New Video Series: Moving Equity Forward in Adult Ed! August 23, 2024

New Video Series: Moving Equity Forward in Adult Ed!

Cydnee Sanders, MA TESOL, ATLAS Equity PD Consultant

Hey y’all! My name is Cydnee Sanders, and I have been working on developing an exciting new addition to the ATLAS Cultural Competency Resources library for y’all! It’s a video series called Moving Equity Forward in Adult Education, so let’s take a look at it!

What is the Moving Equity Forward in Adult Education Video Series?

While some practitioners enjoy and learn well from reading about a topic, we recognize that many educators prefer to learn in ways that use engaging multimedia, have immediate applications to the classroom, and that offer at least one new concrete idea to try.

To that end, ATLAS has created a series of short videos around DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) topics in adult education. Each video and accompanying discussion guide  packages an important concept that works toward justice in a format that is easily accessible for educators. Topics include: learners’ funds of knowledge, being a warm demander, and using diverse teaching materials. Each video can be watched as a stand-alone topic, so you do not have to watch them in any particular order if you want to jump around topics that pique your interest. Though of course we do suggest watching them all! 🙂

How can I use these videos?

Our hope is that you watch the videos and use the discussion guides with colleagues, but they can also be an individual reflection exercise. With colleagues, you could have a regular time during staff meetings to focus on equity, or maybe create an Equity Praxis Group to meet regularly to discuss and try the different classroom suggestions. If you’re going through these individually, set aside a regular time for you to work on your own professional development. However you choose to engage with these resources, remember mistakes are part of the process and just keep trying new things one step at a time!

Where can I find the video series?

On the ATLAS website, click on the Cultural Competency Resources library. You will see the library is organized into several main categories and subcategories. Under the category Moving Equity Forward in Adult Ed, there is a short description of the whole series and links to each video. Once on the individual video’s webpage, you have access to the YouTube link and the accompanying discussion guide.

What topics are covered in the video series so far?

Below are descriptions of the videos that are currently posted. Stay tuned! We will continue the series and bring more interesting topics and resources to you soon.

Video 1 – Why is DEI important in Adult Education?

In this video, we start from the beginning and introduce the terms Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and what they mean for adult education.

Suggested action step in video:

  • Self-awareness reflection questions

Video 2 – Discovering Learners’ Funds of Knowledge

In this video, we define and discuss the terms “funds of knowledge” and “an asset-based perspective.” A key element of equity in the classroom is acknowledging that learners have a wealth of knowledge based on their own experiences, and we should provide opportunities for learners to be the experts in the room. Once we learn what students’ assets are, we can weave this information into class content, which helps learners be more successful. We also take a look at an example lesson.

Suggested action step in video:

  • Create an Class Asset Profile and weave what you learn into class content

Video 3 – Being a Warm Demander

This video takes a look at a spectrum of different kinds of teachers and asks you to reflect on where you would place yourself. We argue, based on Zaretta Hammond’s work, that the “warm demander” is the sweet spot of the spectrum which focuses on building trust with learners while also holding them to high standards to meet their learning goals. We then discuss tools to practice building relationships with learners, creating a learning partnership pact, and giving quality feedback so learners can meet their goals.

Suggested action step in video:

  • Use the Rapport Tally to intentionally build trust with a learner you may be having a difficult time connecting with
  • Create a learning partnership pact with learners based on their goals

Video 4 – Tapping into Diverse Perspectives and Teaching Materials

This video discusses what “diverse perspectives and teaching materials” means, and why this is important to learner success in the classroom. Similar to other videos in this series, using diverse materials makes class more relevant to learners’ lives and helps them bridge information they already know to new information. Utilizing diverse perspectives in class content is also key to building up critical thinking skills. We take a look at numerous resources that can help each of us diversify the visuals, videos, audio, and written materials we use.

Suggested action step in video:

  • Take a look at the list of resources to find at least one you can use to supplement your current teaching material

Have questions about navigating the ATLAS website?

Please contact ATLAS Operations Manager Marisa Geisler at [email protected].

Cydnee Sanders, MA TESOL, ATLAS Equity PD Consultant ATLAS

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