ABE Blended Learning
Submitted By: Thoibi Rublaitus
About Students Regional Consortium, Riverside
Website: https://sites.google.com/cnusd.k12.ca.us/cnas-abe-blended/home
Type of Practice: Program Development / Curriculum / Classroom
Program Area(s): ABE / ASE
Region: Inland Empire
Consortia Involved: About Students Regional Consortium, Riverside
Program Overview
In response to the three major barriers ABE and ASE students face at Corona-Norco Adult School (CNAS), the CNAS Blended ABE program provides four hours synchronous instruction augmented by two or more hours of asynchronous online coursework via the Canvas Learning Management System.
The Program of Practice
ABE / ASE students at Corona-Norco Adult School (CNAS) have traditionally faced three major barriers: persistence, resilience, and digital literacy. In the past, these students had a tendency to begin class, stay for a short time, and then stop out before making significant gains.
The Response
Three years ago, CNAS created a blended ABE program that addressed the digital literacy challenges of students while creating a connection between student and teacher that improved resilience and persistence. Additionally, in the past year, CNAS offered Steps to Student Success, a short, supercharged orientation course that built on all of these improvements and added a strong motivational element to keep students on track and invested in their education.
The Unique Features of the Program
The CNAS Blended ABE program includes 4 hours synchronous instruction augmented by 2 or more hours of asynchronous online coursework provided via Canvas LMS. The online coursework aligns with the synchronous instruction but also gives students control over pace, place, and time. The Steps to Student Success course enhanced the blended model with an adaptive digital literacy platform, early introduction to online elements, and a crash course in SMART goal setting, Growth Mindset strategies and time management skills.
The Outcome
In 2018-2019, the first year of Blended ABE instruction, 75 percent of ABE students with at least 12 hours achieved at least one EFL gain. During that year, there was also an 8 percent increase in student CASAS gains. Even in 2020-2021, a year when many Adult Education programs struggled, CNAS ABE students showed a 12.5 percent increase in attendance hours.