Statewide Release

September-November Professional Learning Opportunities
Below you will find a list of upcoming courses that are now available for enrollment in the PD Portal. For more information about any of these courses, please visit the PD Portal, open the course catalog, and review the syllabus. If you are interested in enrolling in a course, please consult with your in-house professional development specialist (IHPDS) to determine if the course meets your professional learning goals.

Reentry Resources and Best Practice for Working With Offenders

  • This online course begins October 18. Participants will attend live webinars on October 18 and 25, and November 8.
  • The training is for adult education practitioners, and participants are highly encouraged to enroll with partners (parole, probation, workforce development partners, drug and alcohol, and other community programs). Team members will create an action plan to implement in their local area around reentry services.
  • Download the syllabus to view a description of the training. For more information and to enroll in the course, please contact Chrissie Klinger at cok5111@psu.edu.
Teacher-Generated Resource Development Workshop

Join the Digital Literacy and Distance Education team this fall from October 4 to November 12 for a new Teacher-Generated Resource Development Workshop. In this training, participants will learn the essentials of planning an asynchronous lesson as they engage with their facilitators and peers through two live online workshops. At the conclusion of the training, each participant will have developed an asynchronous lesson that is ready for submission to the Teacher-Generated Distance Learning Lessons section of the PA Adult Education Resources Lesson Bank. All approved lessons will be placed in the Lesson Bank and be available for tracking supplemental distance learning time. 

This professional development opportunity is open to instructors of all experience levels. The workshops are scheduled for October 13 and 27, from noon to 2:00 p.m., with the potential for roughly 1-2 hours of work before and/or between sessions. Participants are encouraged to bring individual lessons or mini-courses they have already developed to be adapted for asynchronous instruction during the workshops. To learn more or to register by the September 30 deadline, please email Sarah Whitesel at swhitesel@tiu11.org.
Courses Beginning in October

BEST Literacy Implementation Training - enroll within first seven days of October and complete by October 31.

New! Observing College and Career Readiness Standards in Action - starts October 4, enroll by September 30. This course is designed for administrators, IHPDSs, and lead teachers who are well versed in the CCRS and key advances in math and ELA, and who want to improve overall CCRS alignment within their agencies.

eData Courses - enroll by October 1.
  • Introduction to eData v2 for Adult Education - starts October 5.
  • Introduction to eData v2 for Family Literacy - starts October 12. Please note that participants who are new to the eData system should also register for Introduction to eData v2 for Adult Education.

Family Literacy Foundations - starts October 13, enroll by October 13.

Using and Scoring ACIRI - course runs October 15 - November 15; enroll by October 22 to complete the course by November 15.

BEST Plus 2.0 Test Administrator Training - starts October 27, enroll by October 22.
Courses Beginning in November

eData Courses - enroll by November 5.
  • Introduction to eData v2 for Adult Education - starts November 9.
  • Introduction to eData v2 for Family Literacy - starts November 16. Please note that participants who are new to the eData system should also register for Introduction to eData v2 for Adult Education.
Offered on Demand

Introduction to the Foundation Skills Framework
Enroll anytime and have 30 days from the enrollment date to complete the course.

PA CASAS Training Courses - Observations Delayed
Enroll anytime and have 30 days from the enrollment date to complete the course.
Choose from three course options:
  • PA CASAS Training Paper-Based for practitioners who will administer paper-based CASAS tests.
  • PA CASAS Training eTests for practitioners who will administer CASAS eTests.
  • PA CASAS Training Paper-Based and eTests for practitioners who will administer both paper-based CASAS tests and eTests.
Please note: The full 45-day PA CASAS Training requires participants to complete a final assignment: three administrations of the CASAS assessment performed under the observation of a trained peer and signed off by the agency administrator or IHPDS. This requirement has been temporarily waived due to COVID-19. Participants will complete all other activities in these courses and be asked to complete a test administration/ observation assignment at a later date.

PA TABE 11&12 Training - Observations Delayed
Enroll anytime and have 30 days from the enrollment date to complete the course.
Please note: The full 45-day PA TABE 11&12 Training requires participants to complete a final assignment: three administrations of the TABE 11&12 assessment performed under the observation of a trained peer and signed off by the agency administrator or IHPDS. This requirement has been temporarily waived due to COVID-19. Participants will complete all other activities in this course and be asked to complete a test administration/observation assignment at a later date.

Staff Induction Verification Course
New staff members who are participating in the staff induction process enroll in this course after they have completed the required activities.

Staff Induction Module Courses
This series of modules is designed for new agency staff members as part of a customizable onboarding process. Existing staff may also choose to complete these modules at any time.

On-Demand Modules
On-demand modules are offered in the PD Portal to provide participants with flexible learning opportunities on a variety of topics. Please note that these on-demand modules are not part of the series of modules designed for staff induction.
New module coming soon: English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Overview

Tutor Training Module Courses
These modules cover the foundational skills needed by volunteers working in adult education programs. The eight modules serve as a component of volunteer tutor and classroom aide training and can be completed at any time.
New module coming soon: Learning Differences

Friday Lunchtime Webinar Resources
The Professional Development System offers Friday Lunchtime Webinars most Fridays at noon. Enroll in Friday Lunchtime Webinar Resources in the course catalog to access the complete schedule of webinars, the webinar link, presentation slides, and recordings.

Student Support Coordinator Professional Development Resources
Any adult education staff person who provides student support services can enroll in this space in the PD Portal course catalog. Participants will gain access to resources, including the Student Support Coordinator Hub and the link to Open Office Hours for Student Support Coordinators, provided by the Workforce Development System Liaison Project.