Dev Ed/ABE Partnership Study Circle

The Minnesota Dev Ed/ABE Partnership project, guided by the Minnesota Dev Ed/ABE Affinity Group, and funded by the Minnesota Department of Education – ABE Unit and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, is pleased to announce the creation of Dev Ed/ABE Study Circles. These Study Circles provide opportunities to connect research, successful partnership experience, and practice, in the exploration and creation of a local Dev Ed/ABE partnership.

All practitioners within the Minnesota State system and Minnesota Adult Basic Education (ABE) interested in partaking of this practice-based learning experience can apply to form a study circle that benefits from partnership expertise. Examples of ABE and college roles who might want to participate include ABE educators, campus faculty, college deans and administrators, ABE program leaders, regional directors, and anyone with Developmental Education reporting responsibility or who is charged with measuring outcomes.

A study circle combines dialogue, deliberation, and problem solving. They are based on discussion materials (i.e., advanced reading, research, guided questions). Study circles are typically guided by an impartial facilitator whose job is to keep the discussion on track. Meeting several times over the course of 2-3 months, participants can examine the issues and opportunities from many points of view and identify areas of common ground. The intent is for the participants to emerge with recommendations for action that will benefit the community they serve, in this case students placed in developmental education classes.

Study Circles can be formed in one of two ways:

1. Form a study circle in your own region or community. If interested, you should be contacting others in your local area to determine willingness to come together to pursue an investigation of a partnership that can work for your area, and then contact Lesley and Russ (contact info on left). A facilitator will be provided, with the expectation that members in the study circle will meet at least 3-4 times over the course of a semester, working their way through the Dev Ed/ABE Partnership Toolkit. A Study Circle Guide will lead circle members through the readings, discussions, checklists, and challenging questions, to assess a desire and resources to move forward with a partnership. Meetings can be in person or virtual; each group will decide.
2. Join a non-geographical study circle with other practitioners. This is intended for those interested in pursuing a deep dive learning experience relative to partnership formation or expansion. A condition for being selected is your commitment to contacting possible local partners throughout the study circle semester, to explore a pilot partnership in your area. A facilitator will be provided, with the expectation that members in the study circle will meet four times over the course of a semester, working their way through the Dev Ed/ABE Partnership Toolkit. Meetings will all be virtual.

Study Circle resources

As mentioned above, there are two primary resources for conducting the Study Circle:

• The Dev Ed/ABE Partnership Toolkit was designed to help train and support campuses and Adult Education programs in a simplified, straightforward way, providing ideas and resources for beginning a Dev Ed/ABE partnership.
• The Study Circle Guide was designed as a companion resource to the toolkit.

How can I participate?

Please express interest by completing this short Interest Form.

All study circles will be working through the Dev Ed/ABE Partnership Toolkit.

Where can I learn more?

For more resources and information on creating and sustaining Dev Ed/ABE partnerships, check out the Dev Ed/ABE Partnerships page on this website.