are wanting to jump into adopting, adapting or creating open resources:
Adopting: This is the “easiest” of the three ways to get into OER. It involves using an existing open resource as-is. This isn’t limited to textbooks- it could be YouTube videos, open access journal articles, or creative commons licensed learning modules.
BCcampus – a publicly funded world leader in open education resources. The website has a whole section specifically for adult basic education, aligned with the British Columbia ABE curriculum. CK-12 Foundation – a California based non-profit open resource repository. I’ve included it in this list because it hosts resources for senior secondary courses. OER Commons – created by the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education and partially funded by the Hewlett foundation. This repository allows you to search by topic and level. eCampus Ontario – a non-profit part of the Ontario Online Learning Consortium. This site features lots of content created by Ontario Institutions If you don’t go with the traditional textbook route, think about ZTC (Zero Textbook Cost) – you can link out to Ted Ed, Khan Academy, PhET Science Simulations, and lots more!
Here are a few ways to get started: Find someone in your field (attending articulation is great for this) and see what others who teach 15
Continued on page 18
OPEN EDUCATION
Check out the resources that BCcampus has available on their website – there are a huge amount Adapting: This is a level up from adopting – of resources for those working in the Open space. They have a in which you modify an existing whole section on Support OER. The project I described Resources, including an adaptation above was an adaptation. This type of project can be big or small guide. depending on your needs. Critically examine your resource Adaptations range from creating a with an EDI lens. Open resources single new chapter, updating have the ability to reach a diverse photos, adding local examples, or group of learners and many of the Indigenizing the content. I find platforms have options to turn on that in the niche of ABE, we do accessibility features that will help this often since we bridge the gap students with diverse needs. between high school and postsecondary and existing Budget time into your week – as resources seem to be either too with all projects, you need the simple or too advanced. In space in your schedule to work. addition to the tips on adopting, Set aside specific and nonhere’s my advice: negotiable times that you will dedicate to the adaptation. Think carefully about which platform you want to use. BCcampus Ask your students what they like relies on Pressbooks, so you will and don’t like about the existing be able to move content in betext. Then ask the next cohort tween resources easily. However, what they like and don’t like about you want to consider the source of your adaptation. The great thing your adaptation – if you are only about adapting is you can typically making modifications you may go back in and easily change want to work in the same platform things and students will be able to (WordPress, FlexBooks, etc.). see things you won’t. Find out what platforms your instiConsider having your students tution supports in case you find yourself in need of technical help. author content. This can be a great opportunity for assessment for Ask around at your institution for learning and can build engagement help- can you access editing, as students have the chance to help copyright, IT support? You won’t future students learn the material. know unless you ask. Check out Creating your institution’s Teaching and This is not for the faint of heart, Learning Centre and or Library. but it has the largest impact, TRU’s Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching supported especially in our tight-knit ABE me in locating a range of services community. There are still some and supports available to faculty. resource gaps, and you may find CONTINUED from PAGE 15 Into the Open: Stormy Seas and Smooth Sailing The Open Education Journey
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that there are no useable resources for your area. If you are someone who enjoys creating learning materials, this can be a rewarding experience! In addition to the tips for adoption and adaption, these may be helpful: Find funding to give yourself release time. BCcampus has lots of funding opportunities, so check back and then apply often. Your institution may have opportunities or special funds you can apply for. Don’t forget to check with any professional organizations to which you belong and reach out to others who have worked on similar projects. Don’t feel shy about applying for more than one grant for the same project. The better supported you are, the more likely you are to complete your resource. Hire students! If you are funded and have room in your budget, hire a research or teaching assistant to do some of the work. Often there is importing, or diagram design, or creation of interactives that can be great experiences for a student. Work with someone in your field (a first mate if you will). See if you can find another instructor who works in the same subject (and think beyond your institution) who can help. They could be involved in several ways: Editing content for accuracy and clarity Authoring a specific chapter
COVID-19 RECOVERY RESOURCES
Canada Recovery Sickness Bene- that you and your lender have fit (CRSB) agreed to pause or suspend your mortgage payments for a certain The CRSB provides $500 per week amount of time. After the for up to a maximum of two weeks, agreement ends, your mortgage Trialing the resource with their for workers who: students and relaying their payments return to normal and the feedback deferred payments — including • Are unable to work for at least principal and accumulated interest ____________________________ 50% of the week because they – are added to the outstanding contracted COVID-19 principal balance and subsequently Christine Miller in an ABE • Are self-isolated for reasons repaid throughout the life of the Instructor and Open Textbook related to COVID-19 mortgage. Author at a Post-Secondary • have underlying conditions, are Institution in BC undergoing treatments or have contracted other sicknesses that, in To know if you are eligible for a ___________________________ the opinion of a medical mortgage payment deferral or to practitioner, nurse practitioner, Programs to Note – Govt person in authority, government or learn what options are available, Response to COVID-19 contact your lender — your bank public health authority, would or your mortgage professional. Supports for Individuals can be make them more susceptible to found at: COVID-19. https://www.canada.ca/en/ Canada Recovery Caregiving British Columbia Supports for department-finance/economicBenefit (CRCB) Individuals and Families response-plan.html#individuals Checking in with you periodically to offer encouragement and coaching
The CRCB provides $500 per week Can be found at for up to 26 weeks per household Employment Insurance (EI) for workers: Program https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/ • unable to work for at least 50% content/safety/emergencyof the week because they must care preparedness-response-recovery/ They made temporary changes to for a child under the age of 12 or covid-19-provincial-support/ the Employment Insurance (EI) family member because schools, program to better support financial-benefits#individuals day-cares or care facilities are Canadians who need financial closed due to COVID-19 assistance. As of September 27, 2020, the minimum benefit rate is because the child or family $500 per week before taxes in most member is sick and/or required to quarantine or is at high risk of cases. serious health implications because of COVID-19. Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) The CRB provides $500 per week for up to 26 weeks for workers who have stopped working or had their income reduced by at least 50% due to COVID-19, and who are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI).
Mortgage Payment Deferral – Homeowners facing financial hardship may be eligible for a mortgage payment deferral. The deferral is an agreement between you and your lender. Typically, the agreement indicates 17
Art from canva— ABE is heartwork, new dates
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