Blog Archives
Norma Lesperance Receives Lois Land Award of Achievement
Sioux Hudson Literacy Council (SHLC) and Good Learning Anywhere (GLA) are proud to announce the 2011 recipient of the Lois Land Award of Achievement. Congratulations Norma Lesperance of Nipigon, Ontario!
When we are working at a distance with our learners, many outsiders have a hard time understanding what we do at Good Learning Anywhere. How are we helping learners achieve their goals? And truthfully, we sometimes wonder what sorts of impacts we are having on learners too. The results are not always quantifiable and recorded in statistics. It’s part of the challenge when working at a distance.
However, I would like to introduce you to Norma. I got to know Norma over a period of almost 4 months. Norma is a tremendously hard worker. Norma clearly had her goals in sight and worked very hard at figuring out what she needed to do to reach her goal. We commend Norma on her focus and we know that Norma will continue to apply what she learned from the Good Learning Anywhere and ENABLE programs. Here is a short video about the ENABLE program that was produced by Thunderstone Pictures.
When I told Norma that we selected her for this award, she was very excited. I asked if we could share her success story by means of answering a few questions. She declined that and decided she would like to reply in a paragraph format. This is her journey.
I first heard about this program through an “ENABLE” project that was offered to a handful of adult learners at Lake Helen Reserve. The on-line course was one part of many that we were required to participate in. As an adult learner these on-line courses made me less afraid of the computer. By this I mean, that I took a college course on-line a few years ago and I can honestly say that I was not prepared to do certain tasks with the computer. I didn’t understand networks, modems, e-mails, attachments; nothing. But now thanks to these courses and the jobs that followed; I am more confident in my computer skills.
When I was in high school the first time around, (in the late seventies, early eighties) I was a shy, gawky teenager, you wouldn’t catch me reading out loud, public speaking, or even standing up in front of a room full of my classmates. The computer had given me the ability to “speak up,” to “express my opinion,” to “participate,” without the fear of being laughed at, ridiculed, or rejected.
Like I’ve stated before, I’ve become more confident in my computer skills and this meant more job opportunities were becoming available to me. Since I have graduated in October of last year, I have gained employment as a relief secretary, an after-school tutor, then onto the Band Manager’s Assistant for the Red Rock Indian Band. I’m very proud of all my accomplishments and I plan to celebrate my achievements at our Annual Graduation Dinner on June 20th.
The only advice I can offer others is, “Just do it!”
If I had one word or sentence to describe my experience with GLA/ENABLE, it would have to say: “AWESOME, TOTALLY AWESOME!”
Norma
Norma earned her Grade 12 diploma with the help of the ENABLE and Good Learning Anywhere programs. As a matter of fact, she is having a graduation celebration today at Lake Helen Reserve 53A. She is also going to take the skills that made her successful and continue to apply them throughout her lifelong learning journey. Norma has told us that she wants to continue her learning and eventually become a school teacher.
Norma…we can’t wait for that day and who knows, maybe you’ll be teaching online too!
On behalf of Sioux Hudson Literacy Council (SHLC) and Good Learning Anywhere (GLA), we congratulate Norma on her achievements and sincerely hope all her dreams come true.
To learn more about the ENABLE program with Anishinabek Employment and Training Services, please visit their website: www.aets.org. To learn more about SHLC and GLA, please visit us at www.siouxhudsonliteracy.com or call us at 866-550-0697.
Moodling in March
Sioux Hudson Literacy Council (SHLC) and the Good Learning Anywhere (GLA) project recently opened 2 Moodle courses in February 2011 – Essential Skills Investigation and Canadian History. Moodle is an independent online platform where learners can take online course at their own pace according to their own schedule. Moodle courses assist in developing independent learning skills for Native stream adult learners.
There is not a LIVE instructor in Moodle courses as there are with e-Channel Centra courses that learners are most familiar with. Warren Butler was assigned as the Moodle mentor to assist learners in getting logged in, answering questions, responding to posts, providing feedback, providing activities, resources and keeping learners motivated. In the 2 courses, there were 46 learners registered with a 76% participation rate.
GLA recognizes that Native stream adult literacy learners can learn in different ways. Some learners are intuitive (visual), while others are emotional and relate to discussions, some are mental learners who are objective and logical and some are physical learners who are hands on. The Moodle course addressed these needs in a balanced format that brought learners full circle in their learning experience.
The courses included several activities and resources such as: discussion forums, YouTube videos, writing assignments, traditional style quizzes, cartoons, pictures, word searches, screen cast presentations, videos, matching games, surveys, documents for download, using databases and a self-direction and self-management activity for learners to create their own Tree of Life.
These 2 courses are finishing up in the end of March 2011. The results have been fantastic. Learners are forming their own opinions and discussions within the courses. Learners are networking and commenting on each other’s posts. Learners have shared personal hobbies that reflect the application of Essential Skills. They have identified which skills they need to continuously improve upon. They are learning how to share resources among each other to enhance their learning experience. They are supporting and communicating with each other. Learners have successfully adapted what they have learned to other aspects in their life at home, work and school.
GLA also realizes that Moodle is not for every learner. These courses are designed for the adult learner who wants to explore independent learning and acquire the skills to do so. We also encourage learners to try a Moodle course and see for themselves what it’s all about.
A big thank you needs to go to Nancy Friday and the team at AlphaPlus. Many of the GLA staff has participated in the Moodle training offered by AlphaPlus. We certainly would not have been able to put this together without their assistance, guidance and encouragement. Due to the success of these courses, GLA has future plans to incorporate more Moodle courses in to the GLA curriculum. Stay tuned!
2011 Family Literacy Day Jeopardy Challenge
Thursday January 27, 2011 is Family Literacy Day. On this day, families are encouraged to spend at least 15 minutes participating in a learning opportunity as a family. This year’s theme is to PLAY for Literacy. Playing games – board games, card games, trivia games etc… – strengthens our literacy skills all while having FUN at the same time.
At Good Learning Anywhere, we do not have the luxury to host an event at a physical location because we all work remotely across the province of Ontario and so do our learners. However, that will not stop us from participating in an online event to celebrate Family Literacy Day. Good Learning Anywhere will be hosting a LIVE e-Channel session to play the 2011 Family Literacy Day Jeopardy Challenge!
Yes, that’s right, Jeopardy! We have taken the popular game show and created an interactive online version to meet the needs of our learners. And it has some Canadian flavour as the host of Jeopardy, Alex Trebek, is from Canada! The questions will be literacy focussed on health, computer use, numeracy, pop culture and manners. When our learners have completed the game, they will all be given access to the game so they can go home and play it again as a family.
And we will be giving access to this Jeopardy game to all of you through our Blog, Facebook and Twitter.
For more information on Family Literacy Day and events in your area, please visit ABC Life Literacy Canada’s website.
On behalf of Sioux Hudson Literacy Council and Good Learning Anywhere, we would like to wish you and your family a Happy Family Literacy Day!
Learner Article: The Lifelong Learner – Gail Taylor
When my husband died twelve years ago, my first instinct was to move back to my husband’s reserve and pull that protective quilt of extended family over that huge hole of hurt. To compound matters, in the year prior to his death, I had been diagnosed with proliferative diabetic retinopathy with the prognosis of potential blindness. If I moved home to the village, there would always be someone to look after me. My response…I applied for a job at a Native Adult Learning Centre.
The job was a short term contract position that involved compiling learning material. When I was asked during my interview about my computer skills, I laughed nervously and answered that I knew how to turn one on. There I was, the person who was never going to have anything to do with a computer, faced with learning something entirely new when I was not only a “techno-cluck”, but a techno-cluck with diminishing eye sight. Hardly what one might call a appropriate path to success, but I got the job.
Just as my contract was reaching its end, the position of coordinator became available and I was asked to apply for that position. Looking back now, I cannot explain why I made the decision to give it a try. Perhaps I felt I had nothing to lose. In any event, I spent the next six years working in an adult learning centre in the Native stream. That frustrating man that I was sure existed inside the computer and I learned to become more compatible. In order to increase our numbers, I learned new computer skills so I could in turn teach others.
Even when my eye sight deteriorated, the computer screen could always be enlarged to accommodate my disability. The laser photocoagulation surgery that I underwent has left me with blind spots in my peripheral vision which means that I cannot see looking down at the computer screen, so I changed my teaching strategies to sit beside my learners when I am teaching. This has proven to be an amazing asset since learners seem more apt to relax when they do not have someone standing over them.
In that year after I retired and moved to another area, I found myself at loose ends. When I teach I am also on the receiving end of the learning cycle, so I returned first to teaching computers in the evenings and then to my present position with Quinte Literacy Group (an adult learning centre) out of Madoc. Teaching constantly pushes me to learn new things and explore new ways of imparting that knowledge to others.
New doors have once again opened and I have discovered that I can use the computer for art, and two years ago, I learned that I can draw. Although I have difficulty with my depth perception, I can work well in pencil.
What is the bottom line? You never know what you can do until you try.
